Sunday Happy

Besides the usual hubbub of life around here, a few things really stick out to me from last week. First off, at the beginning of the week we FINALLY BOUGHT A VAN!!! It was amazing. A big white astro van. Original big boat like seats. The three door trunk that was everything. Ashrtays in the back seat (yes they did) . Its was perfect. Perfect for work, for travel, perfect for life. But notice I say “it was”. Well guess what? We also RETURNED A VAN!!!! Yup. We bought it, brought it home, and as soon as we got home, the brakes went out. Oh, ok we thought. Let’s bring it to our mechanic and see what he says. Turns out the mechanic that we bought it from was a little shady and sold us a lemon. Not only were the bakes rotten, but there was a bunch of other hidden issues. So yeah. no more van. We were, and still are a bit crushed, but it could have been worse right? We could have been flying down the interstate when the brakes gave out and that would have been much much worse.

Enough about the van. A good thing this week is Erin and I went and got bikes for the littles. It was awesome. They were so excited and cute and it was just so good. We walked into the bike shop, picked out bikes, test rode bikes, and bought bikes, all within an hour. Yeah I might have told them they suck because they were able to just go get a bike and I have been bike shopping for over a month and have spent hours at the bike shop, but whatever. And so we brought the bike back to my house, I made dinner, and they biked around the neighborhood. At first Judah was having really hard time because he had never ridden a grip brake, shifting bike, but after a little lesson from the mr, the kid was off. Only stopped to tell us that his nuts hurt. (Good to know kid).

And last but but not least, maybe the worst part of life at the moment. The MOTHERFUCKING MOSQUITOS. Those fuckers be feasting on me like what. It’s nasty disgusting, and all sorts of terrible. All of a sudden there are millions and billions and you can barely even walk out of the house before they start to swarm. I have received no less then one thousand bites this week, and that is me trying not to get bitten. (Yes I am exaggerating, but seriously.) I don’t even know what to do anymore. It is so bad that when you walk from the house to the car you are probably going to get bitten in the face at least once if not a bunch of times. It is all sorts of wrong and I just can’t even. I lay awake at night trying not to itch off all my skin because of all the bites. And they are not normal mosquitos bites, these bits itch and almost hurt for days. Gardening.. please. I am out there in all my socks, pants, jackets, and hoods. Still they attack my face and hands. Hopefully this is the worst of it and any day now all the bats will come and eat them aaaaaalllllll!!!!!I(I might start importing bats to my house) That or I am going to turn myself into an electric bug zapper. How? Not sure yet. I’ll let you know if I figure it out.

Anyway. That is mostly the gist of the week. Some downs, some ups, but all and all not horrible. The weather alone folks. Let talk about that for a minute. How freaking fantastic has it been? I am loving it. Little sun here and there, Some rain showers, a few thunderstorms. Not cold, not hot. Pretty much perfect in my eyes. And the world. So much pretty! The trees. I mean, can you not say spring foliage might be even better then fall? The trees are just so vibrant in greens, whites and purples. It is good. We are good.

Now for today. I am leaving the house much too early to go read and drink coffee in the car, waiting for the gym to open. Why you may ask would I do that. Well if I want to go to the gym, I need to get inside the perimeter of the Vermont City Marathon. The course starts right around there so the roads will be blocked off with thousands of people running for a few hours this morning. Sure I could skip gym and run around here, but I would rather not have to run in full body armor. (DAMN the MOSQUITOES AAAGHHHH!!!!) And really, I don’t mind. I can even sit on the steps at the gym that overlook the lake. It actually will be kind of nice. After that, I’ll come home, grab the mr, and we will head up to Belvidere for some family time. Cousins are in the state so we, and the other sisters, are going up for lunch. Let’s just hope the mosquitoes are not as bad up there. I can’t take it.

Interent for the taking.

-I have always considered the use by date a suggestion. I think the simple wording change will make a big difference. To Reduce Food Waste, FDA Urges 'Best If Used By' Date Labels. And really, who says the best isn’t yet to come? HA

-Erin has the right idea, to buy THESE in bulk. I am seriously considering getting at least one set. I can’t take the MOTHERF$%#ERS anymore!

-This feels heavy. Finding purpose is a somewhat fluid concept, don’t you think? Either way, this makes a lot of sense. What's Your Purpose? Finding A Sense Of Meaning In Life Is Linked To Health

-My dad sent me this link. It’s a little video of his life goal, to be a extreme mountain bike nanny. (my dad is a weirdo.)

