My 14 Goals for 2020
Goal #1 – Take Full Advantage of Having My Husband Home 24/7
I love the fact that my husband never asks me if I need more plants. šĀ The weather here in Maine was HOT HOT HOT last week {cooler days are in the forecast for this week thank goodness} and my front door hanging baskets filled with pansies are on their way out. So when I spotted 2 matching hanging cone baskets {in my favorite colors} I swooped them up immediately and moved the other ones I had hanging on the ends of the garage over to the front porch instead.
I figure the pansies {all four of them} have about another week left before I’ll need to cut them back and move them to the side of the house. I have a feeling that if I keep them watered this summer, once cooler days return in the fall, they’ll bounce back and I’ll be able to hang them up again.
Goal #2 – Take Better Care of Myself.Ā
Garden therapy, it’s all the rage, you should give it a try. š I think my next garden project is to have the HH dig up the sad little spot in front of the lilac bush out front so I can match my neighbor’s row of hosta and daylilies. Even though I’m not a fan of daylilies I do think it would give that section of the yard are more cohesive look. And well, you know me, I like things that are all matchy matchy.
Goal #3 – Get Organized
The plan for June is to:
- Re-glaze and paint 2 garage windows
- Paint double dutch door in kitchen
- Paint wall in guest bedroom {we patched up some small holes and now the entire wall needs to be painted. Grrr.}
- Go on 3 mini adventures
- Collect mussel shells {I have a project in mind}
- Trim tulip bulb stalks back {they should be ready in another 2 weeks}
- Dig up area long side fence for future flower border
- Work on staining the fence {the side fence for June}
Goal #4 – Get Proper Window Coverings on All Our Windows.Ā
All that’s left is window coverings for the sunroom. Which I’ll probably finish this fall because right now, we are enjoying the sunshine that streams through the windows all day everyday.
In other news, according to the HH, my heart shaped rock collection is getting out of control and he thinks I’m turning in to a bit of a crazy lady because I am STILL picking them up.
Goal #5 – Master Bedroom Make Over {almost done!}
Still left to do:
Paint Writing Desk a Glossy Black- Paint the Creamy Closet Doors White
- Refinish the Floors {late summer project because I don’t have the supplies and the windows will need to be open all day because of the fumes}.
Goal #6 – Kitchen Update
I had planned on painting the double dutch door this week but worked on outside projects {again} instead, so hopefully I’ll get to it this week. That’s pretty much all that’s left to do in the kitchen.
Goal #7 – Install Vegetable Garden Done!
All the prep work/veggies are in and now all that’s left to do is wait for everything to grow.
Goal #8 – Explore More of MaineĀ
The HH and I had a grand adventure yesterday {it was tied to a secret project of his} and we are looking forward to heading up the coast this week for another day trip {I have a feeling lobster rolls will be involved too}.
On the radar for exploring Maine in June:
Bar Harbor, MaineLincolnville Center General Store in Lincolnville, Maine- Wallace’s Market in Friendship, Maine
Alewives Fabric Store in Nobleboro, Maine- Harpswell, Maine and Bailey Island
- Camden, Maine
Goal #9 – Host Some Sort of Get Together
Eh.
Goal #10 – Read/Listen to 12 BooksĀ
No new audiobooks this past week but I did read the latest Maine magazines front to back {and even ordered something from one of the small businesses featured}. Our library is still closed and I’m finding the wait time for {free, from the library} audiobooks these incredibly long. There are about 30 books on my reading list, none of which are offered as audiobook rentals {via the library for free} but are offered as either hardback or paperbacks, so this winter, when things are open again, I might be doing a lot of page turning.
So far I have read/listened to:
- Olive Kitteridge #3
- Olive, Again
- Birdseye: The Adventures of a Curious Man
- Smitten Kitchen Every Day: Triumphant and Unfussy New Favorites
- Natural Color: Vibrant Plant Dye Projects for Your Home and WardrobeĀ
- The New Bungalow KitchenĀ
- Container Gardening by Stephanie DonaldsonĀ
- The Nightingale #1
- A Piece of the World #2
- 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
Not yet. Thinking seriously about buying a glass kiln though {and so is my neighbor} because we all know I need another hobby to fill my time.
Goal #12 – Visit 12Ā Museums, Historical Homes or Botanical Gardens {and bakeries too!}
Found not only a new ice cream stand but a farm that sells flowers and all sorts of garden goodness! Wahoo. I’ll tell you all about it next week. š
January
- Maine Maritime Museum
- Maine Mineral and Gem Museum
- The Island MarketĀ
- Cafe DiCocoa
- Hungry Hollow Country Store
February
- Two Fat Cats Bakery
- Portland Museum of Art
- Speckled AxĀ
- 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
May
- Puzzle Mountain Bakery Pie Stand in Newry, Maine
Goal # 13 – Reach 5,000 Etsy Sales by the End of The YearĀ
As of this morning, I have made 4155 sales on Etsy. That’s up from 2804 on January 1st! Only 845 more sales to go before I hit my goal.
With all the gardening and house projects I’ve been working on the past few months, I’ve had a hard time completing rugs {I’ve started 2 giant ones and 1 smaller one but have set them all aside for now}. I did manage to get a new tall tulip rug hooked this past week for my friend Sue and will offer the tall tulip rug as a kit in my Etsy shop in a few days. I just need to steam the rug, and turn the edges under and take a few photos first.
Goal #14 – Once a Month Menu Planning {for 2}
The HH’s meal plan for the month, maybe even the summer is BBQ. š
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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 sunshine.
