“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
Fall foliage. Isn’t it amazing? Apparently it’s a big deal around these parts, and many of the New England states practically double in size this time of year as visitors drive up and down the scenic roads trying to get a glimpse of the leaves changing colors. With this being our first fall here in New England, we decided to hop in the car and take a 6 hour drive through a few of our favorite towns and along the Kancamagus Highway to soak up the beautiful colors of fall. The trip did not disappoint. Not one bit.
Goal #3 – Shop Small
While we were out on the great leaf hunt, we stopped off at one of our favorite coffee shops, Schoodacs Coffee & Tea. The HH enjoyed a hot cup of coffee and a nice slice of coffee cake and I looked through the fall town’s fall festival flyer. 😉
Goal # 4 – Have a Designated Meal Prep Day
I don’t know why we are having such a hard time with this goal this year! But we are. It only makes me crazy because I wrote it down as a goal, not
Goal #5 – Install a Vegetable Garden Done!
Goal #6 – Clear Land for a Chicken Coop and Future Raised Garden Bed Area
Poor Hilda! I was painting the inside of the coop last week and she wouldn’t stop brushing up against the side of the coop so I had to abandon my painting efforts until I could let them out of the coop for a little 4pm to dusk free ranging time. What a mess. Luckily though, all the other birds must be color blind because none of them have seemed to notice {or peck at her red feathers}.
Goal #7 – Grow 500 Pounds of Vegetables
So far this year we’ve harvested 439 pounds of fruits and veggies from our backyard garden. With a few more pumpkins, beets, carrots and potatoes to still harvest, I am hopeful {as in fingers crossed} we will make it to 500 pounds. I don’t know though, things were looking a little iffy last week when we checked on the sweet potatoes.
I don’t plan on pulling up the potatoes until I absolutely have to so we will just have to wait and see. Next year though, I’ll have a better plan in place.
Goal #8 – Hook 100 Rugs
Only 5 more rugs to go!!!
Along with about 100 other things, I spent the week dyeing wool and finishing up my Thanksgiving turkey rug. Ain’t she a beauty? Or is it a he? I also updated my Etsy shop with a few new items {finished hooked rug items and wool bundles}. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE hooking rugs, and I am looking forward to winter {so very much} and being able to get some quality hooking time after gardening season is wrapped up for the year.
Goal #9 – Make a Set of Dolls
While I was waiting to pick up my order at the Dorr Mill Store I was thumbing through an old issue of Primitive Quilting Magazine and came across this primitive little Raggedy Ann doll. I liked her so much that I decided to buy the magazine because it had a pattern for the doll in it {and the magazine was half off!}. I’m thinking November might be a good month to sew up a few dolls. Things will have slowed down in November, right?
Goal #10 – Make a Sampler, Frame it and Hang it on the Wall Done!
Goal #11 – Visit 22 Bakeries
Schoodacs Coffee & Tea isn’t really a bakery, but it’s such a cool little shop that I just have to tell you about it, and I will this week.
Goal #12 – Start a Collection
I picked up 3 more old-fashioned glass canning jars at the recycle center this past week {PERFECT for the summer bouquets at my little vegetable stand} and an I SPY book for the kids cupboard in our home.
Goal #13 – Read {or listen to} 26 Books
I’m about half way through Martha’s Vineyard, Isle of Dreams and now that she is talking about Cliff a little less, I’m not rolling my eyes anymore. I really like the book so far {but I’m tired about hearing about Cliff!} and making the time to sit down and read has been really tough the past two weeks. I wish this was available on Audiobook, as those seem to work better for me because I always seem to be working on some sort of project.
Goal #14 – Try 12 New Canning Recipes
So far this year I’ve only canned 8 different things. I need to clone myself.
So far this year I’ve canned:
- Apple Cider Butter
- Tomato Sauce
- Carrot Cake Jam
- Spiced Peach {Crazy good!!!}
- Blueberry Jam {without the mint}
- Pickled Beets {without the funky spices}
- Cherry Almond Jam {freakin’ AWESOME}
- Susan’s Lilac Blossom Jelly
Goal #15 – Secret {for now} Holiday Project
I am an awful person. I know I said I’d finally show you what I’ve been up to these past few months YESTERDAY, but even after pulling a few late nights last week {like not going to bed until 2 am and then getting up at 5 am!} I still wasn’t able to get everything I wanted to show you done in time. Finishing up my project, taking pictures, writing up a coherent blog post {plus there is another totally time consuming component to the project that I haven’t mentioned yet}, all take time. Lot’s and lot’s of time. Much more time than I thought it would, that’s for sure. 😉
I’m really not a person who does things half way…. I’m kind of an ALL IN kind of person, and so to not be able to show you what I’ve been working on as sort of a “complete package” really bothered me. So I decided to give myself a few more days to tidy things up. So roll your eyes if you must, but I hope you pop by the blog this Friday because by then I’ll have all my ducks in a row and be ready to finally show you what I’ve been working on.
