Goals for 2025
Jan. 1st, 2025 12:31 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithEach year, I think about what I have accomplished and what I want to do next. (See my goals for 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024.) These are some of my goals for 2025...
* Actually look at this list of goals, at least twice a month, before the end of the year in hopes of meeting more of them and not trying to cram in December. [MET 1/1/25, 1/3/25, 1/4/25, 1/5/25, 1/6/25, 1/7/25, 1/8/25, 1/9/25, 1/10/25, 1/16/25, 1/17/25, 1/18/25, 1/19/25, 1/21/25, 1/23/25, 1/24/25, 1/25/25, 1/26,25, 1/30/25, 1/31/25, 2/1/25, 2/3/25, 2/5/25, 2/6/25, 2/8/25, 2/13/25, 2/15/25, 2/16/25, 2/17/25, 2/19/25, 2/20/25, 2/21/25, 2/22/25, 2/24/25, 2/25/25, 2/26/25, 2/28/25, 3/2/35, 3/3/25, 3/5/25, 3/6/25, 3/7/25, 3/10/25, 3/12/25, 3/16/25, 3/19/25, 3/24/25, 3/28/25, 3/29/25, 3/31/25, 4/1/25, 4/2/25, 4/8/25, 4/9/25, 4/13/25, 4/15/25, 4/20/25, 4/23/25, 4/25/25, 4/27/25, 4/28/25, 4/30/25, 5/1/25, 5/3/25, 5/4/25, 5/5/25, 5/15/25, 5/18/25, 5/19/25, 5/28/25, 5/30/25, 5/31/25, 6/1/25, 6/2/25, 6/3/25, 6/6/25, 6/9/25, 6/10/25, 6/11/25, 6/13/25, 6/14/25, 6/15/25, 6/17/25, 6/18/25, 6/19/25, 6/20/25, 6/22/25, 6/26/26, 6/27/25, 6/28/25, 6/29/25, 6/30/25, 7/1/25, 7/4/25, 7/5/25, 7/7/25, 7/10/25, 7/12/25, 7/13/25, 7/14/25, 7/19/25, 7/22/25, 7/30/25, 7/31/25, 8/2/25, 8/4/25, 8/7/25, 8/19/25, 8/24/25, 8/27/25, 8/31/25, 9/2/25, 9/5/25, 9/6/25, 9/7/25, 9/9/25, 9/10/25, 9/13/25, 9/14/25, 9/18/25, 9/28/25, 9/30/25, 10/5/25, 10/6/25, 10/8/25, 10/9/25, 10/10/25, 10/12/25, 10/16/25, 10/17/25, 10/19/25, 10/20/25, 10/24/25, 10/30/25, 11/2/25, 11/3/25, 11/7/25, 11/8/25, 11/10/25, 11/21/25, 11/26/25, 11/27/25, 11/29/25, 11/30/25, 12/1/25, 12/4/25, 12/5/25, 12/6/25, 12/8/25, 12/10/25, 12/12/25, 12/13/25 12/14/25, 12/16/25, 12/19/25, 12/20/25, 12/22/25, 12/26/25, 12/28/25, 12/29/25, 12/30/25, 12/31/25]
December goals met:
* Make at least one new recipe per month.
* Continue holding one Poetry Fishbowl per month.
* Look at this list of goals at least twice a month.
* Make at least one driving trip to view holiday lights.
* Launch at least one new poetic series.
* Test the durability of the two new paint pens on plant markers.
* Reconstruct the bowl of lights.
* Hang up the strand of cobalt beads.
* Write at least 400 poems.
* Create more supporting materials for poetic series
* Supervise updates of the Polychrome Heroics material and other series.
* Continue posting in![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
birdfeeding.
* Continue posting innewcomers
* Continue posting ingoals_on_dw
* Keep up with writing records better
* Add storage to garden shed.
* Continue developing the landrace Shithouse Marigolds
* Take care of Midwinter Grove
* Keep track of my crowdfunding activity
* Keep track of things I would like to receive as gifts.
* When posting for Moment of Silence, include "carry on the work" suggestions
* Do more archiving of web links to combat linkrot.
* Make year-end posts in my blog.
* Watch for Greenup events
* Actually look at this list of goals, at least twice a month
* Hang 2025 calendars. [MET 1/1/25]
* Change the community calendar link inallbingo to the new 2025 Community Calendar. [MET 1/1/25]
* Fill in desk calendar with repeating posts and other memoranda by the end of January. [MET begun 1/1/25, completed 1/31/25]
* Organize this list of goals into sections. (for 2026)
* Move poetry printouts. [MET 1/1/25]
* Clear out some backlogged email. [MET 2/17/25]
* Place one new book-length project on the market, either by writing a book proposal or by writing a complete book manuscript.
* Experiment with self-publishing a chapbook in ebook and/or home-printed format.
draggon-flye.livejournal.com,siliconshaman, ari_the_dodecahedron, and galadhir have volunteered to help with this.
* Finish compiling the manuscript for The Origami Mage collection. Add supporting materials as necessary. Submit completed manuscript to Hunt Press.
