“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
Instead of putting on a sequined dress and heading to the clubs on Friday night, I convinced my husband to stay in.
Goal #3 – Shop Small
Yes! Last week we spent our pesos at three small {mom and pop, totally not chain} stores.
Goal # 4 – Have a Designated Meal Prep Day
Seriously, I’m not in the rush that I used to be. So why bother? Also, husbands that cook? WHY WOULD I WANT TO INTERFERE?
Goal #5 – Install a Vegetable Garden Done!
Swiss chard. The only thing left to harvest.
Goal #6 – Clear Land for a Chicken Coop and Future Raised Garden Bed Area Done!
Chicken meet and greet coming later this week. I promise!!!
Goal #7 – Grow 500 Pounds of Vegetables Done!
You can read about my latest gardening escapades HERE. These days though, we are harvesting leaves…. in an autumnal rainbow of colors.
Goal #8 – Hook 100 Rugs Done!
POW! Guess who just finished hooking rug #101 for the year? Me! It feels so good to be able to check this goal off my list. I still need to make a few more chicken items for my Etsy Shop because one of the chicken pillows I made is supposed to be on the cover of a popular magazine soon {I have absolutely no idea WHERE on the cover, probably tucked in a corner, or on a couch, who knows} but the anticipation is making me a little nuts. Especially since it’s a magazine I’ve admired for probably the last 20 years.
Life is kind of strange, all those years ago when we were living in a mobile home on my grandparents property I was in love with the whole country lifestyle…. thumbing through magazines, clipping recipes and learning to can. And now here I am, years later, living that life. And to have something I made on the pages of one of those magazines…. is absolutely wild. My heart is HAPPY.
Goal #9 – Make a Set of Dolls
Maybe next week?
Goal #10 – Make a Sampler, Frame it and Hang it on the Wall Done!
Goal #11 – Visit 22 Bakeries
We found the most amazing Italian bakery… but I’m going to wait to tell you about it until we can go back and try one of their famous sandwiches. {You know, because I want to be totally thorough}. 😉 Okay, so maybe I want another one of those coconut cookies.
Goal #12 – Start a Collection
I think I might want to start collecting old blue ball glass jars with the silver caps. I saw a few in an antique store the other day and thought they might be a fun item to collect AND as a way to fill the hutch in the front room. This, in addition to wooden butter molds, shaker boxes, wooden potato mashers and wooden spoons. I feel like old country homes need collections. Kind of like Cogswell’s Grant but in a more simplistic, understated way.
Goal #13 – Read {or listen to} 26 Books
This past week I listened to Nora Ephron’s book, I Remember Nothing and LOVED it. I almost hit the delete button though after the first 10 minutes because I felt like she was repeating herself and I wasn’t going to like the book, but I am glad I hung on. The last few words though…. got to me.
Basically, she knew she was dying {something which most people, even those close to her, didn’t know} and at the very end of the book, she went down the list of things she wouldn’t and would miss. And even though I knew going into the book she had died and that this was her last book… there was one line that even if I hadn’t know that, and I had read the book before her death, would have caught my ear.
Next year in Istanbul
It made me think about priorities. About the recent death of Paul Allen, and how even if you had all the money in the world, more than you could ever spend, give away, or offer up to medical science to save your life…. in the end, it doesn’t matter.
All that really matters is right here, right now. Being present and finding the joy in everyday. Making it count. Not only to yourself, but those around you.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Goal #14 – Try 12 New Canning Recipes
So far this year I’ve canned:
- Spiced Christmas Jam
- Apple Cider Butter
- Tomato Sauce
- Carrot Cake Jam
- Cucumber Relish
- 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 woke up extra early yesterday to paint something magical and put it in the kiln so it would be ready to show you this morning. And then a few hours later, mid-fire, the power went out. Not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES!!! Each time I re-started the kiln and well, I have no idea if what I made turned out okay or not because as I type this the kiln is still 500+ degrees and thus, too hot to open.
So please enjoy this nice picture of an apple for the time being instead. Hopefully, I’ll be able to update this post later today and show you a picture of what I made.
Fingers crossed they turn out well. If not, I guess I’ll just have to try again.
Hey! My leopard print chickens turned out! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Have a wonderful Sunday everyone, we’re off to Market Basket to buy fruit. 😉
~Mavis
Read About My 2018 Goals HERE.
