My 22 Goals for 2019 – Week 38 of 52

My 22 Goals for 2019

Goal #1 — Spend More Time Doing What I Love

I think we only have about 60% of the boxes unpacked, but the best part is all nervous energy is gone and I don’t even care that we’re sleeping on a mattress on the floor or that our stuff is strewn all over the house.  In another week or so things will be in their place, we’ll have a proper bed to sleep in and I’ll have found the hairdryer.

Moving is super stressful, but all the hard stuff is over now {well, the HH does still have to put the treadmill together but that’s his problem, not mine}. 😉

Goal #2 — Garden, Garden, Garden

The color pallet for the front garden at the new place is going to be blue, pink, white and green. I’ve already ordered 200 white, and 200 pink tulip bulbs as well as 500 tiny grape hyacinth {muscari} to plant in the front flower bed. {Don’t you think that’s a dreamy color combination?}

Now all I need to do is hunt down 9 blue hydrangea plants and about 36 baby gem boxwoods and I’ll be good to go. Oh, and maybe one or two pink common hibiscus for the tall corner in the front. And then HEY… I can settle in for winter and worry about the rest later. 😉

Also, I thought I’d mention that Botanical Interests is offering 30% off seeds right now in case you wanted to do a little late fall/winter sowing. {I’ll be planting a bunch of poppy seeds just before the first hard freeze}.

Goal #3 — Plant an Orchard {Calling it Quits on this one.}

I never did get around to planting an orchard, but Lemon and all but 2 of her babies survived the journey and the new place has a plum tree so that part is good. And, I think there might be room for an espalier tree or two at the back of the new house so I may get an orchard after all. But, it wouldn’t be planted until next spring.

Goal #4 — Gussy Up the Potting Shed Done!

I left the potting bench but took the party lights with me.

Goal #5 — Grow Enough Extra Vegetables, Eggs and Flowers to Earn $1500 at my little roadside vegetable stand.

It was totally my intention to grow a ton of fruits and vegetables to sell at the farm-stand when I made my list of goals for 2019 last winter, but then we moved. So, that whole goal was sort of a bust. The new peeps wanted the vegetable stand, and we were happy to leave it for them since it was made specifically to match the front of the house, so hopefully the tradition will continue.

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 finally finished the turkey rug I’ve been working on the past few weeks along with a few other things and I was able to upload them to my Etsy shop this weekend. I also hooked another pumpkin and a cat head and will try to get those listed along with some new wool bundles later this week.

I still have a ton of things to hook if I’m going to meet my goal of clearing out my pattern bin, but I think once November and December roll around, the HH won’t be able to pry me off the couch because I’ll be in full on hooking mode and I’ll be able to finish all my rugs by the end of the year.

• 73 rugs in my pattern bin {now down to 34}
• 183 hooked flowers {finished 133, now down to 51}
• 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} DONE!

So far this year I’ve added 12 new rug hooking patterns and 13 beginner rug hooking kits to my Etsy shop.

New rug hooking patterns I’ve created and added to My Etsy Shop this year:

• Tullia and Thomas Turkey
• 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

Rug Hooking Kits

• Busy Little Bee {in 2 different colors}
• Folk Art Heart
• Small Nantucket Whale
• Primitive Crow
• Miss Robin {in 2 different colors}
• Simple Kitty
• Primitive Flowers
• Sunflowers
• A Basket of Spring Posies
• Fat Brown Hen
• Chicky’s Garden

Goal #8 — Split and Stack 2 Cords of Wood for Next Winter 

All that firewood! We sold it. 😉

Goal #9 — Do Something with the 5,002 Photos on My Phone

Current number of photos on phone is 10 million.

Goal #10 –Lose the Muffin Top

I went out for a walk yesterday and guess what I spotted… A little hello from Mrs. HB. Hahaha! I still think it’s weird there are people walking the streets and picking their teeth. Why can’t they do this in the privacy of their own homes? WHY!? WHY!? I just don’t understand.