* Write at least 400 poems. [Begun 1/1/25, MET 12/31/25]
* Continue holding one Poetry Fishbowl per month. [MET 1/7/25 short forms, 2/4/25 "I believe in dragons, good men, and other fantasy creatures," 3/4/25 Yes, actually, it IS that bad, 4/1/25 Cozy Coping Skills, 5/1/25 Ethical Supervillains, 6/3/25 Gentleness Is Strength, 7/1/25 Weaponized Incompetence and Malicious Compliance, 7/15/25 anything goes, 8/5/25 Books and Learning, 9/2/25 Communication Styles, 10/7/25 Witches and Wizards, 11/4/25 Fairies and Fey, 12/2/25 Sentient and Self-Aware Machines]
* Collate at least three more poetic series or threads into collection files. [MET 1/6/25 Nebuly, 2/24/25 Cousins of the West, 11/29/25 Frank the Crank / City Engines]
* Create more supporting materials for poetic series as necessary, such as character cast lists or scientific notes. [MET 1/31/25 added more entries in notes for Peculiar Obligations Animals, 6/23/25 started vocabulary list for Peculiar Obligations, 10/5/25 created poems list and collection for The Freaks Club, 10/8/25 created Gloryroad Crossing poems list, 10/8/25 created Practical Magics poems list, 11/29/25 created poems list for Frank the Crank / City Engines]
* Supervise updates of the Polychrome Heroics material and other series. [MET 1/7/25 withnsfwords updating Quixotic Ideas, 1/9/25 finished updating Quixotic Ideas, 1/21/24 updated Officer Pink, Daughters of the Apocalypse, and Arts and Crafts America]
* Launch at least one new poetic series. [MET 11/4/25 and 12/13/25 Coracle Shores]
* Sell at least one poem of 10 or fewer lines, eligible for the Dwarf Stars Award. [MET 11/3/25 "Unicornis Memento Mori" ]
* Sell at least one poem of 50+ lines, eligible for the Rhysling Award long category. [MET 2/8/25 "Everything Happens for a Reason"]
* Finish at least one poem that was partly written and then abandoned. [MET 5/3/25 "The Most Dangerous Animal in the Zoo," 9/7/25 "When Everyone Around You Has Theirs Bowed," 9/28/25 "New and Innovative Approaches"]
* Sort through bingo cards and remove those from 2024. [MET 1/1/25]
* Participate in at least six bingo fests. [MET Begun Public Domain Day Bingo Card 1-1-25, Valentines Bingo Card 2-1-25, Tolkien Bingo Fest Card 3-1-25, Aesthetics Bingo Fest Card 4-1-25, Color Fest Bingo 5-1-25, Pride Fest Bingo 6-2-25, Western Bingo Fest 7-1-25 (blackout), Crime Classics Bingo 8-1-25, Piracy Bingo Fest 9-1-25, Fall Festival Bingo 10-1-25, Fairy Tales and Fantasy Stories Bingo 11-1-25, December is amnesty month]
* Participate in thesnowflake_challenge. [MET 1/1/25, completed 1/31/25]
* Participate in the March Meta Matters Challenge over onmarchmetamatterschallenge. [MET 3/31/25, begun 1/15/25]
-- Write "Why We Need Fanifestos." [Begun 3/1/25, completed 3/30/25]
-- Snowflake Challenge 8: Primer for Nimona [1/15/25]
-- Check that reviews and other meta from the past year have been archived.
-- See from 2024 my gather post on my blog and my introduction inmarchmetamatterschallenge. [Reprised on 3/1/25]
* Participate in Three Weeks for Dreamwidth. [MET begun 4/25/25, completed 5/15/25]
* Continue posting inbirdfeeding. [Begun 1/1/25, MET 12/31/25]
* Continue posting innewcomers to help newcomers to Dreamwidth. This largely replaces reddit_refugees, which will now get only occasional updates. [Begun 1/1/25, MET 12/31/25]
* Continue posting ingoals_on_dw to support New Year's resolutions and other goals. [Begun 1/1/25, Goal-Setting Frameworks series in Three Weeks for Dreamwidth 4/25/25-5/15/25, MET 12/31/25]
* Run the Rose & Bay Awards for 2025. [MET begun 1/1/25, completed 3/1/25]
* Keep up with writing records better, updating at least monthly. [Begun 1/16/25, MET 12/31/25]
* Finish spending holiday money by the end of January. [MET 1/25/25]
*Make birthday-shopping trip to bookstore prior to January 11.
* Finish at least two catalog orders for spring plants by the end of February. Orders sent in March or later do not count.
-- This may need adjusting, as some catalogs already arrived and two orders were made in December: American Meadows Order 12/15/25, Breck's Order 12/25/24, American Meadow seeds arrived 12/24/24. [MET 1/16/25 sent requests for Buffalo Seed Company and OPN Seed to my partner Doug, 1/18/25 Buffalo Seed Company Order sent and OPN Seed Order sent, 1/19/25 Pinetree Garden Seeds Order, Prairie Moon Order, and Select Seeds Order sent, 1/23/25 OPN Seed order arrived, 1/25/25 seeds from Prairie Moon arrived, Edible Landscaping Order sent 2/25/25, K. van Bourgondien Order sent 2/26/25, One Green World Order and John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds Order and Burpee all requested 2/28/25 sent 3/3/25, 4/1/25 Pinetree Garden Seeds order arrived, 4/2/25 Burpee order arrived, 4/8/25 Prairie Moon plant order arrived, 4/9/25 K. van Bourgondien order arrived, 4/23/25 Edible Landscaping order arrived, 4/25/25 American Meadows plants arrived, 4/30/25 Select Seeds plants arrived]
* Make a summer/fall order for things that aren't available in winter/spring.