-GLAMOUR CAMPER SPF 50+ ALL NATURAL SUNSCREEN WITH ALL NATURAL BUG DETERRENT & GLITTER. And Glitter. Need I say more?

-I love old charts and pictures from textbooks. These are particularly fantastic. Cross-Sections of Geological Formations and Views of the Cosmos Bring the World to Life in 19th Century Educational Charts

-What Is A Moonbow?  And now on my life bucket list of things I need to see.

- Shipping containers just keep getting cooler. Modpools. Shipping Container Pools

-This Study Shows That Having Flowers and Plants Can Ease Pain and Anxiety. Truth. Flowers and plants are everything.

-Firefly magic. How these mysterious fireflies synchronize their dazzling light shows

Pictures from the week

-C

Sunday Happy

Hey hey hey! Happy Sunday. Hope you are finding yourself happy and relaxed and enjoying all the good things the world is giving us. Like coffee and green things. All the coffee, all the green things for sure.

Another week that came and left and now it’s May. MAY! Can you even? The time, where does it all go? (an existential question for you) Our week (and time) started off with a chilly wet jaunt to a river. We were going to go out to the kingdom to watch the salmon jump out of the river but it was just to dang cold and rainy so we decided to hold off on it. But we did make our way to a river near by so the mr could officially toss in a fly line into some water. I guess fishing season started a week or two back but we have had so much rain that it has not been great for fishing, or being outside much for that matter. Anyway, he got a few casts in so he is happy.

Wet and raw weather wise was the way of the weather this week. We did have a few breaks of sun which lead to an impromptu afternoon hike just because the sun came out. It was fantastic, or started off that way. Up and down and around the woods to the very flooded lake. Half the way through the hike we ended up at a boardwalk that had a little water coverage, which was fine because someone placed nice big rocks to pass over. Or so I thought. A few steps in and the bridge gave away and into the lake I went. Just my feet and up my legs a bit, but yeah. I just stood there in shock for what seemed like minutes but eventually made my way to the other side of the bridge, drenched boots and all. The rest of the hike was soggy, but hey, I was outside and there was sun and I wasn’t freezing cold so yeah. Could have been worse. It could have been the mr who went in and I really really would not want to have had to deal with him hiking back with drenched feet. Now if my hiking boats would dry out. That would be great.

Other then our little outdoor adventures, the week went the way the weeks does with work and all. The mr running around frantic, having doors, making room for giant ass wood slabs in the barn, wheeling and dealing.

Friday was all day studio work. Lots and lots of pugging clay. While I was at work the mr picked up littles (Miley, So, and Judah) and they all came to the studio to pick me up. It is always a great way to get people to listen and leave the studio when they are suppose to when a bunch of kids rush in and start demanding food. People, at least the clay people, are scared of hungry little kids. Ha. Off we all went, me covered head to tow in clay. Found out in the car that Judah was sick (so sad) so he went home and it turned into a girls night sleep over. Pizza, soup, and peanut butter sandwiches for dinner. We went walking/piggyback riding, the mr and Miley played with the new wood brander which included fire and hot metal. The mr took them to the store to pick out ice cream while I tried to clean myself up, they came back ,ate lots of ice cream, then showered and brushed hair without arguments. They picked out movies without fighting (movies about ballerinas and singing animals) and happily curled up together on the floor. Me being me with no attention span or energy left skipped the movies and went to bed. When I went to wake them up the next morning, I found out that they had woke up (or never went to sleep) in the middle of the night to draw and do yoga? Yeah, I don’t exactly know what went on. What I do know is my yoga mat was upstairs and I remember waking up in the middle of the night to sounds of the wall being kicked a bunch, and there were drawings of crazy things and colored pencils everywhere that were not there when I left them the night before. Hey, if that is what they want to do in the middle of the night, more power to them.

After pancakes and cartoons, the ladies and the mr spent the morning going through a million awesome shells. I guess someone had massive shell collection and gave it over to the mr. Neither of us are really shell people, I mean a few cool ones, but this collection was INSANE. SO we gave them all to the littles. And gave the littles a boxes to bring home to their siblings. They can have all the shells, we are good here.

We dropped girls off, ran around doing errands, then came home and I putz in the yard before going about cleaning the house. Lots of dirt and mud and sticky shit on everything. I just don’t know where it comes from. Well I do actually. And it’s mostly not me so yeah.

Today the mr and I actually are heading out to the kingdom. We need to see some fish jump. A few hours back and forth will give me time for some open window car rid air and reading if it doesn’t make me puke. Picnic lunch by the river and afternoon road coffee. Hopefully we get home in time for me to spend at least a good few hours in the garden to ooh and awe at the stuff that is starting to pop out of the ground and maybe figure out if it’s a perennial I planted or just a weed. Good thing I like weeds too or else I would be terribly disappointed a lot of the time.