Mel says
I hear you on the power outages. We’ve had several extended power outages in the past few months (some due to storms and some due to no apparent reason), and they always occur in the middle of a project I can’t stop (batch cooking chicken, for example). I’ve had to throw out all the food in our fridge twice. Hoping whatever was in the kiln makes it!
mary3m says
Love the apple!! It looks great handing on the knob of one of my kitchen hutches. My theme in my kitchen is ‘apples’ as I have Apple dishes. Too bad you can ship the jams – would buy a couple of them! If the weather keeps taking out the power you ‘might’ have to consider a generator. When we lost power for 3 days earlier this year, I discovered how much water (no power = no sump pumps) cardboard absorbs (believe me you don’t want to find out) so we finally bit the bullet. And of course now that we have the generator – we won’t lose power!! Love your NE adventures. And how is the HH adjusting to working ‘half time’? I say it tongue in cheek as it is halftime from his 70-80 hours a week now. ANd how are YOU adjusting to him working from home? Love your new hobby!! And you will share the cover of the magazine right?
Mavis Butterfield says
The HH loves working “half time” and most of the time it doesn’t even feel like work so that’s an extra bonus. I love having him at home, the help with the chores and just being able to hang out. And yes, I’ll share a picture of the magazine once it’s published. 🙂 Thanks Mary.
Carrie says
I love the old blue Ball jars. I have a few on display on my mantle and I use one Atlas flip top that was my great grandmothers as a cotton ball holder in the bathroom. At Christmas I tuck a small string of lights around the jars on the mantel and put burnt out Christmas bulbs (the big colored ones) in them.
Anne says
That dark hutch of yours is crying for some white ironstone to brighten it up.
Teri says
Curious to hear about your gluten free October and what you rewarded yourself with on November 1st! Luv ya Mavis!
Yankeegal says
Ugghh…power outages! Unfortunately very common in this neck of the woods. We moved here 26 years ago and they used to be worse, but now people have become more responsible with tree trimming and such. Still we invested in a stand by generator last year. Too many outages( 5 days plus) with no heat or water to tough it out with a portable one. On the positive side, I am so glad you are enjoying the beautiful fall in NE!
Jennifer says
Mavis, this is a nosy question, but one I am asking mostly for educational purposes for those of us who are looking for a side hustle. I know last year your goal was to make I think 10K from your hooking and you regularly posted how much you made from it and the nosy part of me is just wondering how successful you were this year with the change. No numbers, mind you, just better or worse than last year.
Also, how long does it take you to hook a small rug? I guess what I am trying to get to in the long run is how to value your work. I have an idea for something that would work for an Etsy shop, but I’m unsure as to how to go about it. Any tips would be appreciated – even if it’s a post down the line.
Mavis Butterfield says
Better than last year but I have yet to calculate what an an hourly wage would be. There are so many stops and starts throughout the day to my projects, that I would need to carry around a stop watch to even attempt to figure it out. And even then, there are so many other factors that come in to play. Give your Etsy shop a try…. I’d rather try something and fail then not know if I could have made a go of it.
Mama Cook says
That may be my new favorite quote!
“I’d rather try something and fail then not know if I could have made a go of it!”
Pam Favorite says
Regarding power outages, don’t know where your water comes from, ours comes from a creek, but not having water for days hurts. We always buy bottled water before the coming Winter for drinking/cooking and have a trash can in the basement full of water (for toilets). We’ve had to use this water a few times. We also have a generator and a tip, start them up every month and let them run 10-15 min. Keeps them in working order.
Indio says
Did the fuse or breaker trip from your kiln or was it a whole house power outage? I had to upgrade the electrical system, from 50 to 200 amps, in my old house and adjust the fuses to support the kiln. The kiln needed its own dedicated 40 amp fuse, especially if you are running other electrical appliances that need a big power load.
I have a backup generator to get us through winter storm power outages. We lost power for 7 days during hurricane Sandy and that was enough to convince me to get a generator.
Mavis Butterfield says
Whole house power outage. We do have a back up generator but the kiln outlet is not hooked up to it.
Paula says
Very thought provoking post! Thank you!
Darci says
I love reading your blog Mavis! I’m glad you are sharing your ideas here! 🙂 I am looking forward to
Darci says
….more. (lol I sent before finishing. 😉 )
Tonya says
Congrats on the upcoming magazine cover! What an honor and well deserved. Glad the HH is cooking and enjoying 1/2 time work.
How is Lucy doing with her babies? Does she treat them differently as they grow up? Or does she still check in with them several times a day?
Excited to meet all the ladies.
I love how all of God’s creatures have different personalities. We have had 5 hamsters and each so different. Betsy is very driven and likes to bite. Humphrey was so casual and would recline and fluff his ankle fur. Have a happy day
Karen says
Keep meaning to come on here and thank you – your beautiful ceramic candy cane arrived and it has made me want to decorate my Christmas tree – right now! 🙂 Thank you for sharing your talents and writings with all of us!
Mavis Butterfield says
How sweet. Thank you Karen. The candy canes are my favorite. 🙂
Toni says
HH usually wears sequins??