Are you aware that it is the last week of November? I know right. Every year this happens but seriously, it%u2019s just flying by so fast.
The mr and I did the norms for the week. Went for a amazing hike in nice snow. We worked on work, the mr made paper, I cut up the paper. I spent some time with clay, works the studio, organized some stuff and watched it snow and loved every bit of it. Then it rained and got kind of sad that all the snow melted.%u2639%ufe0f We picked up farm share, had dinner with my mom and Paul, hung out with the littles for a bit, and fed Barb some soup. Nothing terribly exciting, besides feeding Barb. She makes every exciting.
And then we get to Saturday. Family thanksgiving plus is was Erin%u2019s birthday. (Happy Birthday Beotch!) Always crazy, what with every one of my family members together in my house, eating food, and hopped up on booze and sugar. The day started early with me running away to the gym to get in some sane time, then one last stop at the grocery store before heading home to finish baking and getting all the food ready. Barb came over early to help cut up veggies but really, for her and the mr to make fun of me and gossip like little old ladies. So food got prepare, then I cooked it all. (Minus the main which mom made. She made a crazy chicken thing, cooked in her oven, and brought it over. No meat gets cooked in my house.) And then the family descended on the house, hungry and crazy. Food got served/ thrown all over and for a few short minutes, everyone was sitting down all at once together. But that lasted 2 seconds, and the kids went off and I ran back to the kitchen while everyone was eating to straighten up a bit and because I don%u2019t need to see people dropping chicken bits all over. I just let them eat in peace while I hid for a few minutes in the pantry and snacked on roast Brussel sprouts, carrots and mustard.
After everyone ate, we all ran around the house, picked secret Santa names, had a massive dance party in the kitchen and did dessert and birthday cake. Erins birthday yes, but Coco got to blow out the candles. So cute, that little loving the candles and all but I am going to be watching out for him. I think he might turn into a little pyromaniac. HAHAHA. But for real. Dinner ended with everyone leaving except Barb, Megan,and So. We picked up a little but basically just sat in the pantry eating raw Brussel sprouts from the stock, with mustard of course, and talking about boys. Then they left too and the mr and I were left alone to assess the damages.
The house. Oh my, oh my. It is a FUCKING DISATSER! I know I tell you all that I spend a good chunk of time every weekend cleaning%u2026Well this time, today, all Sunday, I%u2019m a be cleaning. Cleaning the cake and ice cream and cookies crumbles all over. Cleaning up the dinner rolls behind the couch, all the ripped paper, smashed potates, food and drinks particles. Chicken bits, which everyone was super awesome about and tried not to get anywhere, are everywhere. All. Over. The house. Then the kitchen. Every single piece of silverware and then some plus at least 40 plates and bowls are waiting for cleaning. Not to mention the the pots and pans. The compost is overflowing. The recycling is a mess, and I have at least 2 laundry loads of rags and napkins and dirty towels to do. The fridge looks like a freaking bomb blew up in it with tons of half lidded containers precariously stacked on top of each other, waiting for just the right movement of the neighboring jar or the movement of the hot sauce to have it all come crashing down. Aye ya ya. But all worth it because I love my family and we had a blast. I just need to remember next time I am at one of their houses to like pee on their toilet seat or mash some frosting into their couch cushions, you know, to be fair and all.
Anyway, so today I clean and maybe try to hang up some Christmas decorations? The mr is off to do very nice things for people that might not appreciate it, but do it he is going to do (he is too good a person). Hopefully by the time he comes home later tonight, I will be done cleaning, he will be done helping for a good long while, and we can eat soup and maybe watch a movie together. Or more realistically, he watches a movie while I read and probably fall asleep on the couch. Real life.
Reads I read from the internet this week.
-A long but good read. RuPaul: The Philosopher Queen. who doesn%u2019t love RuPsul?
-I just pulled out a nice tablecloth, covered in stains mind you, but maybe i%u2019ll be able to get some of them out now. A Cheat Sheet to Get Rid of Every Type of Holiday%u00a0Stain. Or not. I don%u2019t think I care enough. HA
-This is so appealing to me especially since the mr loves his heavy comforter and I just want a light blanket with the window thrown open in 20 degree weather. The Scandinavian Sleep Secret: Mine and Yours Duvets. HE is always covering me up at night.
–The best health foods? Soup, garlic and cake. Food is healing, and if cake makes you feel better, well then cake it be.
-These cakes remind me of my 5ht grade volcano science project. I made it out of cake and whipped cream. It was awesome. Antarctic Research Takes The Cake In These Science-Inspired Confections
–Vegan man sues Burger King claiming meatless burger is cooked on same grill as meat. This is one reason I do not eat out. Oe of the last times I did eat out, there were egg shells in my scamp bled vegan tofu dish%u2026.. So yeah.
-Who doesn%u2019t love a good TV tray? A Brief History of the TV Tray
-HAve you ever raised a adolescent dog%u2026 It is crazy to say the least. Animal adolescence is filled with teen drama and peer pressure
-So there is this ti look forward to. Cockroaches Are Evolving And in the Future They can Become Impossible To Kill
–A Brief and Buttery History of Libby%u2019s Pumpkin Pie Recipe. The pie of my childhood.
And pictures from the week.
