My 22 Goals for 2019
Goal #1 — Spend More Time Doing What I Love
Everywhere you look right now it’s just a giant sea of light brown and Lucy just seems to blend into the landscape. 6 weeks from now though, everything will be a nice shade of green and the garden will be in order and everything will be planted and then we’ll be on maintenance mode until fall.
There is so much to do… but garden prep is one of my favorite things, so you know, I’m HAPPY.
Goal #2 — Garden, Garden, Garden
Last night I got the tomato, pepper and eggplant seeds started plus a few coleus and black eyed Susan seeds as well {I’ll be planting outside on containers once the weather warms up}. I think I set my tomato starts out about a week after Mother’s Day last year so I should be right on schedule.
Goal #3 — Plant an Orchard
Checking out a nursery next week! I’ll be looking for apple, plum, pear and a Meyer lemon tree {I plan to overwinter the lemon tree in the sun room}.
Goal #4 — Gussy Up the Potting Shed Done!
I plan to add a little more bling to it in the coming weeks, but it feels good to have a proper gravel floor, a potting bench and lights in there.
Goal #5 — Grow Enough Extra Vegetables, Eggs and Flowers to Earn $1500 at my little roadside vegetable stand.
I’ll be planting some extra basil seeds later today so I can offer basil starts when we set up our little vegetable stand later this spring. I also made a few extra garden markers for the veggie stand for a little extra variety.
Goal #6 — Finish Every Single Unfinished Rug Hooking Project in My Pattern Bin + 10 Things from back Issues of Magazines/Books I’ve Been Meaning to Make.
This past week I hooked 2 more rugs for my Etsy Shop but only 1 of the 2 rugs came from my project bin though but still, I was able to get a few more done so I was happy about that.
I started the year off with:
- 73 rugs {now down to 57}
- 183 hooked flowers {finished 67, now down to 110}
- 10 “things” from back issues of magazines {finished 0}
Goal #7 — Create 12 New Rug Hooking Patterns {with at least half of them being large ones}
I put together 2 new small rug hooking kits for my Etsy shop this past week for the peeps who wanted to give rug hooking a try. I’ll also be working creating some new, much larger patterns this month which I am pretty excited about. Once I get all the new patterns drawn up I’m going to try to finish one large rug a month until the end of the year.
New Rug Hooking Patterns I’ve Created And Added to My Etsy Shop This Year:
Goal #8 — Split and Stack 2 Cords of Wood for Next Winter
Seriously, what is he waiting for? It’s not like I can be trusted to use a chain saw. I’m just the person who splits and stacks stuff.
Goal #9 — Do Something with the 5,002 Photos on My Phone
I still have 9 months, right?
Goal #10 –Lose the Muffin Top
Working theory: Muffy will just fall off during gardening season.
Goal #11 — Run, Walk or Crawl a 5k, 10k, Half Marathon and Marathon
I found a 5k race for May. Also, I wish I didn’t make this one of my goals for this year.
Goal #12 — Read or Listen to 26 New Books
Last week I listened to Secrets of a Charmed Life and loved the story and sailed through it in 2 days! I didn’t listen to any new books this past week {I added a few more to my library list though} but I did listen to a How I Built This podcast with Roxanne Quimby. I liked the podcast so much, I listened to it twice to make sure I didn’t miss anything.
It was nice to hear the other side of the story. And I absolutely love the contrast of different personality types and stories that get featured on the How I Built This podcast. Some of the entrepreneurs on there sound so polished, like they are doing a sales pitch, like their business is the most fascinating thing out there {the Au Bon Pain guy and Stitch Fix lady comes to mind}, while others, are just so down to earth, kind of reserved and just tell it like it is. No frills, just … this is how it happened.
I am waiting my turn on the library wait list for the following audio books:
- The Shape of Mercy
- The Long Winter
- Walden
- The Four Tendencies
- Before We Were Yours
- The Coddling of the American Mind
- The Alice Network
- 12 Rules for Life
Books I’ve Read or Listened to So Far This Year:
- Secrets of a Charmed Life #2
- Where’d You Go, Bernadette #3
- Carnegie’s Maid #4
- Marilla of Green Gables #1 Favorite
- Finder’s Keepers
- Delicious!
- Will’s Red Coat.
- Following Atticus
Goal #13 — Try 52 New Recipes.
8 down, 44 recipes to go.
No new recipes this past week but the HH has 2 new ones he wants to try next week. 🙂
Goal #14 — Clean Up 52 Old Recipes on the Blog
Seven recipes down, 45 to go. I need to get going on this goal. I thought I would have been at the half way point by now.
