Last week we had a huge makeover to the chore assignments. I spent some time instructing children how to do new-to-them chores. I ended up doing a task that I had planned to do sometime in the coming weeks (I cleaned out the shed) but the temperature dropped dramatically on Saturday, which made it ideal to tackle that day. You know you’ve been used to it being 110º for too long when it drops to 84º and you go outside and get goosebumps! We’ll be back over 100º again today, but still cooler than it was earlier. I will have to try to fix the grape vine that came down in the storm winds last night.
Last Week’s Goals:
Garden Goals:
1. Paint plinth and urn for the front garden again My brother-in-law painted these on Saturday for me. He may still add a bit more detail to them.
2. Install plinth and urn
3. Plant urn with plants
4. Plant pumpkin seeds in the backyard
5. Continue to plant more zinnias of different colors in the garden. I ended up planting some more vinca seeds and some white lavender seeds out front instead. I also fertilized the basil out front, which is alive but not growing at all.
6. Pick grapes as they ripen and make grape juice
7. Pick Early Elberta peaches when they ripen and can peaches
8. Do some weeding and pruning, and fill at least 1 trash can I filled 3 trash cans. I pruned tomatoes, including one plant that died (I cut it up and threw it out), pulled weeds, and pruned the dead blackberry canes. I will prune more next week when I have more trashcans available again. I also cleaned out the shed, which was a big project.
9. Cut more sunflower heads
Sewing Goals:
1. Finish dress for Wren. I finished ironing the hem and I sewed the hem. I still have a few more things to do on it.
2. Make dress for Winter
3. Make skirt for Winter
Canning Goals:
1. Can grape juice
2. Can peaches from our tree We ate the peaches and there weren’t enough to can.
3. Can hot pepper jelly
Website and Blog Goals:
1. Write and photograph 3 blog posts. I wrote 2 and photographed just a few pictures.
2. Finish at least one recipe and publish it for the website
Family Goals:
1. Correct all schoolwork. We made some changes here and Winter is now correcting her own math.
2. Run 4 errands, including one trip to the library. I did these in one trip on Monday, which saved gas and time. I ran two more to two nurseries in town on Tuesday.
3. Take some new pictures of the children
This Week’s Goals:
Garden Goals:
1. Paint plinth and urn for the front garden again (maybe add a wash layer)
2. Install plinth and urn
3. Plant urn with plants
4. Help my husband install trellises.
5. Continue to plant more zinnias of different colors in the garden
6. Pick grapes as they ripen and make grape juice
7. Do some weeding and pruning, and fill at least 1 trash can
8. Plant more cucumber seeds
9. Tie fallen grape vine back up
Sewing Goals:
1. Finish dress for Wren
2. Make dress for Winter
3. Make skirt for Winter
Canning Goals:
1. Can grape juice
2. Can hot pepper jelly
Website and Blog Goals:
1. Write and photograph 3 blog posts
Family Goals:
1. Correct all schoolwork
2. Run 2 errands, including one trip to the library.
3. Take some new pictures of the children
4. Make bookmark for my father
We are having record low temperatures for this time of year. Saturday and Sunday were only in the low 60’s. Today looks about the same. Last night on the weather I heard there were frost warnings for Northern Minnesota (not us, that is pretty far north there). The NE states are low too according to the weatherman.
I like that you do weekly goals. I make a daily “to do ” list and I find it depressingly repetitive. Laundry, dishes, vacuum etc. I was very excited to get almost everything on my list done yesterday. I have made Sunday my dedicated baking day since my husband is home and it can be problematic trying to watch the oven when it is just me. Do you find it much easier now that some of your children are older and can keep an eye on your younger children? Our main goal this week is PICKLES PICKLES PICKLES. We have cucumbers raining from the sky. I also have approximately 9 zillion teeny tomatoes. I was thinking since they are the size of blueberries that I might try making savory corn cakes and stud them with the tomatoes. Maybe i could pickle them? I have no idea. I thought they would be the size of cherry tomatoes.
