Stay Healthy!
This past week was spent on the water, in the yard, talking with neighbors, visiting 2 museums, attending 1 church sale and a multi-family yard sale. It was busy and fun and left us exhausted at the end of each day. But hey, we slept well and ate a lot of good food so what more could you ask for?
Weigh What I Weighed When We Got Married {128 pounds}
Weigh-ins are the first Sunday of each month.
- My July 4th weigh in was 129.0
- My June 6th weigh in was 129.6
- My May 2nd weigh in was 131.0
- My April 18th weigh in was 129.9 {after 18 days of being on the low iodine diet}
- My April 4th weigh in was 133.4
- My March 7th weigh in was 135.6
- My February 7th weigh in was 137.3
- My January 3rd weigh in was 140.7
Keep My Husband Busy
Does anyone know if wood prices have gone down yet? I skimmed across and article that said lumber prices were coming down but I haven’t actually been in Home Depot to see if it’s really true or not.
Although we’ve been busy with oodles of outdoor projects this summer, there’s still a few I’d like the HH to tackle, mainly getting those stairs down by the water rebuilt.
The HH’s Honey Do List {so far} for 2021
- Build a new set of stairs down to the water. The old set… it’s not exactly useable.
Build a firepit near the edge of the property.{DONE!}Build a picnic table near the birch trees for summer lunches{Done!}Build 4 or 6 garden boxes for his little lady{we did raised beds this year instead}}- Build a boatload of birdhouses for the {soon to be} bird sanctuary
Create a garden path/walkway for the front garden{DONE!}Remodel the bathroom in the hallway{DONE!}- Install some sort of driveway border
- Install a workspace for me in the basement for dying wool
Install a fence in the front for Lucy{DONE!}Build a set of 3 bookshelves in the dining room for me{DONE!}Install a trailer hitch on the car{DONE!}
Things We’d Like to Buy
The HH is currently researching wood chippers. Because apparently we need one. Which of course could take a while since he LOVES to “research”. Does anyone out there own one? Do you love it? And if so, would you mind sharing what brand it is so I can tell him.
A dinghy- Archery Set {every camp should have archery!}
Kitchen table and chairsSideboardBench for the entryway- A full size washer and dryer set {the house came with a small stackable w/d set}
Deck chairs and a patio table set{Going the picnic table route instead}A set of 4 Adirondack chairs for the fire pit area{I LOVE these chairs!}BBQ{He bought a Blackstone Griddle instead!}2 More Kayaks
Unplug As Much As Possible {but still keep the blog, FB and Instagram}
I have been off of Facebook for about 17 days now and it feels great! There are so many better things to do with my time. Like kayaking with Lucy and playing outside in general.
Unplugging is cool….
- Goodbye Facebook
- Goodbye Amazon Prime {Done!} $119 a year
- Goodbye Hulu {Done!} $54.99 a month *
- Goodbye Netflix {Done!} $7.99 a month
- Goodbye PicMonkey {Done!} $50 a year
- Goodbye keeping my cell phone in my back pocket and checking it constantly {so far so good}
- Limit time online to 3 hours a day {for writing, working, and Etsy}
* Hulu is actually now $64.99 a month for the live tv version {live sports, live news}. You can get it for $5.99 a month but all that does is play tv shows and old movies {with ads}.
Try 24 New Recipes {and remember to link them here} {16 down, 8 to go!}
I didn’t try any new recipes last week but I did share the canned chicken salad recipe I’ve been using for 10 million years.
New recipes I’ve made this year:
- Classic Strawberry Jam Recipe
- Lobster Mac and Cheese Recipe
- Rhubarb Pineapple Pie
- Creamy Scalloped Potatoes with Ham
- Chicken and Green Bean Casserole
- Chocolate Chip Sea Salt Cookies
- Lemon Meringue Pie
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Apples
- White Beans and Ham
- Colcannon
- Tuna Wiggle
- Grilled Steak Tips with Garlic Butter
- Seville Orange Marmalade
- Jalapeno Cheddar No Knead Dutch Oven Bread
- Hearty Cheeseburger Soup
- Meatballs and Brown Gravy
Read {or Listen to} 12 New Books about Maine {or written by Maine Authors}
I am currently reading Here On The Island by Charles Pratt and I LOVE the fact that the “island” is not mentioned by it’s name. Also, I picked up a few treasures at a yard sale including 3 Maine magazines for free. 🙂
The white enamelware buckets were $10 each, DVD’s $1, vintage postcards 10 cents each and I the lobster pot was only a quarter.