The good stuff. Sometimes you’ve just got to wait for it. Then again, maybe you’ll think my secret project is the lamest thing you’ve ever seen and you’ll be like…. she took this long to show me THAT? Geez, she might as well have been whittling toothpicks or something. That would have been more exciting.
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
How about YOU? Did you set any goals for 2018? How are they coming along? Faster than mine are this year, I hope.
~Mavis
Read About My 2018 Goals HERE.
Cait says
*crosses toothpick whittling off the guess list.*
Teri says
DITTO!! HaHa!
tia in boise says
Cait!!! BWAH-HA-HA-HA-HAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
Sue says
Mavis, your just to funny….I love that you are The perfectionist and wouldn’t want it any other way. Your treasure from the recycle spot are all just perfect. I have some of the glass top ball jars. I’m a book person so of course of have all the kids I Spy books saving for grandkids. Look the beautiful leaves of the north, in the south we don’t measure up to that. Love!
Mel says
I wonder if the meal prep thing is hard because you’re still finding a routine. The seasons are different (so the chores and harvests are different), so it’s harder to find time and stay on top of what you’ll have on hand already food-wise. You’re also still getting used to new grocery stores. I never thought about it, but knowing the seasons, stores, and timing around here is really what lets me meal prep. Many of our plants were late this year, and it threw me big time on canning and freezing.
Perhaps the actual meal prep day is a goal for next year, and this year is just the research for it?
Kim says
In regard to the Martha’s Vineyard book, I agree. I was so ready to stop hearing about Cliff. I sooooo enjoyed the description of the refurbishing of the little cottage. It just oozed “cozy” and I would love to go to the island some day and see if I can find it.
PD says
Hi Mavis!
Thought of you when I saw this satellite image of Maine’s fall colors as seen from space. If you have time, the rest of the satellite’s image gallery is stunning and fascinating as well!
https://landsat.visibleearth.nasa.gov/view.php?id=91154
Btw, my current guess for your secret project is making braided rugs. 🙂
-A loyal reader and space enthusiast
Alice says
Didn’t she say something about buying a big ticket item for her secret project? I don’t know much about braided rugs, but can’t think of anything big or expensive to go with it. I think that is why some of us were guessing things like a loom or pottery wheel.
Emily E. says
First of all, “whittling toothpicks or something…” BAAHAAAHAHAAAA!!!! Oh Mavis, you are hilarious! Second, I LOVE the turkey rug you did!! It’s beautiful and I really haven’t seen anything like it before! (Maybe I live a sheltered existence) but I think you should do more of those for sure! I bet the turkey rug sells super fast in your Etsy store!
Diane says
I’ve only met one of my goals so far. I always wanted to try my hand at canning because my grandmother used to can everything but I barely knew her so had no one to teach me. I was afraid I would kill us all with botulism. Anyway, I got brave last month and made your spiced peach jam and apple pie jam. The ones we already ate were delicious. If we don’t die from eating the last jars months from now, I plan to can tomatoes next year! Thank you for being an inspiration!
Lace Faerie says
Diane, check out https://livinghomegrown.com/ Theresa Loe is a certified Master Canner. That mean she has a degree in the science of home canning. You can trust her recipes, just don’t skip any steps. Be careful of the ‘expert’ canners on YouTube, a lot of that information falls into the “I haven’t killed anyone yet, trust me” school of thought.
Also Ball Canning at https://www.freshpreserving.com has a wealth of safe canning recipes, all in line with USDA guidelines.
My daughters and I all home pressure-can chicken breasts as a great short cut to putting together quick meals. I also pressure-canned cooked ground beef, both plain and seasoned for tacos with seasoning salt and Pace Picante. Can’t put together taco night any faster than opening a quart of preseasoned taco meat!
