My 22 Goals for 2019
Goal #1 — Spend More Time Doing What I Love
To say that this past week was a bit of a hectic one, would be a HUGE understatement. I think I averaged about 5 hours a sleep each night. Luckily though, the days are getting shorter {or rather the sun is coming up later and setting earlier} which for me, does come with a sort of calming effect so that’s a plus. Sometimes, I really wish life came with a pause button.
Goal #2 — Garden, Garden, Garden
My number one favorite thing I grew this summer was the Lemon Queen Sunflower. That, and installing a nice sized herb garden just off the back patio.
Goal #3 — Plant an Orchard {Calling it Quits on this one.}
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.
The vegetable stand is officially closed for the season. What started out as a fantastic idea during the middle of winter to grow copious amounts of food and earn enough money to pay for all our our date days, was an epic failure this year. I think my grand total for the summer was $82. {Last summer I made over $500 without even really trying}.
This PNW girl was thrilled to have escaped the grey skies and overcast mornings… but the bugs here, I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to get used to them. I think I tried every spray on the market this summer, hauled fans out to the garden, I even gardened in snow pants and long sleeves in the wee morning hours and STILL got attacked! I think a container patio garden might be more my style.
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 feel like I’ve been working on this turkey rug for weeks now and am SO hoping I can find the time to get it finished in the next 48 hours. I’m nearly there! After I finish Tom Turkey, I’ll have 37 more rugs to finish by the end of the year {which is totally do-able once the cooler temperatures hit and I can park myself on the couch}.
I do plan to update my Etsy shop on Friday night at 6pm with a new batch of freshly dyed wool bundles and maybe a finished piece or two.
- 73 rugs in my pattern bin {now down to 37}
- 183 hooked flowers {finished 133, now down to 51}
- 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}
So far this year I’ve added 12 new rug hooking patterns and 13 beginner rug hooking kits to my Etsy shop.
New rug hooking patterns I’ve created and added to My Etsy Shop this year:
- Tullia and Thomas Turkey
- Double Nantucket Whale Runner
- 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
Rug Hooking Kits
- Busy Little Bee {in 2 different colors}
- Folk Art Heart
- Small Nantucket Whale
- Primitive Crow
- Miss Robin {in 2 different colors}
- Simple Kitty
- Primitive Flowers
- Sunflowers
- A Basket of Spring Posies
- Fat Brown Hen
- Chicky’s Garden
Goal #8 — Split and Stack 2 Cords of Wood for Next Winter {Not going to happen}
Goal #9 — Do Something with the 5,002 Photos on My Phone
Current number of photos on phone 2881, but now that I’ve shared this photo with you I can delete it, right?
Goal #10 –Lose the Muffin Top
Pumpkin season is officially here. And it’s a good thing pumpkin {pie} has so many healthy things in it like… well, pumpkin of course and eggs and milk.
Goal #11 — Run, Walk or Crawl a 5k, 10k, Half Marathon and Marathon
I suppose now that the baby turtles are off on their own now I should start hunting around for a 5K and a half marathon to participate in. There are oodles of races around these parts in the fall so I shouldn’t have a problem.
Goal #12 — Read or Listen to 26 New Books {15 down, 9 to go}
I am about 60% of the way through Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand and holy canolies people, the things our soldiers went through. A few people last week mentioned this book was made into a movie, and that the movie didn’t stand up to the book. And I totally believe it and I have zero plans to watch it.
Books I’ve Read or Listened to So Far This Year:
- Marilla of Green Gables #1 Still my favorite
- The Great Alone #2
- The Aviator’s Wife #3
- Before We Were Yours #4
- Secrets of a Charmed Life #5
- Where’d You Go, Bernadette #6
- Carnegie’s Maid #7
- The Gown #8
- The Alice Network #9
- The Shape of Mercy #10
- Will’s Red Coat #11
- Big Little Lies #12
- Bunny Mellon {Doesn’t count because it was my second time}
- On Writing {Doesn’t count because it was my third time}
- Walden
- Finder’s Keepers
- Delicious!
