One Hundred Dollars a Month

“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.