-- American Meadows? [MET arrived 8/19/25]
-- Prairie Moon?
* Test the durability of the two new paint pens on plant markers. [MET 1/3/25 set up test tags with old Sharpie marker, new Sharpie oil paint pen, and new Craft Master paint pen; 1/20/25 smear test of three pens, 2/3/25 first fade check, 3/3/25 second fade check, 4/4/25 third fade check, 5/6/25 fourth fade check, 6/1/25 fifth fade check, 7/2/25 sixth fade check, 8/1/25 seventh fade check, 9/2/25 eighth fade check, 10/3/25 ninth fade check, 11/3/25 tenth fade check, 12/16/27 eleventh fade check, 12/17/25 analysis]
* Complete at least one significant outdoor project. [MET]
-- Bought numerous planters for new picnic table [1/21/25]
-- Bought two jugs for making comfrey fertilizer [1/21/25, assembled jugs for comfrey liquid fertilizer Part 1: Jugs, Part 2: Leaves [6/9/25]
-- Bought fan fossil rock, pink mica rock, and 5 cobblestones at Country Arbors Nursery 2/20/25, set them outside 2/21/25]
-- Bought Gorilla 9 cubic foot dump cart 2/27/25, assembled cart 2/28/25
-- Installed rain gauges in barrel garden and septic garden 3/10/25
-- More transplants from the Charleston Food Forest [hardneck garlic and strawberries 3/25/25]
-- ordered Yardistry 6.7' x 7.6' greenhouse from Costco 4/8/25
-- greenhouse received 5/9/25
-- assembled planters for new picnic table April-May
-- Set up planned birthday planter? Add trellis?
-- Build a hibernaculum?
-- Make shelter pipes for tree frogs?
-- Climate-resiliant vegetables or flowers?
-- Get troughs and/or square pots for new picnic table. [1/21/25 and later]
-- Bought and learned to use construction staple gun 10/9/25]
-- Patched screen panel 10/12/25
-- Started wood chipper 11/23/25
-- Ran chipper for part of brush pile in parking lot 11/24/25
* Add storage to garden shed. [MET]
-- Pegboard and hardware for hanging tools? [Begun 3/3/25 looked at pegboard in Home Depot, looked at metal diamondboard pegboard in Menard's 3/18/25, found Rubbermaid garage storage system at Home Depot, 5/2/25 bought modular white plastic shelves for either garden shed or greenhouse, ]
-- Tool bucket or rack?
-- Shelves?
* Revisit Country Arbors Nursery to shop for rocks.
-- large flat cobblestones for edging purple-and-white garden [MET 2/20/25 bought 5]
-- small piece of fossil-bearing slab [MET 2/20/25
-- small pink boulder with large mica chips for purple-and-white garden or wagonwheel garden [MET 2/20/25, 3/18/25]
-- two sandstone flagstones with worm trail fossils [MET 3/18/25]
-- also plants.
-- looked for pond plants but they didn't have what I needed [5/28/25]
* Fasten white wagonwheel so it stays put. [MET 2/5/25]
* Sort seeds into new seed-storage containers. [MET 1/5/25 Sorting Seeds on a Snowy Day, 3/6/25 sorted large seed bags into new container]
* Put more bee plants in the prairie garden. [MET 12/25/24 already ordered Monarch Butterfly Wildflower Seed Mix (also bee-friendly) from American Meadows, 1/18/25 ordered Bee Lawn Mix from OPN Seed, 1/23/25 OPN Seed order arrived, 4/27/25 sowed Monarch Butterfly Wildflower Seed Mix (also bee-friendly) in the notch of the prairie garden, 4/28/25 sowed Monarch Butterfly Wildflower Seed Mix in east-west strip of prairie garden, I have a bee tree this year! :D 3q3q3q!!!]
* Plant some landrace seeds or plants. [MET 1/18/25 ordered sunflower 'Hopi Landrace' from Buffalo Seed Company, 5/8/25 planted sunflower 'Hopi Landrace' in telephone pole garden]
* Continue developing the landrace Shithouse Marigolds named 9/5/23. [Begun 3/2/25 sowed Shithouse Marigold seeds in pots, 5/1/25 sowed Shithouse Marigold seeds in oval pot, 5/5/25 planted Shithouse marigolds grown from seed, 9/4/25 gathered Shithouse Marigold seeds, ]
-- Some volunteer sunflowers are blooming in telephone pole garden. [7/7/25]
-- Some zinnias from Charleston Food Forest are blooming in septic garden [7/18/25]
-- Gathered sunflower seeds [9/23/25]
-- Gathered many different seeds including marigolds and zinnias [MET 10/9/25]
* Take care of Midwinter Grove: [MET begun 6/1/25, 12/31/25]
-- Colorado blue spruce (needs a lot of extra water in dry times)
-- 'Royal Family' hollies (extra water and care while establishing)
* Keep track of my crowdfunding activity as the year goes on. [Begun 1/1/25, MET 12/31/25]
* Keep track of things I would like to receive as gifts. [Begun 1/1/25, MET 12/31/25]