- Following Atticus
Goal #13 — Try 52 New Recipes.
24 down, 30 recipes to go. OCTOBER. October is going to be my month for cooking!
Goal #14 — Clean Up 52 Old Recipes on the Blog
9 down, 44 to go. I’ll get crackin’ once fall {and cooler temps} come around.
Goal #15 — Fill 100 Canning Jars 48 down, 52 to go.
I won’t be able to get any canning done in the next few weeks but I am looking forward to doing some canning later this fall. So far, I think the peach jam has been my favorite thing this year to make.
So far this year I’ve I canned:
- 7 jars Peach Jam
- 7 jars of Strawberry Jam
- 15 jars of Carrot Cake Jam
- 15 jars of Spiced Pear Jam
- 4 jars of Almond Pears.
Goal #16 — Finish Furnishing Our House
Zero treasures from the recycling center and in fact, we actually got rid of a few things last week. Purging and passing things on you don’t use anymore… it’s such a nice feeling.
Goal #17 – 52 Dates with the HH {27 down, 25 to go}
We did make it out to lunch this week. But that’s more of a story for tomorrow.
Goal #18 — Take One Adult Education Class Done {I’ve taken 3!}
- I’m keeping the first class I took with my neighbor top secret for now
- Spoon Carving Class with Heather.
- Mini pottery lesson {I loved it! and now I want to sign up for a full class!}
Goal #19 — Secret {for now} Holiday Project
The big reveal will be on Friday, November 1st.
But…. one of the things I did attempt to do earlier this year was to make mugs. I thought it would be rather easy to create 100 mugs and decorate them with all sorts of wowie zowie glazes. It was a glorious failure to say the least. 😉 All the mugs were either too heavy, or lopsided or I didn’t like the way the colors turned out.
Oh well. I’m glad I tried. And I know now that I would like to take a proper pottery class at some point when things settle down a bit. Pottery is a super cool hobby, but like rug hooking, I think it takes time to get the hang of things.
Goal #20 — Create 12 Wowie Zowie Party Platters
4 down, 8 to go. Next Sunday people. Next Sunday. Prepare yourself now to be amazed. 😉
Goal #21 — Visit 12 General Stores
8 down 4 to go.
So far this year we’ve visited:
- Chase’s Daily {I think it should count}
- Squam Lake Marketplace
- 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
Thank goodness Mrs. HB sent us that spectacular Halloween wreath! Now October is covered. And to think I just just going to the have the HH cutout a pumpkin or something. 😉 She loves me.
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
- June/July: Tin Star and Flag Bunting
- August : Sunflower
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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! 🙂
Have a great Sunday everyone, I’m headed back to bed.
♥ Mavis
You can read more about my 22 goals for 2019 HERE.
Jeanie says
Would you ever move back to the PNW? We want to move back…we always loved it there.
Can you get your yard sprayed? We have mosquitos and chiggers here but we have our yard treated twice a year and they aren’t a nuisance.
Lynda says
Encourage more birds….NOT poisonous sprays!
Gigi says
Bats and dragon flies are great at eating mosquitos. Not sure if you have purple martins, but I know they’re good too. I think it was just a wet and buggy year.
Mrs. C. says
Mavis, now is the time to order and plant a lot of fruit trees! I think Stark Bros. is having a sale, plus they give a one year guarantee on their plants, which I love.
chickengrandma says
My grandson read ‘Unbroken” in junior high. I read it at the same time so I could help him study. The enemy tried to dehumanize the soldiers. How they ever did it is only by God’s grace. I just finished reading “Alice Network”. Some people gave their all for their country. Amazing stories.
Another book I read this year was “Uneducated”. That book just made me angry. Angry with the parents, angry with the children ! At times I had to put it down to lower my blood pressure !
