My Big List of Things I’m Going to Do in 2021 – Week 39 of 52

Stay Healthy! 

Another great week of working in the yard… and shooing turkeys off the back porch. 🙂

You know the scene from Harry Potter when all the owls descend on his house? Well that’s what it’s been like around here the past few days only with turkeys instead of owls. 

We’ve had them in the front yard, the backyard and I even spotted 2 groups of them as I was driving around town yesterday. It was crazy.

Weigh What I Weighed When We Got Married  {128 pounds}

Weigh-ins are the first Sunday of each month.

• My September 5th weigh in was 131.4
• My August 1st weight in was 131.4
• My July 4th weigh in was 129.0
• My June 6th weigh in was 129.6
• My May 2nd weigh in was 131.0
• My April 18th weigh in was 129.9 {after 18 days of being on the low iodine diet}
• My April 4th weigh in was 133.4 
• My March 7th weigh in was 135.6
• My February 7th weigh in was 137.3
• My January 3rd weigh in was 140.7

Keep My Husband Busy 

The clean up continues… We are currently working on the side of the house. It’s amazing how quickly vines and saplings and all sorts of random plants can take over an area if you don’t keep up on it. 

On a side note, while trimming things back, we discovered 2 good sized maple trees that would be great for tapping. Our own maple syrup. How cool would that be? I’ll have to do some research though to see what all it involves. 

The HH’s Honey Do List {so far} for 2021 

• Build a new set of stairs down to the water. The old set… it’s not exactly useable.
• Build a firepit near the edge of the property. {DONE!}
• Build a picnic table near the birch trees for summer lunches {Done!}
• Build 4 or 6 garden boxes for his little lady {we did raised beds this year instead}}
• Build a boatload of birdhouses for the {soon to be} bird sanctuary 
• Create a garden path/walkway for the front garden {DONE!}
• Remodel the bathroom in the hallway {DONE!}
• Install some sort of driveway border
• Install a workspace for me in the basement for dying wool
• Install a fence in the front for Lucy {DONE!}
• Build a set of 3 bookshelves in the dining room for me {DONE!}
• Install a trailer hitch on the car {DONE!}

Things We’d Like to Buy

No new purchases this week, but I did spot the sweetest super mini pumpkins at the farmstand though for only a quarter. 

• A dinghy 
• Clothesline
• Archery Set {every camp should have archery!}
• Kitchen table and chairs 
• Sideboard 
• Bench for the entryway 
• A full size washer and dryer set {the house came with a small stackable w/d set} 
• Deck chairs and a patio table set {Going the picnic table route instead}
• A set of 4 Adirondack chairs for the fire pit area  {I LOVE these chairs!}
• BBQ {He bought a Blackstone Griddle instead!}
• 2 More Kayaks

Unplug As Much As Possible {but still keep the blog, FB and Instagram}

This mornings entertainment…. RAIN. 

Unplugging is cool…. 

• Goodbye Facebook {Done!}
• Goodbye Amazon Prime {Done!} $119 a year
• Goodbye Hulu {Done!} $54.99 a month *
• Goodbye Netflix {Done!} $7.99 a month
• Goodbye PicMonkey {Done!} $50 a year
• Goodbye keeping my cell phone in my back pocket and checking it constantly {so far so good}
• Limit time online to 3 hours a day {for writing, working, and Etsy} 

* Hulu is actually now $64.99 a month for the live tv version {live sports, live news}. You can get it for $5.99 a month but all that does is play tv shows and old movies {with ads}.

Try 24 New Recipes {and remember to link them here} DONE!

This week I posted a recipe for the best oatmeal raisin cookies {they’re made with molasses!}.

I have shared 26 new recipes this year! Wahoo. 

