Sunday Happy

How do you feel about Daylight Savings ending? I love it! I love that we get the extra hour. I love that it is going to get lighter out earlier in the am (my early morning runs in the dark woods have been slightly unnerving..there are creepos hanging out in there) and I love that it will be dark at 430. I know, I know, most people hate it but I say embrace it. It probably has something to do with that fact that I wake up at 3am, eat dinner at 5, and go to bed by 730. Yeah, I am something …🤷‍♀️

Another week. Started with Halloween. The mr and I went over to Erins in the pouring rain and the four of us (me, the mr, Judah, and Erin) helped get Coco into his costume and took him out for his very first trick or treating adventure, and oh was it amazing. At the first house he went to, when the people came to the door, he walked into their house and started to play with their dog. It was hilarious and adorable and the best first trick or treating experience ever. After that we made our way up and down the street. We didn't stay out to long because after like the 10th house, we were all soaked to the bone and Coco had enough so home we went. Coco marveled at his foot and even shared his candy with Judah (he decided not to trick or treat) and then mr and I went home. Best Halloween.

Then the rest of the week. The mr and I spent more time then we wanted to sizing and moving 1000lb cast iron radiator into the house. Yup. We have radiant heat on the first floor but it is not efficient and have decided to bring in the cast iron and I am so excited! I wanted to put them in when we first remodeled that house, and we did on the second floor, but the mr wanted to try the radiant. Now four years later I win. HA! But gosh those freaking things are so heavy. Anyway, they are in the house, in place where they need to be plumbed, and I have been cleaning them up to get ready for paint. And now I need to pick the color and it is going to be a whole thing.

Nothing else really happened out of the norm. Well it snowed one morning and that was just fantastic. Work wise I have been organizing pots and starting the holiday sales on my instagram @stemandnod. I also picked up the first winter farm share. (YAY celeriac!) And I went into a store other then a grocery store with Barb for the first time in like 3 years. I needed new socks so it had to be done.

Sunday. Today the mr and I are getting out of town and going for a good day hike. I am happy about that because not with no camping and all I am getting stir crazy being in town. And when we get home I plan on spending the rest of the day reading and drinking all the coffee and or tea that I want because I am an adult and can do what I want.

Internet from the week.

-Daylight saving time ends Sunday. Here are 4 things you should know.

-I try to enjoy it but I just don’t like it. The Reason You Hate Your Birthday

-How to Keep Your Cool While Playing Host (It's Possible). Tell everyone to fuck off…Oh wait, that is just me. HA!

-People are getting out of had a lazy. Fifteen-Minute Grocery Delivery Has Arrived. Do We Need It?. No we do not need it.

-I LOVE decorations but I think part of the thing I love about it is that it is not all year and it is special. Christmas decor before thanksgiving is just too early for me. But day after, game on! And then it comes down New Years Eve. Here Is When People Are Decorating for the Holidays This Year

-The World’s Smallest Trailer Is Designed to Be Towed Behind a Mobility Scooter. The mr would freaking love this for his scooter.

-How to choose the best sleeping position, and why it matters. I think I am getting carpal tunnel from the way I sleep, well that and all the shit I do withy hands.

-Gorgeous kitchens. ’TIS THE SEASON FOR HOLIDAY BAKING.

-Pottery content and sales. @stemandnode.

Pictures from the week.

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Sunday Happy

Every morning before I head out for my run, I play the weather guessing game.I step outside and feel the air and declare the temperature. This week I have been getting really good. All in the mid to upper 30’s, one morning it was 30. Bellow freezing which is fucking cold and I love it! I don’t know if it is a Vermont thing or a me thing but every time it is just about freezing I think,'“If it were to precipitate right now it would be snow?” Do you do that too? I have got snow on the brain, can you tell?

The week started off with hiking and camping at Little River. Our last camping adventure for the year. It was great thought, a nice cool but not freezing day. The colors were still popping and there wasn’t a shit ton of people around. The park was pretty much empty. So we did our hiking, made food, hung by the fire, and crawled into the tent for the last time. Woke up to a bit of rain, went for my early morning walk, then packed up and came home.

The rest if the week went. I picked the last of the flowers and chard from the garden, moved all the houseplants inside, picked up the last summer farm share, and worked a lot in both studios. Nothing too exciting.

