Summer Bucket List

Summer is pretty much here and, unlike last year, I plan on making the most of it, even if that means not doing a bunch of things at all times. Last year we were finishing up the house and were constantly on the go go go. And yeah, we had lots of fun and did some things, but I don't think we really spent much time just being and relaxing and really letting ourselves sink into the summer vibes.  I have goals for us this year, to be more, well, less. To take it easy when we need to, relax a bit, and make enjoying ourselves a priority. We forget to do that sometimes. 

All week I have been thinking about some of the things I really want out of my summer and here they are. 

Summer bucket list 2018.

• Kayak the Winooksi River to Lake Champlain. This was our goal last year but things got crazy and we never got the chance. 
• Camping with the littles and Barb. We promised them all we would take them camping because get this, none of them have ever camped. (GASP!)
• Find coffee table for downstairs. I have been on the look out for a, kind of specific, coffee table for months. I NEED to find one this summer. It's driving me crazy.
• Hang more art around the house. We have a lot of artwork and I have hung up some stuff, but I really need to hang more. 
• Visit the Lavender fields. There is a farm in the tip top parts of Vermont that lets you walk through their fields of lavender.I hear it is like magic. 
• Stay on top of gardening. Don't get lazy 
• Make studio/creative time a priority. I am busting at the seems.with things I want to create. 
• Hike Camels Hump. One of my favorite hikes and we haven't done it in a few years so I really want to do it this year. And if we didn't do it until fall, that would be ok too.
• Take it easy. This is a big one. I want for us (me and the mr) to not get so crazy and to let ourselves be a little low-key and maybe spend a day or two doing no much of anything. Last year we didn't really take any time off. We need to do that this summer. 

Do you have a summer bucket list?  What's on yours? 

Sunday Happy

I don't know about you, but the past week has left me with a knot of dread in my gut. There has been a lot of utter bullshitbeing shoved in our faces, invoking feelings of rage and dismay and I am trying to figure how to be in this reality. It's scary and strange and leaves me feeling a little crazy. Add that feeling to a little mid winter blues.... I am not exactly of sound mind these days. (Ha, have I ever been?)

But there was a lot of good things. Little simple things like making pizza with the littles or walking through ice covered trees at 5 in the morning. New doors, a head of messy hair, a hint of blue sky. My little bits of happiness that really make me appreciate all the good that I have in my life.

And today, well I need to decompress my brain. I am going to take it slightly easy with work and do a news detox. No NPR. No NY Times. Do a little cleaning then chill. A good book, lots of hot beverages, a walk in the woods, some watercolor paints. The simple things to clear my head. You should do the same.

Some of the internet from the week.

-Bill Nye explains: what would happen if all the ice melted on Earth? We need to know this.

-Aziz Ansari’s Monologue on ‘Saturday Night Live’: Transcript. Not just funny..Smart and real.

-This shit is for real and scares the crap out of me. The Doomsday Clock Is Reset: Closest To Midnight Since The 1950s.Digging a hole now

-These paint palettes are making me want to paint.

-Love otters? How about a giant otter? Scientists Discover Prehistoric Giant Otter Species In China.

-A little advice can go a long way. An easier way to make cookies. Thanks Deb

-Sublime Opening Titles to the Style Frames Design Conference Animated by Eran Hilleli. Just really good.

-WATCH THE AMAZING CHINESE ART OF BLOWING MOLTEN SUGAR INTO GLASS

And a few pictures from the week.

Take care.

-C

Sunday Happy

My morning walks as of lately have had me doing a bit of raspberry, cherry tomato, and husk cherry picking.  Can it gt any better then that? (I sometimes pick flowers too). And yesterday I got my first pie pumpkin of the season. It is so cute and pumpkiny that I kind of want to keep it sitting on my counter for a while, but no.. My plan is to roast that shit for dinner tonight and eat it all to my face. There will be plenty of pumpkins to decorate with soon. This one is meant for my belly.

But before pumpkin, the mr and I ARE GOING to figure out the paint situation. I have never in my life had such a hard time picking colors for any apartment or house we have painted (and we have painted a lot) We nailed the wall color(on the second try) and both love it. I spent a good part of the week repainting the entire upstairs, but now we need to figure out the trim. I picked out a lovely grey that I looked fantastic for about a minute, but now I kind of hate it. I blame it on all the light and angles of the space. No two walls look the same color so I might just have to go with white trim and call it a day. Either way we go, I need to get the paint at least picked out today, its driving me fucking crazy.