* Add a "Planting Ahead Goals for 2026" tracking page. [MET 1/1/25]
* Read at least four cookbooks, marking recipes of interest. [MET 1/16/25 Feast: Food of the Islamic World, 1/30/25 Warm Your Bones, 2/15/25 Italian Country Cooking, 3/8/25 170 South African Recipes, 4/19/25 Taste of Home Grandma's Favorites 2024, 5/2/25 Milk Street: Cook What You Have: Make a Meal Out of Almost Anything, 5/17/25 Taste of Home's More Grandma's Favorites 2025, Nutritious Delicious 5/28/25, 6/18/25 Hello! 365 Tomato Recipes, 6/26/25 Taste of Home's Easy Everyday Cooking 2025, 7/22/25 The Complete Cooking for Two Cookbook, 8/4/25 Reader's Digest Live Longer Cookbook, 8/21/25 Southern Living Slow Cooker Cookbook, 8/26/25 Baking for Two by America's Test Kitchen, 9/5/25 The Young Forever Cookbook, 9/27/25 Taste of Home Grandma's Favorites 2025, Taste of Home Fall Baking, 10/18/25 Stock the Crock, Indulge, 11/19/25 Our Best Blue Ribbon Recipes, 12/26/25 Taste of Home Christmas]
* Make at least one new recipe per month. [MET * 1/5/25 Reggae Medley and Daybreak Blend smoothie, * 1/7/25 ginger beer tropical blend smoothie, * 1/26/25 Italian quiche, ** 2/3/25 pineapple Daybreak Blend smoothie, ** pineapple strawberry smoothie 2/13/25, Pasta with Scamorza Sauce 2/16/25, * 2/21/25 Halloumi Veggie Burgers, 2/22/25 Halloumi Lamb and Tomato Skillet Dish, 3/17/25 Pistachio Cardamom Cookies, * 3/19/25 Cocojune passionfruit Daybreak Blend with extra passionfruit smoothie, ** 4/13/25 Granola Butter Brownie Batter smoothie, * 5/5/25 Granola Butter Cookies, ** 6/14/25 Santorini Stir-Fry with Chicken and Patty Pan Squash, 6/15/25 watermelon smoothie without banana, * 6/15/25 Pretzel Bread Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, * 6/17/25 watermelon smoothie with frozen banana, * 6/19/25 Chicken Stir-Fry with Mushrooms and Swiss Chard, * 6/20/25 Pretzel Bread Savory Bread Pudding with Ham, ** 7/1/25 orange tropical mix smoothie, 7/5/25 orange strawberry smoothie, * 7/7/25 chicken stir-fry with peapods and shredded carrots, ** 7/12/25 pistachio butter smoothie, ** 7/19/25 Dark Chocolate Brownies with Raspberry Spread, * 8/24/25 shrimp stir-fry with leftover vegetables, * 8/24/25 guava mixed fruit smoothie, 8/27/25 green smoothie with pea shoots, * 9/2/25 guava pineapple mixed fruit smoothie, * 9/7/25 molasses spice gingersnaps (ultimate ginger cookies), 9/9/25 Tomato Basil Bread, * 9/18/25 Corncob Broth, * 9/28/25 apple-strawberry crisp, * 9/30/25 Pigeon Peas Stew, * 10/6/25 caramel apple crisp, ** 10/6/25 caramel apple cider smoothie, ** 10/17/25 Quaker Oat Flour Blueberry Muffins, ** 10/19/25 Butternut Squash Soup with Apples and Onions, * 10/24/25 Apple Pie Cookies, * 11/2/25 Tomato-Basil Bread (yeast version from p. 32), ** 11/7/25 strawberry apple cider smoothie, * pomegranate-blueberry strawberry smoothie, * 11/26/25 cinnamon Candy Cane Cookies, * 11/27/25 Crockpot Smoked Turkey Leg with Beans, * Cheesy Bacon Potato Soup, * 12/5/25 Banana Banana Bread, * 12/7/25 Lemon Thumbprint Cookies, 12/10/25 Crockpot Healthy Chicken Soup, 12/14/25 wrote out recipe for Butternut Squash Soup with Apples and Onions, 12/19/25 crockpot shrimp boil, * 12/22/25 rosemary-lemon cookies, ]
* Quite good, ** Made 2+ times
* Try at least one new cooking ingredient. [MET 1/25/25 bought scamorza cheese, cardamom extract, Little Italy Pizza spice blend, and Santorini spice blend; 1/26/25 made Italian quiche with scamorza and Little Italy Pizza spice blend, 1/31/25 guava jelly in grilled cheese sandwich with queso fresco, 2/21/25 halloumi cheese and Santorini Citrus spice blend in Halloumi Veggie Burgers, 3/16/25 cardamom extract in Pistachio Cardamom Cookies , 6/13/25 bought 2 patty pan squashes, 6/14/25 made Santorini Stir-Fry with Chicken and Patty Pan Squash, 7/10/25 pink oyster and blue oyster and lion's mane mushrooms, 9/30/25 Pigeon Peas Stew, 10/19/25 corncob broth in Butternut Squash Soup with Apples and Onions, 10/20/25 freeze-dried lemon powder in Quaker Oat Flour Blueberry Muffins, 12/10/25 Mazyana Curry spices in Crockpot Healthy Chicken Soup, ]
* Organize at least one area that is currently a mess.
- Shrink book stack in front of printer [MET 1/23/25]
- Emptied bags by desk and put away contents [12/20/25]
- Take books off couch?
