Sunday Happy

Cool and dreary spring days. My absolute favorite weather, well besides the full on allergy face I get when all the green stuff pops, but I will take itchy eyeballs and a leaky nose for this any day. I mean, how can you not love watching all the colors grow into living stuff? It is pretty freaking fantastic.

Nothing to exciting happened this week. Went for walks, played in the garden and threw some seeds in. The mr caught the woodchuck (he moved in under the porch.. he had to go) and released him into into the wild. I read a lot, worked in the studio, and we did the stuff we needed doing . And that is about it. It was a quiet week but I needed a quiet week.

Back to Sunday. I have a handful of pieces that I need to glaze so I am going bop into the studio for a few while the mr does a little work. After that we are going to find a trail to hike and a place to picnic lunch. And I will probably close out the rest of the day with hot coffee and tea, on the porch, reading. A good day for sure.

Internet from the week.

-Need a Mothers Day gift or maybe just a little something something for yourself? Check out my instagram @stemandnode. I got mugs, planters, and espresso mugs sets for sale!

-My morning runs have turned into a obstacle course trying not to step on all the worms. They are everywhere! Why Do Earthworms Surface After Rain?

-Skates, sewing machines, and sex toys: See the everyday objects that got us through COVID-19. I think the one big change that happened with lockdown was the gym closed so my bike and my running shoes got me through.

-I can’t even imagine trying to get he mr on this thing. He can barely make it over the 50 ft long one over the river. World’s longest pedestrian suspension bridge opens in Portugal

-This Retro Cooler Is Back in Action. I love these coolers!

-Having a hard time sleeping? Look at you diet and when you are eating. Like me. I drink large quantities or tea at night and wonder why I have to get up and pee like 5 times. Is your diet keeping you up at night?

-Epicurious Ditches Beef In A Move It Calls 'Pro-Planet'. I cool with this

-Mattel Created Nearly 200 Retro Glam Vintage Barbie-Themed Wallpaper Designs. Toy to wallpaper….Thats a natural progression.

-I have been thinking a lot about this windbreaker

-The Coming Conflict Between Introverts and Extroverts. I agree. The best plans are the ones you make with people who then cancel them on you. HA!

Pictures from the week.

Sunday Happy

It SNOWED!!!❄️❄️❄️ Finally. And after a good bout of freezing rain. But you know what, I liked that too. But snow. It’s like all of a sudden the natural world makes sense again. No more balmy 50 degree days, just nice and cold. Freezing in fact but I love it. And seriously, my body does too. Those flip days where its damp and cool but not cold makes my hand swell and hurt. Give me teens and I am all good.

Besides the good weather we have had this past week, there hasn’t been to heck of a lot. The mr and I did drive Megans face (and body) down to Boston for a quick hot minute (or literally an hour) to a doctors appointment and then jumped back into the car and drove home. That was a whirlwind of a day. Mostly I have been spending a lot of time down in the basement studio working on mugs and plates and a few other things, trying to stock up on stock for selling purposes and what not. Because after a lot of though and second guessing of myself, I have decided that I am going to try and start selling more of my pottery. Even have a little online store thing (which I am trying to build now and is harder then I care for it to be). I even started a new instagram account for it (stemandnode) and am trying to figure out how to sell from that. So yeah, been busy trying to do business things.

Otherwise, same same. The mr has barely been home, working away on a few projects, shoveling snow, and showing apartments. We did get a to have an awesome hang out time and dinner with Judah. We did some drawing, ate some food, and just talked about how awesome we were. (That kid, he is one of my favorite humans.) I also spent time at the studio pugging clay and chatting up members. And finally, with a heavy heart, I moved the Christmas tree out of the house. It now resides on the front porch where it will probably stay for another few weeks. It just looks right out there.

We got even more snow last night (!!!) and snow means snowshoes and that is what we are doing today. I am very much excited. This will be the first time this winter that we are able to go! (due to lack of snow.) After snow shoeing, I think I am gonna hit the library, maybe go restock my spices from the bulk bins at the coop, maybe stop in an see the littles, and then hopefully, just come home and chill a bit. Get ready for a week of things and stuff. Make a big pot of split pea soup and go to bed early. Mellow and quiet. Sounds like an A+ day to me.

Some links from the internet to read.

-How Did Humans Boil Water Before the Invention of Pots? Whoa, what a process.

-Spending to much time looking at kilns. Maybe someday or maybe someone will just buy me one. HA

-Should we buy it?

-Our average body temperatures seem to be dropping. I know my average is like 97 something. I always thought I was special. I guess not.

-Apparently Cleaning Our Homes Gives us Just as Much Adrenaline as Race Car Driving. I guess I know how reach car drivers feel on a regular bases.