I really should stop bitching, we have had such a productive week. We ended up picking up a new set of cast iron radiators, which I will tell you was no easy feat (the first or second time we did it, each of those things weight like a 800 lbs a piece) The old ones we got were not big enough to heat the space efficiently but the new ones, they are perfect and pretty and work. Score on that one. (thanks Mark the plumber) And while I was painting away upstairs, the mr was downstairs doing all sorts of stuff like moving all the tools and trash out, figuring out the radiant flooring for the first floor and sanding and painting the ceilings. The house looks so good that I am almost tempted to just move on in now, but then I think back to all the places we have lived during construction and the temptation goes away. Far far away. I can wait, at least for a bathroom with a sink that is not a hose and bucket.

Yup, another busy crray cray week. After we get paint, I think I am going to crash for a while, let my body and brain have a little time to shut off. We really should try to go apple picking or something, but honestly, I think we are both just really tired and could use a bit of time not doing anything. I say this but I know the mr will keep on working until his arms fall off, me, I will just fall asleep on the floor.

One thing I really need to do at some point today is to bust out all of my cozy sweaters. I am so very excited because sweaters are my jam and I have me aplenty of them. My wardrobe triples once the sweaters come out and I don't look like such a bum wearing all my big baggy paint covered t shirts. A sweater classes me up bit.

Yes, I can be classy (kinda)

Internet findings from the week.

-What a bad ass lady. Urban Beekeeper Delivers Pollinators by Bike to Community Gardens Across Chicago

-A Dictionary Is Telling Everyone to Calm Down About Using ‘Literally’ Wrong

-So jealous. I would have loved to have taken a coffee class in college. STEM To Steam: How Coffee Is Perking Up Engineering Education

-Thinking we might go with black doors. (maybe, what do you think?)

-Always thought these windows were a bit strange.The Bizarre Story Behind This Common Home Amenity In Vermont

-I am serial lane switcher. To Pick the Fastest Line, Follow People With the Most Items

-The Power Vegetables Pantry. The 12 ingredients that will supercharge your vegetable cooking.

-This dude spent a lot of time and energy figuring out how to best drink a coke. (coca-cola, not coke like the drug) The 24-Year-Old Coca-Cola Virgin

-This place has got to be amazing. WHERE DOES LOST AIRLINE LUGGAGE GO? TO AMERICA'S GREATEST THRIFT STORE.

-I have a mini dance party to this song every day. Also love it cause it reminds me of Alana and Abby from Broad City (when is season 4 coming???? I NEED it)

Now for a few pictures

Happy week to you!

-C

Sunday Happy

Is it really Sunday already? This week has flown by, probably because it was to freaking hot that my brain kinda melted.  At least the heat is gone now and I can finally, maybe, function like a human being again.

Even with all the heat, lots of stuff has got done over at the house. Plumbing, walls fixed, tile samples bought. We even have narrowed down the kitchen design and are going to start doing the kitchen stuff soon. Everyday we get a little bit closer.... Now for the outside of the house, well not as great. Neither of us have dragged the mower out it a while and now there 3 ft tall thistle everywhere. Barefoot in the yard is not a good idea.And even though we worked worked worked all week, we did made a little time to finally pick our strawberries from our farm share. Now we eat nothing but zucchini and strawberries. Good stuff.

Other then that, not much else new. Not going to lie and say I haven't been thinking about all the crazy shit that has gone on this past week in the country. Sad, alarming, frustrating. It's a lot of heavy and it sucks. I am doing my best to send all good and loving energy out to the world. Kindness goes a log way.

As for today. hopefully the mr and I will be smart enough to chill a bit today, get in a little r&r, maybe bake some bread and go for a little bike ride before hitting it hard again tomorrow. (we will probably work at least some today too..the mr just won't stop)

Some things to brows via the internet .

-2016 Will Be One Second Longer Than Expected. Well at least we get a bit more tine eh?

-Duh. Getting Kids to Like Vegetables Could Be As Simple As the Right Cartoon

-Do you feel a lot? You might be a empath?

-I could totally win this.. maybe next year. Move Over, Hot Dogs! There's a Kale-Eating Competition Happening This Weekend.

-Holy shit, so crazy cool.

-  Everything is connected to everything. Your Senses Are Talking Behind Your Back

-Ink Paintings of Ghostly Felines and Chickens

-Super cute and happy house.

-Oh shit, just one more thing that sucks about the hot hot heat. There might be a huge avocado shortage. Hoard as many as you can!

-Learning From Healthy Bears (You Mean We Should Hibernate?).. I am in.

And some pictures from the weeks shenanigans of rivers farms,  and family crazy.

Happy day to you!

-C