My 22 Goals for 2019
Goal #1 — Spend More Time Doing What I Love
June must be turtle season here in New England because around this time last year, you couldn’t drive down the road without seeing at least one turtle trying to cross the road on it’s own.
Yesterday the HH redirected a turtle crossing our driveway and brought him back down towards the pond.
Poor fella. I hope he wasn’t on the way to visit a lady friend or something. Maybe we should have just left him put…. and risked him getting squashed. There is SO MUCH wildlife here, it’s CRAZY.
Fingers crossed the porcupine doesn’t make his way back into our yard again this year, those guys freak me out.
Goal #2 — Garden, Garden, Garden
We stopped by a garden center on the way home from Gloucester and WOULD YOU BELIEVE they were selling orange day-lilies? Guess how much a 2 gallon pot was going for. C’mon guess!
$19.99. HOLY CATS BATMAN. We need to start digging!
Goal #3 — Plant an Orchard
Miss Lemon. She’s going to have babies!!!
Also, planting an orchard is on hold as I wait to see if I’ll get any fruit from the 2 {apple?} trees in the yard this year. Then again, I might buy 2 plums trees next week. It’s anyone’s guess right now.
Goal #4 — Gussy Up the Potting Shed Done!
Goal #5 — Grow Enough Extra Vegetables, Eggs and Flowers to Earn $1500 at my little roadside vegetable stand.
I’m hoping the veggie stand will be out in a few weeks.
Goal #6 — Finish Every Single Unfinished Rug Hooking Project in My Pattern Bin + 10 Things from back Issues of Magazines/Books I’ve Been Meaning to Make.
I updated my Etsy Shop on Friday night and this double whale runner was one of the goodies in this month’s batch. I absolutely LOVE how it turned out. I think I nailed the ocean blue colors for the whale and I’m glad I took my time on this piece as there isn’t anything I’d change about it.
For the month of June, I am only working on 2 pieces. 1 pillow and one incredibly large rug {that I am CRAZY excited about!}. Just having one major rug to work on will be a nice change of pace and I’ll be snapping a picture of my progress each day and then post all the pictures {in a time lapse sort of way} when I’m finished so peeps can see the whole process of how to hook a rug from start to finish.
I finished 2 rugs from my pattern bin this past week.
I started the year off with:
- 73 rugs in my pattern bin {now down to 48}
- 183 hooked flowers {finished 108, now down to 75}
- 10 “things” from back issues of magazines {finished 0}
Goal #7 — Create 12 New Rug Hooking Patterns {with at least half of them being large ones}
10 down, 2 to go! On Friday I added 4 new beginner rug hooking kits to my Etsy shop. My goal for the rest of the year is to work on creating a few larger hooked rug patterns {mostly seasonal ones} and then to get those up and in the shop before October. This time of year is tough with all the garden projects and mini date day adventures, so progress is a little slow going.
New rug hooking patterns I’ve created and added to My Etsy Shop this year:
- Miss Henny and Penny
- Miss Penny
- Simple Kitty
- Primitive Flowers
- 2 Fat Cats
- Annabell’s Big Day
- Old Fashioned Double Tulip
- Fat Brown Hen
- Busy Little Bee
- Queen Bee
Goal #8 — Split and Stack 2 Cords of Wood for Next Winter
Nothing to report.
Goal #9 — Do Something with the 5,002 Photos on My Phone
No comment.
Goal #10 –Lose the Muffin Top
I bought 2 new pairs of jeans. One size smaller than what I currently am. It’s all mental you see, if I want to wear the pants, I have to lose Muffy. So this fall I will be either; A. Wearing skirts or B. Wearing my new pants.
How many times have you seen me in a skirt? Ummm that would be never. I think it’s a pretty genius plan.
Goal #11 — Run, Walk or Crawl a 5k, 10k, Half Marathon and Marathon
Nothing new to report. It’s starting to get warm again, this goal might have to wait until fall.
Goal #12 — Read or Listen to 26 New Books {11 down, 15 to go}
I finished Big Little Lies the other night {it was good in a $5 coffee drinking, I spend all my time trying to impress people I don’t really like catty suburbia housewife sort of way}. I won’t be watching the mini series though. It would ruin the characters I built up in my head as I was reading the story.
I am waiting my turn on the library wait list for the following audio books:
- The Long Winter
- The Great Alone {I’m next on the list!}
- Grateful American
Books I’ve Read or Listened to So Far This Year:
- Marilla of Green Gables #1 Favorite
- Before We Were Yours #2
- Secrets of a Charmed Life #3
- Where’d You Go, Bernadette #4
- Carnegie’s Maid #5
- The Alice Network #6
- The Shape of Mercy #7
- Will’s Red Coat #8
- Big Little Lies #9
- Bunny Mellon {Doesn’t count because it was my second time}
- Walden
- Finder’s Keepers
- Delicious!
- Following Atticus
Goal #13 — Try 52 New Recipes.
14 down, 38 recipes to go.