I didn’t do this, it was Coco. I think he has a slight vendetta agains the Hulk. Must be jealous of his really big green body, or maybe his tiny head. Whatever it is, I am sure it is a valid problem that the 17 month old has. The head must come off.%u00a0
Another week come and gone with more snow then I think is acceptable. (The acceptable amount of snow now is none) This weather is really stalling a lot of outdoor work and projects that the mr and I have and need to do so I am very much going to appreciate the fine fine weather when it actually comes. Especially my feet because I don’t know hoe much longer I can handle having to wear socks. I should be in sandals right now.%u00a0
Other then the weather holding us back, we did accomplish somet things. We brough the new couch home (yay) but it is still sitting on the front porch awaiting the cleaning of it’s life.I didn’t get out to the garden this week, because ice and snow, but the seedlings are growing so well that I have upgraded their indoor soil dwellings to newspaper pots. We are still on a massive, ever more pressing hunt for a new faucet for the bathroom sink,%u00a0and I have decided to go into business %u00a0for myself making and selling sourdough bread and paintings of fish. (hit me uo if you need either) So yeah, we are doing things.
Early Friday morning %u00a0the mr and I hopped into the car and headed south for PA to visit with the Family. While down there we stayed at the old mans house somewhere in the Poconos. Megan, Justin, Alex, and the Bean (Sophia), came down too so it was a full house. %u00a0The visit wasn’t super long but we were able to spend the afternoon yelling at %u00a0Grammy (because she can’t hear for shit)%u00a0at her swanky new digs of a home. There we met up with aunt Teena %u00a0for a quick visit because she too is all out crazy now with seedlings, plowing fields and keeping the voles from eating her livelihood. . We also got in a hike, walked with the dogs, saw so many deer that I don’t really care that I see deer anymore and watched Major Pain because that movie is pretty much it.%u00a0A good quick visit for the books.%u00a0
And it’s Sunday, actually it is freaking way early Sunday morning.%u00a0If you are reading this before noon, the mr and I are most likely in the car driving home.We decided to hit the road early so we have some afternoon time to get some shit done.%u00a0As soon as we get home I am in for food,%u00a0a walk, a nap, and then hopefully enjoy some of that spring time weather that I hear is “suppose” to happen starting today and get some yard work done.%u00a0%u00a0It had better be nice out when I get home or else.
Internet fun times from the week
–All of the World’s Yeast Probably Originated in China.%u00a0Oh so thats where it came from.%u00a0
-This could be a great game changer, but lets not let it be an excuse to be assholes and use a bunch of plastic.%u00a0Recycling hope for plastic-hungry enzyme
-I did not know, and now I do.%u00a0How Birds-To-Be Get Oxygen Inside Eggs
-The Turn-of-the-Century Pigeons That Photographed Earth from Above.%u00a0Pigeons are cool.
-A Decade After The Bubble Burst, House Flipping Is On The Rise. It’s a crazy business.
-There%u2019s a Giant Unicorn Island Floating Off the Shore of the Philippines%u00a0This is for real and I don’t think I like it.
-Why buy pots when you an make them (just make sure the new paper ink is food based)%u00a0Easy Newspaper Pots
–Do I Have Seasonal Allergies or a Cold?%u00a0This is always the question. And I would rather it be a cold but it’s usually allergies.
-Your Cheat Sheet for All the Spring Alliums. Good to know if you don’t already.
–To Curb Ocean Pollution, U.K. May Ban Plastic Straws, Stirrers And Cotton Swabs. Super proactive,smart people.
Pictures from the week
I feel like we are stuck in Narnia with the White Witch. Always winter, always snow. It will be worth it though if I get to meet some talking beavers, but until then, I’ll start looking for the lion. This cold snow shit needs to end.%u00a0
The week has been pretty shity and very very stressful so we are going to leave that alone and I’ll just tell you about good things, like watching all of my house plants that I repotted grow like gangbusters. Or seeing the veggie seedings start to emerge from the dirt.%u00a0Half of them need to be repotted but the other half need to go directly into the ground. Glad I didn’t get to it this week because the snow and the snow and the ice, oh, and the stupid snow. We were with the Miley, Judah, and Emerson every day this week. We helped them clean and organize their bedrooms,which was stressful, but also fun. I almost accidentally %u00a0broke Mileys toes off, Judah showed us magic tricks,%u00a0%u00a0and Emerson taught %u00a0us all the alphabet. (And the mr got to play with so many dolls). There was time for So to stop over so I could fix her dress and eat carrots and make me laugh with all the funny faces. And we even had a few days of some what nice weather where I was able to open the windows in the house (that did not last long). Oh and the fridge, I was able to clean the shit out of the fridge. The week didn’t completely suck.
%u00a0I think that highlight of the week is that we found and %u00a0awesome new couch (and skill saw).%u00a0While we were looking for replacement faucets for the bathroom sink (because it is leaking bad)%u00a0we stumbled upon a very nice, not to big, not to small, vintage, excellent condition, very comfortable, couch. And it was on sale, like super cheap and pretty much exactly what we have been looking for.(there is a picture bellow) %u00a0Our current couch, the little yellow one that we use %u00a0in our spare room, is way to small and very uncomfortable and after today, it’s going bye bye. We pick up the new couch tomorrow. And when we do we will continue or search for a new faucet because we did not find what we were looking for. Until we do we %u00a0will be brushing and washing our hands in the bathtub.%u00a0
Today is going to be the first day in more then a week that the mr and I do not have some crazy crazy happening. So what are we going to do? Well I think we both need to turn off our phone, lock the doors, draw the curtains (we don’t have curtain) and hide from the world. Will that really happen, no, but it’s nice to think about. But I do think we will spend the afternoon relaxing a bit. I’ll paint, or read, the mr will probably work on screens or his fly file (it’s officially fishing season) and then we will go to bed early. Next week is a busy, but hopefully a good busy and not like shitty busy. Wish us luck.
What I looked at when I was looking at the internet
-I probably wouldn’t use it as a headboard but as a sweet ass wall piece… maybe someday I will get to it.%u00a0How to Make a Woven Headboard
-Now this is a sweet little cabin in the woods.%u00a0
–Fact or Fiction: Can You Really Sweat Out Toxins?
