My 15 Goals for 2018 : Week 21 of 52

“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

This dog. Once the temps reach 80….. She can only bear to be outside for about 10-15 minutes tops before running in the house to plop down on the floor. Poor Lucy. Also, because I don’t really go anywhere anymore, I brought her car seat in the house and now it’s her favorite spot to take an afternoon {or morning} siesta. What a sweet, sweet pup.

Goal #3 – Shop Small

I bought eggs from cooler at the end of someone’s driveway. 😉

Goal # 4 – Have a Designated Meal Prep Day Eh, It’s Not For Us

I threw in the towel early on this one. Meal prep, and cooking in mass quantities is just not for my family at this stage in our lives.

Goal #5 – Install a Vegetable Garden

Operation corn, dried bean and pumpkin patch continues. I think we have about 65% of the land cleared and now the big push is on to get the area cleared and tilled up by June 1st so we can get the corn seeds in the ground. The pilgrim life, it’s kind of a lot of work. Who knew?

Last night, just before it rained I planted 50 sweet potato slips at the edge of the {future} corn patch. I paid $28.20 for the 50 slips and although I’m not sure how many we will end up with, I would be thrilled if we were able to harvest at least 50 pounds of sweet potatoes to get us through the fall and winter seasons. Have you ever grown sweet potatoes before? Do you remember how many sweet potatoes you harvested from each plant? 

Goal #6 – Clear Land for a Chicken Coop and Future Raised Garden Bed Area 

At just over 6 weeks old Lucy’s babies are doing great. They are almost big enough to take on a field trip to the other end of the yard {and away from the garden} for some free range time {and hopefully they’ll eat some ticks too!}. Our backyard has a split rail fence with wire fencing attached to it {to keep Lucy in the yard} and the chickens are almost big enough now that they will not be able to squeeze through the little squares on the wire fencing.

Every morning Lucy runs out to the coop to check on her babies and I’m sure she is going to LOVE it when we can let them loose to run around the yard with her.

Goal #7 – Grow 500 Pounds of Vegetables

The garden here is GOING NUTS! The funny thing is, I haven’t watered it once. I don’t know if it’s the humidity, the fact we seem to get rain about every 5 days or so or what… but the vegetables seem to be growing very well here and I am already making plans to expand the growing area for 2019. I would love nothing more than to be able to get to the point where we are growing about 75% of our food in our own backyard. How cool would that be?

Goal #8 – Hook 100 Rugs

I officially have 56 rugs left to hook until I can check this goal off my list for the year. This week I continued working on a few whale pieces and wool flowers for my next Etsy shop update coming this Saturday at 6pm EST.

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 Done!

Goal #11 – Visit 22 Bakeries

I’ll have a new bakery to share with you next week!

Goal #12 – Start a Collection

The wood furniture collection continues! I am currently on the hunt for 2 upholstered chairs and a coffee table for the family room, a dining room table to go with the 6 chairs I scored for $75, 2 period style lamps, a side board or some sort of low cabinet for the television and about 6 work tables {preferably wooden}.

Well, a couple of days ago I popped by Goodwill and they were having a 50% furniture sale. The only catch was in order to get the discount you had to take it home with you that day. Apparently the lady said they had way too much furniture and they need to move it pronto.

Funny thing was though, the table I bought was originally marked at $60. Then they marked it down to $20. And then it was half off so it was $10, and then the cashier asked if I was a senior because if I was I would get an additional 20% off. AM I A SENIOR? Seriously?

Yada yada yada…. She ended up selling me the table for $8 because she said everyone deserves a discount. Ummm okay. Thanks? But maybe, in the future, if Goodwill would just price their DONATED items at a reasonable price in the first place, they might move their goods a little faster.

But what do I know? I’m just the customer. Who usually walks out of the store empty handed because their prices are ridiculous. This time though, I feel like I actually got a bargain.

Goal #13 – Read {or listen to} 26 Books

I waited 3 months to listen Sister’s First and then stop listening to it about 1/4 of the way in. Ehhh, it wasn’t for me. Then I started listening to Three Weeks with My Brother by Nicholas Sparks. I made it about 45 minutes in before deleting that one two. I just couldn’t get into it. I think it was the author’s voice. So now, I am listening to Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. The book is actually narrated by Richard Thomas {John Boy} and well, I could listen to him talk for days so I think I’ll make it through to the end of the book no problem.

Goal #14 – Try 12 New Canning Recipes

Its official, canning season has begun! This past week I canned a few jars of Susan’s Lilac Jelly recipe. I used deep purple lilac blossoms and the jelly turned out a beautiful soft pink. I haven’t been able to do as much canning the past few years but I have plans to do lots of canning this summer.

Also, I’ve decided I am going to make a jam sampler for both my parents and my in-laws to give this Christmas using some of the Weck jars in my collection.  I’m not sure how many jams I’ll make, {I think I’ll shoot for 10 – 12} but it will be a great incentive to try some new recipes this year.

Goal #15 – Secret {for now} Holiday Project

I’ve only got 2 weeks to go before my “secret” project arrives. 🙂 🙂 🙂

How about YOU? Did you set any goals for 2018? How are they coming along?

~Mavis

Read About My 2018 Goals HERE.