Have a few extra minutes? Take a look at some interesting internet from the week.

-The Obamas Are Making a Kids’ Food Show on Netflix. Oh HELL YEAH! And I am not a kid but I am gonna watch it.

-What a great business/environmentally awesome/ logical/ just plain right idea. Toronto Restaurant Fights Waste By Chopping Menu Prices Till Food Is Gone

-Some serious boldness. Bold Line Drawings Layered on Top of Deconstructed Images of Fruit, Flowers, and Animals in Tattoos by Mattia Mambo.

-Rise of the Lady Backpack. Purse. Please. Back packs are the best, but to be honest, I mostly stick to nothing, just my wallet and keys in a pocket. Back pack for biking and hiking and a tote bag for the groceries, the library, or the occasional kitting project. Simple.

-I struggle hard with my OCD cleaning. I sometime wish I had the ability to let things be mess, but then again…. The Unbridled Joy of (Occasionally) Letting Your Room Get Really, Really Messy

-What Comes After a Rut? Take the good with the bad and all the craziness that is the ebb and flow of life.

- Why the Kentucky Derby is a 145-year-old celebration of hats. Now imagine if people went around wearing those hats all the time. The world would be a better place.

-Maine, you so smart. Maine just banned Styrofoam food containers

-How to be assertive without being called a bitch. Why are women always considered bitches? Well I am anyway….

-I love this and only wish I was ablate “Gramp” when my grandparents were alive. 'Gramping' Is the Latest Travel Trend Grandparents Need to Know About

And some pictures from the week.

-C

Sunday Happy

We got the little spring teaser. 2 beautiful days, high 50’s, a bit of sunshine. Most of the snow and ice melted and little green shoots appeared underneath all that snow. I even opened all the windows and left the front door open to air out the house. It was amazing. And the sun. When it is out, it is out and feels so so nice. ( I am definitely vitamin D deficient). But again. It was a tease. Back to it being not so warm and a little more snow ( it snowed last night). Aye Yai Yai!! Just be spring already!

Week was and now its over minus that hour we lost which actually kind of kicked my ass. The beginning of the week, rolling out af bed at 4:30 to get to the gym, well my body didn’t like it much and gosh was I tired and dragging ass. But I am all adjusted now and everything is good. And we have more light at night which is nice I guess. I don’t mind reading in bed with natural light. HA.

There were a few good walks, one down by the lake, another with Megan down to the river. (We are all trying and needing to stay off of hiking trails for a little while because they are either covered in ice or mud and we don’t want to trash them) The mr spent a good amount of time ripping up a porch and doing porch things all the while being on rat duty for friends of ours. Barb was suppose to come over for lunch and a hike of some sort be she kept ditching me with oversleeping. I have been plugging away, ever so slowly and because they are taking over my life, at taxes. Barf. I did manage to start tomatoes and pepper seeds, have the littles over for dinner and popsicles, worked at the studio, contemplated renting and driving a bulldozer … Nothng big or grand. Not yet anyway.

Today, after the gym and doing a few little chores, we are going to pack a lunch and head out of town. I’ll grab the binoculars and maybe we can find a good place to do a little bird watching. That is how the day is feeling. Slow and lovely and full of birds. They are coming back, I can hear them more and more, bringing with them the spring.

Links from the week to browse at your leisure.

-Why Southeast Asia Is Flooded With Trash From America And Other Wealthy Nations. And now we are all going to feel the affects because they don’t want to buy our recycling anymore. How to actually recycle

-Did Cooking Really Give Us The F-Word? The science of language and how it has evolved

-It’s not fancy but this is the Sweater of my dreams.

-The One Thing I Hate About Being a Wellness Influencer. You are allowed o eat, even things that are not considered healthy. Stop being haters.

-One at a time. Nobody Blows Out Birthday Candles Like Mitt Romney. I actually kind of love it. Next time I need to blow out candles……

-The Pineapple Hack That’s Taking Over the Internet Right Now

-Shall I get myself a cottage like this one in Scotland too? I think so.

-A Popular Benefit of Houseplants Is a Myth. But I don’t care, they improve life.

-Welcome to Vermont. Goat starts term as town's pet mayor. And did you hear. Bill would place Vermont on year-round daylight saving time

-All the lovely chairs. THE TIMELESS BEAUTY OF BENTWOOD.