-I used to listen to music at the gym but after sweating all over and then ruining my 2 different iPods, I stopped. But I still hear music in my head.%u00a0%u00a0How Your Body Reacts When You Exercise With Music, According to Science
-How to Keep Your Social Life When You Love Going to Bed Early%u00a0Be friends with other people who go to bed early too.%u00a0
-I really want to go see this movie, and after reading this, I want to see it that much more.%u00a0And I really hate scary movie ( I also might be kind of in love with John Krasinski).%u00a0A Quiet Place%u2019 Turns Eating Into a Suspenseful Act
-Watch out, those non organic strawberries are probably toxic.%u00a0Strawberries again top 2018’s ‘Dirty Dozen’ fruits and veggies
–Drug Use Is Detectable on Your Fingerprints.Say what?
–New 360-Degree Immersive Drawing Created With 120 Marker Pens by Oscar Oiwa%u00a0Pretty freaking crazy
-Really, who eats these things?%u00a0People Have Started Panic-Buying Necco Wafers
Pictures from the week
Did you get to enjoy any of that spring day where the sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and all the snow melted? I busted out the sandals, broke a sweat on a walk, and picked up some garbage that was living doormat under the snow and ice. That was one excellent spring day, and was well needed, and now I am ready for another snow storm because we all know it’s going to happen. And I want it too because spring winter, with clean fluffy snow and blue warm skys is the best. And then real spring will be even better. Ah the weather. Never a dull moment.%u00a0
As weeks go,%u00a0nothing out of the norm this past one. There was some work, some play, lots of baking, and some feeling like a crazy person. It’s that time of year when things are kind of slow but about to get crazy and we know it, but there is not a whole heck of a lot we can do to prepare so we just do what we can and wait. And plan. And plan an escape. We need to escape, at least for a little while. And the west coast seems to be calling our names. So we shall see of things to come.
%u00a0I did spend a good amount of time trying to finish up the star cave in the kids room before Friday because we had a planet pillow making sleep over party and I just wanted it to be done. (it pretty much is, I just need to do a little touch up) %u00a0The littles (Miley, Judah, an Sophia) slept over, Barb came too, and we spent all of our time cutting fabric, playing with filling, and eating and leaving popcorn all over the house. %u00a0They all used their newly made galactic pillows and got to experience the awesomeness of sleeping under the stars in a heated room(I think I really outdid myself with this paint job. And all for a kids room in our house when we don’t even have our own kids. Can we say #1 aunt and uncle? I think so). %u00a0They got to wake up to pancakes, more pillow making, dropped clothing in the toilet and Sophia brushing her teeth 4 times because she said if she does that she would not have to brush her teeth again for a few days. He logic makes perfect sense but luckily Miley was there to straighten her out (I just told her that she was so smart and what a great idea. HAHA) And then they left and we spent the afternoon cleaning the filth off of every surface because kids are gross.%u00a0
Not sure exactly what the plan is for today but I would like it to involve some kind of seed and or plant shopping which is the only kind of shopping (besides food) that I like. Other then that, a coffee nap (maybe under the stars) , maybe clean the car out if its not raining and brush the cat out because he is looking a little mangy.
Some of the Internet I looked at %u00a0this week
–The World’s Most Colorful Natural Phenomena. I must visit all these places.
– It happens to me all the time with the weirdest things.%u00a0%u00a0Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon.
-I love a perfectly made bed.%u00a0Expert Advice: Proper Bed-Making 101, How to Make Square Corners, Step by Step. It really does make me happy.%u00a0
–Like Lemons? Quinoa? Thank This Food Explorer For Bringing Them To Your Plate
-I have a Le Creuset and Martha Stewart and a Lodge. II want a Staub. %u00a0And I love them all in different ways.The biggest difference to me is that the cheaper I tend to chip the enamel on the cheaper ones.%u00a0%u00a0%u00a0Are Lodge Dutch Ovens Really as Good as Le Creuset and Staub?
-The loveliest chapel ever.%u00a0. %u00a0A National Park-Inspired Chapel Composed of Branching Fractals by Yu Momeoda
–MAKE A DURABLE DIY HALF APRON FROM A $4 PLACEMAT%u00a0Thinking of this next time I see a sweet ass placement
%u00a0-About to get my seed starting on.%u00a0Vermont Garden Journal: Seed-Starting Problem-Solving
–Can Being Cold Really Make You Sick?%u00a0And when you are sick Tea, Honey And Lemon: Does This Classic Trifecta Actually Help A Sore Throat?
And pictures from the week
How was your week? Was it as straight up nasty humid and gross as mine was? Stupid heat wave.. I was not impressed.%u00a0
I will be the first person to admit it, that I am not my best person when the tempature rises and humidity levels get so high that it starts to creep into my soul. I go a little crazy/ crazy bitch and just am not pleasant to be around.%u00a0%u00a0Or maybe it’s that everyone around me is not pleasant to be around. Either way%u2026. just not good.%u00a0
And I forget things, like to pick up the %u00a0farm share this week. Now I am forced to go grocery shopping to buy most of our veggies (we are still getting a good clip from the garden) until next week. And Let’s not mention the pup.. cause he is just as miserable, if not more then we are.
So to beat the heat, the mr and I found ourselves traveling around, river hopping.%u00a0He fished, I stuck my feet in the water and read, did some watercoloring, or knitted. It was fantastic and probably saved a few of the lives of the people around me.%u00a0
We also took my little brother and sister up to the Bio dome in Montreal for the day, which was pretty cool. And of course we didn’t leave the city without making the manditory stop at Ikea, where I got myself a nice new green jar and my sister ate not 1, but 4!!!! hotdogs, and topped it off with a dessert frozen yogurt. It was the highlight of her summer. and maybe the lowlight as well.%u00a0Now that I think of it, it makes sense why she was so %u00a0quite on the way home. She was in a Ikea hotdog coma.