* Finish sewing projects on couch. [Begun 4/15/25 cut hems, July started sewing hem on brown dress and finished it, August working on black skirt, September still working on black skirt, October finished multicolor skirt but still working on black skirt, ]
* Clean the window prisms. [MET 1/8/25]
* Work on cleaning up the fairy window:
-- Remove dead leaves / plants. [MET 2/1/25]
-- Move empty pots to lower storage shelf. [2/6/25]
-- Repot plants that need it. [Begun 1/21/25 bought small pots for repotting, 2/1/23 tested deep plant saucers in brass hanging planter; need to buy another one]
* Apothecary cabinet:
-- apply food-safe finish
-- hang in kitchen
-- stock with bitters / spices.
* Hang the cobalt bead strand. [MET 12/28/25]
* Assemble and hang hippie strand. [MET 1/9/25 received star and moon crystals, 1/24/25 assembled and hung]
* Hang mandala painting in living room. [MET 5/3/25, also hung new "The Starry Night" diamond art]
* Hang barn art in dining room. [MET begun 5/3/25, but needs hanging hardware, got hardware in May, hung 6/22/25]
* Multicolor yarn project:
-- clear ornament shells?
-- wall hanging with tresses & braids?
----- needs dowel, possibly large beads
----- may need Zauberperlen
---------- Zauber Perlen #2463 (red to yellow)
* Put new hair ties onto metal snap-rings. [MET 1/23/25]
* When posting for Moment of Silence, include "carry on the work" suggestions based on each person's activities. [MET 1/7/25 Peter Yarrow, 2/24/25 Roberta Flack, 2/26/25 Michelle Trachtenberg, 6/10/25 Sly Stone, 6/11/25 Brian Wilson, 8/8/25 Jim Lovell, 10/1/25 Jane Goodall, 10/31/25 Patricia Crowther, 11/30/25 Leslie Fish, 12/18/25 Gil Gerard]
* Do more archiving of web links to combat linkrot. I primarily use the Wayback Machine, Ghost, and Archive Today, but there are other options. [MET 1/1/25, 12/31/25]
* At least 3 times, pack up some of Mom's old clothes and donate them. [MET 3/7/25, cleaned out refrigerator 6/18/25, bag of clothes 6/26/26, bag of clothes 8/4/25, bag of clothes 10/25/25]
* Visit a Pagan store at least 3 times. [MET 3/28/25 Half Moon, 4/11/25 Half Moon, 6/26/26 SarahLee's Healing Mountain Crystals and Three Crows Emporium, 10/17/25 Half Moon, 10/29/25 Akasha Zamora, ]
* Make year-end posts in my blog. [MET 12/31/25]
Seasonal Goals
* Take and post pictures at least once per season. [MET Winter 1/3/25 Testing Pens on Plant Labels, 1/6/25 Photos: House Yard and South Lot, 1/8/25 Photos: House Yard, 1/16/25 Photos: Winter Sunset, 2/26/25 First Flower, Spring 3/2/25 Photos: House Yard and South Lot, 3/5/25 Making a Tiny Terrarium in a Spice Jar for Lichens, 3/12/25 Photos: House Yard and South Lot, Photos: Savanna and Prairie Garden, Photos: Back Toward the House, Photos: Garden Shed, 3/24/25 Photos: Charleston Food Forest Part 1 Right Side, Photos: Charleston Food Forest Part 2 Left Side, 3/27/25 Photos: Antique Jar Terrarium Build Part 1: Washing, Drainage, and Barrier, 3/28/25 Photos: Antique Jar Terrarium Build Part 2: Mixing Substrate, 3/29/25 Photos: Antique Jar Terrarium Build Part 3: Adding Mosses, Photos: Cookie Jar Terrarium Part 1: Setup, 4/21/25 Photos: Cookie Jar Terrarium Part 2: Planting, 5/14/25 How to Secure Trough Pots to a Bench, 5/14/25 Photos: Sunset, 5/14/25 Photos: House Yard and South Lot, 5/14/25 Photos: Savanna and Prairie Garden, 5/15/25 Photos: Cookie Jar Terrarium Part 2: Planting, Summer 6/1/25 Photos: House Yard and Photos: South Lot, 6/9/25 How to Make Comfrey Liquid Fertilizer Part 1: Jugs and How to Make Comfrey Liquid Fertilizer Part 2: Leaves, 6/10/25 Photos: Lake Charleston Butterfly Gardens, 6/11/25 Photos: Dark Gardening, 6/19/25 Charleston Library Butterfly Gardens, 6/21/25 Coles County Community Garden and Charleston Food Forest, 8/2/25 Charleston Food Forest and Coles County Community Garden, Autumn Candy Jar Terrarium Part 1: Setup, 10/9/25 Charleston Food Forest and Coles County Community Garden, 11/3/25 Photos: Lantern Terrarium Assembly Part 1 Gathering Materials, Photos: Lantern Terrarium Assembly Part 2 Testing the Fit, 11/8/25 Photos: Charleston Food Forest, Photos: Coles County Community Garden, Photos: Lake Charleston, 11/10/25 Photos: Lantern Terrarium Assembly Part 3 Adding Air Plants, Winter 12/4/25 Photos: House Yard icicles and snow, 12/8/25 Photos: Tuscola Winter Window Walk, 12/26/25 Lights on the Prairie walk-through display]
* Watch for Greenup events and try to catch at least one (any season). [MET 2/26/25, not found yet, 5/30/25 found Cumberland County Fair in Greenup August 9-16, 6/6/25 found dates for Apple Fest Oct. 9-11 and Christmas in the Village Dec. 13, 10/11/25 attempted Apple Fest, 12/13/25 Christmas in the Village snowed out]