And some pictures from the week

Sunday Happy

These guys know how to pose for the camera, no? Haha. Goobers.

Definitely a hell of a week. Good fo us here in our little home bubble, but crazy as shit elsewhere. I want to run screaming and crying when I think about what has been happening around the country, to those kids to those families, and  just that overall state of things. Not good, not good at all. . AAAAGGGGHHHH!!!!! I think we humans just need to be better, some more then others, some way way way more then others.  I just need to say that. 

We kicked our week off with super humid and hot weather which of course was right when I needed to turn the oven on to make cookies for the party, Barbs graduation party. I hesitated for a moment, thinking it wasn't with it.  but I made them and they were the best cookie ever, and Barb ate them all and way happy. Good deed done. After all the sweat, we got the cookies to the party, right after the mr took Judah to get his hair cut and after they got caught in the rain, and managed to have ourselves a good time (there was AC) Yeah sure it was a BBQ and it was raining, but that didn't stop everyone from showing up, eating a shit ton of crap, and playing with fire, or more like sparklers,  butand they were not used as directed.

After a hot Monday party day, the rest of the week just seems quick and easy. We did some work as usual, but also were able to get in some good stuff.  In between cutting hole in attics ceilings  and crawling on roofs, the mr has been working hard on the tree house.  Spending his nights out in the tree, sawing and hammering away 20 feet high in the tree. (he says it is not 20 feet high, I beg to differ.) As for me, I am currently in the middle of like 10 different projects right now and it's getting to the point where I can't fall asleep because my mind is full of pulling handles, carving wood, and mixing paint colors. And on top of all the projects I am in the middle of, the garden is getting to that point where it is flourishing and growing and I am needed out there to weed, harvest, and replant. I am eating my weight in lettuces from the garden. Then as soon as I am stuffed as much as possible, I go to pick up farm share and get even more greens. Honestly, it just makes me happy. I think I might be a rabbit.  

And then it was officially Summer!. The mr and I decided to take the first day of summer and do a few summer things. We tossed the kayaks into the truck and spend the morning on the clear, crisp water where we saw a bold eagle rip a fish from the water and I kept running into a blue heron. After  that we came home and popped our heads into the bee hive and gave them more room to grow. Then Meg and So stopped by to eat their lunch and help me plant some lettuce, and we spent the rest of the day outside doing outside things. If summer days were always like that, I would never complain. 

Friday night the littles came back over for dinner and scooter riding. I bouched a batch of pizza dough (I forgot to make dough until last minute so I tried to get it to rise in the microwave (I saw it on GBBO). I forgot to turn the level down and ended up with a thick brick of dough), but was lucky enough to have just enough sourdough left into fridge to feed the masses.  Crisis adverted.  The littles ate all my  the rest of my food (all the cucumber, beans, andpeas at the very least, they stayed away from my lettuce) and all the popsicle and left me with demands of cupcake making and sleep overs. Those littles know what they want. And we are suckers because  we usually do whatever they want. 

Yesterday I spent half the day working at the studio, washing clay off of the walls and mixing  glazes . After that I came home, cleaned the crap out of my house, and kind of passed out. I think all the everything from the week kind of caught up with me. 

That leaves me with today. It is suppose to rain later so I guess it is an early bike ride to the gym then its all about the book I am reading, and the hunk of wood and hulk of clay that are calling my name. I wish I could read and do other things at the same time. Maybe it's time to get down with audio books? Or podcasts. I should have the mr show me how to do that.

Some of the lighter things that I checked out on the internet this week. I'll spare you any of the heartbreaking articles... I just can't.

-I gave Emersion the nickname Koko because he looks and acts like a little gorilla. Koko the Gorilla’s Most Iconic Moments RIP Koko the gorilla.

-Suck Less. This can apply to many things, but the article is about straws.. And yes, we should suck a lot less. 

-Plants are amazing, ans can be dangerous. (I think they are getting sick of humans) Just What We Need — a Pretty New Plant Trying to Blind Us and especially is you live in Vt. Beware The Poison Parsnip: Health Officials Warn Of Common Roadside Plant. It might look pretty, but don't touch it, it will leave you with something nasty.

-Stop Putting Bananas in Your Fruit. Just stop doing it because seriously, it gets fucking gross.

-Super fucked. Some Rivers Are So Drug-Polluted, Their Eels Get High on Cocaine

-These are pretty badass. Vibrant Paper Fruits and Vegetables by Ann Wood Look Good Enough to Eat

-Here’s the Truth — Once and for All — About Those Misting Systems at the Grocery Store. I hate the misters but understand them 

-How Pots and Pans Turned Us Into Creative Cooks. Imagine not having a pot of pan to cook in. That would suck.

