I have two questions. Is it crazy that we still have or Christmas tree up? It is just so nice and still looking as fresh as the day we cut it so I am having hard time saying goodbye to it. I did take all the ornaments off, just left on the lights, so it is kind of like a big house plant right? That is what I am telling myself because that it what it is. Once it start dropping needles or most likely, just after this week, to the goat farm. But as of now, it stays.
Anyway, my other question is, where the hell is winter? For real. When I went to bed Friday night there was a few inches of snow on the ground and when I woke up Saturday morning, it felt like freaking late spring and I barely needed to wear clothes, much less a jacket. And everyone I talked to was all, %u201cOooh, so nice. Love it love it , blah blah blah%u201d. Me, I hate it. This overly warm winter shit has got to stop. It is making me sad. I need winter, real winter. And that is global warming for ya. Fuck!
Yup, that and everything else this week. I stole (but not really) a new batch of balloons from the gym (the heart finally went down). Went for a nice pre snow melt, snow hike with the mr. Made lunch for Anthony and fixed his fancy pants. But a big part of the week has been spent over at the loft, packing, cleaning, and fixing things because as of this past Friday, little miss Barb is staying there. And now my back porch is full of all the stuff I brought home that I have been meaning to bring over here for the past 3 years. Mostly books, which we have no good shelves for yet (build shelves are on my list of things to do), and a good amount if shit I have to go through again and get rid of. Agh, I hate stuff. I might just stick it all on the curb with a free sign and walk away.
I also have been trying to get into my studio as much as possible. I threw some more mugs, glazed hearts, cleaned tools. Spent time with myself and my goals for selling more pots more seriously which then kind of turned into spending time with all the paperwork that seems to be flowing in from all the other thing in the rest of our life. Because who could forget, new year means new taxes. Oh taxes. I am going to stop there and not think to much more about them for at least another couple weeks, then I will start stressing. The usual way I do it. Ha.
And now its Sunday. Currently raining and still to freaking warm but is getting colder as the day goes on which means a nice layer of ice on everything making for a crap shoot of any outdoor activities today. I really wanted to try and go or a hike but it%u2019s not gonna happen so I will probably just go to the gym, maybe stop in and see the littles ( I haven%u2019t anyone really this week because everyone is back at school and I have been so busy) and then veg out on the couch with my books (recurrently ready 3), coffee, and a sketch pad. Need to get these book shelves designed and built before the momnuent for the need dies and the books stay in boxes an the porch forever.
Links to things I spent time looking at on the internet.
–Feeling Artsy? Here’s How Making Art Helps Your Brain. Art is life, or my life at least.
–I am a hand eater, or I mean, I eat with my hands, a lot. It is much easier then getting a sharp fork into my mouth with our stabbing myself in the face. HA. Why Food Tastes Better When You Eat With Your%u00a0Hands.
-Plant based is the new buzz word. What Does %u2018Plant-Based%u2019 Actually Mean?
The Germantown Laundromat: An Eco-Minded Gathering Spot in the Hudson Valley, Mending Services IncludedI love everything about this so much!
-Me and the mr.? Meet the couple who sailed across Mongolia in a handmade cart. Yeah, I think so.
-Genius. I would totally be into this if it didn%u2019t mean I had to interact with people. Maybe set it up blog style? Why Cookbook Clubs Should Be the New Way We Entertain
-Every time I start to bitch about the crowds of all the new people in the gym these days I stop myself because really, good for them for being there. Stop Complaining About the Gym Being Packed, Because It’s More Damaging Than You Think
–Planting Trees Is Good. Eliminating Deforestation Is Better. So lets stop cutting down the trees. Yeah, thats a good idea.
-Oh shit, you never know, you might be getting some new next door neighbors. HA. Meghan And Harry ‘Step Back’ As Royals %u2014 What Does That Mean, Exactly?
-Oh hell no. Do Bathtubs Belong in Bedrooms?%u00a0But I guess a lot op people think its a good idea..? And sure, it looks cool, but wet water in the bedroom, just seems wrong to me.
Pictures from the week.
Hey there friends! You doing alright? You good? Just checking in because I care.
My week was good, even if it did blow on by super fast. That%u2019s the way it always goes for me. The closer to the end of the year, the faster time seems to fly. You too? Anyway. I am talking it all in, trying to stay sane and not get pulled into the crazy that can happened this time of year. Mostly just talking all the long walks I need and staying out of the way but still enjoying the ones around me. There is a balance you know. And I am not afraid to run away when I need to.
So besides the norm of life, Tuesday was the mr%u2019s actual birthday so we celebrated. Just the two of us. After breakfast and heart shaped balloons, we went for an awesome drive to an awesome hike in the national forest. Yes it was a little rainy and the ground was so icy and I fell and jammed by arm, but it was still so so so nice. The waterfalls we saw we raging and there was not another human soul around. It was superb. Then we got lunch (he got lunch, I packed my own) and we ate our food near a much smaller waterfall. After that, coffee and then home where we watched a movie and finished making Christmas cards. Lasagna for dinner (for him, I ate chili) and a little heart shaped ice cream cake I made him (I am the best), gave him his pencil painting, and then we just hung out, I fell asleep, and that was that. Delightful, calm, and just really nice to spend the day together.
Rest of the week went on. Me, I was trying to get a few projects done. Worked at the studio, watched all the lovely snow completely melt. The mr has been working away at this and that and is keeping itself more then.
Yesterday was the 2nd annual sugar cookie house decorating extravaganza. And what a blast we had. A bunch of littles, a bunch of cookies and a bunch of candy. Amazingly enough, everyone ate all there lunches and refrained from eating all the candy. The restraint and force I saw in these littles eyes%u2026Gave me hope for the future. HA. But seriously, they were so into it and everyones turned out so great. Even the mr got into it and made a house topped with marshmallows and cauliflower. And after the houses were built, everyone left and I turned up the Christmas jams, grabbed the vacuum and all the cleaning rags, and set to work. Turns out tootsie rolls smashed into the floor is not easily removed.
Today is a day of catch up and errands. The mr is trying to finish up a project he needs to send off to the world, I need to get on finishing off some more rainbows. And maybe we should do some grocery shopping. And maybe I%u2019ll take a trip to the library. Stuff to do yes, but hopefully still a semi relaxing day. Maybe it will even get cold enough and start to snow. I need a walk in the snow.
Interesting internet from the week.
-I am kind of shocked the the number is so low. Come on people, cooking is awesome and makes you awesome. The Grocery Industry Confronts a New Problem: Only 10% of Americans Love Cooking
–Winter camping is a great way to see more nature and fewer people. I am going to start working the mr to get him to agree to go soon.
– Is it crazy that I miss landlines? OR more so, I think I miss that says of no cell phones. And now with cell phones, you can%u2019t eavesdrop on other people conversations , or like legally and easily anymore. How the Loss of the Landline Is Changing Family Life
–These 3 supertrees can protect us from climate collapse. But can we protect them? Trees are everything so of course trees are part of the answer to helping the planet. Hopefully humans don%u2019t fuck them up too.
-Did you get into the %u201cfinding joy%u201d of all your shit? How did that go? Did Marie Kondo fans keep their houses tidy all year?
–Shopping Sucks Now. I have always though shopping sucks, but I agree, it sucks even more. There is just to much!
–Drink Up, Calm Down. Fancy expensive drinks for wellness%u2026. I don%u2019t know, I totally believe that food is medicine but some of the shit out there%u2026. I guess just beware and don%u2019t fall for fancy pants weird language saying miracle and shit.
-imoprtant. How To Reduce Food Waste
–Do I Really Have to Clean My Sheets Every Week? And 9 Other Things We Were Told Are Mandatory. Yes YES YES to the sheets!
-Lovely. %u2018The Bird & the Whale%u2019 Tells a Short and Sweet Tale Using Paint-on-Glass Animation
And pictures from the week.