* Watch for new issues of A Day Away central Illinois magazine and pick them up. It comes out twice a year: Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter. Available at Grissom Family Orchard or The Village Hall and Municipal Building in Greenup. [MET begun 2/26/25, not found yet, completed 6/6/25 with Spring/Summer 2025, 8/31/25 found Fall/Winter 2025]
* Revisit Charleston Food Forest at least once each in spring, summer, and fall. [MET Spring 3/12/25, 3/24/25, Summer 6/19/25, 6/21/25, 8/2/25, Fall 10/9/25, 11/8/25]
* Make at least one hiking or driving trip to view spring flowers and/or migrating birds. [MET 3/31/25 marsh park]
* Make at least one hiking or driving trip to view summer wildlife, a butterfly house, or a permaculture garden (such as the Charleston Food Forest). [MET 6/10/25 Photos: Lake Charleston Butterfly Gardens, 6/21/25 Charleston Food Forest, 8/2/25 Charleston Food Forest, ]
* Watch a fireworks display in July. [MET 6/10/25 Today's Adventures in Tolono, 7/4/25 Fireworks home show]
* Catch a street fair. [MET 4/25/25 Spring Fest, 5/16/25 Strawberry Jam, 6/7/25 Fairy Market, 6/13/25 Marshall Farmer's Market, 7/11/25 Marshall Farmer's Market, 7/22/25 Edgar County Fair, 7/31/25 Effingham County Fair, 8/15/25 Mattoon Farmer's Market at winery, 8/26/25 Champaign Farmer's Market, 8/30/25 Tuscola Family Fun Day and Arthur Amish Country Cheese Festival, 9/5/25 Arcola Broomcorn Festival, 9/19/25 Autumn Fest, 9/27/25 Harvest Frolic, 10/18/25 ODD Market in Tuscola, 12/6/25 Hometown Holly Days in Marshall, ]
* Make at least one hiking or driving trip to view fall foliage, migratory birds, and/or a memorable cemetery. [MET 11/8/25 Lake Charleston]
* Reconstruct the bowl of lights with new light string (already found), and look for fresh potpourri. [MET 12/19/25]
* Make at least one driving trip to view holiday lights between Thanksgiving and New Year. [MET 12/4/25 Mattoon LIghtworks, 12/26/25 Lights on the Prairie walk-through display]
* Fill in the blank: __________. This slot is left open because, during any given year, I usually pick up some "surprise" goals. This time I want to give myself credit for that.
-- Revisit making terraria [MET 3/5/25]
----- 3/5/25 Making a Tiny Terrarium in a Spice Jar for Lichens
----- 3/27/23 Photos: Antique Jar Terrarium Build Part 1: Washing, Drainage, and Barrier
----- 4/21/25 Photos: Cookie Jar Terrarium Part 1: Setup
----- 9/13/25 Candy Jar Terrarium Part 1: Setup
----- 9/14/25 Photos: Fairy Garden Lantern Deconstruction
----- 11/3/25 Photos: Lantern Terrarium Assembly Part 1 Gathering Materials, Continue with Photos: Lantern Terrarium Assembly Part 2 Testing the Fit
----- 11/10/25 Photos: Lantern Terrarium Assembly Part 3 Adding Air Plants,
-- 9/10/25 sorted Dad's coins into keep and sell for roof repair.
-- 9/10/25 set up safe deposit box and listed items to put inside.
-- 9/28/25 cleared corner at end of couch, put blue flower table beside couch, hung resin dragon on wall
--12/13/25 installed new buffet burner
--12/13/25 installed new Moroccan lamp
September Goals
Make recipes. [done]
Make business cards for coven. [done]
Make terrarium with fern and polka dot plant. [done]
Make lantern terrarium with air plants. [deconstructed, 11/10/25 finished]
Assemble bee waterer.
Assemble bird dustbath.
Visit Lake Charleston or marsh park.
Visit Charleston Food Forest.
Finish spice cabinet.
* Actually look at this list of goals, at least twice a month, before the end of the year in hopes of meeting more of them and not trying to cram in December. [MET 1/1/25, 1/3/25, 1/4/25, 1/5/25, 1/6/25, 1/7/25, 1/8/25, 1/9/25, 1/10/25, 1/16/25, 1/17/25, 1/18/25, 1/19/25, 1/21/25, 1/23/25, 1/24/25, 1/25/25, 1/26,25, 1/30/25, 1/31/25, 2/1/25, 2/3/25, 2/5/25, 2/6/25, 2/8/25, 2/13/25, 2/15/25, 2/16/25, 2/17/25, 2/19/25, 2/20/25, 2/21/25, 2/22/25, 2/24/25, 2/25/25, 2/26/25, 2/28/25, 3/2/35, 3/3/25, 3/5/25, 3/6/25, 3/7/25, 3/10/25, 3/12/25, 3/16/25, 3/19/25, 3/24/25, 3/28/25, 3/29/25, 3/31/25, 4/1/25, 4/2/25, 4/8/25, 4/9/25, 4/13/25, 4/15/25, 4/20/25, 4/23/25, 4/25/25, 4/27/25, 4/28/25, 4/30/25, 5/1/25, 5/3/25, 5/4/25, 5/5/25, 5/15/25, 5/18/25, 5/19/25, 5/28/25, 5/30/25, 5/31/25, 6/1/25, 6/2/25, 6/3/25, 6/6/25, 6/9/25, 6/10/25, 6/11/25, 6/13/25, 6/14/25, 6/15/25, 6/17/25, 6/18/25, 6/19/25, 6/20/25, 6/22/25, 6/26/26, 6/27/25, 6/28/25, 6/29/25, 6/30/25, 7/1/25, 7/4/25, 7/5/25, 7/7/25, 7/10/25, 7/12/25, 7/13/25, 7/14/25, 7/19/25, 7/22/25, 7/30/25, 7/31/25, 8/2/25, 8/4/25, 8/7/25, 8/19/25, 8/24/25, 8/27/25, 8/31/25, 9/2/25, 9/5/25, 9/6/25, 9/7/25, 9/9/25, 9/10/25, 9/13/25, 9/14/25, 9/18/25, 9/28/25, 9/30/25, 10/5/25, 10/6/25, 10/8/25, 10/9/25, 10/10/25, 10/12/25, 10/16/25, 10/17/25, 10/19/25, 10/20/25, 10/24/25, 10/30/25, 11/2/25, 11/3/25, 11/7/25, 11/8/25, 11/10/25, 11/21/25, 11/26/25, 11/27/25, 11/29/25, 11/30/25, 12/1/25, 12/4/25, 12/5/25, 12/6/25, 12/8/25, 12/10/25, 12/12/25, 12/13/25 12/14/25, 12/16/25, 12/19/25, 12/20/25, 12/22/25, 12/26/25, 12/28/25, 12/29/25, 12/30/25, 12/31/25]
December goals met:
* Make at least one new recipe per month.
