My Big List of Things I’m Going to Do in 2021 – Week 43 of 52

Stay Healthy! 

Hello Fall. You look beautiful. The long walks with Lucy have started up again and with the daylight hours getting shorter, I think it’s more important than ever to get her outside and worn out before dark. She’s kind of like a toddler that way. You need to wear her out or they get a little crazy in the evenings. 

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

Weigh-ins are the first Sunday of each month.

• My October 3rd weigh in was 131.5
• 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 grass seed the HH planted after removing those two trees and leveling the area off has finally sprouted! The evening temps have been pretty cool lately so I wasn’t sure if it was going to work… but it did. 

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

The next big project on the honey do list is getting the boat out of the water. We’ll have to take the boat over to the public launch, get it on the trailer and haul it home {something we’ve never done before}. And then comes the fun part, pulling the floating dock up with a winch. 

The HH decided to buy a winch and do it himself rather than pay “dock guy” to do it. If we are able to pull the floating dock up ourselves, the winch will pay for itself after only 2 1/2 uses, plus, we’ll have a winch. 

Our neighbor {who’s a sailor} said he’d come over a supervise, so hopefully everything will work out. Learning something new is always a challenge, but being able to do something yourself, and saving a boatload of money in the long run, is pretty cool too. 

This year’s honey do list:

• 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

It wasn’t on my original list but I bought myself a set of “In the Forest” Mason Cash mixing bowls I had my eye on after one of my big rugs sold. Aren’t those little foxes adorable? 

• 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}

It was a good week in the “unplugged” department. Less time on the internet, and lot’s of fresh air. 

• 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 2 recipes! Chicken and roasted butternut squash casserole and roasted potatoes with sausage. 

I have shared 31 new recipes this year.

New recipes I’ve made this year:

• Steak and Potato Soup
• Cinnamon Peach Crisp
• The Best Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
• Smooth and Creamy Peanut Butter Cookies
• Ham and Potato Puff Pastry Tart
• Chicken Noodle Soup made with Costco Canned Chicken
• Pickled Red Onions
• Savory Tomato Jam
• Chicken Enchiladas with Costco Canned Chicken
• Baked Potato Casserole with Bacon and Chives
• Easy Zucchini Puff Pastry Tart
• Meatballs and Brown Gravy
• Savory Bacon Cheese and Onion Scones
• Banoffee Pie
• Chicken Salad with Costco Canned Chicken
• Chicken and Roasted Butternut Casserole
• 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 
• Roasted Potatoes with Sausage
• 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}

No new books this past week but I did watch The New Victoria for the first time and it was lovely. 

• American Country South by Mary Emmerling
• Remodelista by Julie Carlson
• The New England Colonial by 
• Living the Country Life by Better Homes and Gardens

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}

I probably don’t need this photo anymore. It was to remind me to look up “To Die For” dips because we bought one at Harman’s Cheese Shop in New Hampshire over 2 years ago and it was awesome. Last night I tried looking for the dip website but it was gone. Maybe they went out of business? Anyone know for sure? Man, it was a really good cheese dip too. 🙁

*I currently have 1270 photos on my phone. 

Clean Out My Closet

Yesterday was pretty chilly and so I wore a sweater. Now I only have 18 more hangers to turn around in my closet before the end of the year. 

My House Projects For This Year

I still need to finish painting the side of the house… but I think I’ll wait until next spring. I’m so done with painting right now. 

• Figure out new window treatments for the back of the house
• Come up with a game plan for the kitchen remodel {for 2022} {working on it!}
• 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

The only thing left on my garden to-do list is plant 4,000 flower bulbs. WHENEVER THEY GET HERE! Hopefully I won’t be planting them in the snow. 

My worker man still has a few projects though, clear the brush along the deck, and finish pruning the area that faces the road. Birdhouse birdhouse building, I think we’ll save that for December. 

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 8657 sales on Etsy}. Only 1343 to go!

That means I’ll have to sell 19.46 items a day until the end of the year to hit my goal.  I believe in miracles. 🙂 

Create 12 New Rug Hooking Patterns or Kits {13 so far this year!} DONE!

On Friday I added two more rug hooking patterns/kits to my collection, both were my adaptations of Doreen Frost patterns; The Pumpkin Ladye & Her Deare Companion and Olde Heritage Turkey. This means I can check this goal off my list. Yee-Haw!

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

• The Pumpkin Ladye & Her Deare Companion
• Olde Heritage Turkey
• October Stroll
• Double Olde Salem Cats Runner
• Olde Salem Cat
• 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!

This week I added a few angels and some simple white trees. The ornament section of my Etsy shop is fully stocked and 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
• #14 Angels
• #15 Simple White Trees

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

Casco Bay Soap Company! Maine right here in Maine. I’ve had my eye on these soaps for a while now and I’m excited to give them a try. I’ll be placing my order later today, I’ll let you know how I like them. 🙂

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 
• Moody’s Diner in Waldoboro, Maine
• 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