Sunday Happy

Oh how nice it is to wake up and not feel like a complete trash can. Yeah I got me my booster shot a few days ago and yeah it knocked me on my ass. Not as bad as the last shot which kept me in bed for 3 days but damn was I feeling like super shit. But I am boosted so go me!

Besides the end of the week ill, the week was pretty fantastic. There was hikes with the mr and with Megan. There was lots of good snow. I made cookies and a giant ass ice cream cake (for So’s birthday ). Then the mr and I went and did our traditional Christmas tree hunt in the National Forest. We got a good one this year (we get a good one every year). I pulled more holiday mugs from the kiln, finally opened my online shop, stem+node ceramics, which is accessible through my blog, and like I said before, I got my booster.

And then I was sick. But I kind of figured it would happen. Anyways, even though I wanted to smash my pounding head into a concrete wall and could barely carry around my own weight, I railed and made it to Sophias 9th birthday party (I had too. I made the bread for dinner and said cake) I sat with her in the dark and watched holiday baking shows until everyone else came, then slinked away to watch her dance around, open presents and be the greatest at being a 9 year old. Then I went home and crashed. Yesterday was a flop. I managed to get a few things done but those damn side effects… Whatever. It snowed a big fluffy gorgeous snow and I went for a nice walk in it so I was good.

Now Sunday and I am feeling much better (my head still kinda hurts thought but it is still early so hopefully it will fade). The plan for the day is I need to run to the studio this morning and glaze a few pieces then the mr and I are suppose to go for a hike somewhere. After that we plan to work on the Christmas cards. Are we gonna get them done today? I am sure will will… like kinda sure… But if they don’t that is cool right? They will get done and mailed by the end of the week. That’s good. We got this!

Internet links from the week

-Need a holiday gift for a friend, a relative, a teacher. or even yourself? Buy pottery! And why not buy something from me! stem+node ceramics. $5 off your order until Wednesday when you use the code LOVELYCRAZY.

-I have heard a few very strange things about well wieners and the vaccine sooooo. These urologists are setting the record straight about penises and COVID. I think your penis (if you have one)is safe friends

-The case for free tampons and pads in schools. No shit tampons and pads should be free in schools.. And all public restrooms. Jeeze.

-DIY Bed Fort. Yeah, I need a bed fort.

-Why? But seriously..Why? Forget gingerbread houses, the new trend is charcuterie chalets and meat mansions. Stick with the real thing like a good decent human... These Are the Most Popular Gingerbread House Designs.

-How Leisure Time Became Work. Ugh. I am so glad I do not track the details of my life. I was once tempted to get a pedometer to track my steps but knew it was a slippery slope. Once a week. When I write here. That is all I have in me.

-How excited are we for persimmons? Me, I am VERY excited! Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Persimmons

-I am not a weirdo for doing this cause bon appetite said to do it? You Should Absolutely Be Adding Pickle Brine to Your Soup.

-Hawaii braces for foot of snow amid blizzard warning. I heard this on the radio and thought I heard wrong so I looked it up. I didn't realize Hawaii could even get snow.

-I just painted my bathroom a deep pastel pink so yeah, I understand.COLOR STORY: UNDERSTATED PASTELS.

Pictures from the week.

Sunday Happy

To the last week of the year. Can you even? It’s like all the things happened and at the same time, nothing. Almost like a time warp that I still have yet to wrap my head but I think I am done trying and am just going to move forward from here. A new year. 2021! It’s gonna be good!

The week started off a little hectic. I was finishing up pottery things and dropping of pots all over town. Then grocery shopping ….I had a few things I needed to pick up to get through the week and when I Went out it was a freaking shit show. I think it was more crazy this year cause people were stocking up to spend times at home (quarantining) so yeah, it traumatized me a bit. Then Barb came over and we baked like mad women. So many cookies and muffins and we made them tiny so it looked like a million cookies! After that is was basically just trying to wrap my head around the fact that is is the end of the year, that Christmas was a days away, and that all the snow melted. That pissed me off more then anything.

Then it was Christmas which was weird but good. First off, it was SO freaking HOT. I think it go to like 65 degrees. There was no snow, lots of rain, and it was just not good. My morning run turned into a mud run and I looked like I fell into the pond. But what are you gonna do? I embraced it and wore sandals for the day and walked around the neighborhood taking selfies with all the lawn blowup Christmas things and sent them to my siblings… IT was freaking hilarious. So up until couple weeks ago the family was not going to see each other but I had the greatest idea to all meet at a big parking lot on Christmas. Because it was so freaking darn hot out, we ended up at a park, no jackets or hats, all huddled under a awning because it was kind of raining. But whatever, we made it work and for what it was, it was fantastic. I brought all the cookies to share, we exchanged secret Santa gifts, and the littles ran around burning off their sugar highs. Again, it was weird, and nothing like our usual Christmases but kind of exactly the same. It was the first time we all have been together since like March so it was great. And next Christmas everyone will come back to my house and trash it and I will be missing a park Christmas! HA! Oh, and before I forget HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO CAMERON who didn't want to get out of bed to come so I didn’t get to see him..anyways.