* Continue holding one Poetry Fishbowl per month.
* Look at this list of goals at least twice a month.
* Make at least one driving trip to view holiday lights.
* Launch at least one new poetic series.
* Test the durability of the two new paint pens on plant markers.
* Reconstruct the bowl of lights.
* Hang up the strand of cobalt beads.
* Write at least 400 poems.
* Create more supporting materials for poetic series
* Supervise updates of the Polychrome Heroics material and other series.
* Continue posting in
birdfeeding.* Continue posting in
newcomers * Continue posting in
goals_on_dw * Keep up with writing records better
* Add storage to garden shed.
* Continue developing the landrace Shithouse Marigolds
* Take care of Midwinter Grove
* Keep track of my crowdfunding activity
* Keep track of things I would like to receive as gifts.
* When posting for Moment of Silence, include "carry on the work" suggestions
* Do more archiving of web links to combat linkrot.
* Make year-end posts in my blog.
* Watch for Greenup events
* Actually look at this list of goals, at least twice a month
* Hang 2025 calendars. [MET 1/1/25]
* Change the community calendar link in
allbingo to the new 2025 Community Calendar. [MET 1/1/25]* Fill in desk calendar with repeating posts and other memoranda by the end of January. [MET begun 1/1/25, completed 1/31/25]
* Organize this list of goals into sections. (for 2026)
* Move poetry printouts. [MET 1/1/25]
* Clear out some backlogged email. [MET 2/17/25]
* Place one new book-length project on the market, either by writing a book proposal or by writing a complete book manuscript.
* Experiment with self-publishing a chapbook in ebook and/or home-printed format.
draggon-flye.livejournal.com,
siliconshaman, ari_the_dodecahedron, and galadhir have volunteered to help with this.* Finish compiling the manuscript for The Origami Mage collection. Add supporting materials as necessary. Submit completed manuscript to Hunt Press.
* Write at least 400 poems. [Begun 1/1/25, MET 12/31/25]
* Continue holding one Poetry Fishbowl per month. [MET 1/7/25 short forms, 2/4/25 "I believe in dragons, good men, and other fantasy creatures," 3/4/25 Yes, actually, it IS that bad, 4/1/25 Cozy Coping Skills, 5/1/25 Ethical Supervillains, 6/3/25 Gentleness Is Strength, 7/1/25 Weaponized Incompetence and Malicious Compliance, 7/15/25 anything goes, 8/5/25 Books and Learning, 9/2/25 Communication Styles, 10/7/25 Witches and Wizards, 11/4/25 Fairies and Fey, 12/2/25 Sentient and Self-Aware Machines]
* Collate at least three more poetic series or threads into collection files. [MET 1/6/25 Nebuly, 2/24/25 Cousins of the West, 11/29/25 Frank the Crank / City Engines]
* Create more supporting materials for poetic series as necessary, such as character cast lists or scientific notes. [MET 1/31/25 added more entries in notes for Peculiar Obligations Animals, 6/23/25 started vocabulary list for Peculiar Obligations, 10/5/25 created poems list and collection for The Freaks Club, 10/8/25 created Gloryroad Crossing poems list, 10/8/25 created Practical Magics poems list, 11/29/25 created poems list for Frank the Crank / City Engines]
* Supervise updates of the Polychrome Heroics material and other series. [MET 1/7/25 with
nsfwords updating Quixotic Ideas, 1/9/25 finished updating Quixotic Ideas, 1/21/24 updated Officer Pink, Daughters of the Apocalypse, and Arts and Crafts America]* Launch at least one new poetic series. [MET 11/4/25 and 12/13/25 Coracle Shores]
* Sell at least one poem of 10 or fewer lines, eligible for the Dwarf Stars Award. [MET 11/3/25 "Unicornis Memento Mori" ]
* Sell at least one poem of 50+ lines, eligible for the Rhysling Award long category. [MET 2/8/25 "Everything Happens for a Reason"]
* Finish at least one poem that was partly written and then abandoned. [MET 5/3/25 "The Most Dangerous Animal in the Zoo," 9/7/25 "When Everyone Around You Has Theirs Bowed," 9/28/25 "New and Innovative Approaches"]
* Sort through bingo cards and remove those from 2024. [MET 1/1/25]
* Participate in at least six bingo fests. [MET Begun Public Domain Day Bingo Card 1-1-25, Valentines Bingo Card 2-1-25, Tolkien Bingo Fest Card 3-1-25, Aesthetics Bingo Fest Card 4-1-25, Color Fest Bingo 5-1-25, Pride Fest Bingo 6-2-25, Western Bingo Fest 7-1-25 (blackout), Crime Classics Bingo 8-1-25, Piracy Bingo Fest 9-1-25, Fall Festival Bingo 10-1-25, Fairy Tales and Fantasy Stories Bingo 11-1-25, December is amnesty month]
* Participate in the
snowflake_challenge. [MET 1/1/25, completed 1/31/25]* Participate in the March Meta Matters Challenge over on
marchmetamatterschallenge. [MET 3/31/25, begun 1/15/25]-- Write "Why We Need Fanifestos." [Begun 3/1/25, completed 3/30/25]
-- Snowflake Challenge 8: Primer for Nimona [1/15/25]
-- Check that reviews and other meta from the past year have been archived.