Goal #15 — Fill 100 Canning Jars
4 down, 96 to go.
So far this year I’ve I canned 4 jars of Almond Pears.
Goal #16 — Finish Furnishing Our House
We didn’t come across any furniture we wanted to buy this week but I did pick up a few more vases from the recycle center that I will use for sunflower bouquets this summer at out vegetable stand. I also snagged 2 kraft boxes which I have no idea what I’m going to do with.
Furniture pieces I’m still on the hunt for:
Coffee table for the family room- Console, cupboard or sideboard for the one and only tv in our house which is in the family room. I could totally live without a television, but my husband says the tv stays.
Long rectangular table for the craft room.- Table for the formal dining room {We moved the kitchen table to the dining room and so mow we are looking for a table for the kitchen/keeping room area}.
- 2 wing back chairs for the family room.
- I’d also like to decorate the mantel in the keeping room as well as put up some sort of decoration above the other 3 fireplaces in the house. I’m not one for a lot of things on the walls, but it would be nice to throw up a little pilgrim bling on the plaster.
Goal #17 – 52 Dates with the HH {9 down, 43 to go}
I ditched the HH this past week and went on a date day with my buddy Heather. 🙂 I’ll tell you all about it on Tuesday.
Goal #18 — Take One Adult Education Class
I have signed up for 2 adult educations classes that I’ll be taking in May. One I’m keeping a secret for now {I’m taking that one with a neighbor} and the other class is a wooden spoon carving class that my buddy Heather from Massachusetts and I are going to take.
Plus, I might add a third class to my list, but I won’t know for sure until Monday when I go talk to the person hosting the class.
Goal #19 — Secret {for now} Holiday Project
I decided to ditch my first idea. Then thought I had a really good replacement idea, but that’s where it stands…. still in my head. I suspect for the next 6 weeks I’ll be spending every ounce of free time outside and working in the garden and won’t have time to explore my idea. But that’s okay…. As long as I hit my goal of having my holiday project completed by the beginning of September, I’ll be happy.
Goal #20 — Create 12 Wowie Zowie Party Platters
3 down 9 to go. Without a doubt, the party platter for Easter is going to involve some CANDY. And the more the merrier I say.
Goal #21 — Visit 12 General Stores
2 down 10 to go and with a little luck, I’ll be able to knock store #3 off my list next week on date day.
So far this year we’ve visited:
- Dan and Whit’s in Norwich, Vermont
- Hussey’s General Store in Windsor, Maine
Goal #22 — Compete with Carole….. Get on My Front Door Game On
As soon as the giant carrot I made for the front door comes down {after Easter} I’ll be working on making a few hanging baskets to hang by the front and side doors. A neighbor gave us the one pictured above last summer and I’d like to try and recreate {I saved the container} or to make one from scratch myself.
it It’s been YEARS since I’ve made a hanging basket…. Do you have any ideas of what plants my do well in one? If so, I’d love it if you chimed in. 🙂
Front Door Bling I’ve Made So Far This Year to Compete with Carole:
- Late January : Valentine Heart
- Late February : Shamrock
- Late March : Giant Carrot
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How about YOU? What are your goals for 2019? If you told us about them HERE, check in! We want to know how you are doing. Because seriously, it’s so much easier to get those goals checked off your list when you have people rooting for you! 🙂
♥ Mavis
You can read more about my 22 goals for 2019 HERE.
Joan says
I’m sure you have answered this before, but where did you get your canning jars? I like the idea of not having to constantly buy new lids. How long do the rubber gaskets hold out for before you have to replace them? Also it looks like you made paper pots but that doesn’t look like newsprint. What paper did you use? Thank you, Joan
Mel says
I didn’t get to work much more on my sewing goals (had to order buttons), but I did get supplies to make a simple Easter wreath, put up a bluebird box, and started getting caught up on Spring cleaning, so I’m calling that a win for this week.
Our chicks hatched yesterday, and we’re going to pick them up today. It’s the first time we’ve ever had chickens, so if anyone has chick-raising advice, we could use it! We have a stock tank to keep them in, but I think we’ll need a way to cover it in case the cat goes looking for trouble.
Mama Cook says
Mel! You’re going to love it! I can’t eait to read your updates! My biggest piece of advice is to remember to check their bottoms for “pasty butt”. Usually Mama Hen would be caring for that, and when they’re brand new it can happen more often. Just wipe with a moist rag or paper towel and voila, they’re good to go!
Mel says
Thanks! I just read about that online a few minutes ago, but I definitely wouldn’t have known to check for it otherwise.