Have you ever have lice as an adult? Wait hold on, let%u2019s back up. No I don%u2019t have lice, but I a few years ago I did and whoa that was some shit. (Thats what happens when you hang with littles all the time.) This week my head starting itching like crazy so there was a minute when I thought I might have gotten them again. But I have had it checked, a few times, and it is just dry skin. From all the hats. Because it has been pretty chilly and I have been cold. So no lice, just hats and cold weather making my head itch. Phew!
Anyway, week was up and down. Started off with camping which was amazing. The drive alone down there (Cooliadge State Park) was freaking fantastic. The peak of foliage and oh boy was it peak. And then when we got to the campground, we went on a nice long hike in the most vibrant world of colors. That was a A+ hike fore sure. Then back to the campground to make fire, eat food, cuddle cause it was super duper cold (got to 33) and crawl into the tent for the night. Woke up, very cold, jumped in o the car and hit the road. Back to town we came.
Then another week of stuff. Life stuff. Not fun stuff. Very very stressful stuff. But stuff that needed dealing and is still being dealt with. Mostly the mr, but when the mr is ain%u2019t happy, ain%u2019t nobody happy (HAHA!) so it was kind of another pretty stressful week. And so that is life.
But the good is still good. I don%u2019t have lice, the world is gorgeous, we had a chilly rainy day which are some of my favorite days. I picked up second to last farm share and heavy stocked up on squash and starting knitting a new hat. I made the cutest cookie ever and went to the dentist which actually sucked but is always good to go and be responsible about dental health. Made an ice cream cake and dinner for Barb for her birthday at my moms for her family party (HAPPY BIRTHDAY!) The lady turned 20 and I can’t even. Then I made her birthday pancakes on her actual birthday and we went grocery shopping so she could run up and down the isles with the mr collecting all the packages of batteries. Because she is now 20 and needs batteries? Yeah, we will just say that was it. And napped. I took a nap this week and it was amazing. I don%u2019t think I nap enough.
Other then that, the week just flew by. Dealing with the stuff, hanging with the people, doing the work thing.
Now its Sunday and yes, we are doing it, camping. Second to last, if not the last time. Depends on if we get that rain next weekend that the weather people say we are suppose to get. So we are making tonight really count. Going to some land on a mountain out in the middle of no where. We are so in need of this, to get the heck away for the night. And it is going to be beautiful and amazing and we have a great hike planned out and there is not cell service. Winter jacket, hats and mittens, and all the blankets we can fit into the are. I am excited.
Interent links from the week.
-You can now live like Barbie. Oh freaking jeez. Barbie Malibu Dreamhouse!
–Am I Drinking Too Much Seltzer Water? Good question, one I hear all the time.
–Jesus Shoes. For real? For real.
-I want these toilets. I get these toilets. 10 Easy Pieces: Designer Toilets. Tankless toilet..what a dream!.
–Eat, Drink And Be Wary: Ex-CIA Officer Reveals How Eateries Are Key To Spycraft. Totally makes sense.
-Currently in the middle of reading this book. It is so good. Only problem is that I started reading it a few days ago and it is due back at the library in 2 days (I forgot I had it out). It is 550+ pages long and I am not sure I am going to be able to finish it before it is due back. Might have to occur some late fees for this one.
-Coffee without the beans. The day has come. Inside the Seattle Company Plotting Lab-Made %u2018Coffee%u2019 Without Beans
-Another reason to read. Reading Before Bed Might Make You Healthier and Happier
–What Does Sunny D Taste Like? My dad used to buy it when we were kids and all I can remember it tasting like was shit. I think it actually made me throw up once. I was way more a Hi-C girl.
–6.6 lb bucket of tahini%u2026.It%u2019s in my shopping cart.
Pictures from the week
It%u2019s officially fall and officially fantastic. All of my sweaters are so happy to see me, and me them. So are the sweatpants and the socks. They are here for me to keep me all cozy and warm. Nothing like coming home on a cold dreary day and throwing on a big chunky sweater, a oversized pair of soft sweatpants, and thick wool socks. Add a cup of hot tea, a good book, and a lap blanket and heading out tp sit on the front porch and breathing in all that fresh fall air. So good. So freaking good.
Last Sunday camp was at Gifford State Park. Another Vermont gem. So pretty, so quite, the colors starting to show in the trees. We went for a nice hike into a forest of old growth trees, then launched out the kayaks on a nearby pond and paddles around for awhile. Back to the campsite for lentils and zucchini then the mr fired up some wood and we watched the sun set behind the golden trees. Laid under a sky full of the brightest stars and watching the trees whip around and listened to the wind blow hard and wild all night long. It was dang near perfect. And after the morning coffee making and tent taking down, off into the week we went.
Back in town we got back to it as per usual. The this and that of life. I made gallons of applesauce, fed Barb and went on a tea and pumpkin run (fall essentials). Went over to Moms for dinner and so the mr could fix her sink. I harvesting the last bits of summer from the garden then went to Costco to find a Christmas tree??? (They had them set up right next to the bathing suits and halloween candy. %ud83e%udd37%ud83c%udffb%u200d%u2640%ufe0f) We did some more stuff that needed doing. Looked at land in the wilds of Vermont (found a piece but there were offers on it already. So bummed) I worked the studio, picked up farm share, and I worried about the mr after he stabbed himself in the eye with a screwdriver and almost lost the eyeball. Then we had the boys sleep over Friday for Mileys birthday so she could have a sleep over with her friends at her house. We made pizza, went to the park, and all cuddled up in pile of blankets while they watched a weird cartoon something that I paid zero attention to and I read and kind of fell asleep. The next day after pancakes we dropped the off, the mr and I did the chores and then went back over for a little family party for the birthday lady. The mr made spaghetti, Miley and I decorated her cake, then they ate the pasta, then the cake, and then the mr and I peaced out to come home. Straight up, I was feeling way over stimulated from days of human interaction. So I pretty much passed the F out when we got home. I love my family but jeez can they make a lady tired.
Sunday for reals and I am feeling ready. Today is suppose to be another fantastic day, slightly on the chilly side maybe but not raining so that is good. We are heading out for one of the few camps we have left for the year. Zack Pond Woods. A little pond with a couple of undeveloped designated campsites. It is first come, first to use so we are super hoping that we get there and there will be a place available to set up for the night. If not, we might have to boogie over to a campground near by that we have already been too. But I am feeling like there might not be a ton of people trying to camp out on a Sunday night when it is suppose to get into the 30%u2019s overnight and maybe rain the morning. I am ok with all that, especially if that means other people aren%u2019t and leave us be. HA.
Anyway, hope you all are having a grand old weekend and taking in all the fall and focusing on eating all the apples and pumpkins. We know your priorities!
Links to things that I read and looked at n the internet this week.
-Today is National Coffee day!!!!! Everywhere You Can Get Free Coffee for National Coffee Day
–You%u2019ll Be Shocked by How Much Food Americans Waste Each%u00a0Year. Sadly, I was not shocked.
-Fall medicinal shopping list. These to make a syrup for cold and flu, and this for everything. Get it before you need it (and it%u2019s out of stock)
–Tree-Poaching Is On the Rise. What the fuckers. Also, so sad for trees and for the people.
-If telling people a little more gets them to recycle, well tell them what they want to hear! This simple tweak could drastically raise our pathetic recycling rates
–Vegans are more than what they do not eat. Hear Hear!!!!
-Did you know? Peanuts Aren’t Real Nuts (And More Essential Nut Info). Especially good to know when allergies are involved
–Is corn a fruit, a vegetable, or a grain? What were you thinking?
-IF you are going to smoke weed around people, you have to share it. No way around it unless you are an asshole. HA. How to politely smoke weed
–Why Millennials Are Suddenly So Obsessed With Houseplants. I grew up with a million house plants so thats one reason, but also I need real living things around me to feel good feels.