Goal #11 — Run, Walk or Crawl a 5k, 10k, Half Marathon and Marathon

Hey! I have picked out not only a 5k Turkey Trot but a half marathon as well. Looks like this goal will be wrapped on Thanksgiving. Saaaweet!

Goal #12 — Read or Listen to 26 New Books {17 down, 8 to go}

I finished Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand and highly recommend it. And also requested a few more audiobooks.

Currently on Request:

• I Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron
• Mr. Churchill’s Secretary by Susan Elia MacNeal
• The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Books I’ve Read or Listened to So Far This Year:

• Marilla of Green Gables #1 Still my favorite
• The Great Alone #2
• The Aviator’s Wife #3
• Before We Were Yours #4
• Secrets of a Charmed Life #5
• Where’d You Go, Bernadette #6
• Carnegie’s Maid #7
• The Gown #8
• Unbroken #9
• The Alice Network #10
• The Shape of Mercy #11
• Will’s Red Coat #12
• Big Little Lies #13
• Bunny Mellon  {Doesn’t count because it was my second time}
• On Writing {Doesn’t count because it was my third time}
• Walden
• Finder’s Keepers
• Delicious!
• Following Atticus

Goal #13 — Try 52 New Recipes.

24 down, 30 recipes to go. OCTOBER. October is going to be my month for cooking!

Goal #14 — Clean Up 52 Old Recipes on the Blog

9 down, 44 to go. I’ll get crackin’ once fall {and cooler temps} come around.

Goal #15 — Fill 100 Canning Jars 48 down, 52 to go.

I won’t be able to get any canning done in the next few weeks but I am planning on getting some jam on the shelves for us to use on toast as well as to give away this Christmas. I’ll probably need at least another month to get settled in though.

Oh! And get this. The new house has a root cellar… AND the perfect spot for storing canned goods. 😉 I’ll have to show you the space when I get some time.

So far this year I’ve I canned:

• 7 jars Peach Jam
• 7 jars of Strawberry Jam
• 15 jars of Carrot Cake Jam
• 15 jars of Spiced Pear Jam 
• 4 jars of Almond Pears.

Goal #16 — Finish Furnishing Our House

So here’s the funny thing…. Even though we sold the old house and a boatload of furniture, I am still keeping this goal. I already have my eye on some pieces for the family room and then all I need is a new bed and we’re good to go. The new place is much smaller than the old one and so getting the entire house furnished by the end of the year, is going to be a snap. High five for downsizing.

Goal #17 – 52 Dates with the HH {28 down, 24 to go}

We went to a fancy-schmancy restaurant to celebrate.  😉

Goal #18 — Take One Adult Education Class Done {I’ve taken 3!}

1. I’m keeping the first class I took with my neighbor top secret for now {Mel know’s what it is though} 😉
2. Spoon Carving Class with Heather.
3. Mini pottery lesson {I loved it! and now I want to sign up for a full class}

Goal #19 — Secret {for now} Holiday Project

The big reveal will be on Friday, November 1st.

So now you know why I had to push back the date on the big reveal. I have all the supplies on hand to get started and my practice piece done, but I still have boxes to unpack and the need to get the majority of the house in order before I start on the main holiday project as its going to need it’s own little assembly line set up.

Goal #20 — Create 12 Wowie Zowie Party Platters

5 down, 7 to go. Finally! I made some pickety bits. 😉

Goal #21 — Visit 12 General Stores

8 down 4 to go.

So far this year we’ve visited:

• Chase’s Daily {I think it should count}
• Squam Lake Marketplace
• 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

I can still compete with Carole from afar, right?

Once we get closer to Halloween I’ll hang Mrs. HB’s spectacular Halloween wreath she sent me. But for now, I’ll settle for a few pumpkins and a swag of Indian corn on the door.

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
• June/July: Tin Star and Flag Bunting
• August : Sunflower
• September: Indian corn and pumpkins

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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! 🙂

Have a great day everyone,

♥ Mavis

You can read more about my 22 goals for 2019 HERE.

Have a Great Day!