Christmas night the mr and I went home, exchanged our stockings (he made me the best most beautiful huge cutting board that I am going to have hard time using cause it is so pretty) and I made him a ceramic slice of pizza and got him old man vitamins that are in the form of candy so he will take them. Then I basically passed out and that was that.

Then Saturday we went and said hi to Anthony because it was his birthday (HAPPY BIRTHDAY Anthony!) and then I spent the rest of the day in a foggy weirdness that was the day after Christmas.

Today the mr and I are starting on one of the Christmas presents he gave me… Shelving in the basement and in the linen closet!!! He set up all the tools, got the wood, we measured it all out, and now all that it needs is to be cut and put together! This is the best present ever!. (Every year I ask for shelves of some kind. It has turned into a thing) After that I Am sure I will spend the rest of the day organizing what is going on the shelves (a lot o f camping stuff) and cleaning up the mess that is sure to come from the mr going in and out the back door to cut wood. And I don’t even care cause SHELVES!

Internet from the week

-No New New Years' Resolutions. Are people even doing that anymore?

-This Foldable, $23K Tiny Cabin Pops Up in Less Than 3 Hours And it actually seems like legit.

-This is me Most people would be happy to never shake your hand again

-I just explained this to the littles the other day. What is a solstice? And other questions about the shortest day of the year, answered

-The Great Bicycle Boom of 2020. I couldn’t find a bike this summer and I even got my old shitty bike stolen so yeah, people are riding bikes which is pretty cool. (Stolen bike is not cool)

-The Absolute Best Way to Make Peanut Butter

-2020 In The Kitchen: The Year We Spent Making, Baking, Frying And Trying. It was all about the kitchen!

-A house that knows my soul. Lovely, Dark, and Deep: An 1800s Victorian House in Nebraska, Restored Down to the Doorknobs

-I need new shoes that are not running shoes or sandals and I miss my clogs. Maybe if these go on sale..

And a few pictures from the week..

Sunday Happy

Where did all the snow go? It was so lovely for a good part of the week and then bam, woke up and it was gone. And way to freaking warm. BOOOO. That was even worse then no snow. It just needs to snow and stay put and stop being warm. I hate global warming. So. Much.

The week was good, if not a bit hectic. Started off with the mr and I going over to the loft and having Christmas craft time and decorated her tree. I brought her all of my old ornaments and we made yarn garland and listen to Christmas music and it was just the best. And now Gigi has a brand new tree full of all the toys she could possible want to climb and destroy. She was chewing on the lights even before they were on the tree so yeah, not worries at all…

After that it was a good few days of me being busy busy, trying to finishing up some pots and dropping pieces off to people who bought them. I am getting ready for the last little push before Christmas and am trying to not let it stress me out.

Thursday, December 10th. One of my favorite days of the year because it is the day the mr was born. HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOVE! Because of COVID we didn’t do his traditional grilled cheese party which was sad (next year its on!) but we did have a lovely day. He woke up to strong man and a balloon (plus all his favorite breakfast things). Then after a lazy morning we drove to a little mountain and climbed it in the snow. After that he went off to do some plant stuff while I made a cake and lasagna. Barb and him then came home and we had dinner, cake to the tune of KPOP singers singing happy birthday in Korean, and ended the day watching Home Alone and me falling asleep on the couch. All in all, I think he had a good day.

And that is it. Not much else other then us trying to finish and get the last of the Christmas cards made and out in the mail. That and I bit a hole in my tongue (it was brutal) and have developed a very curious, if not concerning squeak in my big toe. Feels and sounds like walking on snow…. Yup. And that is that. Just busy busy and maybe a little boring. And old? Haha, a little.

Today involves a mad dash to the studio to glaze the for the last time before Christmas. After that, the mr and I are going to go for a drive/hike somewhere and then maybe come home and finally put the decorations on the tree. We have been slacking hard on tree decoctions this year. The rest of the house looks A+, but there is something so magical about a tree with just lights so I haven’t felt the need to decorate it. But I finally want to so tonight, we will, maybe.

Internet things from the week.

-The Danger of Assuming That Family Time Is Dispensable. Because it is not. Damn, I miss my family, but we need keep each other safe. And think of how awesome the next safe family gathering will be… We might even all be nice to each other or a while. HA, yeah right.