Pictures from the week
Not just sweater weather, which it had been all week and I am LOVING IT, but it%u2019s lamp light weather too. I forgot that I had all these fantastic lights around my house and yesterday when it was dark out at 6 (it was raining so the sky was cloudy) I got to turn on a couple lamps that haven%u2019t had any action in months. It was soooo nice and cozy. This my friends, this is the best time of year!
Camping last week was great and not so great. The campground was pretty, but our fellows campers were very rawdy and loud and there was a party at the picnic pavilion that had a shitty classic rock cover band playing. The noisy people and shitty music echoed through the park for longer then anyone should have had to deal with it. But I guess that happens, especially on a long holiday weekend. And really, besides the buttheads, we had fun. We went for a nice hike through the woods and into giant fields of wildflowers and goldenrod then spent some great time in the kayaks on a nearby lake (away from all the people). Plus after eating dinner and then packing it in for the night, we didn%u2019t get soaking wet, which we could tell by the many car doors slamming and people screaming at 1am , a good few people did. Our tent stayed nice and dry inside and we even managed to stay dry when we got out of the tent and and realized it was sitting in a giant puddle. We even managed to stayed pretty dry packing up and getting on our way home, in the rain! It%u2019s because we are good at coming I guess.
Then the rest of the week came and went in a fast blur. Mostly some same. Had lunch with Barb, cleaned apartments for new tenants,, made cards for artwork, picked up farm share, and you know, other life stuff. I have been busy in the kitchen harvesting garden food and canning or freezing it as well. Trying to stock up on as much food as I can for the winter. Then the littles slept over Friday. We watched Dumb and Dumber and I fell asleep on the couch. Woke up made waffles (I was so excited to use my waffle iron. It%u2019s been too long) and sent them on their way home to be moody tweens because that is now happening.
Oh, and I can%u2019t forget about how some little shithead smashed in the back of our car. Yup, that happened too. But that is pretty much it. I think%u2026.
Now for today. Mt Auscunty State park if all goes to plan. Should be a fun one with lots of hiking and a big high tower and stuff. I know it is gonna get mighty cold tonight so I am packing my winter long underwear and a jacket, hat, and mittens. So excited!
Links to explore on the internet.
–Doctors are now prescribing houseplants to help treat anxiety and depression. Makes a whole heck of a lot of sense to me. And why not try this simple remedy before trying a bunch of drugs?
-I wasn’t;t surprised much when I read this. Junky processed food is so bad, especially if it is all you eat. .19-Year-Old Goes Blind Due to Diet of Pringles, Bread, Fries, and Processed Meats
–Lush Botanical Forms Translated Into Abstract Embroideries%u00a0. So very pretty.
-Another good reason to ditch that pessimistic attitude and to look at he bright side of things. It doesn%u2019t hurt to try. Optimists For The Win: Finding The Bright Side Might Help You Live Longer
–Why do clowns creep us out?%u00a0Because they are creepy, that is why.
-I want, no, I need this cabin. Totally Off-the-Grid Cabin in the New Hampshire Woods
–This Apple Might Be the Most Anticipated Piece of Produce in History. I heard about this apple few years ago. I wonder if it%u2019s gonna live up tp all the hype. We shall see.
-Why don%u2019t we have one of these? The Otter: The 1950s Amphibious Caravan That Time Forgot!
–Can Bullet Journaling Save You? I am a list maker in all the ways. I a ma doodler to no end. I love pretty things and I love hand writing and have a ton of sketch books but besides the occasional list of note in a sketch book, I have never really gotten into Buju. It%u2019s to time sensitive I think, for me anyway.
–Squeeze in a Quick Nap at Work with This Under-Desk Hammock. A new way to sleep on the job. HA.
Pictures from the week.
August. Then gem of the summer. Warm days, cool nights. The knowledge that yes, it is still summery now, but soon it will be crisp, and cool, and all fall with sweaters and apples and%u2026 I am getting ahead of myself. Still summer here, and I should just enjoy it will it lasts. So that is what I will do.
This past week was busy and a little on the stressful side at times. It started with camping on Sunday which was good, maybe not the best, but no camping is bad camping, unless it is bad. It just that is was terribibly hot and there was a lot of people around and poison ivy everywhere which made me anxious because I was also getting attacked by mosquitoes so I kept thinking I was starting to get it. (I am very allergic to poison ivy). Also I woke up in the middle if the night to the mr yelling because someone was looking into our tent. I didn%u2019t see said person because I was asleep until I wasn%u2019t and I did questioned whether or not he might have dreamed it, but needless to say, I didn’t not sleep much after that. So yeah, other then that, not bad. And then we got out of the tent early, made the coffee and went on our way home. To life. We had (and still have) a lot of stuff going on, all at once because that is how it goes. But we got stuff done, and then some. And we even managed to get in a couple kayak sessions! First of the year because we are butts and also we just finally got around to getting racks for the car.(No more truck to throw them into. Sad). We also made time to look at a big chunk of land that I was sooooo expecting to love but nope, wasn%u2019t for us. We test drove a newer van that was awesome, but again,wasn;t for us. We picked up farm share together and ate ten thousand tomatoes, and are now officially 100% filed and finished our taxes. Checks were wrote, I might have cried a little, but done they are.
So yeah, the week went, we did, I am tired, the mr is really tired, and we are ready to get out of here for the night. Our camping stuff is packed and ready to go. Now where are we going is the question%u2026..Somewhere without night creepers would be nice.
Links from the internet for you to take or leave.
-Plastics Or People? At Least 1 Of Them Has To Change To Clean Up Our Mess. A beach of flip flops. How depressing. People, let%u2019s all just stop buying plastic!
-I don%u2019t know what the heck is wrong with people but curly parsley is the shit! It%u2019s delicious and I can eat handfuls of it. For real. How Did Curly Parsley Get So Uncool?
-Reading this made me sad and angry. Greenland Is Melting Away Before Our Eyes
–This Must Be What It%u2019s Like to Live Inside a Rainbow. I can appreciate it and I would love to say there but I don%u2019t think I could actually live with that much color. Sensory overload!
-Now these rooms. I could live in. Cool Pics Show Hotel Rooms of the U.S in the 1950s and ’60s
-This reminded me so much of my sister Erin. She would do something like this (or already has) Three Cats in Japan Have a Closet Full of Custom-Made Hats Felted From Their Shedded Fur
–This Remote Corner Of Nevada Is One Of The Darkest Places In The World. I want to go. I will go. And I bet everyone else wants to to, so lets all not be assholes and trash the place like happens when cool places are discovered.
-I am a slut for bedding. Just pictures of pretty textiles make me happy. BOHO BEDDING.
–At Burger King, Your Meat-Free Burger Might Come With a Coating of Real Meat Juice. This is another reason why I don%u2019t ever go out to eat. And this 1 In 4 Food Delivery Drivers Admit To Eating Your Food. I trust no one!
–Japanese Way of Making Iced Coffee. Do you drink Iced coffee? I love it but rarely drink it because I have no will power when it comes to coffee and will basically chug it and then it is gone and I am sad. Hot coffee slows me down, if only a little bit.
And pictures from the week.
Already? That week just blew on by. Probably because of the midweek holiday and that always makes time move in weird ways.
This week felt like a lot went on. Some of the same old, same old, but there was a lot of activities thrown in. We went on a bike ride picnic one day, another day we had lunch at the co-oop with my mom. Then on the third of July a lot of places do fireworks and so, after the mr saying we had to do something this year, we decided to go to the fireworks in Montpelier. Whoa did that kick my butt. Staying out and awake past dark was no way an easy feat. But well worth it. Sure the fireworks were ,well, they were what they were (I don%u2019t really care for fireworks) but the lead up was amazing. On our way to the town we stopped on the side of the road at a giant old graveyard. We were so early that we decided it would be something cool to do while it got dark out. Well this graveyard was on a massive hill and when we got to the top, we had the most amazing view of the valley and where the fireworks were going to go off so, duh, we stayed and walked around. And then it happened. Dusk came, it started to get dark, and all of a sudden. Fireflies. Everywhere. It was magical. And then the fireworks went off and we couldn%u2019t get home fast enough. I was dead ass tired.