Now back to Sunday. No camping and I am sad about it, although it is pouring rain at the moment and if we were to be going, it would probably suck…Nah, who am I kidding, I would’ve loved it anyway but that’s a moot point. So what am I going to do today? I think I am going to the studio to glaze some shit and probably going to take myself out to the woods somewhere and hike about for a little while. Then later tonight we are taking the two boys (Coco and Judah) out for trick or treating because Halloween and all. That should be fun, especially because Judah decided to dress uo as Nick. Fake beard and all. It’s gonna be some funny shit!

Internet from the week.

-I actually think about this a lot. The Joy & Opportunity Of Dropping A Routine. I live in a routine and when I step away from it…Its pretty great. Sometimes.

-How an 1880s train carriage became a contemporary living space in Dungeness. Cool cool

-Did food taste better 50 years ago? Can we even know?

-I sleep with a very very loud snorer. And occasionally kicker. How to Share a Bed With a Partner—& Actually Get a Good Night's Sleep

-I am always in the kitchen when people are over so there is never a place to hide! How to Get Guests Outta Your Kitchen (Please).

-People can be really stupid. Check Out These Hilarious One-Star Reviews of National Parks

-We Tested 6 Methods for Storing Mushrooms and Found a Clear Winner. I need a paper bag.

-Visible Mending Isn’t Just for Clothes, and I Think It Should Become the Next Big Home Decor Trend. I am all about this. Take my couch. It is amazing but is very tattered and needs mending ever now and then. I don’t hide it cause the mend is pretty too!

-Hundreds of Ceramic Marine Creatures Radiate in Gradients to Show the Effects of Coral Bleaching

Pictures from the week.

Sunday Happy

I don’t know what the hell I was just reamng about, but I woke up with Celine Dion “Thats the way it is” stuck in my head. I am pretty sure I haven’t heard that song in like 10 years so it had to have made it’s way out of my deep, deep subconscious. What does it mean? And why won’t it stop replaying in my awake head!

What a ear worm to have on a Sunday morning. I need to plug my headphones in and listen to something, anything. It’s driving me nuts!

The past week involved our last camp of the year. We went to Little River State Park (the last place open) in the pouring rain and crazy wind and did our thing. Set up camp, hiked, made food. All drenched and loving every second of it, even the rm, who was fighting off a pretty crappy head cold. One thing that I did not love was that I was trying to dry out my soaking wet hiking boots a bit by the fire and ended up melting them. Yup, they actually melted, but lucky the mr brought extra shoes so those got me through the rest of the time. Anyway, so that was it, no more camping (due to the fact that it gets dark at 4 now and everything is closed for the season). And yes, I am sad about it. Until next year I guess, or until I convince the mr that winter camping is a good thing.

The rest of week involved me breaking and swallowing half of the second temporary crown. This time I did not bother going back for a third because my new permanent gold one goes in this week so I am just dealing for the time being. Then there was Halloween, which by hat time in the week, I was starting feel icky and sick, but still good enough for Barb to come over for dinner, watch me hand out a few handfuls of candy and walk the block in the rain. That storm was crazy with some freaky rain. The downpours were so intense at times that I though our house was going to wash away.

Not much else. I worked the studio and cut my hand open again. There was no farm share this week so I have had to go to the grocery store more then I would have liked. I cleaned the back porch off and backed away most of the summer stuff, and I found a few pairs of wool socks hiding in my closet. That was really nice. We didn’t see the littles cause they were all busy being cool with their fiends and between the mr and I both feeling under the weather, we choose to not infect the masses. We thought it better to lay a little low because we are good, caring people. Ha.

Yesterday was an Ikea day. Paul and Barb both wanted to go, so go we did. Left early morning, got stuck in dumb stupid traffic, then got to Ikea just in time for everyone else in Montreal to get there too. I peed, they got hot dogs. They shopped, I shouted. I peed again, they checked out and loaded up on more hot dogs. And then home we went. Me and Barb basically sitting on top of each other because Paul bought a shelf that took up half the car but you know what, traffic did not suck, the boarder was fine, and all and all not a bad trip. Minus the smell of the hotdogs, it made me want to barf.

And then I came home, the mr ran to rescue one of our tenants, I made dinner, we went for a walk, then I went to bed. Still feeling off and was more then happy just to get underneath all the covers and sleep.

Today the mr and I are not camping, but we are going hiking, so there is that. And we plan on making soup for dinner and maybe…maybe, turning the heat on tonight if we are feeling extra cold. But probably not. We might just wait til it snows.

Some links to look at from the internet.

-Is A Diet That's Healthy For Us Also Better For The Planet? Most Of The Time, Yes. Get on board people.

-On the drive to Ikea, we got into the conversation of seltzer because it’s always about seltzer. Is Seltzer Bad for You?

