My 22 Goals for 2019
Goal #1 — Spend More Time Doing What I Love
The HH brought Lucy back from her yearly checkup last week {all her blood work came back great!} and when I looked at the form I noticed her weight had ballooned to 28 pounds! I knew she was looking a little on the chunky side, because last summer she was closer to 23-24 pounds and was looking nice and fit and had that nice curve {upward!} to her underbelly.
Bottom line… I blame it ALL on my husband. Yes, the steroids Lucy’s on probably have a little something to do with it, but the HH needs to stop giving her snacks. Or rather, when he’s snacking, he needs to resist the urge to give her a little bite. Because clearly, those {all 10 of them over the coarse of a day} little bites add up!
Goal #2 — Garden, Garden, Garden
The light pink peonies are starting to open up!!!
Goal #3 — Plant an Orchard
Look at all the blossoms on Miss Lemon!
Goal #4 — Gussy Up the Potting Shed Done!
Goal #5 — Grow Enough Extra Vegetables, Eggs and Flowers to Earn $1500 at my little roadside vegetable stand.
And so it begins. With a little luck, we’ll have a bumper crop of heirloom pumpkins, gourds and winter squash. The whole back portion of the garden has been planted with oodles of goodness. And now we wait….
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.
I updated my Etsy Shop last week and for the month of June am only working on two three pieces. A special order pillow, a special order of flowers and one giant turkey rug. In a perfect world, I would spend 8 hours a day hooking, sipping tea and watching documentaries.
This summer though, things has gotten off to a bit of a crazy start and last week I only got about 8 hours of hooking time in {thank goodness for long car rides!}. I’d like to say I need to be better at managing my time, but the reality is, I just need MORE time. Or for it to be winter. 😉
I finished 0 rugs from my pattern bin this past week.
I started the year off with:
- 73 rugs in my pattern bin {now down to 48}
- 183 hooked flowers {finished 108, now down to 75}
- 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}
11 down, 1 to go! Last Friday I added 4 new beginner rug hooking kits to my Etsy shop. My goal for the rest of the year is to work on creating a few larger hooked rug patterns {mostly seasonal ones} and then to get those up and in the shop before October.
New rug hooking patterns I’ve created and added to My Etsy Shop this year:
- Double Nantucket Whale Runner
- Miss Henny and Penny
- Miss Penny
- Simple Kitty
- Primitive Flowers
- 2 Fat Cats
- Annabell’s Big Day
- Old Fashioned Double Tulip
- Fat Brown Hen
- Busy Little Bee
- Queen Bee
Goal #8 — Split and Stack 2 Cords of Wood for Next Winter
Nothing to report.
Goal #9 — Do Something with the 5,002 Photos on My Phone
No comment.
Goal #10 –Lose the Muffin Top
I bought 2 new pairs of jeans! The jeans fit my body type perfectly so I sent them back and ordered one size smaller. 😉 There are still 6.5 months left in the year. I better get a move on.
Goal #11 — Run, Walk or Crawl a 5k, 10k, Half Marathon and Marathon
Nothing new to report.
Goal #12 — Read or Listen to 26 New Books {14 down, 12 to go}
Thanks to all your recommendations for The Great Alone, I was finally able to listen to it this week and WOW. What an engrossing story. One night I even stayed up until 1:30 am listening to the audiobook. The book was so good, I put it at my #2 favorite book I have read/listened to this year.
Well done team! 🙂 Anymore suggestions? Where the Crawdads Sing
I am waiting my turn on the library wait list for the following audio books:
Books I’ve Read or Listened to So Far This Year:
- Marilla of Green Gables #1 Favorite
- The Great Alone #2
- Before We Were Yours #3
- Secrets of a Charmed Life #4
- Where’d You Go, Bernadette #5
- Carnegie’s Maid #6
- The Alice Network #7
- The Shape of Mercy #8
- Will’s Red Coat #9
- Big Little Lies #10
- Bunny Mellon {Doesn’t count because it was my second time}
- Walden
- Finder’s Keepers
- Delicious!
- Following Atticus
Goal #13 — Try 52 New Recipes.
14 down, 38 recipes to go.
I don’t think we tried any new recipes this past week, but I could use some help with all the leftover ham we have in the fridge. Something new. Any ideas? What is your favorite way to use leftover ham?