So yeah, the heat and humidity have finally broke and we are now (hopefully) going to finish off the rest of summer with a delightfully non humid and hot, weather pattern.
And then it will be fall and %u00a0we will go APPLE PICKING!!!!%u00a0
Some stuff %u00a0on the internet this week.
–Is coffee a vitamin? I think so.
-Finally, a fantastic spork.%u00a0
-Vermont Farms Grow Some Surprising Fruits
-Pop Tart beer%u2026 Where will they stop?
–Do animals blow their noses? Good question.%u00a0
-Good to know.%u00a0Is washing fruit effective in reducing exposure to pesticides?
–I think I want to be a Globe Maker
-This is my house in Sweden%u00a0(Someday!?!)
-And my house in San Francisco(One more to my collection)
-An NPR Story About Homemade Vegetable Broth%u00a0
And pictures from the week.
Weird week. I feel like I have been so busy, but can’t quite figure out with what. I guess winter can do that to you, you know, when leaving the house kind of feels like a chore. Yup, it’s mid February when its cold, windy, snowy, and kind of mah. But it’s cool cause I feel like it’s all down hill from now. Soon we will be looking at an extra hour of daylight and hopefully some above freezing temps! (I think we have had a record amount of days below freezing here in VT) No, I am not complaining, just looking forward to getting out of hibernation.
Anyway, here is some internet stuff I have found fun and interesting this week
And some life stuff from the week…It was farm share week and yes, that’s a kohlrabi bulb. And no,%u00a0I%u00a0have never in my life seen a kohlrabi as big as this one. It is for real bigger then my head. %u00a0If I didn’t know my farm was organic, I would think that they were growing these in toxic sludge. Wondering what I am going to do with it? Come back this week and see.
Oh my love%u2026 A few days ago I had my super comfy warm rag wool mittens stolen from me at the gym. I know, I was so pissed, but hopefully whom ever stole them is getting good use out of them. Anyway, to my Valentines Day surprise, the mister got me a new pair and sewed a heart into the palm of one. So freaking cute right!
%u00a0I like to take a look back at old pictures when I am feeling the crazy.. This one makes me think of summer and our honey bees. (That’s the mister digging into the top bar hive)
%u00a0The blue sky! And oh man am I craving some traveling. I think this was taken somewhere is Colorado. I want to go back.
Well that’s about it. Hopefully where ever you are, you are warm and staying out of crazy. Just wait, a few more weeks we will have more daylight and I bet even some above freezing temperatures because it has to happen, right?
Have a great week!
-C
I don’t think I need to tell anyone about how weird the past few weeks of weather have been, so I will just leave it alone because we don’t need to keep thinking about how stupid cold it is outside or that the next week is only suppose to get worse. Booooo, but oh well. More time for cooking, reading, and trolling the internet (I have spent a little more time then usual getting sucked into the world-wide web.) Beacause I have been spending a little more time interneting, I have added an addition to %u00a0my usual happy bits, %u00a0a%u00a0few links that I have stumbled upon that I think are cool and of things that I want or want to make%u2026 Cool internet stuff%u2026..a bit of internet happy.%u00a0
So I recently discovered that I can waste a good amount of time on pintrest, especially looking at interiors and architecture and clothes (which I found really weird, but with one pin, an open can of worms%u2026Dangerous stuff). I have a long way to go before I have nearly as many pins as other folk, but I am getting a good a start. Check out my boards…
I smiled so much when I read %u00a0 this%u00a0article.%u00a0%u00a0 %u00a0So sweet and are some of the coolest tattoos %u00a0ever.
The original nomad.%u00a0I am not a hot tub person (it makes me feel like I am being cooked..) But I might be able to get into one of these when doing some camping.
I practically started salivating when I saw%u00a0this%u00a0falafel.%u00a0 I am so going to make it%u00a0for a special mister and me dinner!
I don’t have any big kitchen utensils%u2026 like a kitchen aid or a panini grill, and for now, I am ok with that, but I really want this waffle iron. I could so use the crap out of it.
So that’s some internet stuff and here are a few life moments%u2026..
I got to%u00a0hang out with my little sister for the first time in like a month%u2026 She is just so busy being busy. I guess high school,play practices and boys and friends can fill up ones time at 15%u2026 but I miss her so much! I was very excited that she was able to hang out with me this week. %u00a0What did we do? Well we spent most of out time together taking pictures of her in my glasses, making food and then taking pictures of her eating food. %u00a0(She is eating whipped carob moose%u2026 like one should eat it) A fantastic day of silliness.%u00a0
I have been feeling like I might be fighting off an illness so I have been eating this Turmeric Ginger Garlic Carrot soup%u00a0which I have been adding cabbage and topping with these pickled heart beet, all week long. So tasty and full of so much good.
%u00a0Oh yeah. Me, the mister, my sister, and her lovely little little went to Ikea this week. (the littles first international trip!!! Over the border and into Montreal) And of course at the end of any good shopping trip there is some type of food%u2026. She %u00a0was so excited for the hot dog and frozen yogurt cone at check out. Champion food eater this one is.
And what’s not to love about pretty flowers (primrose)%u2026..Sadly this is not a current picture. I need to get me some color today.%u00a0
Which leaves me with my goals for the day..
Get 2 new library books (and return the huge stack by the door)
Make something tasty good for dinner and prep food for the week
clean bathroom and change sheets
buy flowers
Take a nap
Hope you all have a great day and the%u00a0most splendid week!
