“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
Some weeks are easier than others, but I’m starting to embrace it.
Goal #3 – Shop Small
Yesterday the HH and I found a new Italian place stuffed our faces with giant sub sandwiches. Shopping small seems so much easier here due to all the mom and pop stores and eateries dotted across the landscape. I absolutely relish being able to hand my money over the counter to an individual store owner and not some employee at a chain establishment and have to listen to all the hullabaloo about the store and it’s incentive programs. Keep it simple, and I’ll keep coming back.
Goal # 4 – Have a Designated Meal Prep Day
I’m beginning to wonder if my husband could do this. Or at least whip out 3 meals/dishes at a time and stash them in the frig/freezer for the work week ahead. Hmmmmmmm.
Goal #5 – Install a Vegetable Garden Done!
The vegetable garden has been installed and in just 10 days our little veggie stand at the end of our driveway has brought in a little over $92! Not bad considering I’ve only been setting out a few baskets of tomatoes and a few jars of jam each day. I’ve been hoarding the blueberries this week {I made a pie} and waiting to harvest the jalapenos so we can make some jelly.
I was hoping to have a stand overflowing with garden fresh vegetables this summer but things didn’t work out exactly as planned…. Staying on top of things has been a bit of a challenge {due to sooooo many unexpected distractions} but I am confident that once we get the garden plot expanded this fall, next summer things will run more smoothly. Kinks, they take time to work themselves out.
Goal #6 – Clear Land for a Chicken Coop and Future Raised Garden Bed Area
The chicken coop has already been built and I believe today marks day 5 since my husband started building a run for the chickens. Maybe today we’ll actually get some walls framed? And…. that’s all I’m going to say about that. 😉
Goal #7 – Grow 500 Pounds of Vegetables
At my last weigh in, we had grown over 136 pounds of backyard fruits and vegetables. Hopefully by this time next week I’ll be able to report that we’ve crossed over the 200 pound mark.
The heirloom tomatoes are growing like mad and even though the area where I planted winter squash has been taken over by weeds, I spotted a few of those growing as well. Also, I think I’ve got about another week or two left before the blueberries are finished for the season.
Goal #8 – Hook 100 Rugs
Only 19 more rugs to go before I can check this goal off my list! This past week I finished 2 pillows, a bouquet of flowers for Halloween and one small Halloween mat, plus I dyed a few more bundles of wool. I plan to update the listings in My Etsy shop on August 25th and I am hoping to get 3 more items {2 pillows and 1 table runner} before then.
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
No bakeries this week but I’ll be sharing a new local lobster shack with you this week.
Goal #12 – Start a Collection
Although The Girl and I stopped off at 3 different thrift stores, we both came up empty handed.
Goal #13 – Read {or listen to} 26 Books
I picked up a case of canning jars yesterday and then came home to look up the Anchor Hocking glass company online and well, now I am #2 in line to listen to Glass House on audio book. Isn’t is strange how one things leads to another?
Goal #14 – Try 12 New Canning Recipes
This past week I made a batch of spiced peach jam and it turned out fantastic. We made it with John Boy peaches. 😉 And now I want to find a couple of John Boy peach trees and plant them in the spring.
So far this year we’ve canned:
- Spiced Peach {Crazy good!!!}
- Blueberry Jam {without the mint}
- Pickled Beets {without the funky spices}
- Cherry Almond Jam {freakin’ AWESOME}
- Susan’s Lilac Blossom Jelly
Goal #15 – Secret {for now} Holiday Project
Ehhh… Not a good week for my secret holiday project.
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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Mel says
I’m so jealous of the winter squash. We have such heavy bug traffic here that I can’t grow winter or summer squash. I got two tiny acorn squashes this year before the plants were taken out by borers–that’s it. Usually they’re killed by squash bugs.
If it helps you feel better about this year’s harvest weights (which are great so far!), keep in mind you’ve made it possible for many other people to increase their yields. I picked 15 lbs of tomatoes yesterday, and I can only do that since I discovered your recipes for freezer spaghetti sauce and pizza sauce. Before, we were limited to just a few plants because I didn’t know you could freeze them for later use or use non-sauce tomatoes in those types of recipes. Now we have 33 plants and can freeze enough sauces for the whole year, plus give some as gifts!
