Sunday Happy

We are in the thick of it, the middle of summer. And for some reason I have yet to really feel any real summery vibe, if that makes any sense. I don’t know what it is. I am hot as hell, outside more then in, running around with little to no clothing on and have the dirtiest feet, eating all the summer veggies, and living all the summertime adventures. And yet something, some feeling that I usually feel is yet to be had. Huh. I guess there is still time but to be honest, I am already wishful for fall. (I am and will always be that person.)

The week was good. Started off with soggy camping in the Groton State Forest. Went kayaking then hiking, and then set up camp, all in a light rain. It wasn’t down pouring but everything was wet. We did out best drying out by the fire and by the time we both ate our camp lentil stew and climbed into the tent to sleep, we assed out. Then we woke up, made the coffee, busted down camp, then headed back home.

And the rest of the week flew by. Beside the the usual we took a couple of smaller hikes. I picked up farm share which is now starting to really amp up (giant tomatoes!). I picked flowers and lots of turnips from the garden and spent a lot of time hanging with Megan and So. I got pooped on by a bird and developed a gigantic blood blister on my ding-a-ling thing in my throat (uvula ?) which was gross and unnecessary. And then at the end of the week we took a long drive south to the Vermont Ceramic Store and got me 250 lbs of clay (should keep me busy for a little while). All in all, a busy, satisfying, got shit done, week.

And we are back to Sunday and back to our camping schedule. We have 2 state parks to choose from so not exactly sure where we will end up. All I know is that I have been looking forward to getting back out in the tent since we packed it up last Monday. I always wonder why we come home. I am meant to live in the woods.

Internet from the week.

-Just Say No to Peat: It’s Time to Rethink the Compost and Soil You Buy. Seriously.

-This is freaking awesome and I will be visiting it! A Skywalk Just Opened Up That Goes 100 Feet Above the Sequoia Redwoods

-Addison County Is Now Home To The Largest Anaerobic Digester In The Northeast. So How Does It Work? Fuel from poop! Vermont Proud!

-DIY Tiny Cabin on Wheels. This is one of those towable cabins that actually makes sense.

-Ask anyone that comes through my doors. Shoes off before entering or I will flip the F out! Please Don’t Wear Your Outdoor Shoes Inside My Home

-I might actually have the opposite problem….I can never find my phone. HA! But I know more people then not (just about everyone) that have this problem. Glued To Your Phone? Here's How To Rethink Your Relationship With Social Media

-If I am not into a book within the first chapter, I move on. Sometime I go back if I think it was just a wrong book, wrong time situation. But if it just seemed like shitty writing, well I’m a not gonna read it. There are far too many books that I need to read to waste my time. 6 Reasons It’s Totally OK to Give Up on a Book, According to Librarians and Podcasters

-That is a lot of words. From “5G” to “Zaddy”: Dictionary.com Adds Over 300 New Words And Definitions

-Hey You! Freeze Those Summer Green Beans. I usually get a bag or two but I have a hard time not eating them all before I get a chacne to freeze them.-

Pictures from the week.

Sunday Happy

Feels like we are nearing the end of summer, no? I am all on board, feeling that feeling one gets when the season starts to change over. It’s that deep down in my bones feeling, the feeling my body gets because it knows whats coming and is getting ready. The shift is coming on fast. Grasp those last summer days as much as you can.

Another intense week. After a super duper good camp at Ricker State Park, it was full steam ahead. The mr has been super crazed, all out, sanding and assembling bowling alleys into gigantic countertops for a local restaurant. Most days he is gone as I get home, home when I am in bed. But not quite as bad as last week. We have managed a few meals together and an adventure or two, like when we went to a church in the islands,, had ourselves a picnic and picked their apples. The apples were not good yet. But the church was lovely.

Other then being busy busy, there was other stuff. Barb and her man child came over for dinner and brought along Coco. We ate, he cried. I gave him a cookie, he laughed and ran around like a lunatic. (Coco, not barbs boyfriend) The older littles have been away at summer camp all week so we saw none of them.(We miss them!) We had dinner at my moms with the boys and Barb and I was lucky enough to see the world greatest tan lines ever. I also worked the last day of art camp (YAY!), picked blackberries, gave the mr a haircut, and scrubbed the shit out of the bathtub. All the fun stuff. Not fun stuff was when the car battery died when I Was trying to leave the house, the underglaze I was bringing home to use dumped all over me and the inside of the car (I was so pissed!) or when I was at the grocery store, lost my credit card, freaked out and ran around the store, then drove home, and back to the store looking for it, only to find it underneath one of my canvas bags in the shopping cart. The whole freaking time. At least I found it though cause I was about to cancel it. Look at me seeing the bright side.

Then I picked up farm share and all the tomatoes. Coming off of last weeks tomato hall, and all the tomatoes that are starting to come in in my garden, I am up to my ears in so many tomatoes. I have been cooking down pots and pots, freezing and jarring and of course eating. Eating so many tomatoes that my belly is on fire. And of course I have no help from the mr. He says he is officially tomatoed out. I wonder how is that possible? I think he is just being a butt is all. But whatever, no more tomatoes for him. (that he will know of. HAHA) And I’l just have to keep on keeping on and eat them. The season only lasts so long.

Yesterday the mr and I took a few hours to get away. We packed lunch and went in search of land. Picked a few properties to look at (but only made it to one) and hiked around the property. It was really nice, had a lot of what we are after but probably not THE property. But close so we are getting there and hopefully we will get there sooner then later. Ready to build our cabin life. And then we went home, I started cleaning and the mr went back to work and didn’t get home until like 3 am this morning.

Not gonna lie, I am bumming. We are not going camping today because well, the mr is still working like a madman and installing those bowling alleys today and tomorrow and we just can’t make it happen. So today, well I am going to make good use of it. Probably going to weed out some dead shit from the garden, maybe do a little replanting. Grocery shopping, clean the car, do a few loads of laundry, return books to the library, process food like a boss. (More tomatoes, hot sauce, freeze chard and pickles!) That and probably do some porch reading. And coffee all day. All. Day. It’s no camping but it will do. Next weekend we are back at it.

Internet read by me, shared with you.

-Are you a camper? If you are, here is some things to consider to optimize a good time. 10 rules for picking the perfect campsite

-Eat all the plants. Gorgeous Portraits of America’s Wild (and Surprisingly Delicious) Edible Plants

-You Should Pour Vinegar into Your Washing Machine—Here’s Why. What can’t vinegar do?

-Always a good idea when you pack lunches or any food. HOW TO MAKE REUSABLE SANDWICH BAGS AND SNACK BAGS

-I don’t consider myself a cat person or a person who wants a book of cats, but this book looks, well, it freaking awesome. A New Book Compiling Hundreds of Timeless Feline Photos by Walter Chandoha is the Cat’s Meow

-Oatly and the quest for the perfect alt-milk. Have you had Oatly? I haven’t but I do really like me some oat milk.

-Is crying truly cathartic? I think it can be. Can also be annoying and exhausting.

-Why does anyone ever listen to anything that guys says, ever? Greenland is not for sale. Seriously, why?

-Don’t Burn Trees to Fight Climate Change—Let Them Grow. I just thought that was common sense but what do I know.

-I don’t know about you, but I start baking a lot more around this time of year. So this is good to know. The Best Substitute for Cake Flour and Self-Rising Flour in Baking

Pictures from the week