Stay warm!
-C
No matter what is going on in my day, seeing a blue sky like this puts a smile on my face%u2026.To bad that smile turned to ice and my face froze in place. Because for some reason, winter around here now means below zero all the time. I mean, I love winter, but I am not going to lie%u2026 I wouldn’t mind if the wind would stop blowing and we had a couple of days of above zero weather.. and maybe a good foot of snow. I guess I’ll just have to be patient, cause its bound to happen. I mean, we live in Vermont, and if nothing else, we get weather.%u00a0
Anyways.. another week full of stuff that fills. I am a little taken aback that its already February%u2026 when was it January? Time just keeps going by fast and faster, (especially when I get cabin fever) and I think, “What have I done in the past year?” Well, I have done a lot. I was just looking through pictures from a year ago and found some of our tiny home in working progress. Not to many people can remodel a five unit house and a meat locker to live in, within a year.. by ourselves. (ourselves being Nick and I)..So yeah, that made me feel pretty freaking awesome and accomplished. (I needed to remember that because I haven’t been feeling it) But now I am feeling inspired and am looking forward to some new projects and fun things to come! (hopefully getting my pottery studio up and running, maybe another house remodel and lots of traveling!!%u2026. take that winter blues!)%u00a0
Anyway.. here are a few little bits from my week that made me happy.
The mister called these snow mounds goosebumps%u2026 I think that is exactly what they are%u00a0
The only warm day this week. (20..woo whoo!) Took the little out for a sled ride. She spent the entire time dragging her hands in the fresh snow.%u00a0
And oh how I cannot %u00a0handle how freaking cute she is!! Plus, a shout out to my brother in law%u2026.MADLOVE!
Fresh snow..Even though it was -15, I had to stop and take this picture. The colors were amazing
Cabbage at the farm share pick up! Love ICF!!!
89 cents a pound for fresh organic cranberries. Score!! Made these Oatmeal fresh cranberry coconut chocolate chip cookies%u00a0with them. Big hit.
This picture was taken exactly a year ago%u2026..The mister and I were finally putting in the bathroom of our tiny little home%u2026. And look at that awesome sink! (another amazing salvage yard find) If you ever need or want to remodel a bathroom, I suggest using a old cast iron utility sink. So practical, so functional, so pretty.%u2026.it makes me happy everyday!
Happy Sunday!
Happy February!
And if you are into it%u2026.
Happy Football Super bowl Game and or party! ( If you need any awesome fast party recipes, I have bunch, just check out the recipes page!)
THE LOVELY CRAZY
November 29, 2019 by maximios • Blog
Are you aware that it is the last week of November? I know right. Every year this happens but seriously, it%u2019s just flying by so fast.
The mr and I did the norms for the week. Went for a amazing hike in nice snow. We worked on work, the mr made paper, I cut up the paper. I spent some time with clay, works the studio, organized some stuff and watched it snow and loved every bit of it. Then it rained and got kind of sad that all the snow melted.%u2639%ufe0f We picked up farm share, had dinner with my mom and Paul, hung out with the littles for a bit, and fed Barb some soup. Nothing terribly exciting, besides feeding Barb. She makes every exciting.
And then we get to Saturday. Family thanksgiving plus is was Erin%u2019s birthday. (Happy Birthday Beotch!) Always crazy, what with every one of my family members together in my house, eating food, and hopped up on booze and sugar. The day started early with me running away to the gym to get in some sane time, then one last stop at the grocery store before heading home to finish baking and getting all the food ready. Barb came over early to help cut up veggies but really, for her and the mr to make fun of me and gossip like little old ladies. So food got prepare, then I cooked it all. (Minus the main which mom made. She made a crazy chicken thing, cooked in her oven, and brought it over. No meat gets cooked in my house.) And then the family descended on the house, hungry and crazy. Food got served/ thrown all over and for a few short minutes, everyone was sitting down all at once together. But that lasted 2 seconds, and the kids went off and I ran back to the kitchen while everyone was eating to straighten up a bit and because I don%u2019t need to see people dropping chicken bits all over. I just let them eat in peace while I hid for a few minutes in the pantry and snacked on roast Brussel sprouts, carrots and mustard.
After everyone ate, we all ran around the house, picked secret Santa names, had a massive dance party in the kitchen and did dessert and birthday cake. Erins birthday yes, but Coco got to blow out the candles. So cute, that little loving the candles and all but I am going to be watching out for him. I think he might turn into a little pyromaniac. HAHAHA. But for real. Dinner ended with everyone leaving except Barb, Megan,and So. We picked up a little but basically just sat in the pantry eating raw Brussel sprouts from the stock, with mustard of course, and talking about boys. Then they left too and the mr and I were left alone to assess the damages.
The house. Oh my, oh my. It is a FUCKING DISATSER! I know I tell you all that I spend a good chunk of time every weekend cleaning%u2026Well this time, today, all Sunday, I%u2019m a be cleaning. Cleaning the cake and ice cream and cookies crumbles all over. Cleaning up the dinner rolls behind the couch, all the ripped paper, smashed potates, food and drinks particles. Chicken bits, which everyone was super awesome about and tried not to get anywhere, are everywhere. All. Over. The house. Then the kitchen. Every single piece of silverware and then some plus at least 40 plates and bowls are waiting for cleaning. Not to mention the the pots and pans. The compost is overflowing. The recycling is a mess, and I have at least 2 laundry loads of rags and napkins and dirty towels to do. The fridge looks like a freaking bomb blew up in it with tons of half lidded containers precariously stacked on top of each other, waiting for just the right movement of the neighboring jar or the movement of the hot sauce to have it all come crashing down. Aye ya ya. But all worth it because I love my family and we had a blast. I just need to remember next time I am at one of their houses to like pee on their toilet seat or mash some frosting into their couch cushions, you know, to be fair and all.