Mel says
I just want to add that we ended up with 23 chicks, which is 13 more than we planned to take home (the hatch was unusually successful). I’m taking bets on how soon they outgrow the stock tank. We can return any roosters (they find them homes), but I’m thinking we’re still going to have a lot of chickens.
Heather says
I put plants that repel bugs next to my entrances. My cats enjoy rubbing in them. Is there a screen door for your potting shed? More air and light, a few less bugs?
Cait says
I’ve been meaning to suggest a general store to you for weeks now! Willeys in Greensboro, VT. A ways up from your area, but an utterly beautiful lake down the street and lovely countryside around.
If you want to make a day of it, I can not recommend enough a walk in the Barr Hill Natural Area. They are walky hikes, and the drive to the trail start is doable for all cars, but interesting fun none the less. Beer people like the area for the famous Hill Farmstead brewery. And (I think you can tell the Hill family used to own a lot of land there) Jasper Hill cheese is made in the town, and sold at Willeys. Ohhh and there is a lovely little ice cream stand on the one street between the lake and the store, open only in the high season.
For a bit of extra fun, 15 minutes away is the “Museum of Everyday Life” a true GEM of an experience, an incredibly well thought out museum in someones side barn. 15 minutes or so further up the road from that is the famous and incredible Bread and Puppet theatre museum.
Typing all this out, I can not wait for Summer!
Susan says
Hi Cait, there was an article about the Museum of Everyday Life in the NY Times earlier this month. It sounds incredible! It reminds me a bit of the Mercer Museum in Doylestown, PA, which is a collection of pre-industrial tools that Mercer (a “ecletic,” wealthy collector) gathered from dilapidated barns and elsewhere. Only that museum is in a giant cement castle. So bizarre and fascinating! I’m looking foward to heading to Greensboro this summer — thanks for all the fine recommendations!
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/12/arts/design/museum-of-every-day-life-vermont.html
Mary says
Also go to Red Sky Trading – Google it you would love it!
Elizabeth says
Here are my yearly goal highlights so far:
1) I am up to 132 miles walked this year, still have 368 to go
2) I just finished editing the first four chapters of my NaNoWriMo book from last year, hope to publish it sometime this year
3) I am trying to buy only used items this year which is going well so far. *The only time I broke my goal so far, was to buy my son some shorts. We live in AL and it has started to warm up rather early this year. However our local thrift stores have not released their summer clothes yet:(
Besides those goals, I also have been completing two home projects each month, reading more classics/nonfiction books, having family game nights, and taking my children on special outings by themselves monthly. This is my second year of blogging about my yearly goals and it has really helped me to keep up my progress year round.
Laura says
How did you get started to actually hone in and set goals via blogging, Elizabeth? I should dive in too, I guess, but I wonder if I would even keep up with posting or know what to set as my goals for the year. I have a knitting/crocheting blog but have not been posting for quite awhile since no one visits or comments. So, you’re finding that blogging has really helped keep you on point year round? Thanks in advance for sharing any suggestions.
Stacie says
Petunias and sweet potato vines are both gorgeous in hanging baskets!
Rynda says
You said you started coleus? We had a beautiful hanging basket of red and green coleus last summer. I had to cut it back numerous times. Saved the cuttings and now I have about 10 starts to share. Anyway – as you probably know it loves shade/indirect light – but she’s a beauty!
Your potting shed looks great. Eager to see it develop through the season.
Pj says
Million Bells have a variety of great colors and they cascade beautifully from hanging baskets.
Colleen says
http://runinamishcountry.com/
Thought of you when I saw this half marathon promoted on my Facebook feed. A 5 or 10K is also offered. Held in September in Berlin, Ohio.
It’s a beautiful time of year to visit our area.
Betsy in MN says
Just visited Huntington County Store in Huntington, MA and I was thinking of you! I am visiting my son who just moved to the area and we were just exploring. So fun!
Mavis Butterfield says
I’ll have to add it to my list! Thank you Betsy in MN.
Lace Faerie says
I love purple petunias in the basket by my front door. The old fashioned purple have the best scent!! I am also loving ornamental oregano with it’s bright green and lavender/purple leaves!
Erin Middlebrooks says
Mavis, I can’t wait to see photos of your new Meyer Lemon when you get one. ❤️
Mable says
What you put in your hanging basket depends entirely on whether it is a shade or sun spot. If you have shade, then the illuminata tuberous begonias are wonderful—they cascade and have huge and numerous blossoms. Also pansies do well in shade (although they do well in sun, too. That is rare.), and the cascading ones are especially nice for baskets. Fuchias drape and do well in shade…