My 14 Goals for 2020 Week 15 of 52

My 14 Goals for 2020

Goal #1 – Take Full Advantage of Having My Husband Home 24/7

The party lights are finally up! The HH decided 2 strands were enough and the back patio area is starting to come together. Even if the temps still hover around freezing at night and the yard is still in that awkward stage, we are making good progress!

Goal #2 – Take Better Care of Myself. 

The local beaches and usual stretch of sidewalk we walk on have been shut down, but no worries, the HH and I found a new area to walk with ocean views so all is well. It’s a good 5 mile walk so we are definitely getting our exercise in.

Goal #3 – Get Organized

Guess who was a total no show for the second week in a row for INDOOR projects? Yep, that’s me.

The plan was:

• March 22 – 28 Paint Kitchen Walls, Trim Doors and Office Door
• March 29 – April 4th – Finish Garden Beds {Raspberry & Asparagus Beds, 3 New Flower Beds Along the Back of the House}
• April 5th – 11th – Paint Master Bedroom Walls, Trim and Doors
• April 12th – 18th – Make Window Treatments for Master Bedroom
• April 19th – May 2nd  Make Window Treatments for Sunroom

I did get all the brick garden beds done so at least there’s that. 😉 Also, who wants to spend time INSIDE when they can be OUTSIDE digging in the dirt?

Goal #4 – Get Proper Window Coverings on All Our Windows. 

Working on it. If only mentally.

Goal #5 – Master Bedroom Make Over

We have decided to put off refinishing the floors until the late fall but we have the curtains and rods, and 1 of the 5 walls painted. So progress is being made. I also ordered black paint to refinish my little work desk and once that arrives, I know I’ll feel the need to get the rest of the room painted. 😉

 

Goal #6 – Kitchen Update

Something I’m getting really good at; Finding something to do other than paint my kitchen. I was planning on painting the kitchen today, but I just checked the forecast and it looks like the weather is going to be pretty decent today but rain tomorrow so now my painting plans have been pushed back a day.

Goal #7 – Install Vegetable Garden

We were so busy in the garden this past week! {I’ll write up a separate post to show you everything we did, it was a lot!}

The good news is the stack of bricks we’ve scavenged from the back patio, the fire pit and along the side of the house is dwindling. The bad news is, the entire yard is a shade of pale green and yellow. But I guess that’s just what April in Maine looks like. 🙂 Topsoil is being delivered in a few days though so once we get that, we’ll be able to prep the front and back lawn and fill in the bare areas and get it ready for grass seed.

The raspberry canes and asparagus crowns arrived last week and those have been planted. Now I just need to figure out what I’m going to do about an edge for those beds. If I was a little old lady living here all by myself, my entire yard would be dug up and the entire backyard would be one giant vegetable patch. But the HH needs a lawn to mow, and would prefer to have the ENTIRE backyard grass. So I think we are both compromising pretty well.

Garden To Do List for April

• Figure out what to do with the old pavers.
• Create 2 more brick edged flower borders.
• Till up area for raspberry and asparagus beds.
• Plant hydrangeas along the back of the house
• Create a seating area {a super simple one}
• Figure out where to put all the extra pea gravel
• Level off compost area
• Prep lawn for grass seed
• Mulch flower beds

Goal #8 – Explore More of Maine 

Looking forward to my next day trip with the HH! Harpswell, Maine is on the list next, but it will have to wait a bit. For now, the only exploring we are doing is called Will it Grow in Maine? On the list for this week is spinach. Will it grow here in Maine? Yes, I think it will. I planted 2 rows. Let’s see how long it takes to break through the soil, shall we?

On the radar for exploring Maine this next month:

• Bar Harbor, Maine
• Lincolnville Center General Store in Lincolnville, Maine
• Wallace’s Market in Friendship, Maine
• Alewives Fabric Store in Nobleboro, Maine
• Harpswell, Maine and Bailey Island

Goal #9 – Host Some Sort of Get Together

Ya. I don’t see that happening anytime soon.

Goal #10 – Read/Listen to 12 Books

Oh how I miss not being able to go to the library! Thank you to everyone who suggested books last week.

So far I have read/listened to:

• Olive Kitteridge
• Smitten Kitchen Every Day: Triumphant and Unfussy New Favorites
• Natural Color: Vibrant Plant Dye Projects for Your Home and Wardrobe 
• The New Bungalow Kitchen 
• Container Gardening by Stephanie Donaldson 
• A Piece of the World
• The War I Finally Won
• Vertical Gardening
• Front Yard Gardens
• The Complete Cooking Light Cookbook
• Beach House Style

Goal #11 – Learn A New Skill or Craft

Right now the only thing I’m learning is how quickly things will disappear when you put them on the curb. Living in a high traffic area does have it’s perks, especially when you want to get rid of something.

Maybe setting up a little card table with sunflowers or extra vegetables later this summer at the end of the driveway for all the people that are walking by wouldn’t be such a bad idea after all. 😉 Hmmmm.

The Hungry Hollow Country Store {Currently closed}

Goal #12 – Visit 12  Museums, Historical Homes or Botanical Gardens {and bakeries too!}

Currently on hold.

January

• Maine Maritime Museum
• Maine Mineral and Gem Museum
• The Island Market 
• Cafe DiCocoa
• Hungry Hollow Country Store

February

• Two Fat Cats Bakery
• Portland Museum of Art
• Speckled Ax 
• Atlantic Baking Company
• Rockland, St. George, Cushing and Port Clyde Maine

March

• Bar Harbor and Desert Island Adventures Day One, Day Two and the Summer Cottage Rental Tour.
• Tinder Hearth Bakery in Brooksville, Maine

Goal # 13 – Reach 5,000 Etsy Sales by the End of The Year 

As of this morning, I have made 3473 sales on Etsy. That’s up from 2804 on January 1st. Last week I worked on drawing out patterns and putting together kits. I didn’t dye a single batch of wool {but I will start up again in a few days}.

I did make a tiny start on the rug I promised to make for the local historical society for a Maine themed rug for their bicentennial celebration later this summer though, so that’s good. Also, the deadline is mid May so I’ve got plenty of time to get the rug hooked. Although it may be the ONLY hooking project I get done this month. 😉

In a way, I’m glad to have something else that consumes my time {gardening}. It takes the pressure off from constantly feeling the need to produce something. Who knows, maybe here in Maine this will be my new normal… garden all spring and summer, hook all fall and winter. It’s not a bad schedule if you ask me.

Goal #14 – Once a Month Menu Planning {for 2}

I froze 4 extra portions of that delicious Costco Canned Chicken Chili to use later this summer. 🙂

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Have YOU made any goals for this year? If so, DO TELL! We all want to hear about them.

Have a great Sunday everyone, enjoy the weather.

~Mavis