-This house in Maine. Swoon.

And pictures from the week.

Have a good one.

-C

Sunday Happy

You Burnt out yet? I am. 

Holy shit the past week has been crazy. Christmas, multiple birthday parties, (Happy Birthday Cameron, Anthony, and Judah!!) Cake baking, food making, present wrapping, house cleaning, farm walking, bad driving, freezing as fuck temperature. It has been a lot (A LOT!) but it has been good  even though I am exhausted and desperately in need of a hole to crawl in.

It started with  Christmas with Mom and the whole family.. All piled into the house, shoes and jackets left on the back porch, we did secret Santa, food, cookies and all the stuff. Then after Christmas we did a  little Cameron birthday party with the best ever ice-cream cake that I have ever made and anyone has ever eaten (no joke). Then they left and I cleaned for hours. The next day the mr and I set off early for the NEK and spent a little time with some of his family and took a quick (not really, the roads were terrible) jaunt up to his sisters farm where we checked out plumbing and oohed and aahed at all the work the lady has done. Then back home for Anthony's Birthday party.

Jeff Dad was now in town so we did some visiting and food eating with him in-between the mr running around checking pipes for all the apartments and the tiny bits of work we could and were willing to do in this crazy cold weather. So far so good, neither of us have turned into a popsicle but another weeks of highs near or bellow 0 gives us plenty of more chances it to happen. Just as long as the none of our or our tenants pipes freeze, we should be all set. 

Miley and Judah slept over on Friday night where we had a preemptive birthday for the boy.  The mr and the littles filled up water ballons and  blew bubbles in the -10 weather . Then we had  pizzas  in the shape of an 8 and watched  Beethoven with popcorn that ended up all over the house.  Woke the littles to purple and green birthday pancakes, frozen water balls, and Barbara with her new purple hair.  Then we had the last Christmas celebration for a little while (until next week there is one more  xmas thing and another bday party, but that's small potatoes) Jeff Dad and the family all come over for a Christmas celebration of breakfast tacos, hash browns, and more wrapping paper for me to get ride of. Honestly, my back porch has turned into a compost and recycling station. I need to deal with it but the cold and the transfer station isn't open and it's just madness.  Anyway, after the Christmas celebration I kicked everyone out so I could clean up the mess and decorate the boys birthday cake. The x box controller that he has been telling me  for the past year that he wanted, all in cake form and ready for his face. It came out pretty good if I do say so my self. (The boy was so very happy). And then everyone left and I crashed.  My house is still a mess, and there are soccer balls everywhere (The mr and Judah can't help themselves) not to mention the balloons and pine needles and all my broken xmas ornaments ......But I survived.  

New Years Eve, whoop whoop. I say it like there is something that I am excited about but for reals, I am just excited to have a little space, clean the fuck out of my house, relax with the mr, and just be. Good bye 2017, it was real.

Internet from the week

-When I heard what he tweeted I busted out laughing then started swearing at the tv.  I mean, really. REALLY. Trump thinks climate change isn't real because it's cold out. This map proves him wrong.

-Say goodbye to this year. Say hello to next year. Some good questions for a little self reflections. 

-I am really looking forward ro going to this exhibit. Might even take the a few littles with me, I know there is a humongous ring pop on display. Sweet Tooth: The Art of Dessert

- Call me intrigued. They are not trying to make a meat substitute that tastes like real meat but has a lot of the texture that people are missing and is nutritious and familiar. COULD FINLAND'S 'PULLED OATS' HOLD THE 100-PERCENT VEGETARIAN ANSWER TO YOUR MEAT CRAVINGS?

-When Harry Met Barack: Obama Tells Prince About Life After White House. To be in the room with these two... dreams. 

-Maybe I will start a spice farm Yes, that is it. Thats what I need to do with my life.. Americans Love Spices. So Why Don't We Grow Them?

-Hell to the no would I pay that $58 for a freaking watermelon. THIS ALASKAN SUPERMARKET MAY BE THE MOST EXPENSIVE IN AMERICA. 

-I am in such of a good rug punch needle myself. Nature-Based Textiles by Vanessa Barragão Highlight Ecosystems Above and Below the Sea

-Should I Forking Force Myself to Swear More? Um, yes. But not really cause I have a pretty bad potty mouth as it is. 

-I think I really need this. Or maybe even this one. We always have a lot of jackets to hang up. 

Pictures from the week. 

Happy New Year Everyone!

-C