The next day, I was exhausted, but oh well. The littles came over for the afternoon and we played the day away in the sprinkler and ran around with water guns. Barb and Paul came over too, ate grilled veggies dogs, mac and cheese, chopped cabbage, and popsicles. We lit the sparklers, walked the block, and then off they all went to do more fire stuff and I went to bed super early. I was still trying to recover from being out so late the night before.
The rest of the week was doing little things around the house, going to the studio, running errands. Being hot.
Then yesterday. A very productive day even with the nasty humid. Grocery shopping, the dump, rainbows, cleaning. I even did a good hour of weeding in the garden even though I was sweating through my soul. Gosh it really was gross. And then I went for a little walk and got caught in a crazy downpour of rain. And I wasn%u2019t made about it. Not one bit.
And it is Sunday again. Today is unplanned for the most part. I%u2019ll bike to gym and thats all I got so far. After yesterday, doing anything outside will be fantastic so I am hoping that the mr wants to go for a hike or something. I know he said there was work he needed to do but come on, mid 70%u2019s and no humidity%u2026. I%u2019ll be dragging his ass somewhere.
Internet links from me to you.
-Living in Vermont, we are so lucky to not have to deal with earth quakes. The science behind California%u2019s two big earthquakes
-It%u2019s just about tomato season so you should know this. How to Store Tomatoes So They Stay Plump & Fresh for a Very Long%u00a0Time. And know this too.How to Pick the Right Type of Lettuce for Way Better%u00a0Salads
–After 6-Year Battle, Florida Couple Wins The Right To Plant Veggies In Front Yard. How crazy is it that they were not allowed to plant veggies in THEIR YARD because they were unsightly%u2026 What the F!@K is wrong with people? !
–The Science Of Smiles, Real And Fake. Don%u2019t tell me to smile. I will bite you.
-I think I need a pool. This COWBOY POOL DIY.
–This Skinny House That%u2019s Just 10 Feet Wide Is for Sale in New York. I kinda really want it.
-I alway love the backs of embroidery. These rugs are awesome. Raw-Edges Flips Traditional Embroidery on Its Head with Backstitch Rugs
–The Joy of Not Wearing a Bra. First thing I do when I come home (sometimes even in the car on the way home) is to take my bra OFF! But really, I avoid bra wearing at all cost.
-I want these boots. Grund%u00e9ns Deck-Boss Ankle Boots
-I really wanted to be a water witch when I was growing up. Still kind of do. The Magic of Dowsing Keeps Holding On
Pictures from the week.
It is June. Already. That was fast.
The week started off great. We spent Sunday in Belvedere with family. The weather was perfect. There were barely any life sucking mosquitoes. Not to sunny, no rain. We just hung out, ate food, walked to the water falls, and basked in the glories of the world. Not to mention Judah invented a watch cookie, Shannon read my telepathically read my mind and picked me up the heart shaped baking tins that I was thinking about at a garage sale, and Sophia. She ate all my broccoli. All the littles played without fighting. All the adults talked without fighting. It was really nice.
And then we came home and by Monday afternoon, the shit starting to hit the fan. First off, it was the week before the June first rental turnovers. Always a hectic week. Always a lot of running around. It has been especially crazy for the mr this year because he was dealing with not only our tenant turn over, but a bunch of other apartments for other landlords. Painting, getting rid of garbage, fixing broken things. That in itself was not the issue. The issue was Monday afternoon, after the mr had been working all day, pulled into one of our driveways with the car to grab some paint, got back into the car, and the key wouldn’t turn. And the wheel wouldn’t turn. The car was stuck. Our newish (3 1/2 year old) car. The mr spent more then an hour trying to turn the key. I sent more then an hour on the internet trying to figure out what the heck was wrong. In the end, the car was just left for the night, the mr hitched a ride, and we ended up getting the car towed to the garage. (Note that this is the second tow in within a week.) After getting off the phone with the mechanic the next day, we were told it was going to be a few days before they can even look at it because they were so busy. We were feeling pretty screwed. Luckily for us, my mom is awesome and lent us her truck which if she didn’t , well we would be stuck with the rental car that I rented one afternoon, drove home, had a massive anxiety attack about crashing (we are having bad car juju right now), turned around and returned. I just had a bad feeling about it. So yeah, I rented a car, for about an hour. They laughed at me. I laughed at me too. Then cried a little. HAHA.
By Thursday the shop was able to look at the car. After the mechanic took a look at the car, he told us the master cylinder was stripped and needed to be replace. Or better yet needs to be. Almost a week later. The car is still there. They had to order the part and it won%u2019t be in until Tuesday. Yup. Just a week ago we were sitting pretty with a car and a sweet ass van and now, no cars. Oh, and the lawn mowers stopped working mid mowing. We think its the gas line or something.
Anyway. The week, hectic but not all bad. I found a bike on craigslist that I am going to fix up and call my new bike for a while (I am done bike shopping for the time being). Barb came over for a lunch and a walk one day. I made rainbows and popsicles another afternoon. Working at the studio was calm. That was nice. And the weather. I can%u2019t complain about that at the least bit.
Then yesterday. June first. Tenant moving day. It was cray cray. New tenants moving in and out usually isn%u2019t a big deal because most of the time our tenants are great and leave without issue. But yesterday the mr stopped over to check on all the apartments and found one in pretty awful condition. Long story short, we spent the day scrubbing filth and paint and hair (so fucking gross) off every surface then repainting the apartment while the new tenants were moving in. We did manage to have a little lunch picnic in th park with Miley and I took her on her first ever bike ride across town. That was good, but then it was back to the crazy apartment. Then we came home, ate dinner, cleaned our house, then passed the f out.
Today is going to be good. Why? I don%u2019t know yet, but we need it to be. I am not looking for anything spectacular, maybe just to find a few new good books at the library. Maybe go the day without getting 100 mosquito bites. Or maybe even just be able to take a nap. Just a mellow day. Wish us luck.
Stuff I looked at and read about on the internet this week.
–There Is Too Much Stuff. I couldn’t agree more and I hate it. Too much stuff makes me so anxious. And maybe a little angry. The piles of shit just keep getting bigger. AAGGHHH!!!!
-As a person who makes a lot of mugs with handles, this is very important. I have kept myself up all night on many occasions just thinking about mug handles. Shape, feel, visual ascetics. So much goes into a well made mug handle. But it is worth it and when you have a good one, you know.. Let%u2019s Talk About Mug Handles
–Why You Should Use a Wooden Spoon to Taste Your Food. What about a wooden fork, would that work too?
-Bad making bad worse. How pesticides can actually increase mosquito numbers
-Simple and clean%u2026 My kinda place. A HOLIDAY HOME IN PORTUGAL.
–Would you leave your life behind for a house you saw on Instagram? These people did. I love the instagram account CHEAP OLD HOUSE. And yes, I have definitely imagined buying half of them because some of them really are amazing. Maybe one of these day. Drafty windows and crumbling foundations don%u2019t scare me.
–Your Walls Need This Whimsical Magnetic Wallpaper. I don%u2019t need it, but oh boy would it be cool.
-If Ikea is doing it, then it%u2019s for real. Everyone is going vegan. HAHAHAHA. Ikea%u2019s Meatballs Will Officially Go Vegan This Fall
-As avid outdoors people, we really make evey effort to leave the outdoors exactly (if not better) as we found it. How to leave the great outdoors exactly how you found it. How pissed would you be if someone cam into your place and trashed it and moved things and picked at you?
-I eat beets eveyr single day and my pee has never turned pink but I know everyone I feed beets to pees pink. Hum? Why Do Beets Make Your Pee Turn Pink?