Goal #14 — Clean Up 52 Old Recipes on the Blog
8 down, 45 to go. Last week I cleaned up the Strawberry Pudding Cake recipe. I am behind on this goal big time, but once things slow down after gardening season, I think I’ll be able to knock a bunch of recipes out.
Goal #15 — Fill 100 Canning Jars 34 down, 66 to go.
Berry season is almost here! I don’t know how many strawberries or raspberries we’ll get this year, but I just noticed the farm stand down the road getting ready to open for the season.
So far this year I’ve I canned:
- 15 jars of Carrot Cake Jam
- 15 jars of Spiced Pear Jam
- 4 jars of Almond Pears.
Goal #16 — Finish Furnishing Our House
We didn’t stop at any garage sales or antique stores this week but I did snag 7 cds from the recycle center. 🙂 Which was a good thing because when Lucy was a pup, she chewed up the antenna wire in the back of the car and so we’ve been radio-less for like 6 years. 😉
Side note: That Bryan Adams cd So far So Good… Wowza! Talk about feeling like a teenager again. There are so many good songs on it.
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.
- 2 wing back chairs for the family room.
I’d also like to decorate the mantel in the keeping roomas well as put up some sort of decoration above the other32 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 {19 down, 32 to go}
For date day last week the HH and I were in Rhode Island and one of our stops was Casey Farm in Saunderstown, RI. We ended up getting a private tour around the farm and our host Shelia did an excellent job sharing the history of the farm. We had a blast. We joined Historic New England a few weeks ago and are looking forward to seeing how many historic properties we can see this year.
Next up, the Sarah Orne Jewett House in South Berwick, Maine. 🙂 {If you’ve got a favorite bakery or lunch spot in the area, do tell!}
Goal #18 — Take One Adult Education Class Done {I’ve taken 2!}
- I’m keeping the first class I took with my neighbor top secret for now {because it is directly related to my one of my secret holiday projects}
- Spoon Carving Class with heather.
Goal #19 — Secret {for now} Holiday Project – Keeping mum about it until early September
I just pulled this plate out of the kiln this morning! I had started to make a plate and then realized halfway through the drying process that I didn’t have the proper tints to color the slip for a traditional trailing slip plate. I ended up putting on a think layer of creamy white slip and decided to try my hand a sgraffito this time around. I have since ordered the special glazes {I think I’ll need} but still, you’ve got to start somewhere, right?
If I could go back in time, I would have made the tulip larger and not added the wing to the bird. I’ll add a glaze to the plate this week and then show you next Sunday what the finished product looks like. Even if it’s a total dud.
The goal is to create an entire set of old fashioned looking redware plates like the ones I’ve seen in the historic homes we’ve visited and the pages of Early American Life Magazine. Only time will tell if I’ll be any good at this.
Goal #20 — Create 12 Wowie Zowie Party Platters
4 down, 8 to go. Seriously slacking in this department. Maybe once berry season hits…
Goal #21 — Visit 12 General Stores
5 down 7 to go.
Anyone know of a good general store between the 95 south and the Route 1 heading towards the Southeast tip of Rhode Island? I am hoping to find a good general store for our road trip next week.
So far this year we’ve visited:
- Harrisville General Store
- Dodge’s Store in New Boston, New Hampshire
- Zeb’s General Store in North Conway, New Hampshire
- 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
Yesterday I came up with the MOST fabulous idea for a front door wreath! I can’t wait to show you. 🙂 🙂 🙂 It will knock Carole’s socks off.
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
- May: White wave petunia hanging basket
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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.
Leanna says
I love your recipe for quinoa bites.
Leanna says
https://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/easy-quinoa-recipes-ham-and-cheese-quinoa-bites/
Laura says
I loved Where the Crawdads Sing. I didn’t think I would. The Great Alone was my favorite book last year. Right now I’m listening to The Tattooist of Ausweitz. It’s a very sobering book.
If I’m reading it, I should know how to spell it, but sadly, I don’t. Those days have passed.
Mel says
Favorite ways to use ham: pasta salad, Hawaiian pizza, ham pot pie (cut any salt called for in the filling), split pea soup, on green salad, macaroni and cheese, sauteed with cabbage, ham and bean soup, baked potato soup, ham biscuits (plain or with egg and cheese), etc. Sliced ham also freezes really well.
