“The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.” ~ Oprah Winfrey
My goals for 2018
Goal #1 – Write Like No One is Reading.
“Close the door. Write with no one looking over your shoulder. Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It’s the one and only thing you have to offer.” ~ Barbara Kingsolver
Goal #2 – Slow Down
Mission accomplished.
Goal #3 – Shop Small
This week at the recycle center I picked up a white vase, a wooden candle stick and 2 old fashioned glass canning jars {that I plan to put flowers in next spring at my little pop up vegetable stand}. I also picked up a stack of free books to mail to a friend.
Goal # 4 – Have a Designated Meal Prep Day It’s Not For Us
I threw in the towel early on this one. Meal prep, and cooking in mass quantities is just not for my family at this stage in our lives. Although with the addition of a new freezer, I may have to whip up some new freezer meals. We’ll see.
Goal #5 – Install a Vegetable Garden Done!
Although we plan on expanding the vegetable plot this fall.
Goal #6 – Clear Land for a Chicken Coop and Future Raised Garden Bed Area
The HH has been hard at work this past week building Lucy’s babies a chicken coop. With 5 nesting boxes and 3 roosting bars I think the coop will be plenty big enough.
We still aren’t sure where the chicken coop’s final landing spot will be, but now I’m trying to convince my husband we should move the coop back down to the lower garden area {near Harriet, the fruitless apple tree} and build a permanent enclosure around the coop {instead of a detachable one}. Kind of like the open and airy one I spotted at the French Laundry, {I like the idea of being able to stand up and walk around in a chicken run}. I do think we would need part of the run to be covered for the winter months though {because of snow}.
Luckily the HH’s pallet forks arrived the other day so we will be able to move it around the property and test out different areas until we find just the right spot. And those forks…. I’m thinking they’ll come in pretty hand this winter when we want to move a pallet of wood into the garage for burning in the wood stove. Just as soon as we re-stack the wood to make it a bit more stable that is {it seems to have shrunk!}. The work here, it’s never really done.
Goal #7 – Grow 500 Pounds of Vegetables
So far this year we’ve grown 34 pounds 10 ounces of homegrown vegetables in our {first year} garden. Although we have a fenced backyard, there is an abundance of wildlife competing to get their free samples each day. From wild turkeys, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, an array of birds, to creatures unseen…. It’s all just part of living in the country I guess.
And honestly, unless we wanted to build an enormous screened off vegetable farm enclosure {we don’t} well then, I guess we are going to have to learn to share. I just hope the chippy’s leave enough blueberries for us to freeze and make jam with this season.
Goal #8 – Hook 100 Rugs
Only 32 more rugs to go before I can check this goal off my list!
Last week I finished another Flowers for Lucy rug, the giant chicken rug I’ve been working on since March, and two other smaller chicken rugs for the animal themed collection I plan to list in my next Etsy shop update on July 28th.
Goal #9 – Make a Set of Dolls
I plan to make a set {or two} of primitive dolls later this year after the garden has been put to bed.
Goal #10 – Make a Sampler, Frame it and Hang it on the Wall Done
Although I’ve already finished my sampler for this year, I have collected another 3 frames over the past few months and plan to make more samplers this winter.
Goal #11 – Visit 22 Bakeries
I wouldn’t exactly call J.J. Hapgood a full blown bakery, but a bakery/cafe? Yes. And it was delicious so it’s going in my collection of feel good bakeries/lobster shacks/small town goodness places to visit.
Goal #12 – Start a Collection
The furniture collection continues! As I may have mentioned before we have been on the hunt for 2 upholstered wing back chairs to fill the sitting nook in the family room. This week I finally found one that reasonably priced {$25!}. I still can’t believe my husband let me bring it in the house seeing how I found it at a thrift store and it wasn’t brand spanking’ new.
My husband firmly believes that all furniture and clothing that has been donated to a resell shop is the result of someone dying in it or it is riddled with fleas. Wood furniture for some reason though is acceptable {because you can wipe it down!}. Whatever. The chair is crazy comfortable {nice a firm} and I unzipped the seat cover {the batting was like new!} so I’m pretty confident the previous owner used the chair as a more decorative piece than for actually sitting on. The color isn’t as drab as the photo is showing {much brighter actually} and Lucy seems to think I bought it for her {of course she does!}
Goal #13 – Read {or listen to} 26 Books
This week I’ll be listening to Starry Night by Debbie Macomber while I wait for the books on my wait-list {Educated, Calypso, and a couple of other ones that I can’t remember the titles of. The Debbie Macomber books are totally predictable {like, you know how the book is going to end within the first 5 minutes} but it’s something easy to listen to as I work on my rug hooking {or secret holiday project} so I keep going back for more of them. Comfortable I guess, that’s what I’d call them.
Goal #14 – Try 12 New Canning Recipes
So far this year I’ve canned:
- Pickled Beets {without the funky spices}
- Cherry Almond Jam {freakin’ AWESOME}
- Susan’s Lilac Blossom Jelly
Goal #15 – Secret {for now} Holiday Project
Finally! A part that’s been on back order for the last 2 months is ready to be picked up {which should help things move along a lot faster}. I’m still in the experimenting stage but hope to be churning out an actual “finished product” by August. 🙂 The learning curve on my holiday project has been a little harder than I thought it would be, but I’m getting there.