-Welcome to Our Museum of Smells. Do you have a specific smell? I have so many but top of my head is nag champa incense.. The mr had stuffed a giant box in his closet in his dorm room so all his closes smell like it. Now I associate that smell to him. That a saw dust. Ha.

-Handy when you are shit out _____. A Quick Guide to Ingredient Substitutions

-Canada’s little known Emerald Isle. As so as I read this, I starting planning a trip. (Next year maybe?)

-Utah Wanted All the Tourists. Then It Got Them. I have defiantly noticed how many more people are everywhere outside when just last year there was nobody. And I do worry about all the parks, state and national. It can be a lot of wear and tear and then you have the assholes who trash the places… Don’t be an asshole.

-I’m So Over Brands. And sexy Colonial Sanders.. WTF?

-More info on outdoor socialization How To Retain Your Heat And Stay Upbeat While Socializing In Winter

-Simple and beautiful and I want to live here. A Young Couple’s DIY, Totally Off-the-Grid Cabin in the New Hampshire Woods

-Drake Is About to Launch a Candle Company. Of course he is.

-Oh how I loved the Ikea catalogs..Sad but it’s ok, its better for the environment. 'Emotional But Rational': Ikea Discontinues Its Long-Running Catalog

Pictures from the week.

-C



Sunday Happy

Two things that really worth noting for me this week. First, the mr and I went and cut down our Christmas tree!!! Always one of the best days of the year. Into the Green Mountain National Forest we hiked, found our tree, cut it down, and dragged it out. Well the mr actually carried it on he shoulder for about 1.5 miles. (He didi’t want help.) We got the tree home, immediately put it up and wrapped it in lights and I just sat there, with the tree smelling all tree like and I was so happy.

Second, I realized that I like Taylor Swift. Like really love her new album. So that happened.

Now it is safe to say my week was better then the last. How could it not be when you have a freaking tree covered in lights in your living room. I got a lot of stuff done that I have been needing to, I glazed some pots, sold some pots, and organized then trashed my studio(yes in that order). I am slightly freaking out about getting all the “things” done before Christmas as usual but I guess it wouldn’t feel like Christmas if I wasn’t low key bugging about something. And honestly I’m actually less buggy then most years so progress!

Some other good things From the week included a few Christmas light drives which I must say are oh so excellent this year. People really stepping up their light game fr sure. I made So her birthday cake and then Barb, the mr and I went over to Megans and we all stood outside, sang her happy birthday, and did the cake thing on the front porch because well Covid and all. She was surprised and so cute and it was great. Eight years old, I can barely believe it. It was also Justins Birthday but adults just don’t matter as much but happy birthday to him too. Haha. And what else. Oh, not my news, but the mr took barb to cut down her very first Christmas tree in an undisclosed location (like the side of the road, but I was told it was all good and so on and so forth) and then he found her and took her to buy a car. FINALLY!!! Now the mr doesn’t have to drive her ass around anymore and she can go get groceries and not starve to death.

And that is all I can recall because honestly this week I have spent as much time as I could just reading. I went to the library and took out like 15 books. Things might be shutting down again and I do not, can not, go without something to read at all times. It makes me agitated and cranky. So I stocked up and that is my truth.

Back to Sunday. Start of a new week. Today the mr and I are going for a drive to drop some pots off, maybe take a hike while we are out, and I have a few things I need to finish up at the studio.. Other then that, not much. I might make a few more paper snowflakes to hang from the ceiling and I need to get my crafting basket ready for tomorrow when I go to Barbs and help her decorate the loft and tree, but yeah, thats it. Now if it would just freaking snow a shit ton, that would be great.

What I looked at on the world wide web.

-Winter blues? Listen to Oprah, she knows best. How to Be Happier in January Than in July

-Also check out Martha. She was (and is) one bad ass lady. Living Just Turned 30, But Martha's Reach Remains Limitless

-Staying safe this winter means a lot of time outside. Here’s how to stay warm. Frost bite is not fun.

-Not that you need an excuse, but This Is Your Brain On Holiday Rom-Coms. It’s good for you.

-Why is it so hard to predict the weather? Live in VT. No one ever really knows what the weather is going to do, even while it is happening.

-A theory that can help explain why time seems to move slowly

-I ever back to these yearly book lists all the time. NPR’s Book Concierge

-Do you have a clutter room? I do not and would bash my head on the wall if there was a room of clutter. IT hurts to just think about it, but that is me. Don’t Worry, You’re Not the Only One With a Clutter Room In Your Home

-Imagine A World Without Movie Theaters… How do you feel about this? Personally, I haven’t been to a theater in years. I hate them, but it still seems sad.

Pictures from the week.

