“The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.” ~ Oprah Winfrey
My goals for 2018
Goal #1 – Write Like No One is Reading.
“Close the door. Write with no one looking over your shoulder. Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It’s the one and only thing you have to offer.” ~ Barbara Kingsolver
Goal #2 – Slow Down
Lately I’ve been working on stitching up some homemade linen curtains for the downstairs windows. Nothing fancy, just something simple and period appropriate for our house. The previous owners had some beautiful linen roman shades installed in a couple of the windows many years ago.
I loved the roman shades so much, that I figured I’d just have the same ones installed all over the house. That was until I called the company who installed the shades to inquire about the price. I nearly fell off my chair when the lady on the other line said the shades were $300 per window {with a few of the windows being more than that!} $4,000 for window treatments? Ummmm no.
$400 for window treatments I can make myself and that look a little more period appropriate for our colonial style home? Yes. I can do that. 😉 I’ll share pictures when I get them all sewn.
Goal #3 – Shop Small
- Bought our gas from a local mom and pop country store
- Bought a handmade mug from Sue Tirrell
- Bought a chainsaw from a local {totally not big box} store
Goal # 4 – Have a Designated Meal Prep Day
Nope. Maybe designated meal prep days aren’t all they are cracked up to be when you work from home, don’t have kids to run all over town and are a homebody. Hmmm. I may have to rethink this one.
Goal #5 – Install a Vegetable Garden
Well, I said I wasn’t going to do it, but I ended up having 4 yards of garden compost delivered. We had to have a load of loam delivered to fill a giant hole {we had an old oil tank removed} and so I went ahead and placed a second order from the nursery so we could enrich the garden beds. The good news is the soil looks great. The bad news is we have to move it. Luckily though, the weather this week should be in the low to mid 60’s and there is only one day with a chance of rain. Good times.
Goal #6 – Clear Land for a Chicken Coop and Future Raised Garden Bed Area
We took Lucy’s babies outside for the first time yesterday and after about 30 seconds of total awkwardness, they were all about the scratching and pecking. Their first big trip outside, it was fun to watch, and Mama Lucy was right by their side.
Goal #7 – Grow 500 Pounds of Vegetables
Onions will be planted just as soon as we get that yummy compost over to the garden area. {I’m hoping for today!} Also, I talked to a lady at a local nursery and she said I need to wait a few weeks before setting out cold hardy plants like cabbage and chard. She said spring doesn’t really happen around here anymore… That one day BOOM… it’s 80 degrees and it’s instantly summer and that is when you run outside and plant everything. Funny stuff!
Goal #8 – Hook 100 Rugs
I still have 62 rugs to go before I can check this goal off my list. I didn’t get any hooking done on my big double chicken rug, but I did work on a few pillows and this pink tulip flower rug. Anyone else work on 10 projects at a time? Seriously, what is up with that? Why can’t I just stay focused on one thing?
Goal #9 – Make a Set of Dolls
I plan to make a set {or two} of primitive dolls later this year after the garden has been put to bed.
Goal #10 – Make a Sampler, Frame it and Hang it on the Wall
1 down, 1 more to go. I’ll probably work on the second one this fall and then get the samplers hung on the wall. I’ve been looking for second hand frames at the local thrift stores but so far, no dice. Who knew it would be so hard to find a plain, flat, square pine frame?
Goal #11 – Visit 22 Bakeries
If you’ve ever wondered if one could live on pastries and tea alone… I would have to go with a YES, YES YOU CAN. Being the supportive mother that I am, while The Girl was running the Boston Marathon on Monday, I was in Tatte Bakery sipping a London Fog and picking up victory treats for after the race. Because seriously, one can only stand in the freezing rain BLOWING SIDEWAYS for only so long. It was a tough job, but someone had to to do it.
Goal #12 – Start a Collection
No treasures this week. I tried to buy a dining room table for the art studio for $35 at a thrift store but the HH said the table would not fit in the wagon. {I argued that it would with the legs removed and if we put it in the car at an angle. Note to self: Never have husband tag along on furniture buying expeditions.
Goal #13 – Read {or listen to} 26 Books
I picked up Mason Jar Nation from the library and I am LOVING IT! There is tons of history, pictures and Ideas packed in between the pages and I highly recommend this book for canners!