How about YOU? Did you set any goals for 2018? How are they coming along?
~Mavis
Read About My 2018 Goals HERE.
Alice says
Hmmmm….churning…..?
Tanya says
I’m guessing weaving!
Rita says
Butter making with butter molds?
Lissa says
Whoa Nellie to that tractor….
What will you do about the coop if you get more chickens in the spring? HH is a fast builder. Looks amazing.
Mavis Butterfield says
I’m not sure yet. I guess we will see how the ladies do in the space this winter.
Nancy D says
Coop looks amazing!! Did you ever figure out what the “mislabeled” chick was?
Mavis Butterfield says
In the end, we got all the chicks we ordered.
Debby says
I live in northern lower Michigan and the winter snow load can be destructive. If you go with the plan to cover your chicken run, consider the snow load. We have chicken wire across the top and if we don’t knock the snow through, it piles up till we can’t. This happens easily when we get a foot + of snow over night. Lake effect snow is brutal. It is a chain link dog kennel that is 16′ x 12′, and 6′ high. The weight of the snow caved the sides of the fence in. It is still quite strong, but with 2 curved sides that curve a bit more each snow season. We have to keep the top covered because of coyotes and birds of prey. We like to let them free range, but we would count 1-3 missing and find feathers, and most recently our new German Shepard, about 7 months old won’t stop chasing them. So we are working on that…
Sue says
I’m thinking pottery!!!!!
Things are looking very good and I am amazed everyday by your stamina.
Enjoy your Sunday!
CT Bargain Mom says
You could make a hoop house like cover on the run….PVC irrigation pipe and plastic sheeting. Might look redneckish but snow would slide right off and it could be removed in spring
Geunita Ringold says
Cattle panels make a great hoop house and could lid have the same principle.
Geunita Ringold says
Still not lid. Spell check
Kimmy says
I’m kind of with your HH on the upholstered furniture, ever since we’ve been hearing so much about bedbugs in our city. I know, thrifting is great and all, but…shudder.
Mim says
We have an open, fenced-in yard for the birds, as well as an attached, small – 16x8x 8ft high— covered run. For the covered run, we used a strong, translucent, composite plastic for roofing. It stands up to the snow, but also gives them plenty of natural light. FYI, although they have access to the big yard all winter, once the snow falls, they don’t venture out. Even if I shovel them a path…. they stay in the coop and the covered run.
They WILL turn whatever space they have into bare ground pretty quickly, so take that into account when considering the aesthetics of siting the coop.
Enjoy your week. Fingers crossed for more rain!
Stephanie says
Your stack of books made me smile, especially the Henry Reed Inc. I read a bunch of the Henry Reed books when I was young, especially during a trip to my grandparents’ in Florida, so those bring back fond memories. Give Lucy a belly rub for me! 🙂
Linda says
We have hawks around here that are capable of picking up even small dogs (we have one- 9lbs.) if they get hungry enough. I would think an uncovered run would risk that.
I’m guessing weaving of some sort for your special project. Am I right?
Did I miss it or did you ever tell where you are living? I’m not a stalker, just know New England pretty well and wondered.
renay says
We have an enclosed outdoor area, with part of it covered. We call it the covered patio! lol They can dust in it and have some dirt areas to scratch. Make sure to give them a bunch of room. 1 – because they need space so they don’t start fighting. 2 – because you know you will be getting some more! 😉
Roy says
Nice job on the chicken house. “HH” knows his stuff.
Barbara Gantt says
Many people build a screen house, sides and tops , for their blueberries. Keeps out all the animals but the water and sun can get in. The scree panels are removed for the winter snow. Another solution but not as effective, is to cover the berris with row covering material. discourages the birds.
Tracy says
The coop looks charming…but I guess I must sound like a broken record. All I can say is a winter of 3 degrees days and minus 10 nights is very different than a PNW winter of low 30s.
SandyF says
I ordered “Educated” after seeing it here and it is soooo good. I can’t put it down. I am almost done and don’t want to finish it.
Thank you for your great suggestion.
linda says
Regarding 2nd hand furniture. If there are zip off pillows or cushion covers they can be removed, washed on a gentle cycle in cold water and hung outside to dry. I’ve done this many times and always turns out very well.
Janet says
Mavis, my husband agrees wth yours about the thrift store furniture but he would add cat pee, dog barf and diarrhea to the list do unacceptable things that are probably on the furniture. Don’t listen to them. Keep thrifting!
Christine O. says
I have a suggestion for you, since you have a nice new freezer and fall is on the way eventually… what would you think about making your favorite freezer meals in smaller pans so you won’t have so many leftovers? Same delicious homemade convenience (especially for heartier winter comfort foods), less leftover fatigue 😉
Mavis I’m so impressed with all your progress!! It looks like you and HH are adjusting quite nicely to your new place!!