Get Back To The Basics + Learning to Unplug
I love winter! I love staying inside, working on projects and looking out the window.
This past week was a bit of a treat though because the temps got above 30 so I actually went OUTSIDE.
While it’s still a bit of a frozen tundra out there, I’m starting to feel a little anxious because I know winter is coming to an end.
And once it does… There are going to be SO MANY things to do. Thank goodness I don’t have the distraction of a tv or spend copious amounts of time online these days.
Unplugging is pretty cool. Fingers crossed I can keep it going.
In The Kitchen
We are slowly whittling down the contents of the freezer and pantry thanks to the one hundred dollars a month pantry challenge.
I made a loaf of No knead Dutch oven bread yesterday and I think today I’ll make a batch of chewy oatmeal raisin cookies.
I might also pull the two gallons of tomatoes that have been sitting in our freezer since late summer and pop them in the CrockPot and make that batch of sauce.
It’s sooo easy just to stuff things into the freezer and forget about them!!
Kitchen Goals For This Year
- Master the pear frangipane tart from Standard Baking Company.
- Put my Weck jars to use.
- Use two bins of beans.
Rug Hooking
So far this year I’ve added three new patterns/kits to my Etsy shop and added 20 new finished pieces.
Thanks to the weather outside, this time of year is always a productive one in the rug hooking department.
I’m still plugging away at dyeing wool, drawing patterns and making kits with the goal of having that huge task done by the end of March.
It’s always such a relief when that is done! I have a lot of gardening projects planned for this year so staying on task in this area is HUGE for me.
So far so good.
Rug Hooking Goals For This Year
- Finish drawing out all my patterns, making kits, dyeing wool by March 31st.
- Release 10 new rug hooking patterns/kits. {3 down 7 to go}
- Hook 27 of the patterns from the “someday I’ll hook these” bin. {2 down 25 to go}
Go New Places – See New Things
My friend Jen and I talked the other day and now we’re thinking about going to NYC. It just seems so easy.
We wouldn’t need to rent a car {we both love walking!} and there would be museums and pastries and something to see everywhere we look.
But who knows. Until there’s a plane ticket in our hands, anything seems possible.
Travel Goals For This Year
- Travel someplace {internationally} that I’ve never been before.
- Travel somewhere in Maine {overnight} that I haven’t been before.
Walk And Stretch More
It was a great week for walking!!
Temps were above 30 degrees, low wind and it was sunny nearly everyday. What more can you hope for this time of year in Maine?
We walked the neighborhood, in town and the beach.
I haven’t tested out my new walking shoes {Altra Lone Peak 7} yet {too much slush} but once the ice and slush is gone I’ll break them in.
Walking/Stretching Goals For This Year
- Get into some sort of stretching routine
- Fast walk a 5K, 10K, and Half Marathon {signed up for a half marathon}
Garden
I took the little greenhouse lid off my chive seedlings a few days ago and every little pod looks fantastic.
72 chive plants!! Whoa Nelly. I think I’ll have plenty for a nice long row. It’s hard to believe that in just 6 weeks it will be time to start working outside again.
I’ll need to transplant them soon to larger containers so the roots can get more established, but it sure is satisfying to see all that green!
Garden Goals For This Year
- Rework the driveway and garden areas
- Go crazy and plant a ridiculous amount of flowers
- Step out of my comfort zone and plant some flowers I’ve never planted before.
Paint
My five sunflowers paint by number piece is coming along. I’m hoping to get it finished and off the kitchen table by the end of the month.
I’m not sure what I’ll work on next {maybe the Roulin family portraits} but I do enjoy the paint by number kits. They’re so calming to work on.
How are YOUR goals coming along? What are you hoping to get done this week? Dyeing 100 yards of wool is #1 on my list.
Have a good one,
~Mavis
Painting Goals For This Year
- The Van Gogh wall
- The gallery wall down stairs
- The captains wall in the hall
- Trim and walls
Julie V says
I’ve just used up the last of the firewood, so the family room needs to be rearranged and cleaned. With temperatures above freezing, my goal is to take a short walk each day. I’m still working a lot of crochet, currently am making a shawl then plan to learn a new crochet stitch. I did a big declutter, clean, and organize recently and still have my closet to go through so it would be nice to tackle it this week.
Rosemary says
Our temps are finally back to the 70s! Around the middle of March, I will be planting my garden – it will all be in bins – I have 20 bins to work with – hoping to grow lots of veggies. I need to have a “raised bed” type of garden – getting down on the ground is no longer gonna work for me. LOL I canned a lot of meals, veggies, fruits & sauces – when I get tired from doing a lot of gardening, at least I won’t have to cook.
Getting older does have its limitations: in addition to not getting down on the ground, my fingers aren’t working so well anymore, so I am closing my Etsy shop. I have been crocheting since I was about 7 years old – that is a very long time ago. LOL
I plan to work more on my family tree this year – I want to create a “history” type book. At least my fingers still work on my computer!
Jody says
I wish I shared your enthusiasm for Maine winters! This one has been really tough (for me) I can’t wait for some warmer weather! I miss walking outdoors and hiking.
One of my goals for the year is to get our food budget under control (meal planning , eating at home more, better food choices, etc.) 2 months in, so far so good!