Books I’ve read or listened to so far this year:
- Tasha Tudor’s Heirloom Crafts
- Tasha Tudor’s Garden
- Colonial: Design in the New World
- A Secret Gift
- Colonial: Designs in the New World
- Bad Days in History
- New England Farmgirl
- Founding Gardeners
- The Bookshop Around the Corner
- The Bassoon King
Goal #14 – Try 12 New Canning Recipes
This tree. I am fairly certain it is a fruit tree but just look at the poor thing. You can tell that many years ago something happened to the tree and it split. The thing is though, there are tons of buds {and soon to be blossoms} all over it’s branches.
I plan to tackle this part of the garden area this week cleaning up leaves, pulling up vines and getting the area ready to plant with winter squash. But what would you do about this tree? Just leave it and see what kind of fruit it offers up? Cut off the giant limb on the right? Cut the whole thing down and replace the tree next spring? Just leave it be until it dies? I need your advice!
Goal #15 – Secret {for now} Holiday Project
I’m hoping I only have 7 weeks to go before my “big ticket” item arrives so I can get started {practicing} on my big winter holiday project. I’ll be headed into Boston later this week to pick up a few more supplies so I’ll be ready to when the main project piece gets here. The goal is to practice over the summer months and then start working on my big holiday project this fall.
How about YOU? Did you set any goals for 2018? How are they coming along?
~Mavis
Read About My 2018 Goals HERE.
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Diane says
Do you have a contact for the previous owners to ask if they had fruit or nut trees? I’m surprised you didn’t ask them when you were buying it! I can’t wait to see your garden develop! I’ll bet you get more than 500 pounds!
Shari Harniss says
I’ve always liked ‘wonky’ trees. So much more interesting than the regular ones. I think it’s an example of resilience. I could learn from that tree. You?
Shari in Columbus, GA
Lauralli says
Yes! This tree is a metaphor for life! It continues to live (and possibly bear fruit) despite its circumstances! Let it live please!
Connie says
I would leave the tree for now. Give yourself a year to familiarize yourself with what s there and then execute your vision for the property.
Wendy says
If that is a fruit tree, at least it will be very easy to pick from! You might even get netting over it to keep your harvest from the birds.
UpstateNYer says
I would wait a year of seasons to see what pops up and grows. Then prune in fall and plan growing areas for next spring. This could be a year of clean up and construction. I’m sure you will be pleasantly surprised.
Diana says
Trees can be very resilient. I would leave the split tree alone to see what, if any, fruit it is. Remember, when you move into a new place, give it a year to find out all of the treasures and make decisions. Despite the split, this tree could be a treasure and give wonderful fruit. If that’s the case, then I would try to clone/graft it before you get rid of it. Or maybe not get rid of it and let it do it’s thing – until it can’t.
Good Luck!
Oh, and don’t sweat the 10 projects at once, lol. Most of us have that as a minimum going at the same time. Relax and ENJOY. It’s ok to have multiple projects going on. When you get bored with one, you work on another. It’s FUN to have multiple things going on – so much more interesting.
Mel says
I’ve never had luck with one-day meal prep, so I was interested to see whether or not you’d like it. If it’s not working as well as you’d like, I wonder if a hybrid system would work better. If you know you want beans every Saturday, make an enormous batch of them and freeze. If you know you like party platters or “picky” meals once a week, just make sure those items are on the weekly shopping list since that’s fast prep. That’s two meals a week done.
Beyond that, look for fast or hands-off prep for the other nights–a weekly crockpot option, a roasted option (e.g., roast a chicken one night but make chicken salad the next), a pasta option (with fresh, storebought, or frozen sauce). And if you love pastries, you really could eat them for dinner–buy or make puff pastry (some bakeries sell it, as do grocery stores) and make ham and cheese or broccoli and cheese pockets. Or, freeze quiches.
In other words, I wonder if it would make more sense to plan items that are fast and easy on their own so you can make them each day instead of devoting one day to prep it all.
Lolly says
I was curious about the one day meal prep, too. In theory, it sounds good….but my past experience has taught me not to count on certain things on certain days…..cause as soon as I plan on something happening every tuesday…..lo and behold….it never happens. Lol! My dh’s schedule is all over the place, and so our days are different all the time!