Wow! You are so organized. Just what I need to do. Maybe if I put everything in writing and ‘out there’……..?
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I especially love that you share with us what you actually did on last weeks goal before setting out the goals for your new week!This week I want to finish adjusting some dress’s we bought into the skirts we pictured them as.Organize our new years curriculum.I know my list is depressingly short but we have VBS at church all week and I just feel funny saying things like, actually get some laundry done, heehee.
The same storm system that blew down your grape vines broke a branch on my Elberta peach tree. 🙁 I just finished pruning that off. I can’t wait to see the plinth & urn.
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I am so sorry. We were afraid that was going to happen. We have had trees break in the past; the winds were over 50mph. I went out during the storm and cut some branches off my Early Elberta, my Desert Gold, one of my pear trees, and some grape vines, too.
I have pickled tomatoes before.
It’s a little scary that way :)(putting it out there, not writing them).
I think that when your list is written down it helps you see that your day was not “wasted” since most housework is only apparent when you don’t do it.
I haven’t sat down for long enough to make a list but I want to make some simple skirts for my youngest daughter and I’ve got to get the chicken brooder set up for tomorrow’s arrival of six new chicks. I also wanted to get some seeds in the ground for my fall garden which I did early this morning. 🙂 Hope everyone has a productive week!
The air conditioner just came back on. It was nice while it lasted!
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This poor tree is the one the long horned steers that used to live across my back fence (#1 field fence)girdled about 2 feet up from the ground. One low branch on the opposite side of the tree was undamaged, but they “pruned” off over 3/4 of the tree. I expected it to die, & infact, had planted a replacement Red Haven dwarf tree a few feet away. Last year I picked almost 3/4 bushel of Elberta peaches from the Elberta tree, so we moved the new dwarf Red Haven. The limb that broke was one that sprouted up & grew quickly, & was therefore “weak-wooded”. Due to the “pruning” by the steers, the tree is quite lopsided, but the steers are no longer there, & I hope with continued pruning to be able to restore a semi-normal shape to the tree.
THE latest and greatest thing on sandwiches in restaurants is tomato jam. It is very yummy!!!!! That might be a solution for the tiny tomatoes! Good luck!
Our weather too has warmed up and the sun is back. Starting to see reddening tomatoes. Hope for an inundation soon.
I usually have my goals written out as part of my daily to-do list, but here are the goals for this week:1. Read one chapter/day Monday – Friday over the phone with my granddaughter.2. Finish mulching strawberry bed.3. Practice the hymns & modify as needed, since I play the organ this Sunday & my left wrist is not co-operating. I have a doctor’s appt this week, & suspect it is a recurring ganglion cyst. I had one removed from the same wrist about 15 years ago.4. Pack up some of middle daughter’s things, since in a couple of months, a moving van will come for all her stuff. They will pack most of it, but she asked if I would pack up a few of the more fragile items.5. Get quotes for having the cement driveway lifted where it has cracked & sunken, and for the materials to finish the back fence.6. Pick raspberries, tomatoes & beans as they are ready, & either use or process them.
The kindest thing you do when posting this list is to be honest about what has to be carried over to the next week. Now I feel normal rather than a failure when life gets in the way of the list!
I am still working on the garage (which involves putting items on craigslist. I try to post at least two items per day) I also try to sell at least 2 or 3 items per week. I also post on ebay at least 7 items every other week. I still have 1/3 of a garage full and a closet full! OH MY!! Last week I gave four large boxes full to a family that had a fire. That helped her family and it help me out as well in sooooo many ways!!!I am borrowing a sewing machine from my daughter in law to work on two projects for Christmas gifts. I need to mail a birthday gift to my daughter and start thinking more about Christmas and getting the garage empty!I am prepping for Company in September .
Thanks Anne! I never thought of it that way–and yet when I’ve dropped by a friend’s house without prior warning, I felt rather relieved to see a normal mess in her kitchen 🙂 It’s good to know that we all are just doing our best.
Oh my! I am very glad that it isn’t that hot here. I would not be able to take it! I am a wee little jealous of your grapes. One of these days!