Books about Maine {or written by Maine authors} I’ve read this year:
- Christina Olson Her World Beyond the Canvas.
- Finding Freedom
- Maine’s Favorite Birds
- At First Light: Two Centuries of Maine Artists, Their Homes and Studios
- Bernard Langlais at the Colby College Museum of Art
- The 3,000 Mile Garden
- Becoming Teddy Roosevelt
Audiobooks I’ve listened to {or attempted to listen to} this year:
- The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah {I give it a 10/10}
- The Midnight Library by Matt Haig {I’d give it a 7/10}
- Wintering by Katherine May {Hit the return button after 7 minutes}
Get 24 Stories Off My Phone and onto the Blog ** SEE NEW GOAL BELOW **
Try Everything That Head Tide Oven Offers This Summer
Head Tide Oven is located in the small town of Damariscotta, Maine and is only open a few months out of the year… so I will have to be super diligent if I’m going to try everything before the bakery closes shop at the end of summer. 🙂
This week the HH made the bakery run and came back with a lemon thyme custard pie, a loaf of dark rye sourdough, an almond bar and another delicious pan forte for me.
The almond bar thing a ma jig was really good and filled with {I’m guessing} an almond paste. The perfect accompaniment to an afternoon cup of tea, that’s for sure.
Items I’ve Tried From Head Tide Oven in Damariscotta, Maine this summer:
- Dark Rye Sourdough Bread
- Sourdough Kalamata Olive Bread
- Sourdough Bread
- Flat Sourdough Bread
- Baguette
- Ginger Cookie x2
- Swedish Cookie
- Almond Bar
- Anise Sesame Biscotti
- Pan Forte x2
- Lemon Thyme Pie x2
- Blueberry Pie
- Cherry Rhubarb Pie
Get the Photos on My Phone Down to Less Than 1,000 {started the year with 2863 photos}
Currently at 2,112 photos. But hey, check out these cool glass lobster claws I snapped a photo of!
Clean Out My Closet
These are all the clothes I still have not worn this year. And while it may not look like a lot of clothing to the average person, all these unworn things are taking up HALF the space in my closet. Maybe I’ll wear then in the fall, but if not…. out they go!
My House Projects For This Year
My latest project… which wasn’t even on my list of things to do in 2021 is painting the house. You’d think it would go pretty quickly, but I’m kind of a perfectionist when it comes to painting and so I’ve only gotten as far as the front courtyard area.
Hopefully though I’ll get crackin’ here soon and pick up the pace.
- Figure out new window treatments for the back of the house
- Come up with a game plan for the kitchen remodel {for 2022}
Paint the family room walls and trim{DONE!}Paint the entryway trim and doors{DONE!}Paint the dining room walls and trim{DONE!}Paint the master bedroom walls and trim{DONE!}Paint the barnand add a new fixturePaint the hallway bathroom{DONE!}
My List of Garden Projects For This Year I want to Accomplish
I’m currently waiting for the seeds to sprout in my trial garden out in the field. Next up though is to clear out the overgrown mess along the road frontage so I can plant a boatload of bulbs there in the fall.
Still left on the list:
Install a simple flower bed border in front of the house{Done}- Install a boatload of birdhouses/feeders in the side yard {re-thinking this one}
- Transplant evergreen saplings to the side of property for a privacy border {fall project}
- Clean up and prune the area that faces the road
Install a vegetable garden{Done}Install a sunflower patch{decided for a row along the side of the barn instead}- Plant 2,500 flower bulbs in the fall {Why 2,500? It seemed like a good number to start with}
Reach 10,000 Sales on Etsy {as of this morning I’ve made 7843 sales on Etsy}. Only 2157 to go!
This past week I listed a few new bundles and an ornament.
Create 12 New Rug Hooking Patterns or Kits {5 down 7 to go}
New Rug Hooking Kits I’ve Created This Year:
- Cape Cod 1829 New England Whale and Sailboat
- Nantucket Whale
- 1820 Flower Basket
- Bunny Love
- Old Mr. Squirrel
Create 12 New Ornaments for 2021
This past week I made batch of sweet little penguin ornaments to add to my Etsy shop. I still have a few more ornaments to finish, but I am almost done making my ornament offerings for 2021, and that feels good.