I DO try to make double meals about two times a week….freezing the second meal for when I can’t (or really, don’t want to!) cook. It doesn’t normally take too much longer to double a recipe….and so I normally havr a few extra meals in the freezer.
But planning ahead makes sense to me…. Idk. I just got an instant pot, so I’m contemplating planning some meals to freeze ahead of time for it…. Maybe for me, planning several meals ahead of time, but only once a month, might work (NOT OAMC, though, but 4-6ish meals….). It’ll build up extra meals but not be a weekly thing and NOT be as huuuge of a task as OAMC.
Mel says
Yes, I don’t work in the summer, so I spend almost the whole thing cooking triple (or more) batches of things to freeze. It usually gets me over 100 meals, or enough for several months. But I do the combined method (some make ahead, some just fast) in the summer when I’m trying to fill instead of empty the freezer. I find summer foods (pasta salads, BLTs, etc.) lend themselves to making ahead anyway, so it works out well for us. We then switch to freezer meals for fall and winter and slowly transition back as they run low.
Lissa says
Love this blog–I just found it and am reading my way through all the post. It’s wonderful to see a blogger who interacts in the conversations in the comments. Excited to see what the fruit tree turns out to be. When our kids were at home I used to try to cook 2 things on the weekend to help with the busy week, but now that we are empty nesters I don’t. I try to have a rough idea of what I’m planning, but lots of room to change my mind. Looking forward to seeing the curtain. WHERE do you get your energy?
Libby says
I received my April invoice from the electric company and they always show the average temperature for my area (CT) for each month. This year the April average was 40 while last year it was 51. This is an extremely cold spring so far. I like the advice you received from the woman at the nursery.
I think we may have turned the corner looking at the forecast for the next 10 days – YEAH!
Brianna says
I grew up in a neighborhood with a huge crabapple tree. We use to climb it after school and get apples. Nobody owned it or took care of it. It split one hard winter and all those huge heavy branches were permanently on the ground and it was left as was. After 20+ years since that incident the tree has spread across the ground and is like a huge crabapple bush. The deer love it in the fall. It is the ugliest tree, but an amazing producer. I’d give your tree a chance for the season and see what fruit it bears and how much. If you like the fruit, maybe consider grafting it like a previous reader mentioned. A tree like that isn’t ordinary and has a history and is a survivor. Maybe it was damaged from a hurricane or a cold snap, but someone didn’t cut it down probably for a reason.
Wendy M says
Another vote for leave the tree for a year and see what it does. We have a relative with a haphazard apple tree like that (very old and apparently went through some previous trauma.) It still grows amazing apples!
sharon says
Please test the soil in several areas where you pulled up the oil tanker. You want to make sure there is contamination.
I vote keep the tree.
sharon says
Isn’t not is. lol
Teri says
I would keep the tree; depending on how far away from your house it is. At least I would want to wait and see if it produces much fruit and what kind.
KC says
You can’t fit *everything* in a station wagon, but it’s amazing what you can fit. I had a friend who moved and borrowed our car, and after the fact said that the armchair she had couldn’t possibly fit in it… but, actually, our car was what brought that particular fabulous armchair home from the thrift store (to its previous owner, a mutual friend). It *did* take a lot of wiggling and lifting it in at a truly bizarre angle, though (it had to be put in such that the back of the chair was facing towards the ceiling of the car, and the front of the back was against the floor of the car, and then had to be moved further into the trunk and lifted by the base of the chair slowly until the rear corner of the base got past the hinge area of the trunk door, and then scooted the rest of the way in), but if you know the car well enough and you’re good at tetris, you have a good chance of getting away with these things. 🙂
I endorse, though, bringing a measuring tape with you when you go hunting – it’s quicker to more definitively confirm/deny whether something will fit in there (at an angle or otherwise).
Terri says
With all of your yard projects, let the tree go for now to see what it is. I’m guessing it’s “out back”.
Peg says
I’d leave the husband at home and go back and get that table. If there’s a will, there’s a way!
Heather says
I love your goals and have kept up with them for two years! I grew up in upstate New York and one thing we did was organize our work by season. Since the winter are long and leave little outside/gardening work we did certain projects in the winter like sewing, rug hooking, etc… Good luck with your new home!