I tried a new cake recipe last week and it was just so-so. The HH tried 2 new recipes: pork enchiladas and spinach manicotti. It was a good week for eating. 😉
Goal #14 — Clean Up 52 Old Recipes on the Blog
Seven recipes down, 45 to go. Looks like it’s going to be a busy fall. 😉
Goal #15 — Fill 100 Canning Jars 34 down, 66 to go.
So far this year I’ve I canned:
- 15 jars of Carrot Cake Jam
- 15 jars of Spiced Pear Jam
- 4 jars of Almond Pears.
Goal #16 — Finish Furnishing Our House
Even though we stopped at 3 garage sales AND the recycle center this week, I wasn’t able to find any new furniture pieces for our home. I did manage to come home with a stack of free books from the recycle center though:
- American Country a Style and Resource Book {Love it!!}
- The Best of Martha Stewart Living Handmade Christmas
- Kaffe Fasset’s Glorious Interiors {Not my style, but VERY interesting!}
- Country Living Country Mornings Cookbook
- Great Pies and Tarts
- The Pioneer Woman Cooks Come and Get it
- Curious George Gets a Medal {For Monkey Boy’s next box of goodness}
Furniture pieces I’m still on the hunt for:
Coffee table for the family room- Console, cupboard or sideboard for the one and only tv in our house which is in the family room. I could totally live without a television, but my husband says the tv stays.
Long rectangular table for the craft room.- Table for the formal dining room.
- 2 wing back chairs for the family room.
I’d also like to decorate the mantel in the keeping roomas well as put up some sort of decoration above the other32 fireplaces in the house. I’m not one for a lot of things on the walls, but it would be nice to throw up a little pilgrim bling on the plaster.
Goal #17 – 52 Dates with the HH {17 down, 35 to go}
For date day this past week we headed to Gloucester to tour the Beauport, the Sleeper-McCann House and it was lovely. On the way home, we stopped off at The Clam Box in Ipswich for a bite to eat. Lunch was okay, no fireworks, but I do think it’s cool the restaurant has been around since 1935. We need to explore Ipswich more, it looks like a really cool town.
Goal #18 — Take One Adult Education Class Done {I’ve taken 2!}
- I’m keeping the first class I took with my neighbor top secret for now {because it is directly related to my one of my secret holiday projects}
- Spoon Carving Class with heather.
Goal #19 — Secret {for now} Holiday Project
Even though I’m keeping quiet on this years secret holiday project, last night while I was making some garden markers I decided to give plate making a try again. I absolutely adore redware pottery, and I think a set of dishes would look pretty darn amazing stacked on the shelves in our home.
A few days ago, OHAM reader Peg sent me another one of her copies of Early American Life Magazine with a little note attached about an article in the magazine and redware plates. And, well, I think it was just the nudge I needed. So thanks PEG! It may take a few dozen tries to get the exact look I’m after…. but I’m going for it!
Goal #20 — Create 12 Wowie Zowie Party Platters
4 down, 8 to go.
Goal #21 — Visit 12 General Stores
5 down 7 to go.
Anyone know of a good general store between the 95 south and the Route 1 heading towards the Southeast tip of Rhode Island? I am hoping to find a good general store for our road trip next week.
So far this year we’ve visited:
- Harrisville General Store
- Dodge’s Store in New Boston, New Hampshire
- Zeb’s General Store in North Conway, New Hampshire
- Dan and Whit’s in Norwich, Vermont
- Hussey’s General Store in Windsor, Maine
Goal #22 — Compete with Carole….. Get on My Front Door Game On
She’s got a new wreath up!!! 😉
Front Door Bling I’ve Made So Far This Year to Compete with Carole:
- Late January : Valentine Heart
- Late February : Shamrock
- Late March : Giant Carrot
- May: White wave petunia hanging basket
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How about YOU? What are your goals for 2019? If you told us about them HERE, check in! We want to know how you are doing. Because seriously, it’s so much easier to get those goals checked off your list when you have people rooting for you! 🙂
♥ Mavis
You can read more about my 22 goals for 2019 HERE.
Paula says
If you have don’t read the following book, it is awesome. I recommend “Where the Crawdads Sing.” I am just starting “The Great Alone.”
Donna says
Have read both of these and love them, but I highly recommend “Nightingale” also by Kristin Hannah. It’s fabulous!
Mel says
I had three sewing goals for the year, but I’m considering switching them out. Most of my attempts to work on the projects I chose were foiled by fabric going out of stock, other fabric getting ruined in the wash, etc., so perhaps that was a sign. It’s also been such a crazy year that I think my priorities have changed at least for the next couple months. I might circle back to sewing in the fall, but it’s really the last thing I need or want to do for now.
So, mini goals for the moment: restore cabinets and drawers to their organized states, reorganize my closet, clean out the laundry room, organize my work materials (I had to move out of my office for renovations and will move back in fall), re-stock/create first aid kits for people and pets, defrost and clean freezers, and get back to the treadmill.
