Progress Report: Simple Creative Goals

Last June I shared seven things I hoped to get done over the summer and I accomplished five things from the list! The two I didn’t - indoor projects I thought may work if it was too hot - I’m keeping on the fall and winter list because I really do need to get them done. I’m pretty thrilled with what we did accomplish, because that was in the midst of summer activities and travel. And like I’ve always said - my goals are just things I would like to get done, moving me forward toward the life I want and not something to feel bad about if I don’t get to (and so I don’t!).

Here are six things I’d like to accomplish over the next 3-5 months - I’m giving myself a few more months since the holidays will start to take over things here really soon!

This is number 1 because we’re working on this right now, trying to get things set so we can seed the areas that will be grass before the fall rains settle in. Brian rented a skid to haul dirt from our woods to build up this area around the side porch (this is all so we don’t have to have railings). There will be a set of two steps down to a grassy subtle slope across the front. On the right and under the living room windows will be a planting bed with taller evergreens next to the porch (top photo) and on the left (bottom photo) will be a raised gravel patio with 3 steps down (this area was quite sloped). It already looks different from this - I’m excited to have this area mapped out at least and maybe a few things planted before the winter.

Ugh. I haven’t refreshed the vegetable garden paths in probably three years and the clover has literally taken over in some areas, as you can see above. It’s bad, but not really from a larger point of view, so I had to get close up so you could see, lol. Which is why I could ignore it for so long! But now I actually have the chips to do this, so no more excuses (thankfully it’s pretty easy, light work).

I’ll continue to work on this through September and into October as the produce is still coming in. This last week I canned more 3-bean salad and froze a few more containers of green beans. I dried basil and made pesto. I know I will need to make more pesto and hope to have enough small tomatoes to make a batch of two of freezer roasted vegetable sauce (perfect for end-of-season tomatoes since it isn’t canned). I need to pickle beets, ferment a beet and cabbage kraut, and I’d like to make some zucchini meatballs.

This is continuing on the list, but Brian did finish the floorboard trim on the landing, so some progress! The thing really holding back from the painting of this is the high ceiling over the stairs, which is a bit scary. Honestly, if it wasn’t for that this landing would’ve been finished long ago!

I’ve ordered the yarn for the colorwork sweater (navy and cream) that I’m planning on giving as a gift whenever I finish it. I did a lot of research thinking about what would be best for this person and I’m pretty excited to work on it. In between I will continue using up my yarn leftovers for the crochet squares blanket - it’s a great way to give my hands a break from knitting and it’s super portable. A square takes about 10 minutes or so, so it’s also easy to do a few no matter how much time I have. (The purple sweater for me will move to the back burner - I still need to do the sleeves and banded collar.)

I thought I’d show the chair with some fabric I had I’m thinking about using with it. But as I draped it, I could see that I probably won’t like working with wide spaced stripes that I have to match. And I don’t think this fabric works with the creamy white I want to paint the wood. Sigh.

My goal is to remove the existing fabric and get the wood spray painted as soon as possible since I need decent, dry weather for that. Then I’ll work on finding a fabric and covering it. It will probably only take a Saturday once I get the fabric and it’s painted, since it’s just a matter of cutting out and stapling the fabric to the wood.