New recipes I’ve made this year:

• Steak and Potato Soup
• Cinnamon Peach Crisp
• The Best Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
• Chicken Noodle Soup made with Costco Canned Chicken
• Pickled Red Onions
• Savory Tomato Jam
• Chicken Enchiladas with Costco Canned Chicken
• Easy Zucchini Puff Pastry Tart
• Meatballs and Brown Gravy
• Savory Bacon Cheese and Onion Scones
• Banoffee Pie
• Chicken Salad with Costco Canned Chicken
• Classic Strawberry Jam Recipe
• Lobster Mac and Cheese Recipe
• Rhubarb Pineapple Pie
• Creamy Scalloped Potatoes with Ham
• Chicken and Green Bean Casserole 
• Chocolate Chip Sea Salt Cookies
• Lemon Meringue Pie
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Apples
• White Beans and Ham
• Colcannon
• Tuna Wiggle 
• Grilled Steak Tips with Garlic Butter
• Seville Orange Marmalade
• Jalapeno Cheddar No Knead Dutch Oven Bread
• Hearty Cheeseburger Soup

Read {or Listen to} 12 New Books about Maine {or written by Maine Authors}

I picked up For the Love of White: The White and Neutral Home and Annie Sloan’s Room Recipes for Style and Color for $2.00 each at the library and added both of them to my stack of winter reading books. 

Pretty soon the garden chores will be done for the year and I’ll be able to spend my extra time in front of the woodstove sipping hot cocoa and reading in the afternoons instead of playing in the dirt. 

I absolutely LOVE that there are four true seasons here in Maine, and I especially love wintertime. 

Books about Maine {or written by Maine authors} I’ve read this year:

1. Christina Olson Her World Beyond the Canvas
2. Andrew Wyeth: A Secret Life
3. Finding Freedom
4. Maine’s Favorite Birds
5. At First Light: Two Centuries of Maine Artists, Their Homes and Studios
6. Bernard Langlais at the Colby College Museum of Art
7. The 3,000 Mile Garden
8. Becoming Teddy Roosevelt 
9. Here On The Island
10. The Lobster Coast 
11. A Small Farm in Maine

Audiobooks I’ve listened to {or attempted to listen to} this year: 

• The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah {I give it a 10/10}
• The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy {9.5/10}
• The Midnight Library by Matt Haig {I’d give it a 7/10}
• Wintering by Katherine May {Hit the return button after 7 minutes}

Get 24 Stories Off My Phone and onto the Blog  ** SEE NEW GOAL BELOW **

Try Everything That Head Tide Oven Offers This Summer

Head Tide Oven is closed for the season but my adventures there were fun while they lasted. 

Items I’ve Tried From Head Tide Oven in Damariscotta, Maine this summer:

Breads

• Dark Rye Sourdough Bread
• Light Rye Sourdough Bread
• Sourdough Kalamata Olive Bread
• Sourdough Green Olive Bread
• Sourdough Bread 
• Flat Sourdough Bread
• Baguette 
• Walnut Raisin Sourdough Bread
• Vollkornbrot Sourdough Bread

Cookies/Bars

• Raspberry Jam Bar
• Ginger Cookie x2
• Swedish Cookie
• Almond Bar 
• Anise Sesame Biscotti
• Pan Forte x2

Pies and Cakes

• Chocolate Cake with a chocolate ganache 
• Peach Pie
• Lemon Thyme Pie x2
• Blueberry Pie
• Cherry Pie
• Cherry Rhubarb Pie
• Blueberry Hand Pie
• Lemon Hand Pie

Get the Photos on My Phone Down to Less Than 1,000 {started the year with 2863 photos}

If you are looking for a beet the size of your head, I can hook you up. 

*I am down to 1232 photos.

Clean Out My Closet

I still have about 20-25 tops I haven’t worn yet this year and if those hangers don’t get turned around by December 31st, the clothes are headed to the thrift store.

My House Projects For This Year

I think I’m burnt out on painting because everyday I find another excuse not to finish painting the back of the house {it’s only half painted right now}. I mean really, who’s going to notice? The turkeys? The deer? 

I know I need to suck it up and just get it done. But still. 

• Figure out new window treatments for the back of the house
• Come up with a game plan for the kitchen remodel {for 2022} 
• Paint the family room walls and trim {DONE!}
• Paint the entryway trim and doors {DONE!}
• Paint the dining room walls and trim {DONE!}
• Paint the master bedroom walls and trim {DONE!}
• Paint the barn and add a new fixture 
• Paint the hallway bathroom {DONE!}

My List of Garden Projects For This Year I want to Accomplish

I think we have about 2 more weeks of garden clean up before the bulb delivery, and another few weeks to go yet before the temps dip down near freezing before I need to harvest the winter squash. Other than those two things… I think we’re almost done with the garden projects for this year.