But, alas, my goal of adding something to my home canned pantry every month has been a giant fail. But there is still 3 months to go and hope spring eternal!
Geni says
I love canning. I hope you continue next year and expand your choices. You really don’t have any worries about botulism in jams, etc. or high acid (fruits & pickles) . Even low acid foods are safe to can if you follow the rules. That’s where most people get into trouble is that they refuse to accept the newest researched ways of canning. Loved your post. Best of success to you! (https://nchfp.uga.edu/)
Diane says
Lace and Geni, thank you both for your kind words of encouragement and the links. I spent yesterday browsing through those websites.
Lace Faerie says
I’m sorry but that doll looks scary and nothing like my beloved Raggedy Ann from my childhood.
I cheer for your score of that book! I, myself, got a giant Lowly Worm by Richard Scarey at our library’s Friends of the Library book sale for only a quarter! Woot!
Helen in Meridian says
Poor dolly looks like she has very swollen glands.
Julia Park Tracey says
Mavis, I am so inspired by your goals list that I bought a kit and started hooking. I tried to tag you on Facebook but it wouldn’t let me, alas. And I love your bakeries, shop small, and slow down goals. It’s just what I need. My harvest was off because just as the tomatoes were getting ready to go nuts, it got humid and rainy/gray. Suddenly I have mush on the vine, not a cool fall where they can slowly ripen. Slugs everywhere! So gross.
I have canned and frozen like a maniac but never got around to weighing my produce. Oh well. My 2 pumpkins are slowly ripening, I still have spaghetti squash and butternuts going nuts, and my little yellow pear tomatoes make me very happy. Next year, pole beans, not bush beans, and no wasting space for melons (3 tiny baseball-sized cantaloupe, bah humbug). Edamame was also a waste of space, but the shishito peppers were amazing!
Bringing the harvest season to a close now.
Marybeth says
I don’t really have any other choice do I. I will wait patiently until you are ready to show us. I would be quite impressed if you whittled your own toothpicks though.
Mavis Butterfield says
You just never know…. 😉
Gee says
I would be more impressed if they were cinnamon. 🙂
Alice says
Mavis….try to remember back when you lived in the PNW outside of Seattle. Those bail canning jars are treated like gold, by the thrift stores ( same goes for cast iron cookware). Those jars that your former owner left behind and others give away at the “dump” would be marked anywhere from $14 to $35.
Alice says
and they most likely wouldn’t be complete, missing the lid or bail !!
Torry says
Well, you keep asking and I keep answering; however, it seems as those most people either didn’t set goals or don’t talk about them. I had another several weeks of great sewing; got pillows made for two of my friends for Halloween. One loved hers so much that I’ll be making her Thanksgiving, Winter, and Christmas pillows. She commented that her granddaughter is getting a cat for her late November birthday, so I’m making her a set of Christmas pillows with a cat design.
A side benefit of all of these pillows is that I’m sewing down my fabric stash. I also had to pull all of my Christmas fabrics, so I got them organized by color and I put everything that is less an a yard into a separate crate. I found that I don’t have Thanksgiving fabric, so will venture out this week to get that fabric. I hope to be done by the end of this week.
It is raining here in the PNW, at least in Tacoma.
Mavis Butterfield says
It was raining this afternoon here too!. 🙂
Torry says
I meant to say, “. . . it seems as though most . . .”
Vivian says
Mavis, Raggedy is SCARY!!,
Laura says
Agree! And kinda creepy too if I am being honest.
Julia Park Tracey says
I rather like the Raggedy Ann.
Ronda says
For canning I have heard of tea jams maybe you could make your favorite London fog into a jam. That would be a recipe I would like to have as well.
Diana says
The build up to this goal is getting a little intense!
Amy Aing says
I know I’m a little late on this post but you should definitely add A&J king bakery in salem to your bakery list! Its on of my favorite local places to go to. I always get a bunch of their kouign amann for all of my out of town guests. try their original location (although both locations are great)
Mavis Butterfield says
Ohhh their stuff looks good. Thanks for the recommendation!!
Denise says
Mavis, How do the fall colors in your area compare to Washington? I love it around here, a trip to Leavenworth is gorgeous. The pictures that I have seen of Maine do look a lot like here so just wondering.
Also, I love the doll. She reminds me of Nightmare Before Christmas or some other Tim Burton movie.