THE LOVELY CRAZY
January 12, 2020 by maximios • Blog
I have two questions. Is it crazy that we still have or Christmas tree up? It is just so nice and still looking as fresh as the day we cut it so I am having hard time saying goodbye to it. I did take all the ornaments off, just left on the lights, so it is kind of like a big house plant right? That is what I am telling myself because that it what it is. Once it start dropping needles or most likely, just after this week, to the goat farm. But as of now, it stays.
Anyway, my other question is, where the hell is winter? For real. When I went to bed Friday night there was a few inches of snow on the ground and when I woke up Saturday morning, it felt like freaking late spring and I barely needed to wear clothes, much less a jacket. And everyone I talked to was all, %u201cOooh, so nice. Love it love it , blah blah blah%u201d. Me, I hate it. This overly warm winter shit has got to stop. It is making me sad. I need winter, real winter. And that is global warming for ya. Fuck!
Yup, that and everything else this week. I stole (but not really) a new batch of balloons from the gym (the heart finally went down). Went for a nice pre snow melt, snow hike with the mr. Made lunch for Anthony and fixed his fancy pants. But a big part of the week has been spent over at the loft, packing, cleaning, and fixing things because as of this past Friday, little miss Barb is staying there. And now my back porch is full of all the stuff I brought home that I have been meaning to bring over here for the past 3 years. Mostly books, which we have no good shelves for yet (build shelves are on my list of things to do), and a good amount if shit I have to go through again and get rid of. Agh, I hate stuff. I might just stick it all on the curb with a free sign and walk away.
I also have been trying to get into my studio as much as possible. I threw some more mugs, glazed hearts, cleaned tools. Spent time with myself and my goals for selling more pots more seriously which then kind of turned into spending time with all the paperwork that seems to be flowing in from all the other thing in the rest of our life. Because who could forget, new year means new taxes. Oh taxes. I am going to stop there and not think to much more about them for at least another couple weeks, then I will start stressing. The usual way I do it. Ha.
And now its Sunday. Currently raining and still to freaking warm but is getting colder as the day goes on which means a nice layer of ice on everything making for a crap shoot of any outdoor activities today. I really wanted to try and go or a hike but it%u2019s not gonna happen so I will probably just go to the gym, maybe stop in and see the littles ( I haven%u2019t anyone really this week because everyone is back at school and I have been so busy) and then veg out on the couch with my books (recurrently ready 3), coffee, and a sketch pad. Need to get these book shelves designed and built before the momnuent for the need dies and the books stay in boxes an the porch forever.
Links to things I spent time looking at on the internet.
–Feeling Artsy? Here’s How Making Art Helps Your Brain. Art is life, or my life at least.
–I am a hand eater, or I mean, I eat with my hands, a lot. It is much easier then getting a sharp fork into my mouth with our stabbing myself in the face. HA. Why Food Tastes Better When You Eat With Your%u00a0Hands.
-Plant based is the new buzz word. What Does %u2018Plant-Based%u2019 Actually Mean?
The Germantown Laundromat: An Eco-Minded Gathering Spot in the Hudson Valley, Mending Services IncludedI love everything about this so much!
-Me and the mr.? Meet the couple who sailed across Mongolia in a handmade cart. Yeah, I think so.
-Genius. I would totally be into this if it didn%u2019t mean I had to interact with people. Maybe set it up blog style? Why Cookbook Clubs Should Be the New Way We Entertain
-Every time I start to bitch about the crowds of all the new people in the gym these days I stop myself because really, good for them for being there. Stop Complaining About the Gym Being Packed, Because It’s More Damaging Than You Think
–Planting Trees Is Good. Eliminating Deforestation Is Better. So lets stop cutting down the trees. Yeah, thats a good idea.
-Oh shit, you never know, you might be getting some new next door neighbors. HA. Meghan And Harry ‘Step Back’ As Royals %u2014 What Does That Mean, Exactly?
-Oh hell no. Do Bathtubs Belong in Bedrooms?%u00a0But I guess a lot op people think its a good idea..? And sure, it looks cool, but wet water in the bedroom, just seems wrong to me.
Pictures from the week.
Hey there friends! You doing alright? You good? Just checking in because I care.
My week was good, even if it did blow on by super fast. That%u2019s the way it always goes for me. The closer to the end of the year, the faster time seems to fly. You too? Anyway. I am talking it all in, trying to stay sane and not get pulled into the crazy that can happened this time of year. Mostly just talking all the long walks I need and staying out of the way but still enjoying the ones around me. There is a balance you know. And I am not afraid to run away when I need to.
So besides the norm of life, Tuesday was the mr%u2019s actual birthday so we celebrated. Just the two of us. After breakfast and heart shaped balloons, we went for an awesome drive to an awesome hike in the national forest. Yes it was a little rainy and the ground was so icy and I fell and jammed by arm, but it was still so so so nice. The waterfalls we saw we raging and there was not another human soul around. It was superb. Then we got lunch (he got lunch, I packed my own) and we ate our food near a much smaller waterfall. After that, coffee and then home where we watched a movie and finished making Christmas cards. Lasagna for dinner (for him, I ate chili) and a little heart shaped ice cream cake I made him (I am the best), gave him his pencil painting, and then we just hung out, I fell asleep, and that was that. Delightful, calm, and just really nice to spend the day together.
Rest of the week went on. Me, I was trying to get a few projects done. Worked at the studio, watched all the lovely snow completely melt. The mr has been working away at this and that and is keeping itself more then.
Yesterday was the 2nd annual sugar cookie house decorating extravaganza. And what a blast we had. A bunch of littles, a bunch of cookies and a bunch of candy. Amazingly enough, everyone ate all there lunches and refrained from eating all the candy. The restraint and force I saw in these littles eyes%u2026Gave me hope for the future. HA. But seriously, they were so into it and everyones turned out so great. Even the mr got into it and made a house topped with marshmallows and cauliflower. And after the houses were built, everyone left and I turned up the Christmas jams, grabbed the vacuum and all the cleaning rags, and set to work. Turns out tootsie rolls smashed into the floor is not easily removed.
Today is a day of catch up and errands. The mr is trying to finish up a project he needs to send off to the world, I need to get on finishing off some more rainbows. And maybe we should do some grocery shopping. And maybe I%u2019ll take a trip to the library. Stuff to do yes, but hopefully still a semi relaxing day. Maybe it will even get cold enough and start to snow. I need a walk in the snow.
Interesting internet from the week.
-I am kind of shocked the the number is so low. Come on people, cooking is awesome and makes you awesome. The Grocery Industry Confronts a New Problem: Only 10% of Americans Love Cooking
–Winter camping is a great way to see more nature and fewer people. I am going to start working the mr to get him to agree to go soon.
– Is it crazy that I miss landlines? OR more so, I think I miss that says of no cell phones. And now with cell phones, you can%u2019t eavesdrop on other people conversations , or like legally and easily anymore. How the Loss of the Landline Is Changing Family Life
–These 3 supertrees can protect us from climate collapse. But can we protect them? Trees are everything so of course trees are part of the answer to helping the planet. Hopefully humans don%u2019t fuck them up too.
-Did you get into the %u201cfinding joy%u201d of all your shit? How did that go? Did Marie Kondo fans keep their houses tidy all year?
–Shopping Sucks Now. I have always though shopping sucks, but I agree, it sucks even more. There is just to much!
–Drink Up, Calm Down. Fancy expensive drinks for wellness%u2026. I don%u2019t know, I totally believe that food is medicine but some of the shit out there%u2026. I guess just beware and don%u2019t fall for fancy pants weird language saying miracle and shit.
-imoprtant. How To Reduce Food Waste
–Do I Really Have to Clean My Sheets Every Week? And 9 Other Things We Were Told Are Mandatory. Yes YES YES to the sheets!
-Lovely. %u2018The Bird & the Whale%u2019 Tells a Short and Sweet Tale Using Paint-on-Glass Animation
And pictures from the week.