~Mavis
MEM says
Hi Mavis,
While I am a huge fan of daylilies because they are so hardy, I am not a fan of orange or yellow daylilies. They come in a wide range of colors and the ones in my garden are shades of pink (from a dark raspberry to palest pink) and purple. You might try looking for those colors.
kathy albers says
Not gonna lie, I agree with your husband to a certain degree. The stones do not look the best with so many just laying on the shelves. If you glued them to a framed matte and made wall decor out of them instead they might look tidier? Sometimes when things just make you happy to look at them tidiness does not matter though and the spouse will just need to cringe internally.
Katherine says
I think they would look pretty in a glass jar with a pieces of sea glass mixed in.
Idaho girl says
In our city we have a heart rock tree. People leave heart shaped rocks all around the base, and in every nook and cranny of the tree! It’s really fun to see!
Wendy says
Hi Mavis,
How about making decorative stepping stones using your heart shaped rocks? I think all you need is some concrete and the form to get them the shape you want.
W
Lynne says
I was thinking most of them could go in a large mason jar, with just a few of the newer/prettier ones actually spread out, perhaps pending a craft project of some sort to permanently put some of them into use somewhere else. Stepping stones are nice, maybe picture frames or wreaths? Can they be used in some way in some of the things you make from clay?
Mel says
I’m currently waiting on some storage bins to ship so that I can reorganize our holiday stuff. It wasn’t one of my original goals, but I’ve also been working on decluttering and getting stuff together to donate. I have several more spots to pull from, but I already freed up one whole bin in our linen closet and two shelves in a cabinet. I don’t think we can donate everything until thrift stores and other places get running again, but it feels good to get it all boxed and ready.
My current sewing goal is to make seasonal/holiday napkins to replace our old white ones, and I made three more sets of those this week. I may have to make more masks this week though, so I probably won’t get as far this week.
Brianna says
Our donation centers have limits right now, 12 items/per week! I drove around and put my books in a few little free libraries and decided I might just take an adventure to a few smaller towns to do my donations as they arenāt limiting. Our dump also has a free table, but they are also limiting. I just do not want to be sitting on several boxes of stuff, mostly kids, and only taking 12 items a week. It would take me all summer! Our womanās shelter and other places arenāt taking any donations, other than financial. I understand, but it is a bit frustrating right now. I have seen some people in town with āfreeā piles at the end of their driveways, but I do not live in town.
Mel says
Yes, it’s very challenging. We have a couple donation drops around town for clothing, but I don’t know what to do with books and stuff like that. For now, I have it all boxed up in our guest room, which is not ideal, but it has cleared room in the rest of the house for now.
Samantha Surovec says
There is a group called givebackbox.com that lets you box up anything clothing or housewares, print a label, and send UPS or USPS to them for free. Looked at their site the other day and saw no covid restrictions mentioned. Might be worth a look?
Mel says
Thanks! I’ll take a look.
Diane says
Soles4souls is partnering with Zappos to send shoes and clothing to poor folks in other countries. I usually prefer to donate locally to a thrift store or even Freecycle, but if you have problems finding someone to take the donation locally, this might fit the bill. You box it up and they even pay the shipping.
zapposforgood.org
Mel says
Thanks! I’ll check that out.
Lynne says
I like where you are going with meal planning. āHave someone else do itā is also a plan š
Mavis Butterfield says
Yes it is!! š
Tracey says
Mavis, off topic, (sorry !) But what brand and color paint Is that on your front door? It is fabulous!
Mavis Butterfield says
I have no idea. It was that way when we moved in. I’ll be painting it a glossy black soon though. š
Katherine says
You could plant heuchera in place of daylilies. They compliment hosta quite well and you will have so many color options.
Patti says
My goals seem silly now but they do continue to guide me – every day I read, knit, sew, cook or get rid of clutter or combinations of those. My exercise and weight loss goals have eluded me. But these are crazy times. Our garden is overproducing squash and zucchini right now so we have been making every recipe we can think of to use them up. Our favorite (and a favorite of our neighbors) is chocolate zucchini bread.
Patti says
I forgot to ask you if you have hoopla.com through your local library? It is a digital platform where you can watch videos, listen to music, read ebooks, and listen to audiobooks. You do not have to wait in line to get them – it is instantaneous. I would suggest looking into it and if they don’t have it, ask them to get it!
Eden says
I was also going to mention Hoopla. Our library uses 2 apps for e-materials….Libby and Hoopla. I haven’t used Hoopla before March. We have a limit of 8 items per month, but combined with what i have on hold on libby and the 8 on hoopla, i’ve made it through to the library actually being open with restrictions (love that many of our libraries have a drive thru window)
Kim says
I’m a Hoopla fan too.
Kippy says
Everything looks lovely.
Your mention of mussel shells reminds me of a chicken collage my aunt made in the 1960s using seashells. It had a burlap background. The wing was mussel shells, the body probably small clam shells. I canāt remember the shells used for the head etc she put a bit of straw below the chicken, chicken wire over it and had uncle make a frame of old barn wood. It hung in the living room for ages and everyone liked it.
Rita says
Love the photo of you on your steps. You look soooooo happy! Life in Maine is treating you well. Now the only thing I need to know is if Lucy still has that disease she got at the other house. It would be fantastic if she is cured.
Love you Mavis!
Mavis Butterfield says
Lucy has Addison’s disease and is doing great. She gets monthly injections and takes medication for it.
Kristen says
Would you give a little tutorial for maintaining pansies? I have some pots full of them and apart from fertilizing, watering, and dead-heading, I don’t know how to keep them full and not long and asymmetric.