2021 Ornaments I’ve Made So Far
- #1 Ladybug Heart
- #2 Strawberry
- #3 Mr. Turkey
- #4 Whale Tails
- #5 Bee Skep
- #6 Loon
- #7 Simple White Cross
- #8 Miniature Candy Canes
- #9 Miniature Red Mittens
- #10 Sgraffito Owl
- #11 Penguin
2021 Garlands I’ve Made So Far
Discover 12 Made in Maine Products and Share Them on the Blog
Part of me feels like I am slacking a little with this goal, but the other part of me knows I’m holding back a wee bit because I plan on doing a few “Maine” giveaways later this year and don’t want to spoil the surprise. 🙂
Made in Maine Products I’ve Discovered in 2021:
- Hearth and Harrow Tea Towels in Rockport, Maine
- Royal Rose Syrups in Newcastle, Maine
- Ash Cove Pottery in Harpswell, Maine
- Uncas Farms Pure Maple Syrup
Visit 6 Lighthouses in Maine
2 down, 4 to go!
Lighthouse adventures have been put on hold until the fall {when tourist season is over} and that’s fine by me. 🙂
Lighthouses We’ve Visited So Far This Year:
Lighthouses I’ve Been to in Maine Before 2021:
Other places in Maine We’ve Been to This Year Are:
- The Farnsworth Art Museum
- Owls Head General Store
- Hedgerow Market in Martinsville, Maine
- Longfellow’s Greenhouses and Nursery in Manchester, Maine
- Fresh Off The Farm in Rockport, Maine
- Wasses Hot Dogs in Rockland, Maine
- Langlais Sculpture Preserve – Cushing, Maine
- McLoons Lobster Shack
So that’s it. That’s my progress report for this past week. How about YOU? Did you make any goals for 2021? Have you checked any of them off your list yet?
Have a great one,
~Mavis
Christa H. says
1. Take better care of myself- about to start a 4th round with my naturopath
2. Take a stock market course- bought the course and have started learning
3. Take another beekeeping course- Done!- I completed the course and passed my practical so I am now a certified beekeeper
4. Learn a new craft- learning about cyanotype art
5. Build back yard vegetable garden- Done! Fence was completed and landscape fabric was laid in rows for walkways. Drip lines are installed. I have rows for the vegetables, a separate area for all vines and other climbing plants including grapes, hardy kiwi, maypops, etc. The small orchard was also enclosed within the fence to keep deer out.
6. Start mushroom log garden- had spawn and logs cut. Never found the time to make them due to virtual teaching taking a toll. Not sure if I will try again late fall.
7. Increase apiary- Done! I did a split and plan to do two more splits in the fall if I can.
8. Paint garden fences- I was going to do it myself but instead we hired someone to save my arms and back. He should get it started soon.
9. Complete one embroidery project
10. Complete one painting
11. Reframe old stitchery
12. Clean out magazine stash and tear out recipes I want to keep
13. Design or carve an address stamp for holiday mail
14. Do something with the postage stamps I collect from our mail
15. Beautifully wrap all and personalize all presents
Karen says
You can donate your stamps to the Veterans Hospital in AZ where there are used for dexterity practice. I don’t know the name of the hospital but you could google it.
Nancy says
Thanks for this! I’ve got my dads stamp collection-he died in 1986. No one was interested in my area and I couldn’t just dump. Now I have a place to send them!
Elle says
LOVE the penquins! 🙂
Jennifer says
I read The Four Winds and it was such a wonderful book. I’ve read many books, both fiction and nonfiction about the Dust Bowl and the problems it created, but this was the first one that dealt with how people flocked to CA and how they were treated. Broke my heart to read this specifically, but I’m not surprised. The hardest part was reading about Elsa and Loreda’s relationship. Right now, my dd is not speaking to me and thinks I’ve been a horrible mother who has wasted my life by being a stay at home mom and I have no original thoughts in my head. On top of that, I will never have anything to offer anyone, so she doesn’t have a use for me. I loved that Loreda wised up, but sadly, it was too late. When life imitates art, it’s a bit off putting, wouldn’t y’all agree? Time to find something humorous to read…
Tamara says
I haven’t read The Four Winds but I can relate to your mother/daughter relationship. Interesting, isn’t it, that you “wasted your life” raising the one who is so critical of you. Can she hear herself?!?! Of course you have PLENTY to offer the world – one of them is your DAUGHTER, for heaven’s sakes! Youth is wasted on the young, as they say! The MOST important work you can do was in the walls of your home. Know you have NOT wasted your life by being a stay at home mom; I’m sure you have plenty of original thoughts and you certainly have much to offer others. May she grow up one day and see you for the selfless and special woman you are.