Have you ever have lice as an adult? Wait hold on, let%u2019s back up. No I don%u2019t have lice, but I a few years ago I did and whoa that was some shit. (Thats what happens when you hang with littles all the time.) This week my head starting itching like crazy so there was a minute when I thought I might have gotten them again. But I have had it checked, a few times, and it is just dry skin. From all the hats. Because it has been pretty chilly and I have been cold. So no lice, just hats and cold weather making my head itch. Phew!
Anyway, week was up and down. Started off with camping which was amazing. The drive alone down there (Cooliadge State Park) was freaking fantastic. The peak of foliage and oh boy was it peak. And then when we got to the campground, we went on a nice long hike in the most vibrant world of colors. That was a A+ hike fore sure. Then back to the campground to make fire, eat food, cuddle cause it was super duper cold (got to 33) and crawl into the tent for the night. Woke up, very cold, jumped in o the car and hit the road. Back to town we came.
Then another week of stuff. Life stuff. Not fun stuff. Very very stressful stuff. But stuff that needed dealing and is still being dealt with. Mostly the mr, but when the mr is ain%u2019t happy, ain%u2019t nobody happy (HAHA!) so it was kind of another pretty stressful week. And so that is life.
But the good is still good. I don%u2019t have lice, the world is gorgeous, we had a chilly rainy day which are some of my favorite days. I picked up second to last farm share and heavy stocked up on squash and starting knitting a new hat. I made the cutest cookie ever and went to the dentist which actually sucked but is always good to go and be responsible about dental health. Made an ice cream cake and dinner for Barb for her birthday at my moms for her family party (HAPPY BIRTHDAY!) The lady turned 20 and I can’t even. Then I made her birthday pancakes on her actual birthday and we went grocery shopping so she could run up and down the isles with the mr collecting all the packages of batteries. Because she is now 20 and needs batteries? Yeah, we will just say that was it. And napped. I took a nap this week and it was amazing. I don%u2019t think I nap enough.
Other then that, the week just flew by. Dealing with the stuff, hanging with the people, doing the work thing.
Now its Sunday and yes, we are doing it, camping. Second to last, if not the last time. Depends on if we get that rain next weekend that the weather people say we are suppose to get. So we are making tonight really count. Going to some land on a mountain out in the middle of no where. We are so in need of this, to get the heck away for the night. And it is going to be beautiful and amazing and we have a great hike planned out and there is not cell service. Winter jacket, hats and mittens, and all the blankets we can fit into the are. I am excited.
Interent links from the week.
-You can now live like Barbie. Oh freaking jeez. Barbie Malibu Dreamhouse!
–Am I Drinking Too Much Seltzer Water? Good question, one I hear all the time.
–Jesus Shoes. For real? For real.
-I want these toilets. I get these toilets. 10 Easy Pieces: Designer Toilets. Tankless toilet..what a dream!.
–Eat, Drink And Be Wary: Ex-CIA Officer Reveals How Eateries Are Key To Spycraft. Totally makes sense.
-Currently in the middle of reading this book. It is so good. Only problem is that I started reading it a few days ago and it is due back at the library in 2 days (I forgot I had it out). It is 550+ pages long and I am not sure I am going to be able to finish it before it is due back. Might have to occur some late fees for this one.
-Coffee without the beans. The day has come. Inside the Seattle Company Plotting Lab-Made %u2018Coffee%u2019 Without Beans
-Another reason to read. Reading Before Bed Might Make You Healthier and Happier
–What Does Sunny D Taste Like? My dad used to buy it when we were kids and all I can remember it tasting like was shit. I think it actually made me throw up once. I was way more a Hi-C girl.
–6.6 lb bucket of tahini%u2026.It%u2019s in my shopping cart.
Pictures from the week
It%u2019s officially fall and officially fantastic. All of my sweaters are so happy to see me, and me them. So are the sweatpants and the socks. They are here for me to keep me all cozy and warm. Nothing like coming home on a cold dreary day and throwing on a big chunky sweater, a oversized pair of soft sweatpants, and thick wool socks. Add a cup of hot tea, a good book, and a lap blanket and heading out tp sit on the front porch and breathing in all that fresh fall air. So good. So freaking good.
Last Sunday camp was at Gifford State Park. Another Vermont gem. So pretty, so quite, the colors starting to show in the trees. We went for a nice hike into a forest of old growth trees, then launched out the kayaks on a nearby pond and paddles around for awhile. Back to the campsite for lentils and zucchini then the mr fired up some wood and we watched the sun set behind the golden trees. Laid under a sky full of the brightest stars and watching the trees whip around and listened to the wind blow hard and wild all night long. It was dang near perfect. And after the morning coffee making and tent taking down, off into the week we went.
Back in town we got back to it as per usual. The this and that of life. I made gallons of applesauce, fed Barb and went on a tea and pumpkin run (fall essentials). Went over to Moms for dinner and so the mr could fix her sink. I harvesting the last bits of summer from the garden then went to Costco to find a Christmas tree??? (They had them set up right next to the bathing suits and halloween candy. %ud83e%udd37%ud83c%udffb%u200d%u2640%ufe0f) We did some more stuff that needed doing. Looked at land in the wilds of Vermont (found a piece but there were offers on it already. So bummed) I worked the studio, picked up farm share, and I worried about the mr after he stabbed himself in the eye with a screwdriver and almost lost the eyeball. Then we had the boys sleep over Friday for Mileys birthday so she could have a sleep over with her friends at her house. We made pizza, went to the park, and all cuddled up in pile of blankets while they watched a weird cartoon something that I paid zero attention to and I read and kind of fell asleep. The next day after pancakes we dropped the off, the mr and I did the chores and then went back over for a little family party for the birthday lady. The mr made spaghetti, Miley and I decorated her cake, then they ate the pasta, then the cake, and then the mr and I peaced out to come home. Straight up, I was feeling way over stimulated from days of human interaction. So I pretty much passed the F out when we got home. I love my family but jeez can they make a lady tired.
Sunday for reals and I am feeling ready. Today is suppose to be another fantastic day, slightly on the chilly side maybe but not raining so that is good. We are heading out for one of the few camps we have left for the year. Zack Pond Woods. A little pond with a couple of undeveloped designated campsites. It is first come, first to use so we are super hoping that we get there and there will be a place available to set up for the night. If not, we might have to boogie over to a campground near by that we have already been too. But I am feeling like there might not be a ton of people trying to camp out on a Sunday night when it is suppose to get into the 30%u2019s overnight and maybe rain the morning. I am ok with all that, especially if that means other people aren%u2019t and leave us be. HA.
Anyway, hope you all are having a grand old weekend and taking in all the fall and focusing on eating all the apples and pumpkins. We know your priorities!
Links to things that I read and looked at n the internet this week.
-Today is National Coffee day!!!!! Everywhere You Can Get Free Coffee for National Coffee Day
–You%u2019ll Be Shocked by How Much Food Americans Waste Each%u00a0Year. Sadly, I was not shocked.
-Fall medicinal shopping list. These to make a syrup for cold and flu, and this for everything. Get it before you need it (and it%u2019s out of stock)
–Tree-Poaching Is On the Rise. What the fuckers. Also, so sad for trees and for the people.
-If telling people a little more gets them to recycle, well tell them what they want to hear! This simple tweak could drastically raise our pathetic recycling rates
–Vegans are more than what they do not eat. Hear Hear!!!!
-Did you know? Peanuts Aren’t Real Nuts (And More Essential Nut Info). Especially good to know when allergies are involved
–Is corn a fruit, a vegetable, or a grain? What were you thinking?
-IF you are going to smoke weed around people, you have to share it. No way around it unless you are an asshole. HA. How to politely smoke weed
–Why Millennials Are Suddenly So Obsessed With Houseplants. I grew up with a million house plants so thats one reason, but also I need real living things around me to feel good feels.