Anyway, so today I clean and maybe try to hang up some Christmas decorations? The mr is off to do very nice things for people that might not appreciate it, but do it he is going to do (he is too good a person). Hopefully by the time he comes home later tonight, I will be done cleaning, he will be done helping for a good long while, and we can eat soup and maybe watch a movie together. Or more realistically, he watches a movie while I read and probably fall asleep on the couch. Real life.
Reads I read from the internet this week.
-A long but good read. RuPaul: The Philosopher Queen. who doesn%u2019t love RuPsul?
-I just pulled out a nice tablecloth, covered in stains mind you, but maybe i%u2019ll be able to get some of them out now. A Cheat Sheet to Get Rid of Every Type of Holiday%u00a0Stain. Or not. I don%u2019t think I care enough. HA
-This is so appealing to me especially since the mr loves his heavy comforter and I just want a light blanket with the window thrown open in 20 degree weather. The Scandinavian Sleep Secret: Mine and Yours Duvets. HE is always covering me up at night.
–The best health foods? Soup, garlic and cake. Food is healing, and if cake makes you feel better, well then cake it be.
-These cakes remind me of my 5ht grade volcano science project. I made it out of cake and whipped cream. It was awesome. Antarctic Research Takes The Cake In These Science-Inspired Confections
–Vegan man sues Burger King claiming meatless burger is cooked on same grill as meat. This is one reason I do not eat out. Oe of the last times I did eat out, there were egg shells in my scamp bled vegan tofu dish%u2026.. So yeah.
-Who doesn%u2019t love a good TV tray? A Brief History of the TV Tray
-HAve you ever raised a adolescent dog%u2026 It is crazy to say the least. Animal adolescence is filled with teen drama and peer pressure
-So there is this ti look forward to. Cockroaches Are Evolving And in the Future They can Become Impossible To Kill
–A Brief and Buttery History of Libby%u2019s Pumpkin Pie Recipe. The pie of my childhood.
And pictures from the week.
I didn’t do this, it was Coco. I think he has a slight vendetta agains the Hulk. Must be jealous of his really big green body, or maybe his tiny head. Whatever it is, I am sure it is a valid problem that the 17 month old has. The head must come off.%u00a0
Another week come and gone with more snow then I think is acceptable. (The acceptable amount of snow now is none) This weather is really stalling a lot of outdoor work and projects that the mr and I have and need to do so I am very much going to appreciate the fine fine weather when it actually comes. Especially my feet because I don’t know hoe much longer I can handle having to wear socks. I should be in sandals right now.%u00a0
Other then the weather holding us back, we did accomplish somet things. We brough the new couch home (yay) but it is still sitting on the front porch awaiting the cleaning of it’s life.I didn’t get out to the garden this week, because ice and snow, but the seedlings are growing so well that I have upgraded their indoor soil dwellings to newspaper pots. We are still on a massive, ever more pressing hunt for a new faucet for the bathroom sink,%u00a0and I have decided to go into business %u00a0for myself making and selling sourdough bread and paintings of fish. (hit me uo if you need either) So yeah, we are doing things.
Early Friday morning %u00a0the mr and I hopped into the car and headed south for PA to visit with the Family. While down there we stayed at the old mans house somewhere in the Poconos. Megan, Justin, Alex, and the Bean (Sophia), came down too so it was a full house. %u00a0The visit wasn’t super long but we were able to spend the afternoon yelling at %u00a0Grammy (because she can’t hear for shit)%u00a0at her swanky new digs of a home. There we met up with aunt Teena %u00a0for a quick visit because she too is all out crazy now with seedlings, plowing fields and keeping the voles from eating her livelihood. . We also got in a hike, walked with the dogs, saw so many deer that I don’t really care that I see deer anymore and watched Major Pain because that movie is pretty much it.%u00a0A good quick visit for the books.%u00a0
And it’s Sunday, actually it is freaking way early Sunday morning.%u00a0If you are reading this before noon, the mr and I are most likely in the car driving home.We decided to hit the road early so we have some afternoon time to get some shit done.%u00a0As soon as we get home I am in for food,%u00a0a walk, a nap, and then hopefully enjoy some of that spring time weather that I hear is “suppose” to happen starting today and get some yard work done.%u00a0%u00a0It had better be nice out when I get home or else.
Internet fun times from the week
–All of the World’s Yeast Probably Originated in China.%u00a0Oh so thats where it came from.%u00a0
-This could be a great game changer, but lets not let it be an excuse to be assholes and use a bunch of plastic.%u00a0Recycling hope for plastic-hungry enzyme
-I did not know, and now I do.%u00a0How Birds-To-Be Get Oxygen Inside Eggs
-The Turn-of-the-Century Pigeons That Photographed Earth from Above.%u00a0Pigeons are cool.
-A Decade After The Bubble Burst, House Flipping Is On The Rise. It’s a crazy business.
-There%u2019s a Giant Unicorn Island Floating Off the Shore of the Philippines%u00a0This is for real and I don’t think I like it.
-Why buy pots when you an make them (just make sure the new paper ink is food based)%u00a0Easy Newspaper Pots
–Do I Have Seasonal Allergies or a Cold?%u00a0This is always the question. And I would rather it be a cold but it’s usually allergies.
-Your Cheat Sheet for All the Spring Alliums. Good to know if you don’t already.
–To Curb Ocean Pollution, U.K. May Ban Plastic Straws, Stirrers And Cotton Swabs. Super proactive,smart people.