-C

Lemon Cardamom Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies

I love December, basically because it is a month long excuse to always be baking cookies. And listen to Christmas music. And have a lovely big ass tree in the house covered in lights and dried fruit. Plus snow if we are really lucky. December. It’s a good month.

And we are getting to that time when now most of us have serious cookie making on the brain. I bet if you ask 5 people what they are planning on doing in the next few days leading up to Christmas, at least 3 of them will tell you they are making cookies because really, that is what you should be doing. That is if you like to bake. If not, then by all means, skip cookie baking.

Now what cookies to bake? Well you got to have chocolate chip, and peanut butter. Plus some no bakes and sugar cookies, but also, I think, some type of gingerbread.

These cookies are the gingerbread something. I added cardamon because I think cardamom is delicious and think everyone will think so too, And lemon because lemon goes with cardamom and ginger and lemon cardamon ginger just has a nice ring to it. Then crinkle because I didn’t really want to roll out dough and cut out shapes (I was being lazy), but I wanted pretty and I am really Into the crinkle look.

These cookies were a huge hit. Not crispy like a snap, but not cakey or overly soft. A nice chew and deep in flavor. The mr was basically smuggling these cookies all day before I had a chance to really hide them and he is not a typical gingerbread lover but he told me that these cookies might just be the best cookies he has ever had. So yeah, I guess this is now my new winner gingerbread cookie recipe.

And no joke, these are probably the best smelling cookies I have ever made. I wanted to bottle up the smell and wear it on me like a teenage boy wears a new bottle of axe. Seriously, I kept sniffing my sweater all day long just to get a good hit of the smell. So good!

Now to the cookies!

The stuff. In one bowl there is flour, salt, and baking soda and powder. The other bowl is brown sugar and molasses. There there is a couple flax eggs, some oil, a lemon for it’s zest, and spices of ginger, cardamon, cinnamon, and black pepper. Also powdered sugar to roll and crinkle these cookies.

Wet stuff. Sugar, molasses, flax eggs, and oil. Mix until combined.

Dry stuff. Flour, baking soda and powder, salt, and the spices. Add in the lemon zest too and whisk to combine.

Wet into dry. Grab a wooden spoon and mix until a cohesive dough forms. And yes you can give up the spoon after a minute and use your hands to complete the mixing… I did.

After dough is mixed and uniform, pop the bowl into the fridge for a little while to give he dough some time to rest. Half an hour is good and you could even leave it for a day if you wanted to, just cover it if you do.

And when the dough has had it’s time, scoop, roll into balls, ans roll around and completely coat in powdered sugar.

Sugars balls of dough. Now pop them into the oven.

TA DA! Baked and all crinkly.

Let the cookies cool on a wire rack because that’s how all cookie cool. And smell that delicious oh so lovely smell. It really is amazing, no?

Then onto a serving plate and now you have cookies for your mouth face.

Happiest happys of all the days to come! Now go eat cookies!

-C

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Lemon Cardamom Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies

makes around 2 dozen cookies

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon ground ginger

• 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

• 2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon pepper

• zest of a lemon (about 2 teaspoons)

• 3/4 cup brown sugar

• 1/4 cup molasses

• 2/3 cup neutral oil (I used canola)

• 2 flax eggs (6 tablespoon warm water mixed with 2 tablespoon ground flax seed)

• 1/2 -3/4 cup powdered sugar

To start, grab a bowl and mix together the brown sugar, molasses, oil, and flax seed eggs until completely combines. In another large bowl, whisk together the flour, all the spices (ginger, cardamon, cinnamon,and pepper), the zest of the lemon, baking powder and soda, and salt. Pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry and mix together until a cohesive dough forms. Place dough in fridge for about a 1/2 hour to up to a day to let dough rest for a bit. If you are going to keep in the fridge for a while, just cover it up.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 and measure out powdered sugar into a bowl

Remove dough from fridge and using a scoop or just eyeballing it, scoop about 2 tablespoons worth of dough. With each scoop, roll the dough into a ball and place into the bowl of the powdered sugar and roll around unit completely coated. Place ball on a baking sheet, giving it a little pat down, NOT squishing it down, just a little indent. And don’t overcrowd balls, give them a little space.

When your baking sheet full, place Into hot oven and bake for 12-13 minutes or until the cookies have puffed and flattened out a bit, are golden brown on the bottoms, and the tops are all crinkly and lovely. Once cooked all the way, remove from oven and transfer cookies onto a wire rack to cool.

Then eat a warm one. Heck, eat 2 warm ones, then do what you will with the rest.

Store cooled cookies in an air tight container at room temp for 3-4 days. They can also be frozen for long term storage but why do you need to store your cookies? Jest eat them.