Pictures from the week
Not just sweater weather, which it had been all week and I am LOVING IT, but it%u2019s lamp light weather too. I forgot that I had all these fantastic lights around my house and yesterday when it was dark out at 6 (it was raining so the sky was cloudy) I got to turn on a couple lamps that haven%u2019t had any action in months. It was soooo nice and cozy. This my friends, this is the best time of year!
Camping last week was great and not so great. The campground was pretty, but our fellows campers were very rawdy and loud and there was a party at the picnic pavilion that had a shitty classic rock cover band playing. The noisy people and shitty music echoed through the park for longer then anyone should have had to deal with it. But I guess that happens, especially on a long holiday weekend. And really, besides the buttheads, we had fun. We went for a nice hike through the woods and into giant fields of wildflowers and goldenrod then spent some great time in the kayaks on a nearby lake (away from all the people). Plus after eating dinner and then packing it in for the night, we didn%u2019t get soaking wet, which we could tell by the many car doors slamming and people screaming at 1am , a good few people did. Our tent stayed nice and dry inside and we even managed to stay dry when we got out of the tent and and realized it was sitting in a giant puddle. We even managed to stayed pretty dry packing up and getting on our way home, in the rain! It%u2019s because we are good at coming I guess.
Then the rest of the week came and went in a fast blur. Mostly some same. Had lunch with Barb, cleaned apartments for new tenants,, made cards for artwork, picked up farm share, and you know, other life stuff. I have been busy in the kitchen harvesting garden food and canning or freezing it as well. Trying to stock up on as much food as I can for the winter. Then the littles slept over Friday. We watched Dumb and Dumber and I fell asleep on the couch. Woke up made waffles (I was so excited to use my waffle iron. It%u2019s been too long) and sent them on their way home to be moody tweens because that is now happening.
Oh, and I can%u2019t forget about how some little shithead smashed in the back of our car. Yup, that happened too. But that is pretty much it. I think%u2026.
Now for today. Mt Auscunty State park if all goes to plan. Should be a fun one with lots of hiking and a big high tower and stuff. I know it is gonna get mighty cold tonight so I am packing my winter long underwear and a jacket, hat, and mittens. So excited!
Links to explore on the internet.
–Doctors are now prescribing houseplants to help treat anxiety and depression. Makes a whole heck of a lot of sense to me. And why not try this simple remedy before trying a bunch of drugs?
-I wasn’t;t surprised much when I read this. Junky processed food is so bad, especially if it is all you eat. .19-Year-Old Goes Blind Due to Diet of Pringles, Bread, Fries, and Processed Meats
–Lush Botanical Forms Translated Into Abstract Embroideries%u00a0. So very pretty.
-Another good reason to ditch that pessimistic attitude and to look at he bright side of things. It doesn%u2019t hurt to try. Optimists For The Win: Finding The Bright Side Might Help You Live Longer
–Why do clowns creep us out?%u00a0Because they are creepy, that is why.
-I want, no, I need this cabin. Totally Off-the-Grid Cabin in the New Hampshire Woods
–This Apple Might Be the Most Anticipated Piece of Produce in History. I heard about this apple few years ago. I wonder if it%u2019s gonna live up tp all the hype. We shall see.
-Why don%u2019t we have one of these? The Otter: The 1950s Amphibious Caravan That Time Forgot!
–Can Bullet Journaling Save You? I am a list maker in all the ways. I a ma doodler to no end. I love pretty things and I love hand writing and have a ton of sketch books but besides the occasional list of note in a sketch book, I have never really gotten into Buju. It%u2019s to time sensitive I think, for me anyway.
–Squeeze in a Quick Nap at Work with This Under-Desk Hammock. A new way to sleep on the job. HA.
Pictures from the week.
August. Then gem of the summer. Warm days, cool nights. The knowledge that yes, it is still summery now, but soon it will be crisp, and cool, and all fall with sweaters and apples and%u2026 I am getting ahead of myself. Still summer here, and I should just enjoy it will it lasts. So that is what I will do.
This past week was busy and a little on the stressful side at times. It started with camping on Sunday which was good, maybe not the best, but no camping is bad camping, unless it is bad. It just that is was terribibly hot and there was a lot of people around and poison ivy everywhere which made me anxious because I was also getting attacked by mosquitoes so I kept thinking I was starting to get it. (I am very allergic to poison ivy). Also I woke up in the middle if the night to the mr yelling because someone was looking into our tent. I didn%u2019t see said person because I was asleep until I wasn%u2019t and I did questioned whether or not he might have dreamed it, but needless to say, I didn’t not sleep much after that. So yeah, other then that, not bad. And then we got out of the tent early, made the coffee and went on our way home. To life. We had (and still have) a lot of stuff going on, all at once because that is how it goes. But we got stuff done, and then some. And we even managed to get in a couple kayak sessions! First of the year because we are butts and also we just finally got around to getting racks for the car.(No more truck to throw them into. Sad). We also made time to look at a big chunk of land that I was sooooo expecting to love but nope, wasn%u2019t for us. We test drove a newer van that was awesome, but again,wasn;t for us. We picked up farm share together and ate ten thousand tomatoes, and are now officially 100% filed and finished our taxes. Checks were wrote, I might have cried a little, but done they are.
So yeah, the week went, we did, I am tired, the mr is really tired, and we are ready to get out of here for the night. Our camping stuff is packed and ready to go. Now where are we going is the question%u2026..Somewhere without night creepers would be nice.
Links from the internet for you to take or leave.
-Plastics Or People? At Least 1 Of Them Has To Change To Clean Up Our Mess. A beach of flip flops. How depressing. People, let%u2019s all just stop buying plastic!
-I don%u2019t know what the heck is wrong with people but curly parsley is the shit! It%u2019s delicious and I can eat handfuls of it. For real. How Did Curly Parsley Get So Uncool?
-Reading this made me sad and angry. Greenland Is Melting Away Before Our Eyes
–This Must Be What It%u2019s Like to Live Inside a Rainbow. I can appreciate it and I would love to say there but I don%u2019t think I could actually live with that much color. Sensory overload!
-Now these rooms. I could live in. Cool Pics Show Hotel Rooms of the U.S in the 1950s and ’60s
-This reminded me so much of my sister Erin. She would do something like this (or already has) Three Cats in Japan Have a Closet Full of Custom-Made Hats Felted From Their Shedded Fur
–This Remote Corner Of Nevada Is One Of The Darkest Places In The World. I want to go. I will go. And I bet everyone else wants to to, so lets all not be assholes and trash the place like happens when cool places are discovered.
-I am a slut for bedding. Just pictures of pretty textiles make me happy. BOHO BEDDING.
–At Burger King, Your Meat-Free Burger Might Come With a Coating of Real Meat Juice. This is another reason why I don%u2019t ever go out to eat. And this 1 In 4 Food Delivery Drivers Admit To Eating Your Food. I trust no one!
–Japanese Way of Making Iced Coffee. Do you drink Iced coffee? I love it but rarely drink it because I have no will power when it comes to coffee and will basically chug it and then it is gone and I am sad. Hot coffee slows me down, if only a little bit.
And pictures from the week.
Already? That week just blew on by. Probably because of the midweek holiday and that always makes time move in weird ways.
This week felt like a lot went on. Some of the same old, same old, but there was a lot of activities thrown in. We went on a bike ride picnic one day, another day we had lunch at the co-oop with my mom. Then on the third of July a lot of places do fireworks and so, after the mr saying we had to do something this year, we decided to go to the fireworks in Montpelier. Whoa did that kick my butt. Staying out and awake past dark was no way an easy feat. But well worth it. Sure the fireworks were ,well, they were what they were (I don%u2019t really care for fireworks) but the lead up was amazing. On our way to the town we stopped on the side of the road at a giant old graveyard. We were so early that we decided it would be something cool to do while it got dark out. Well this graveyard was on a massive hill and when we got to the top, we had the most amazing view of the valley and where the fireworks were going to go off so, duh, we stayed and walked around. And then it happened. Dusk came, it started to get dark, and all of a sudden. Fireflies. Everywhere. It was magical. And then the fireworks went off and we couldn%u2019t get home fast enough. I was dead ass tired.