Lissa says
How do you figure out the pounds/tons of food you grow?
lynne says
your comment about working on more than one project (hooking)…my goal this year is to finish at least 7 of the 14 quilts that are in progress. I’ve got 4 tops done, that’s the easy part – now comes the sandwiching and quilting and putting on the binding. Fun times indeed! LOL!!! LynneinWI
Mavis Butterfield says
14 quilts at once! Lynne!!!! You go girl.
Linda says
Mavis, when my garden pictures were on your blog, I wrote about the Greek Sweet Red squash that I grow. You wrote that you would like to try it, so if you want, I’d be happy to send you some seeds for this gardening year. Squash bugs leave it completely alone, so I plant my pumpkins with it also. It’s sweet, large and wonderful.
Mel says
I’ve been thinking about ordering that from Baker Creek, as we have a terrible time with squash bugs. How large are the vines?
Linda says
They’re large Mel, but worth the space.
Mavis Butterfield says
Linda that is very kind of you to offer, thank you.
Linda says
Mavis email me your address and I will send them to you. I sent you an email last week about having one of the collection pieces you’d like.
Gale says
Instead of a pine frame, maybe find some old barn or fence wood. I wanted a weathered look for a piece of needlework and the framer didn’t have anything close. So, I went curb shopping and found someone who replaced a wooden fence and stacked the old wood at the curb. I salvaged 4 good pieces and took to the framer. He made me just what I wanted and I gave him the extra wood for someone else.
jan says
AWWW….you have a “Harriet” tree!! My grandma had a tree that was tumbled down like that for years! She was a very special Pear tree! Ginger pears are one of my most favorite things because of her!
She has survived for many years so celebrate her! We can’t all be gorgeous! LOL
Mavis Butterfield says
I have always loved the name Harriet. So now, our mystery tree shall be called Harriet! 🙂
jan says
How nice! She’ll be special! I can’t wait till she leafs out for you and you see her special talents!
SandyF says
Hi Mavis-your linen curtains look great. What weight linen are you using? Where did you buy your linen? It looks nice and heavy and good quality. Nice color.
I have all linen curtains in my 1915 Craftsman, but need one more room done. Procrastination me.
At the Farm Supply yesterday (my happy place) picking up herbs and jalapeño pepper plants, I was thrilled to see they have started carrying chicks!! 6 weeks old now for $4.89 a piece.
I’m in-I have the coop, I need an indoor cage for them until they are ready to go outside (6 more weeks maybe?) The husband is not too thrilled with the idea…so we will see. But I plan tho visit those babies until he does…wish me luck
Mavis Butterfield says
Hi SandyF – Below is a link to the linen I ordered. It was on sale for $11.99 a yard PLUS there was a save $30 off a $100 purchase coupon. Shipping was $3.00. I had used this exact linen to make an apron before and the quality is excellent. It is 100% linen. http://www.joann.com/sew-classics-linen-100pct-linen-solids-many-colors/prd46473.html
SandyF says
Thanks!
Carrie says
Sandy F, depending on where you live you could move the chicks outside at 8 weeks old. I am in NC, zone 7, and just moved my 7.5 week olds out. I think they are really enjoying the extra space, even though my big girls are being a little mean. It you live in a colder climate you may want to wait until the low at night is 50 plus if you have an open air coop. They do stay really warm all cuddled up so if the coop is enclosed and its not freezing out I’d say get them out of the house at 8 weeks! Mine were really stinking up the office and their dust from the bedding is everywhere.
Peggy says
I would leave it, the tree that is. It’s seen a lot over the years and it keeps on going. <3
Tracy says
One day meal prep is way too rigid a system for me. Instead, I make large quantities of ‘base’ foods such a chicken stock, beef stock, tomato sauce, pastas, casseroles, etc. when I’m making that dish. So when I crave braised short ribs, I just make a massive quantity and freeze multiple portions I can serve with potatoes or pappardell at another time. When I feel like a homemade chicken pot pie, I make four times the amount of filling and freeze the rest to be quickly assembled when I want it. Etcetera, etcetera. I’m not big on rigid rules.