-This map shows how food travels from farms to your home. Some things really travel so far, it’s kind of crazy. Let us all try to eat more local, yes?

-Why do people hate vegans? Why indeed.

-Keep your brain alive and healthy. 5 Daily Habits That Negatively Affect the Brain and Should Be Stopped Before the Damage Becomes Irreversible

-How Jane Fonda Convinces Her Famous Friends to Get Arrested. I would get arrested with Jane Fonda. Hell, I Would do just about anything with Jane Fonda.

-Bulk all the way, but done right. The Problem With America’s Bulk Food Bins

-Thank you Dutch science people for making the world embrace Brussel sprouts. From Culinary Dud To Stud: How Dutch Plant Breeders Built Our Brussels Sprouts Boom

-Yes please! MAKE MINE AN A-FRAME.

-I Tried the Wim Hof Method to Find Happiness Through Suffering . I don’t know, I could see this working for me. Huh.

And pictures from the week.

-C

Chocolate filled Vanilla Sugar Sandwich Cookies

As of right now, these are by far the best cookies I have ever made. Look at them. They are SO CUTE!. Worth all the effort, seeing that I do not own a ghost cookie cutter (although I think my version of ghosts are pretty fantastic) and had to hand cut out each cookie with a knife and a ghost cutout I made a few weeks back. They make me happy just looking at them. That right there is saying something. And I don’t know about you and where you are, but it is getting pretty freaking cold out and I refuse to turn the heat on for a few more weeks so I do what I need to do to stay warm. If that means turning on the oven to bake cookies, then so be it. I have a feeling I am going to be making a few more batches of cookies before the months over. HA! (For reals though.)

These cookies are more or less a traditional sugar cookie with a chocolate ganache type filling, both with a hint of coconut flavor from the use of coconut oil. Something about the whole combination; the cookie, the coconutieness, and the chocolate that really had everyone (I gave them out a Barbs birthday party) praise my amazingness. I guess they are pretty freaking delicious.

Cute and delicious. Best kind of cookie!

And quick note. Yes these are ghosts but think of all the fun shaped sandwich cookies you could make. I am thinking moose shaped cookies next or maybe Christmas trees… Oh the possibilities!

Now, to the cookies!

The stuff. White sugar, coconut oil, flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla, almond milk, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar. For cookies and filling.

To make cookie dough. Beat toghetet the coconut oil with sugar and vanilla until smooth and fluffy. Add in all the dry ingredients and the almond milk and mix until a dough forms.

Wrap dough in plastic and squish tight. Place in fridge for an hour or up to a day.

After dough has had time in the fridge, grab it and roll it out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick.

Cut out cookie shapes. If you want to cut out eyes or a few different shapes, remember each cookie needs a top and bottom so even numbers folks.

Place cut out cookies on a baking sheet then into the oven they go.

Bakes and ghostly! Place them on a wire rack to cool and keep baking the rest of the cookies.

While cookies are cooling, make chocolate filling. Super soft, almost melted coconut oil goes in a bowl with vanilla and gets beaten together. Add in the cocoa powder, powdered sugar and pinch of salt and kept beating slowly anding in a bit of milk until the whole shebang comes together into chocolate filling awesomeness.

Ghost filling!

Once the cookies are completely cooled, fill them. The filling might have tightened up a bit so if it is not spreadable, pop into microwave for like 8 seconds to get it to move. Scoop or smear equal amounts of filling onto the bottoms of the cookies and top them off with their tops.

Done, and ready to eat.

Ghosts cookies for all your ghost fueled festivities.

-C

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Chocolate filled Vanilla Sugar Sandwich Cookies

makes at least 16 sandwich cookies

For the cookies

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

• 3/4 cup white sugar

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extact

• 2/3 cup soft coconut oil

• 5 tablespoons plant milk (I used almond)

For the filling

• 1 1/2- 2 cups powdered sugar

• 1/3 cup cocoa powder

• 4 tablespoons melted coconut oil

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2-3 tablespoons plant milk

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350

In a bowl beat together the white sugar with the coconut oil and vanilla extract. Add in the flour, baking powder, and salt and start to mix with a spoon or fork, adding in the milk as you go. Keep mixing until completely incorporated and turns to a ball of dough. Gather together into a ball and wrap in plastic. Pat flat and place into fridge for an hour or up to a day.

To cut out cookies. Roll fridgerated dough out on a floured surface to about 1/2 inch thick. Cut out shapes, making sure to have a top and bottom for each cookie. Gather left over dough into a ball and repeat until all the dough is used.