Mavis Butterfield says
Mel that is AWESOME!
Elise in the SF Bay Area says
One of the best parts of my Sunday morning, as usual :). That picture of your colored wool in the black pots is STUNNING.
And I have to agree with Mel… I never would be growing my small but joyful garden without your inspiration 🙂
Tamara says
Amen!
Mama Cook says
And another amen!!!
Molly T says
Glass house is AWESOME!
Cherri says
Mavis, your end of the driveway produce stand is absolutely darling. Keep up the good work! Love your garden posts, like several of the others you also inspired me to start a raised garden several years ago and I love it.
Gina says
Your neighbors are lucky!
Lisa Rostocki says
I noticed you mentioned that you looked up Anchor Hocking Glass. I just recently purchased their canning jars for the first time. I have to say that I love the jars (I bought them since I had liked the shape) but the lids however are terrible. After having unsuccessful sealing of 3/4 of the jars (which I might add is a first for me after Hundreds of jars I have made throughout the years) I looked up the reviews for Anchor Hocking canning jars and was saddened to find that most people do have problems with the lids not sealing properly.
I just thought I would give you a heads up in case you were thinking of using some for your next canning project. I ended up reprocessing the jars with Ball canning lids and rings and they sealed within 5 mins of coming out of the water bath. Too bad I didn’t check the reviews before I purchased them.
Mavis Butterfield says
THANK YOU LISA!!!!!!! I too bought a case of the jars because I liked the shape. I am SO GLAD you mentioned something about the lids because we will be canning today. I’ll have to send the HH out for new lids. Thank you!
CA says
Mavis, I enjoy your blog even though I am many years older than you. After reading your recent posting about the chicken run I felt I needed to comment. According to your recent e-mails, your husband recently quit a job where he worked long hours every work week. I think you need to cut him some slack about getting the run finished. Let him have some down time before he starts his next job. Not all of us run on high octave jet fuel like you seem to.Does it really matter how fast this project gets done? Your chicken’s are growing and look healthy. I already feel the fall out coming my way from these comments! Just my thoughts.
Mavis Butterfield says
Normally I wouldn’t mind if it took a long time to finish the run but there are 2 hawks that sit up in the trees and circle the yard when they see the chickens on the grass. Eeeeek! Luckily the chickens are smart enough to hide in the wooded spots but I will feel better once the run is done.
And I agree, I do need to cut him a little slack. 😉 But it’s soooo hard!
Melissa says
Mavis, have you been to Bet’s Fish shack yet? We drove to Maine and back (from GA, in a minivan with kids, one of whom was playing a ukulele) to visit friends in Bath. I remember driving through Wiscasset to get there and looking longingly at Red’s because I really wanted a lobster roll, but Bet’s is AMAZING. Literally piles of fish on massive rolls. I think we bought 4 to feed 4 adults and 5 kids, and had leftovers! They also have amazing whoopie pies. We are coming back next summer— Maine is BEAUTIFUL.
Mavis Butterfield says
We have’t tried it yet but I will add it to our list. Thanks!
Stephanie says
I agree that it’s hard to cut husbands slack sometimes. I waited three and a half years for my husband to clean out his stuff in the basement- it was in HUGE messy piles on the floor, and I have back issues and can’t always get around well, so this was actually a safety hazard for me. Finally, I couldn’t take it any more and cleaned the entire thing myself (painful, but SO worth it!!!). Sometimes things just need to get done NOW!!!
I love your weekly updates on your yearly goals. You’ve got me thinking now, and making a list like that is something that I might do come the new year. Thank you! 🙂
Leslie says
Wait- when did you list your big double chicken rug? Did I miss this? I feel like that’s a famous rug. Browsing your store, I’m reminded a bit of Wes Freed’s art. McMenamin’s artwork sometimes reminds me of the same. It gets abit spooky but really cool.
Mavis Butterfield says
A couple of weeks ago. 🙂