And I agree with many other posters about your property and garden. You’re a very task based woman but I’d tame your ‘sense of urgency’ and let yourself cycle through the seasons on your new property for a year before going crazy trying to put everything in place. You’re going to make mistakes otherwise, that can be costly or inconvenient. You’re gardening in a very different climate (and not just the winters!) than you’re used to and some of the realities are subtle. That said, there are some things that are never bad ideas such as feeding your soil with tons of good, balanced organic matter. Test your soil in multiple places and go over the results with your county extension agent, who can tell you what types of organic material to add for best veg or fruit results. Manure or leaf mold? More potassium or lime? You won’t know unless you test,m which is very inexpensive to do. Put energy into figuring out a good irrigation system or approach. Ask around to see how other backyard gardeners in your area are doing it. Again, NH is very different than the northwest. Summers can and will be brutal…you’ll want irrigation. Figure out your deer protection. Anyway, that’s my two cents: slow down a bit!
Keralee says
The previous owners must have had a good reason for leaving that little Harriet tree alone… Perhaps it has wonderful fruit! Clearly it has strong roots. If you decide you dont care for its fruit…you can graft scion cuttings from compatible varieties you would prefer to have. They will get a big jump start from that established root system. You could even have many varieties on one tree.
suzanne says
I hope the peeps you purchased your home from read your blog. How lovely that you appreciate it and their hardwork that they obviously put into it. You’ve worked your booty off to get where your at.
Nancy says
My vote is also for the tree to stay…at least until you find out what kind it is and what you decide to do with that part of your garden. Since you’ve named it Harriet you really can’t cut it down now! Also, I’m at the opposite spectrum with regards to number of projects on the go. I rarely have more than one in the works. Now this may seem great but what happens when the project you started really doesn’t interest you half way through and you feel you really must finish it before you move on to the next project? Argh! It’s frustrating because I have to finish things!!! Oh, and one last thing….I think your secret project is to buy a wood cook stove so you can learn how to bake in a wood oven….at least that would be my ideal project if I were to move to a home that would accommodate one. Now, if that isn’t your secret project….maybe it could be a new secret project:)
Candy C. says
If you put up a simple hoop house which takes little time, money and effort you can indeed put out cold hardy plants now. Check out some you tube while you hook some day and you will see how simple it is. The season can be stretched both ways…spring and fall into winter. I am surprised that a garden center in your area wouldn’t know about how to extend the seasons since you have such a short summer.It may be the only way you can get lettuce, spinach and the other spring veggies you love without them bolting immediately. Have fun, but don’t forget to stop and enjoy God’s creation all around you.
Lisa MTB says
A friend of mine made roman shades for a couple of the windows in her house (with some help). Apparently, it was the economical way to go, but she said they were pretty annoying to make. Your curtains will look nice!
Heather says
How often do you get to go out without the husband? I wonder how much time I will have to wander around stores by myself when my husband retires.
Mavis Butterfield says
In the past we’ve aimed for once a month, but right now… there are so many new places to discover!!
Marcia says
Yeah, I’m a bit jealous. I think the designated meal prep day becomes less necessary when you are at home all the time. The times when I’ve been at home on mat leave were so awesome for that reason. My husband ate like a king, and I cooked 3-4 new recipes a week.
These days, the double whammy of full time jobs and kids – AND a new position at my job where I have to work late 3-5 days a week, is doing a number on me. So that means I cook a big meal on Sat (enough for 3 nights’ dinner) and big meal on Sun (enough for 3 nights dinner). We alternate until they are gone, and on Friday it’s picky plates and/or frozen pizza. It’s getting a bit old and I’m running out of ideas of things to cook that make 3 meals worth that we actually like.
I prefer how it was a year ago, when I got home early 2-3 nights a week and could cook something.
Anyway, I love the curtains. I’ve made many of ours, and some are looking faded and threadbare. May be time to freshen up those 3 or 4 sets. The linen looks great and would match my decor pretty well.
I love your rugs! I’ve been on a crochet kick. Finished my…6th? In the last few years and am making the switch back to quilting for awhile.
Mrs. Mills says
Hi Mavis, I as well have many projects going at the same time. I think it is because the kids are now grown and I am retired so now there is “time” to do what we want to do when we want to do it. Don’t worry about staying focused on one. Just enjoy that now you have the time for all the many things that you can now do. Don’t be so hard on yourself.