Cee says
Beautifully said Tamara! May peace be with you Jennifer while you wait for the day when, hopefully, your daughter will have a broader perspective.
Linda T says
My 2nd daughter had a lot to say about the “way she was treated” as a child, how strict we were, etc. When she got to age 31, she called one night and said “I just want to tell you, Mom, that now I understand why you did the things you did.” She has 3 who have had her “on the ropes” from time to time.
Life does have a way of making you look back at yourself.
Katie says
I understand my mom SO much better now. My sister and I (once we were out of the house) used to talk about how we didn’t understand why mom was always in a bad mood at home. Well I get it now. She was tired. She went to work all day (even though she wanted to stay home) and then came home to work some more. Because a house doesn’t run itself. My mom had no weekend, no “free time”. My poor mom was tired, and having people depend on you that don’t understand can be just really overwhelming.
Jennifer says
She did this same thing the week before her wedding and didn’t #peak to us for over 6 months. Dh and I are going through a terrible time right now – living in hotels because our rental was sold and they are that scarce. We were living with her – at her invitation and a week in, we were the reason she’s in therapy, etc… We left and are paying the price financially, bug have peace of mind. Our two sons more than make up for it, so we are pushing on and hope she finds some peace and perspective.
Linda Harper says
We bought a DR chipper shredder about four years ago that we couldn’t do without on our property. It works great and keeps on chugging. I highly recommend their quality products.
Katie says
I have 4 young kids and my husband and I are desperately working toward my getting to stay home. FINALLY we see an end in sight. A big milestone will be reached when my husband (who also works full time) finishes his degree in December. This is the most important “career” I can have. I am so sorry that things are hard with your daughter. I hope she is able to realize what great value she had in a mother who was home to raise her.
Christine O says
Oh my, DD!!! DH and I are experiencing the joy of our DD and SIL’s first child, our beautiful little granddaughter! Our reward for the rocky teenage/young adult years.
I was fortunate to be a stay-at-home mom and heard criticisms for how she grew up. That said, I was once a daughter but didn’t treat my mother this way. DH and I hoping one day DD may see the how’s and why’s of being a parent and perhaps see us in a different light.
As my best friend likes to remind me, “Surprisingly we can tie our own shoelaces, carry a conversation and lead an other wise productive life!”
At least we are in company of others with similar situations!
Blessings to all
Gigi says
Btw, the FB link is still on your website. Its going nowhere 🙂
Brandy says
I own a wood chipper! Sadly we do not actually use it. Bought it last year from Facebook marketplace so fortunately it only cost around $125 and not more than that. We own 13 acres of woods so it feels we are constantly cleaning up trees and limbs. And I had the bright idea to make my own mulch to save money….well.. All I can say is if he is set on buying one, make sure it can handle very large branches. I want to say this one can shred ones up to 1.5″, but it is tedious and I didn’t like doing it, takes forever to get a decent sized pile of mulch. It hasn’t even been run yet this year. Started burning everything in bonfires instead.
Kathi says
The chipper we have is from Woodland Mills. We have ~15 acres of woods on our farm and dh did much research before buying it. The one downside is it operates off of the pto on the tractor, so if you don’t have a tractor, this wouldn’t work. Otherwise, this chipper cannot be beat!
Teri says
A chipper will help alot, makes good compost! I think you 2 need a chainsaw
Jennifer says
Not sure about the blown glass lobster claws…?!? But if that is an LLBean parchment white sweater fleece on the left side of your closet, turn that hanger around!!! I have that one and LOVE it! Continue to enjoy your blog, and all the pictures of the puggle princess!
Ashley Bananas says
I knew a family who’s child accidentally was killed by a wood chipper. I’m sure that you and your husband are capable of handling one, but be careful if you decide to get one.
Wynne says
Love the penguin ornament and hearing your weekly progress. The ornament made me think we’re getting to that time of year you can take puffin cruises in your area. Puffins would make cute ornaments, too, not that you have to do All The Birds. Have a great week!