Well, the HH still needs to build a few bird houses for me, but I’m saving that one for later this year when he looks like he could use a good project. 🙂 Ha! 

Still left on the list:

• Install a simple flower bed border in front of the house {Done}
• Start a lasagna garden
• Install a boatload of birdhouses/feeders in the side yard {re-thinking this one}
• Transplant evergreen saplings to the side of property for a privacy border {Done}
• Clean up and prune the area that faces the road {working on it}
• Install a vegetable garden {Done}
• Install a sunflower patch {decided for a row along the side of the barn instead}
• Plant 2,500 flower bulbs in the fall

Reach 10,000 Sales on Etsy {as of this morning I’ve made 8403 sales on Etsy}. Only 1597 to go! 

Yesterday I dyed wool, so today I’ll take photos and get the bundles up on Esty. I’ve also been busy hooking rugs this past week but will wait to list those until October 9th so I can list all of them at once. 

Create 12 New Rug Hooking Patterns or Kits {8 down 4 to go}

I just finished hooking pattern/kit #9 and will be working on pattern/kit #10 next. They are Halloween inspired rugs so I’m hoping to have it done in the next 10 days or so for others to hook for this season. 

New Rug Hooking Kits or Patterns I’ve Created This Year:

• Betty’s Big Chicken
• Tulia and Thomas Turkey
• Spooky Pumpkin
• Cape Cod 1829 New England Whale and Sailboat
• Nantucket Whale
• 1820 Flower Basket
• Bunny Love
• Old Mr. Squirrel

Create 12 New Ornaments for 2021 Done!

No new ornaments this week but the ornament section in my Etsy shop is fully stocked and I’m ready for the holiday rush. 

2021 Ornaments I’ve Made So Far

• #1  Ladybug Heart 
• #2 Strawberry
• #3 Mr. Turkey
• #4 Whale Tails
• #5 Bee Skep
• #6 Loon
• #7 Simple White Cross
• #8 Miniature Candy Canes
• #9 Miniature Red Mittens
• #10 Sgraffito Owl
• #11 Penguin 
• #12 Pear
• #13 Brown Chicken

2021 Garlands I’ve Made So Far

• #1 Heart Garlands
• #2 Bunny Garlands
• #3 Strawberry Garlands
• #4 Whale Tail Garlands

Discover 12 Made in Maine Products and Share Them on the Blog

I have discovered several more Maine products this year but since I plan on doing a few “Maine” giveaways later this year I don’t want to spoil the surprise so I’ll wait and share them then.

Made in Maine Products I’ve Discovered in 2021:

• Hearth and Harrow Tea Towels in Rockport, Maine
• Royal Rose Syrups in Newcastle, Maine
• Ash Cove Pottery in Harpswell, Maine
• Uncas Farms Pure Maple Syrup

Visit 6 Lighthouses in Maine

4 down, 2 to go! 

Lighthouses We’ve Visited So Far This Year:

• Southern Island Light in Tenants Harbor, Maine
• Doubling Point Lighthouse in Arrowsic, Maine
• West Quoddy Lighthouse in Lubec, Maine
• Pemaquid Point Lighthouse in Bristol, Maine

Lighthouses I’ve Been to in Maine Before 2021:

• Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse
• Marshall Point Lighthouse
• Portland Head Light

Other places in Maine We’ve Been to This Year Are:

• Moose Crossing Garden Center Waldoboro, Maine
• Lil’s Cafe
• The Farnsworth Art Museum 
• Beth’s Farm Market
• Owl’s Head Transportation Museum 
• Owls Head General Store
• Hedgerow Market in Martinsville, Maine
• Longfellow’s Greenhouses and Nursery in Manchester, Maine
• Fresh Off The Farm in Rockport, Maine
• Wasses Hot Dogs in Rockland, Maine
• Langlais Sculpture Preserve – Cushing, Maine
• McLoons Lobster Shack

So that’s it. That’s my progress report for this past week. How about YOU? Did you make any goals for 2021? Have you checked any of them off your list yet? 

Have a great one, 

~Mavis