I switched to mini weekly goals last week, and it seems to be working so much better. There’s so much stuff I need to do around the house before I’ll have time for my fun goals. Last week’s goals:
1. Restore cabinets and drawers to organized states (I’ve done all the kitchen drawers and cabinets except one, and I did the hall cabinets and basement drawers.)
2. Reorganize my closet (Done)
3. Clean out the laundry room (Done)
4. Organize work materials, which are stored at our house during renovations at my office (Started this–waiting on some things I ordered)
5. Update/Create first aid kits for people and pets (Nearly done–waiting on a few things I ordered)
6. Defrost and Clean Freezers (Didn’t get to it yet)
7. Get back to the treadmill (Done)
I also cleaned/reorganized our guest rooms, deep cleaned our bathroom, returned 6 roosters from our flock (slowly getting to a manageable number of birds), trellised the tomatoes, and cleaned out the coat closet.
This week, my mini goals are to:
1) Defrost and Clean freezers (carryover from last week)
2) Organize my work stuff (carryover from last week)
3) Finish the first aid kits (continued from last week)
4) Organize the downstairs bathroom
5) Declutter the sewing room
6) Start cleaning out the basement store room
7) Continue with the treadmill
Christine says
Sorry to bother you, but I think your recipe page has a redirect virus. I tried to search for coleslaw and got redirected to several unwanted sites. I’m using an iPad mini with current iOS (12.3.1).
Mavis Butterfield says
We checked on 4 different devices and couldn’t find a problem. Here is the recipe: https://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/super-bowl-recipes-kentucky-fried-chicken-cole-slaw/
Jennifer Bouknight says
I didn’t like Where the Crawdads Sing. Maybe it’s because I’m from the General area, idk. A great book I just read is The Day the World Came to Town. It’s about a small town in Newfoundland that had 38, I think airplanes land on 9/11 when the USA shut down our airspace. It spoke to the kindness of strangers and how to make the best out of a tough situation. As Americans, we didn’t even think about these other situations. So worth the read. I’m now reading Tony’s Wife by Adriana Trigiani. Everything she has written is great.
Katherine says
I’ll have to read The Day the World Came to Town. My parents were at the Waterford factory in Ireland on 9/11 and ended up with an extended stay there. To this day my mother talks about how kind everyone was giving folks free meals, free wifi time even free phone calls state side. They were absorbed into the community, well taken care of and invited to all of the prayer services and family dinners.
Carolina Cooper says
Favorite restaurant in South Berwick, Maine—FOGATY’S 471 Main Street.
Also, Strawberry Festival June 29th—all over town.
Carolina Cooper says
Oops-FOGARTY’S
Hawaii Planner says
For goals, I’m making some progress. I’m deep into a lot of yard work projects. In fact, I took a fence down with bolt cutters yesterday, and today I’m hoping to make progress on the ivy infestation before it gets too hot. Otherwise, we’re working on some home remodel type projects, and I will continue to work on my fitness/workouts.
Mary3M says
I am hoping you take special orders for the plates. I would love to buy a plate for my brother’s house: built in 1785. What a great memory and present for them. Any thoughts??
Mavis Butterfield says
🙂 First I need to figure out the whole process first. If it all works out, yes, I would be happy to make you a plate. It could take a few months of trial and error though.
mARY3M says
No hurry. Whenever you are ready just let me know!!!!! I can be your guinea pig! As a needlepointer I know how long things of quality can take to make and perfect!! Happy Plate Throwing!!
Katelyn says
Make sure you try the strawberries before you buy a lot. Often, cold wet springs like we’ve had leave the berries tasting bland and mushy. They’re okay for cooking, kinda, but not great for eating out of hand. Hopefully we get a positive turn in the weather soon!
Kim says
I think your plate looks beautiful! Granted I don’t know anything about the type of playes you’re trying to make, but I’m impressed.
Laura says
I agree on the plate–love the coloring and I think it will look great in the sideboard.
RE: ham. I am something of an expert in this department because I love a good ham but the rest of my family, not so much.
Our favorites: Croque Monsieur sandwiches (bechamel, Gruyere cheese, ham on bread), Ham and Potato soup (I have perfected this one by trial and error to the point where this is my college age son’s favorite meal!), and buckwheat crepes with Gruyere and ham. I have done others, but those are the big winners and are a little different from what many people do with leftover ham.
Good luck!
Laura says
I always love reading your Sunday post and checking on your progress!