Carol says
Are you referring to Tara Westover’s book, “Educated: A Memoir”? I thought it was wonderful. It helped me understand why so many people in our country are so messed up. Yes, it made me angry, but that, I think, is just the measure of a good book;>)
Mel says
I hear you about certain goals going awry. My original sewing goals are on hold (the fabric for one project was discontinued, the fabric for another was ruined in the wash, and a third I just haven’t gotten to yet but am afraid to attempt until I have more free time). But this week I managed to sew bench seat cushion cover for a student seating area at work. It wasn’t on my original list of goals, but we really needed one, and it turned out quite well, so I’m super pleased.
I think this week I’m going to try to sew a fun accent pillow to go with the bench.
Kim says
It would be sad if you gave up on your big garden space that you’ve worked so hard on. But I’m sure you would do an AMAZING patio garden, and maybe it would inspire others of us who don’t do big gardens.
Alison says
Thank you for recommending Marilla of Green Gables! We vacationed in PEI this summer and I am reading Anne of GG to my daughter – this was a lovely read to set a background story for me!
Terri says
Downsize! Just plant what you know you’ll eat, freeze, or can. Also, investigate plants that repel insects. A few rows out in the garden might be a big help.
Odd that your produce stand did so well last year and “blah” this year. Too many others joining the party in your neighborhood?
Teckla says
I love your “stick” bug! I really miss them and the praying mantis from when I lived in Missouri. They are so interesting to watch. I DON’T miss the wolf spiders! Yikes, already! We had one parked on the dining room window who, with legs extended, must have been 4-5.” Even my husband had a hard time with that one before he was able to kill it! I know they do good, eating other insects, (except roaches–another bug I can do without!), but no thanks. I can do without any of them being my close neighbors. Sorry about your garden stand. Every year is different, so maybe next year will be better. You have so much more experience with your micro climate there now, so will have better expectations for next year. Unless life gets in the way again. lol
Joely says
Mavis, I am also a New England girl but have not had the bug problems you mention; maybe it is because we are at the coast. Have you thought about getting another greenhouse so that you can enjoy your gardening? You are so good at it!
Nancy D says
Oh, good suggestion Joely!
Jacqui Gauld says
I really like those three mugs. No, they’re not professional looking but surely that makes them appealing in their own right? I think they’d look lovely with wee bunches of flowers in them (if they’rd water-proof).
Emily says
Your rugs are so pretty I can’t imagine walking on them. Do people really use them as regular rugs, or are they more for hanging on the wall (or something else?)?
Also, I actually quite like your mugs. I’ve taken a couple pottery classes and there really is a big learning curve as well as learning to accept that glazes often don’t come out looking exactly like you expected.
Janis Briggs says
We live in the woods and have our share of bugs, including horse flies. I started putting several drops of peppermint essential oil in the bill of my hat. It seems to help. I even put a stop on the dog’s collar.
Vanessa Strawder says
Hi Mavis – I’m a fan of your blog and have been following it for quite some time. I especially like to see the books and movies or series that you recommend. I wanted to pass on my recommendation to you, if you haven’t already seen it. The Bookshop on Prime is soooo good. I think you would enjoy – although you may have to save it for a bit later when your gardening isn’t taking so much time. Take care- Vanessa Strawder (from Indiana- you know, John Mellencamp’s home state)
Teri says
sorry to hear about the pesky bugs. are you ever coming back to Washington even for a visit?
Kathy says
I was going to mention a greenhouse but Joely “beet” me to it! I’ve watched the joy you get from gardening over the years, it seems a shame to let it go. I hope you can find a solution that makes you happy. I wouldn’t want to get eaten up by bugs nor garden in snow pants, lol.
Carrie says
I listen to audiobooks on my commute. Unbroken had me crying most days. Gah the things they did to other humans is sickening! But still a good book regardless. I’ve been on the wait list for Marilla of Green Gables ever since you first mentioned it, months it seems! I am currently listening to The Goldfinch. It is 32 hours long!!!!! I enjoyed the beginning but now a quarter way through I’m hoping the next part is better. We will see!
Katelyn says
I hope all is alright Mavis, we care about you!
I’m a bit confused…. goal #8 about the wood for the winter, in week 35 you said you had 3.5 cords already, and then in 36/37 it jumped to “not going to happen”….