Place cookies on a baking sheet and bake for 13-15 minutes or until they are just starting to lightly brown around the edges. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cook.

For chocolate filling. Beat together the melted coconut oil with vanilla. Add in the lesser amount of powdered sugar, salt, and cocoa powder. Beat on low, adding in 2 tablespoons plant milk. Beat until mixture comes together into a thick but spreadable consistency. If it seems too thick, add more milk, too thin, a little more powdered sugar.

Cookie assembly. 2 cookies at a time. A top and bottom. Spread about a tablespoon of chocolate filling to bottom cookies and pop the top on.

Eat cookies. Store what is not eaten in a airtight container for up to a week, but these ghosts will definitely not last that long.

Sunday Happy

I was walking around Costco this week and they have set up all the Christmas trees and decorations. It struck me hard, like what? Did I miss something. What about like fall and Halloween and Thanksgiving. Leave it to Costco to make you feel like you are behind on your holiday preparations. Lucky Home Depot had it right and had only Halloween decorations out. Those little skeletons made me feel a little better, and even excited. Fall be coming for real soon!!!

The last week started with our usual camping Sunday. Stopped at a few pieces of property for sale (fell in love with one except it is really close to high voltage power lines and yeah, I don’t know if I can live that close to that). Found a plastic Santa on the side of a dirt road in the middle of now where and was so pumped. I have been on the look out for an old vintage Santa for the house (this one was a knock off, but still cool) so we grabbed him and stuffed him in-between the tent and sleeping bags.

We got to our campsite, set up the new tent(yeah!) sat out Santa, then tooled to the woods. Did some hiking, some exploring, and just really savored all that the world is in. A good lentil and potato dinner, a fire made by the best fire starter in the world, then assed out as soon as it got dark. Camping is the best. Woke while it was still pitch dark out, made the coffee, packed up, and watched the greatest sunrise before heading to the river for the mr to go and do some fishing. Unfortunately Santa did not make it through the camping trip. When we were packing up I accidentally shattered his head while trying to stuff him back into the car. I was so pissed, but what can you do? He was a fragile old man. But the hunt continues. I will get my plastic Santa. I will.

Then back to life in town, which this week consisted mostly of me miserable because I bit a whole in my tongue (yes I did, and it was gross) and the mr on high ladders and me on the porch, painting away. We need to get this house done before it gets too cold.

Barb and the littles came over for dinner and sour patch kids, I gave the mr a hair cut, and went to Mileys first ever field hockey game (She is so dang good). Barb came over again for dinner because she really likes it when I feed her good food, and basically besides running around doing chores and errands, it was painting. Oh, and I did work at the studio, cleaning and such, and I did get a little time to start the tearing the garden apart process, but yeah, that’s about it. That and I bought my first sugar pie pumpkin of the season… Gonna eat the shit out of that! So excited!

For today, it’s off to the great outdoors. I think the mr was saying something about good fishing soon or whatever, so we are camping out near some rivers that he like to fish. Me, I am just excited to get my hike, and knit, and read on. We only have a few more weeks before all the campgrounds are closed and it gets to cold to camp so I am going to savor every bit of it.

Internet from the internet from the week.

-I didn’t even know, or even thought to think about it. Watch How Steel Ribbons Are Shaped into Cookie Cutters

-This new blood test can figure out what time it is inside your cells Whoa. I wonder what my cell time is?

-Don’t care about the hot tub, but the rest. SO COOL! Next time I am in Wales I guess. Luxury Dome Getaway with Private Hot Tub near Round Swamp in New South Wales

-Cross Back Apron. On my list of things to make within the next week (or month)

-I still use plastic containers because I have them and don’t want to just toss them away, but maybe I really should.(But I probably won’t, at least fora while) There’s So Much to Worry About I Forgot to Worry About Plastic Poisoning

-When Your Child Believes Meat Is Murder It happens, be prepared. I remember when I became a vegetarian when I was 11, the shit I got from my family (And still sometime do, 21 year later) and I didn’t know what to eat. I ended up eating lot of garbage food until I figured my shit out later in my mid teens. Not good.

-I don’t really eat any food that comes in a package, but I would totally be the one to eat the package if I did. Eat Your Food, and the Package Too

-The Truth About How Much Happiness Money Can Buy. All relative though. I make far far less then 85k and I am pretty happy, I think?

-Modular A-frame homes.. Just not in America, yet.

I hate the fidget spinners, they make me anxious. Fidget spinners, weighted blankets, and the rise of anxiety consumerism

Pictures and Barb eating from the week.

Bye.

-C