Pictures from the week
I feel like we are stuck in Narnia with the White Witch. Always winter, always snow. It will be worth it though if I get to meet some talking beavers, but until then, I’ll start looking for the lion. This cold snow shit needs to end.%u00a0
The week has been pretty shity and very very stressful so we are going to leave that alone and I’ll just tell you about good things, like watching all of my house plants that I repotted grow like gangbusters. Or seeing the veggie seedings start to emerge from the dirt.%u00a0Half of them need to be repotted but the other half need to go directly into the ground. Glad I didn’t get to it this week because the snow and the snow and the ice, oh, and the stupid snow. We were with the Miley, Judah, and Emerson every day this week. We helped them clean and organize their bedrooms,which was stressful, but also fun. I almost accidentally %u00a0broke Mileys toes off, Judah showed us magic tricks,%u00a0%u00a0and Emerson taught %u00a0us all the alphabet. (And the mr got to play with so many dolls). There was time for So to stop over so I could fix her dress and eat carrots and make me laugh with all the funny faces. And we even had a few days of some what nice weather where I was able to open the windows in the house (that did not last long). Oh and the fridge, I was able to clean the shit out of the fridge. The week didn’t completely suck.
%u00a0I think that highlight of the week is that we found and %u00a0awesome new couch (and skill saw).%u00a0While we were looking for replacement faucets for the bathroom sink (because it is leaking bad)%u00a0we stumbled upon a very nice, not to big, not to small, vintage, excellent condition, very comfortable, couch. And it was on sale, like super cheap and pretty much exactly what we have been looking for.(there is a picture bellow) %u00a0Our current couch, the little yellow one that we use %u00a0in our spare room, is way to small and very uncomfortable and after today, it’s going bye bye. We pick up the new couch tomorrow. And when we do we will continue or search for a new faucet because we did not find what we were looking for. Until we do we %u00a0will be brushing and washing our hands in the bathtub.%u00a0
Today is going to be the first day in more then a week that the mr and I do not have some crazy crazy happening. So what are we going to do? Well I think we both need to turn off our phone, lock the doors, draw the curtains (we don’t have curtain) and hide from the world. Will that really happen, no, but it’s nice to think about. But I do think we will spend the afternoon relaxing a bit. I’ll paint, or read, the mr will probably work on screens or his fly file (it’s officially fishing season) and then we will go to bed early. Next week is a busy, but hopefully a good busy and not like shitty busy. Wish us luck.
What I looked at when I was looking at the internet
-I probably wouldn’t use it as a headboard but as a sweet ass wall piece… maybe someday I will get to it.%u00a0How to Make a Woven Headboard
-Now this is a sweet little cabin in the woods.%u00a0
–Fact or Fiction: Can You Really Sweat Out Toxins?
-I used to listen to music at the gym but after sweating all over and then ruining my 2 different iPods, I stopped. But I still hear music in my head.%u00a0%u00a0How Your Body Reacts When You Exercise With Music, According to Science
-How to Keep Your Social Life When You Love Going to Bed Early%u00a0Be friends with other people who go to bed early too.%u00a0
-I really want to go see this movie, and after reading this, I want to see it that much more.%u00a0And I really hate scary movie ( I also might be kind of in love with John Krasinski).%u00a0A Quiet Place%u2019 Turns Eating Into a Suspenseful Act
-Watch out, those non organic strawberries are probably toxic.%u00a0Strawberries again top 2018’s ‘Dirty Dozen’ fruits and veggies
–Drug Use Is Detectable on Your Fingerprints.Say what?
–New 360-Degree Immersive Drawing Created With 120 Marker Pens by Oscar Oiwa%u00a0Pretty freaking crazy
-Really, who eats these things?%u00a0People Have Started Panic-Buying Necco Wafers
Pictures from the week
Did you get to enjoy any of that spring day where the sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and all the snow melted? I busted out the sandals, broke a sweat on a walk, and picked up some garbage that was living doormat under the snow and ice. That was one excellent spring day, and was well needed, and now I am ready for another snow storm because we all know it’s going to happen. And I want it too because spring winter, with clean fluffy snow and blue warm skys is the best. And then real spring will be even better. Ah the weather. Never a dull moment.%u00a0
As weeks go,%u00a0nothing out of the norm this past one. There was some work, some play, lots of baking, and some feeling like a crazy person. It’s that time of year when things are kind of slow but about to get crazy and we know it, but there is not a whole heck of a lot we can do to prepare so we just do what we can and wait. And plan. And plan an escape. We need to escape, at least for a little while. And the west coast seems to be calling our names. So we shall see of things to come.
%u00a0I did spend a good amount of time trying to finish up the star cave in the kids room before Friday because we had a planet pillow making sleep over party and I just wanted it to be done. (it pretty much is, I just need to do a little touch up) %u00a0The littles (Miley, Judah, an Sophia) slept over, Barb came too, and we spent all of our time cutting fabric, playing with filling, and eating and leaving popcorn all over the house. %u00a0They all used their newly made galactic pillows and got to experience the awesomeness of sleeping under the stars in a heated room(I think I really outdid myself with this paint job. And all for a kids room in our house when we don’t even have our own kids. Can we say #1 aunt and uncle? I think so). %u00a0They got to wake up to pancakes, more pillow making, dropped clothing in the toilet and Sophia brushing her teeth 4 times because she said if she does that she would not have to brush her teeth again for a few days. He logic makes perfect sense but luckily Miley was there to straighten her out (I just told her that she was so smart and what a great idea. HAHA) And then they left and we spent the afternoon cleaning the filth off of every surface because kids are gross.%u00a0
Not sure exactly what the plan is for today but I would like it to involve some kind of seed and or plant shopping which is the only kind of shopping (besides food) that I like. Other then that, a coffee nap (maybe under the stars) , maybe clean the car out if its not raining and brush the cat out because he is looking a little mangy.