-Taking care of yourself has a few more benefits other then not feeling like shit all the time. Scientists Calculated How Much Longer You Can Live With a Healthy Lifestyle

-The New York Public Library Has Calculated Its Most Checked-Out Books Of All Time. I love LOVE that is was a children's book, about snow!

-Oh this is so tempting. I miss working in coffee shops. This Irish Island Will Pay Room and Board for You and a Friend to Work in a Coffee Shop

-The Dark Side of ‘Compostable’ Take-Out Containers. Not as good as you thing.

-Awesome. Delicate Embroideries Feature Anatomically Accurate Lungs, Brain, and Facial Vessels

Pictures from the week

-C

Sunday Happy

I have two questions. Is it crazy that we still have or Christmas tree up? It is just so nice and still looking as fresh as the day we cut it so I am having hard time saying goodbye to it. I did take all the ornaments off, just left on the lights, so it is kind of like a big house plant right? That is what I am telling myself because that it what it is. Once it start dropping needles or most likely, just after this week, to the goat farm. But as of now, it stays.

Anyway, my other question is, where the hell is winter? For real. When I went to bed Friday night there was a few inches of snow on the ground and when I woke up Saturday morning, it felt like freaking late spring and I barely needed to wear clothes, much less a jacket. And everyone I talked to was all, “Oooh, so nice. Love it love it , blah blah blah”. Me, I hate it. This overly warm winter shit has got to stop. It is making me sad. I need winter, real winter. And that is global warming for ya. Fuck!

Yup, that and everything else this week. I stole (but not really) a new batch of balloons from the gym (the heart finally went down). Went for a nice pre snow melt, snow hike with the mr. Made lunch for Anthony and fixed his fancy pants. But a big part of the week has been spent over at the loft, packing, cleaning, and fixing things because as of this past Friday, little miss Barb is staying there. And now my back porch is full of all the stuff I brought home that I have been meaning to bring over here for the past 3 years. Mostly books, which we have no good shelves for yet (build shelves are on my list of things to do), and a good amount if shit I have to go through again and get rid of. Agh, I hate stuff. I might just stick it all on the curb with a free sign and walk away.

I also have been trying to get into my studio as much as possible. I threw some more mugs, glazed hearts, cleaned tools. Spent time with myself and my goals for selling more pots more seriously which then kind of turned into spending time with all the paperwork that seems to be flowing in from all the other thing in the rest of our life. Because who could forget, new year means new taxes. Oh taxes. I am going to stop there and not think to much more about them for at least another couple weeks, then I will start stressing. The usual way I do it. Ha.

And now its Sunday. Currently raining and still to freaking warm but is getting colder as the day goes on which means a nice layer of ice on everything making for a crap shoot of any outdoor activities today. I really wanted to try and go or a hike but it’s not gonna happen so I will probably just go to the gym, maybe stop in and see the littles ( I haven’t anyone really this week because everyone is back at school and I have been so busy) and then veg out on the couch with my books (recurrently ready 3), coffee, and a sketch pad. Need to get these book shelves designed and built before the momnuent for the need dies and the books stay in boxes an the porch forever.

Links to things I spent time looking at on the internet.

-Feeling Artsy? Here's How Making Art Helps Your Brain. Art is life, or my life at least.

-I am a hand eater, or I mean, I eat with my hands, a lot. It is much easier then getting a sharp fork into my mouth with our stabbing myself in the face. HA. Why Food Tastes Better When You Eat With Your Hands.

-Plant based is the new buzz word. What Does ‘Plant-Based’ Actually Mean?

The Germantown Laundromat: An Eco-Minded Gathering Spot in the Hudson Valley, Mending Services IncludedI love everything about this so much!

-Me and the mr.? Meet the couple who sailed across Mongolia in a handmade cart. Yeah, I think so.

-Genius. I would totally be into this if it didn’t mean I had to interact with people. Maybe set it up blog style? Why Cookbook Clubs Should Be the New Way We Entertain

-Every time I start to bitch about the crowds of all the new people in the gym these days I stop myself because really, good for them for being there. Stop Complaining About the Gym Being Packed, Because It's More Damaging Than You Think

-Planting Trees Is Good. Eliminating Deforestation Is Better. So lets stop cutting down the trees. Yeah, thats a good idea.

-Oh shit, you never know, you might be getting some new next door neighbors. HA. Meghan And Harry 'Step Back' As Royals — What Does That Mean, Exactly?

-Oh hell no. Do Bathtubs Belong in Bedrooms? But I guess a lot op people think its a good idea..? And sure, it looks cool, but wet water in the bedroom, just seems wrong to me.

Pictures from the week.