Our family’s favorite leftover ham recipe is this goat cheese, artichoke and ham strata: https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/goat-cheese-artichoke-smoked-ham-strata. It’s great for dinner or breakfast/brunch (and we loved the leftovers). Second favorite on our list is Pasta w/ peppers, spinach and ham: Boil 12 oz of bowtie pasta in extra water (I usually do 8 – 10 quarts). While the the pasta is cooking, place a bag of spinach and two thinly sliced peppers into a collander. When the pasta is cooked pour the boiling water and hot pasta over the pepper and spinach – the water “cooks” them. Put the pasta, spinach and pepper sliced back in the pan where the pasta was cooked and toss (the spinach tends to clump together a bit), add 2-3 cups of diced ham, and finally mix in a container of soft spreadable cheese (like Alouette) in the flavor of your choice (our favorite is dried tomato if we can find it but garlic and herb cheese is also good). That’s it!
Christine Hagen says
Use leftover ham for ham salad. Just mayo, finely chopped sweet pickles and black pepper.
Mimi says
The plate looks just fine to me. Will be keeping an eye out for more. 🙂
I had high hopes for Where the Crawdads Sing but it really lost me about halfway through. Can’t recommend but that’s just me.
Patty P says
Thought of you today when we were on our way home from church and saw a turtle trying to make his way across the state road! I pulled right over and waved the car down that was coming down the road behind me and got the little guy safely off the road (headed in the same direction). Then I looked up and saw one of my former students watching me (pulled over in their truck)…and they said they were going to do the same thing! Glad people think about the turtles!
I also put up two teepee trellis’ in my garden today and planted some cucumbers at one and some birdhouse gourds at the other. I’ve never grown the birdhouse gourds, so I’m interested in how they turn out!
Thanks for sharing your updates on your goals…it’s one of my favorite posts of the week!
Julie says
When Crickets Cry, by Charles Martin Tremendous!!
Lauralli says
Have you ever heard of the Smithsonian & Swiss Village Farm in Newport, RI? I friend of mine went there this weekend…..it’s only open to visitors one day each year. It is a working farm to preserve rare and endangered breeds of food and fiber livestock. And, it’s in Newport! 🙂 Sounds like something you’d love!
Donna says
I enjoyed Kristin Hannah’s “The Great Alone” but I thought her book “Nightingale” was far better. It is a fabulous book set during WWII and was on our DAR reading list last year.
Linda says
My favorite meal with ham in it is escalloped potatoes w/ ham. I slice the potatoes and layer with ham and onions, adding bits of butter and once the casserole is nearly full w the layers, I top w more bits of butter and a can of evaporated milk (regular milk works, too, but evap is richer) then bake covered with foil or a lid for about an hour at 350. It is hard to mess this up, and sometimes I add Velveeta cheese as a layer or two. It is yummy.
Hanna McCown says
Mavis, did you make your own kiln or do you go to a local place to fire your pieces? Or, did you buy one? I do love the plate. Keep going at it because you’ll have a beautiful set.
Mavis Butterfield says
I bought a small kiln last summer. 🙂
Beth Linquist says
I just finished listening to Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly. So, soooo good. Plus there may be a garden for you to visit in Connecticut as one of the women in this story donated her home and garden to Connecticut Landmarks!
Tristen says
When I was little, my mom made ham and noodle casserole. Diced ham, egg noodles, can of cheddar cheese soup, lots of cheese and sour cream…nirvana to my 8 year old self. .
This recipe looked similar…
https://thesaltymarshmallow.com/ham-noodle-casserole/
Torry says
We use left over ham in omelets. And, by we, I mean my wonderful husband.
My goals:
1. Sew: I have cut out and serged 3 pairs of shorts for our grandson. Need to sew the hems and waistbands.
2. The shorts cut down my stash by a yard and a quarter. (Baby steps!)
3. I haven’t worked on any half done projects.
4. Walk every day. Yes.
5. 1 new recipe each week. No, not this week.
6. Still cleaning and decluttering. I’m going to enlist the help of my very good friend with one part of decluttering this coming week.
7. Date night with husband. Yes.
8. Read more. Yes.
9. Retire. Turning in my paperwork this week.
Nancy from mass says
There are a few in R.I. but I haven’t been to them yet;
Village barn country store in burrillville
Summit general store in Greene
Watch hill general store in westerly