Some of the Internet I looked at %u00a0this week
–The World’s Most Colorful Natural Phenomena. I must visit all these places.
– It happens to me all the time with the weirdest things.%u00a0%u00a0Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon.
-I love a perfectly made bed.%u00a0Expert Advice: Proper Bed-Making 101, How to Make Square Corners, Step by Step. It really does make me happy.%u00a0
–Like Lemons? Quinoa? Thank This Food Explorer For Bringing Them To Your Plate
-I have a Le Creuset and Martha Stewart and a Lodge. II want a Staub. %u00a0And I love them all in different ways.The biggest difference to me is that the cheaper I tend to chip the enamel on the cheaper ones.%u00a0%u00a0%u00a0Are Lodge Dutch Ovens Really as Good as Le Creuset and Staub?
-The loveliest chapel ever.%u00a0. %u00a0A National Park-Inspired Chapel Composed of Branching Fractals by Yu Momeoda
–MAKE A DURABLE DIY HALF APRON FROM A $4 PLACEMAT%u00a0Thinking of this next time I see a sweet ass placement
%u00a0-About to get my seed starting on.%u00a0Vermont Garden Journal: Seed-Starting Problem-Solving
–Can Being Cold Really Make You Sick?%u00a0And when you are sick Tea, Honey And Lemon: Does This Classic Trifecta Actually Help A Sore Throat?
And pictures from the week
How was your week? Was it as straight up nasty humid and gross as mine was? Stupid heat wave.. I was not impressed.%u00a0
I will be the first person to admit it, that I am not my best person when the tempature rises and humidity levels get so high that it starts to creep into my soul. I go a little crazy/ crazy bitch and just am not pleasant to be around.%u00a0%u00a0Or maybe it’s that everyone around me is not pleasant to be around. Either way%u2026. just not good.%u00a0
And I forget things, like to pick up the %u00a0farm share this week. Now I am forced to go grocery shopping to buy most of our veggies (we are still getting a good clip from the garden) until next week. And Let’s not mention the pup.. cause he is just as miserable, if not more then we are.
So to beat the heat, the mr and I found ourselves traveling around, river hopping.%u00a0He fished, I stuck my feet in the water and read, did some watercoloring, or knitted. It was fantastic and probably saved a few of the lives of the people around me.%u00a0
We also took my little brother and sister up to the Bio dome in Montreal for the day, which was pretty cool. And of course we didn’t leave the city without making the manditory stop at Ikea, where I got myself a nice new green jar and my sister ate not 1, but 4!!!! hotdogs, and topped it off with a dessert frozen yogurt. It was the highlight of her summer. and maybe the lowlight as well.%u00a0Now that I think of it, it makes sense why she was so %u00a0quite on the way home. She was in a Ikea hotdog coma.
So yeah, the heat and humidity have finally broke and we are now (hopefully) going to finish off the rest of summer with a delightfully non humid and hot, weather pattern.
And then it will be fall and %u00a0we will go APPLE PICKING!!!!%u00a0
Some stuff %u00a0on the internet this week.
–Is coffee a vitamin? I think so.
-Finally, a fantastic spork.%u00a0
-Vermont Farms Grow Some Surprising Fruits
-Pop Tart beer%u2026 Where will they stop?
–Do animals blow their noses? Good question.%u00a0
-Good to know.%u00a0Is washing fruit effective in reducing exposure to pesticides?
–I think I want to be a Globe Maker
-This is my house in Sweden%u00a0(Someday!?!)
-And my house in San Francisco(One more to my collection)
-An NPR Story About Homemade Vegetable Broth%u00a0
And pictures from the week.
Anyway, here is some internet stuff I have found fun and interesting this week
And some life stuff from the week…
It was farm share week and yes, that’s a kohlrabi bulb. And no,%u00a0I%u00a0have never in my life seen a kohlrabi as big as this one. It is for real bigger then my head. %u00a0If I didn’t know my farm was organic, I would think that they were growing these in toxic sludge. Wondering what I am going to do with it? Come back this week and see.
Well that’s about it. Hopefully where ever you are, you are warm and staying out of crazy. Just wait, a few more weeks we will have more daylight and I bet even some above freezing temperatures because it has to happen, right?
Have a great week!
-C
So that’s some internet stuff and here are a few life moments%u2026..
Which leaves me with my goals for the day..
Hope you all have a great day and the%u00a0most splendid week!
Stay warm!
-C
Anyways.. another week full of stuff that fills. I am a little taken aback that its already February%u2026 when was it January? Time just keeps going by fast and faster, (especially when I get cabin fever) and I think, “What have I done in the past year?” Well, I have done a lot. I was just looking through pictures from a year ago and found some of our tiny home in working progress. Not to many people can remodel a five unit house and a meat locker to live in, within a year.. by ourselves. (ourselves being Nick and I)..So yeah, that made me feel pretty freaking awesome and accomplished. (I needed to remember that because I haven’t been feeling it) But now I am feeling inspired and am looking forward to some new projects and fun things to come! (hopefully getting my pottery studio up and running, maybe another house remodel and lots of traveling!!%u2026. take that winter blues!)%u00a0
Anyway.. here are a few little bits from my week that made me happy.
The only warm day this week. (20..woo whoo!) Took the little out for a sled ride. She spent the entire time dragging her hands in the fresh snow.%u00a0
Happy Sunday!
Happy February!
And if you are into it%u2026.
Happy Football Super bowl Game and or party! ( If you need any awesome fast party recipes, I have bunch, just check out the recipes page!)
-C