Mel says
I think the mini goals are definitely a better idea for this year. Since yesterday, I reorganized my closet, got about halfway done on the kits (tracked down all the stuff we had and ordered the rest), and reorganized 3 cabinets. I think I might work on weekly goals like these for a while and come back to sewing later.
Mary G says
Your rugs are amazing! I love seeing the patterns and designs you create. As for turtles, you were right to move it off the road. They are down so low and move so slowly that even with limited car traffic they are at great risk. A local wildlife biologist (I’m in New England also) taught me and my daughter to move turtles off the road but to keep them moving in the direction they were originally headed; otherwise, they will attempt to turn back. Hope that helps!
Sara says
Confused? Those aren’t orange daylilies, they are yellow. Stella is defintely yellow. Higher cost due to the reblooming factor. Once bloomers are cheaper. All are even cheaper if bought as bulbs not potted. If you truly have yellow, not orange, dig, plop in a bag and put at the farm stand for cheap. They will be snatched up. All this time I thought you had a yard full of old-timey orange lilies or what we call ditch lilies.
Lana says
That is exactly what I came to say!
Lolly says
I don’t even know where I am in my goals anymore, lol! Idk when I sewed last….but 1. I haven’t wanted to, and 2. Life has been BUSY. So part of my goal to sew more was so that I was doing something I loved….and choosing to live life more….and while not sewing, I HAVE been living life more….so that part of the goal is going well. 🙂
Walking/exercising still hasn’t been done much, other than the week or two we picked blackberries (an hour at a time of squatting, lol, I felt it and it was awesome!). But I just signed up to go walking as a group with some ladies from church. Starting next week sunday, so yah. And I’m doing an exercise challenge with our health insurance, and if I complete the challenge, I’ll get a $40 gc to use on eyeglasses or rx’s….and I plan to use it and a $50 gc from them for filling out a health survey to buy new prescription lenses for my sunglasses. And that challenge has me exercising at least 20 min a day for 2-3 times a week. 🙂
Our summer is crazy-busy, and we’re enjoying it all! 🙂
Claudia says
We have a lot of turtles here in Missouri and have been told to put them on the other side of the road in the direction they were going. They will keep trying to go in that direction.Also that wasn’t a pond turtle so I hope hubby didn’t put him n the water.
Julia says
Still chugging along on my goals. I thought I would be earning more money this year but life has thrown enough challenges at us already that I am not focusing on my side gigs; just getting through the day is keeping us busy enough.
I have visited 4 of 12 new bakeries and 3 of 12 new restaurants. I haven’t yet visited any new wineries but I plan to start soon. It’s summer and that’s a great time to go wine tasting.
I have been walking and jogging and have lost 5 pounds already. That’s good. I haven’t signed up for a 5K yet but there’s a 3K coming up so I might try that as a start. I had hoped to walk or jog 4x a week and I am at 6x a week right now. Enjoying it and feeling the difference. I also planned to take 12 hikes but have only hit 3 hikes so far. More to go!
I will soon start picking blackberries for jam and planning to enter that,plus honey and applesauce in the county fair. I won best in show for dried strawberries last year but have not been drying fruit lately (see above — life challenges).
I have written lots of letters this year and will keep on writing them — I’m at 13, not counting the thank you notes I wrote last month. I said I’d write 50 letters — not sure I’ll get there.
I enjoyed setting these goals and will get through them…you inspire me every week. Thank you!
Bobbie says
Writing letters is a great goal. if you send Christmas cards you can spend a little extra time writing a personal letter and you will hit that goal in no time!
Ronda says
I set a goal of more letter writing this year too, my goal was 24 so 2 a month and I have gotten such a great response from those who have received my letters. And it has been a lot of fun. Now if only I was as good about meeting my walking goals, but slowly but surely will get there.
Barbara Gantt says
Your pot of lilies says Stella D’ Oro lilly is the yellow one that is shorter than the orange lily. A little different shape to the flower too.
Bobbie says
I’m excited to see how your red Potter turns out. How fun! We have yellow lillies growing on our property as well, along with the orange ditch lillies. I don’t mind them when they are planted in an organized fashion and look neat- but when they spring up Willy nilly it messes with me . Although I don’t have e time to mess with the lillies- I’m too busy cutting down pokeweed every time I turn around. Many people in rural Appalachia keep the weed and eat it (when it’s prepared correctly so to not be poisonous). But the poisonous berries on it look so good and juicy, and I have two curious boys….so down or goes.
My goals were to learn to make candles and soap, which I have done. My theme this year was to only keep things in my house that bring me joy….no collecting junk. So far so good.
Ronda says
Nine perfect strangers by Liane Moriarty I thought was even better than Big Little Lies. I got it quick from my library too.
Donna says
Our book club read that one and had quite the discussion. It’s being made into a movie too.
Julie says
Mavis, I know you have a list of books to read/listen to, I HIGHLY reccommend “When Crickets Cry”, by Charles Martin. Tremendous!! Thanks for entertaining us!! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Emily says
Turtles can be very determined when they want to go some place. When needed help them across the road in the direction they are already going , otherwise they are likely to end up back in the road again.