The next day, I was exhausted, but oh well. The littles came over for the afternoon and we played the day away in the sprinkler and ran around with water guns. Barb and Paul came over too, ate grilled veggies dogs, mac and cheese, chopped cabbage, and popsicles. We lit the sparklers, walked the block, and then off they all went to do more fire stuff and I went to bed super early. I was still trying to recover from being out so late the night before.
The rest of the week was doing little things around the house, going to the studio, running errands. Being hot.
Then yesterday. A very productive day even with the nasty humid. Grocery shopping, the dump, rainbows, cleaning. I even did a good hour of weeding in the garden even though I was sweating through my soul. Gosh it really was gross. And then I went for a little walk and got caught in a crazy downpour of rain. And I wasn%u2019t made about it. Not one bit.
And it is Sunday again. Today is unplanned for the most part. I%u2019ll bike to gym and thats all I got so far. After yesterday, doing anything outside will be fantastic so I am hoping that the mr wants to go for a hike or something. I know he said there was work he needed to do but come on, mid 70%u2019s and no humidity%u2026. I%u2019ll be dragging his ass somewhere.
Internet links from me to you.
-Living in Vermont, we are so lucky to not have to deal with earth quakes. The science behind California%u2019s two big earthquakes
-It%u2019s just about tomato season so you should know this. How to Store Tomatoes So They Stay Plump & Fresh for a Very Long%u00a0Time. And know this too. How to Pick the Right Type of Lettuce for Way Better%u00a0Salads
–After 6-Year Battle, Florida Couple Wins The Right To Plant Veggies In Front Yard. How crazy is it that they were not allowed to plant veggies in THEIR YARD because they were unsightly%u2026 What the F!@K is wrong with people? !
–The Science Of Smiles, Real And Fake. Don%u2019t tell me to smile. I will bite you.
-I think I need a pool. This COWBOY POOL DIY.
–This Skinny House That%u2019s Just 10 Feet Wide Is for Sale in New York. I kinda really want it.
-I alway love the backs of embroidery. These rugs are awesome. Raw-Edges Flips Traditional Embroidery on Its Head with Backstitch Rugs
–The Joy of Not Wearing a Bra. First thing I do when I come home (sometimes even in the car on the way home) is to take my bra OFF! But really, I avoid bra wearing at all cost.
-I want these boots. Grund%u00e9ns Deck-Boss Ankle Boots
-I really wanted to be a water witch when I was growing up. Still kind of do. The Magic of Dowsing Keeps Holding On
Pictures from the week.
It is June. Already. That was fast.
The week started off great. We spent Sunday in Belvedere with family. The weather was perfect. There were barely any life sucking mosquitoes. Not to sunny, no rain. We just hung out, ate food, walked to the water falls, and basked in the glories of the world. Not to mention Judah invented a watch cookie, Shannon read my telepathically read my mind and picked me up the heart shaped baking tins that I was thinking about at a garage sale, and Sophia. She ate all my broccoli. All the littles played without fighting. All the adults talked without fighting. It was really nice.
And then we came home and by Monday afternoon, the shit starting to hit the fan. First off, it was the week before the June first rental turnovers. Always a hectic week. Always a lot of running around. It has been especially crazy for the mr this year because he was dealing with not only our tenant turn over, but a bunch of other apartments for other landlords. Painting, getting rid of garbage, fixing broken things. That in itself was not the issue. The issue was Monday afternoon, after the mr had been working all day, pulled into one of our driveways with the car to grab some paint, got back into the car, and the key wouldn’t turn. And the wheel wouldn’t turn. The car was stuck. Our newish (3 1/2 year old) car. The mr spent more then an hour trying to turn the key. I sent more then an hour on the internet trying to figure out what the heck was wrong. In the end, the car was just left for the night, the mr hitched a ride, and we ended up getting the car towed to the garage. (Note that this is the second tow in within a week.) After getting off the phone with the mechanic the next day, we were told it was going to be a few days before they can even look at it because they were so busy. We were feeling pretty screwed. Luckily for us, my mom is awesome and lent us her truck which if she didn’t , well we would be stuck with the rental car that I rented one afternoon, drove home, had a massive anxiety attack about crashing (we are having bad car juju right now), turned around and returned. I just had a bad feeling about it. So yeah, I rented a car, for about an hour. They laughed at me. I laughed at me too. Then cried a little. HAHA.
By Thursday the shop was able to look at the car. After the mechanic took a look at the car, he told us the master cylinder was stripped and needed to be replace. Or better yet needs to be. Almost a week later. The car is still there. They had to order the part and it won%u2019t be in until Tuesday. Yup. Just a week ago we were sitting pretty with a car and a sweet ass van and now, no cars. Oh, and the lawn mowers stopped working mid mowing. We think its the gas line or something.
Anyway. The week, hectic but not all bad. I found a bike on craigslist that I am going to fix up and call my new bike for a while (I am done bike shopping for the time being). Barb came over for a lunch and a walk one day. I made rainbows and popsicles another afternoon. Working at the studio was calm. That was nice. And the weather. I can%u2019t complain about that at the least bit.
Then yesterday. June first. Tenant moving day. It was cray cray. New tenants moving in and out usually isn%u2019t a big deal because most of the time our tenants are great and leave without issue. But yesterday the mr stopped over to check on all the apartments and found one in pretty awful condition. Long story short, we spent the day scrubbing filth and paint and hair (so fucking gross) off every surface then repainting the apartment while the new tenants were moving in. We did manage to have a little lunch picnic in th park with Miley and I took her on her first ever bike ride across town. That was good, but then it was back to the crazy apartment. Then we came home, ate dinner, cleaned our house, then passed the f out.
Today is going to be good. Why? I don%u2019t know yet, but we need it to be. I am not looking for anything spectacular, maybe just to find a few new good books at the library. Maybe go the day without getting 100 mosquito bites. Or maybe even just be able to take a nap. Just a mellow day. Wish us luck.
Stuff I looked at and read about on the internet this week.
–There Is Too Much Stuff. I couldn’t agree more and I hate it. Too much stuff makes me so anxious. And maybe a little angry. The piles of shit just keep getting bigger. AAGGHHH!!!!
-As a person who makes a lot of mugs with handles, this is very important. I have kept myself up all night on many occasions just thinking about mug handles. Shape, feel, visual ascetics. So much goes into a well made mug handle. But it is worth it and when you have a good one, you know.. Let%u2019s Talk About Mug Handles
–Why You Should Use a Wooden Spoon to Taste Your Food. What about a wooden fork, would that work too?
-Bad making bad worse. How pesticides can actually increase mosquito numbers
-Simple and clean%u2026 My kinda place. A HOLIDAY HOME IN PORTUGAL.
–Would you leave your life behind for a house you saw on Instagram? These people did. I love the instagram account CHEAP OLD HOUSE. And yes, I have definitely imagined buying half of them because some of them really are amazing. Maybe one of these day. Drafty windows and crumbling foundations don%u2019t scare me.
–Your Walls Need This Whimsical Magnetic Wallpaper. I don%u2019t need it, but oh boy would it be cool.
-If Ikea is doing it, then it%u2019s for real. Everyone is going vegan. HAHAHAHA. Ikea%u2019s Meatballs Will Officially Go Vegan This Fall
-As avid outdoors people, we really make evey effort to leave the outdoors exactly (if not better) as we found it. How to leave the great outdoors exactly how you found it. How pissed would you be if someone cam into your place and trashed it and moved things and picked at you?
-I eat beets eveyr single day and my pee has never turned pink but I know everyone I feed beets to pees pink. Hum? Why Do Beets Make Your Pee Turn Pink?
And pictures from the week