-- See from 2024 my gather post on my blog and my introduction in
marchmetamatterschallenge. [Reprised on 3/1/25]* Participate in Three Weeks for Dreamwidth. [MET begun 4/25/25, completed 5/15/25]
* Continue posting in
birdfeeding. [Begun 1/1/25, MET 12/31/25]* Continue posting in
newcomers to help newcomers to Dreamwidth. This largely replaces reddit_refugees, which will now get only occasional updates. [Begun 1/1/25, MET 12/31/25]* Continue posting in
goals_on_dw to support New Year's resolutions and other goals. [Begun 1/1/25, Goal-Setting Frameworks series in Three Weeks for Dreamwidth 4/25/25-5/15/25, MET 12/31/25]* Run the Rose & Bay Awards for 2025. [MET begun 1/1/25, completed 3/1/25]
* Keep up with writing records better, updating at least monthly. [Begun 1/16/25, MET 12/31/25]
* Finish spending holiday money by the end of January. [MET 1/25/25]
*
* Finish at least two catalog orders for spring plants by the end of February. Orders sent in March or later do not count.
-- This may need adjusting, as some catalogs already arrived and two orders were made in December: American Meadows Order 12/15/25, Breck's Order 12/25/24, American Meadow seeds arrived 12/24/24. [MET 1/16/25 sent requests for Buffalo Seed Company and OPN Seed to my partner Doug, 1/18/25 Buffalo Seed Company Order sent and OPN Seed Order sent, 1/19/25 Pinetree Garden Seeds Order, Prairie Moon Order, and Select Seeds Order sent, 1/23/25 OPN Seed order arrived, 1/25/25 seeds from Prairie Moon arrived, Edible Landscaping Order sent 2/25/25, K. van Bourgondien Order sent 2/26/25, One Green World Order and John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds Order and Burpee all requested 2/28/25 sent 3/3/25, 4/1/25 Pinetree Garden Seeds order arrived, 4/2/25 Burpee order arrived, 4/8/25 Prairie Moon plant order arrived, 4/9/25 K. van Bourgondien order arrived, 4/23/25 Edible Landscaping order arrived, 4/25/25 American Meadows plants arrived, 4/30/25 Select Seeds plants arrived]
* Make a summer/fall order for things that aren't available in winter/spring.
-- American Meadows? [MET arrived 8/19/25]
-- Prairie Moon?
* Test the durability of the two new paint pens on plant markers. [MET 1/3/25 set up test tags with old Sharpie marker, new Sharpie oil paint pen, and new Craft Master paint pen; 1/20/25 smear test of three pens, 2/3/25 first fade check, 3/3/25 second fade check, 4/4/25 third fade check, 5/6/25 fourth fade check, 6/1/25 fifth fade check, 7/2/25 sixth fade check, 8/1/25 seventh fade check, 9/2/25 eighth fade check, 10/3/25 ninth fade check, 11/3/25 tenth fade check, 12/16/27 eleventh fade check, 12/17/25 analysis]
* Complete at least one significant outdoor project. [MET]
-- Bought numerous planters for new picnic table [1/21/25]
-- Bought two jugs for making comfrey fertilizer [1/21/25, assembled jugs for comfrey liquid fertilizer Part 1: Jugs, Part 2: Leaves [6/9/25]
-- Bought fan fossil rock, pink mica rock, and 5 cobblestones at Country Arbors Nursery 2/20/25, set them outside 2/21/25]
-- Bought Gorilla 9 cubic foot dump cart 2/27/25, assembled cart 2/28/25
-- Installed rain gauges in barrel garden and septic garden 3/10/25
-- More transplants from the Charleston Food Forest [hardneck garlic and strawberries 3/25/25]
-- ordered Yardistry 6.7' x 7.6' greenhouse from Costco 4/8/25
-- greenhouse received 5/9/25
-- assembled planters for new picnic table April-May
-- Set up planned birthday planter? Add trellis?
-- Build a hibernaculum?
-- Make shelter pipes for tree frogs?
-- Climate-resiliant vegetables or flowers?
-- Get troughs and/or square pots for new picnic table. [1/21/25 and later]
-- Bought and learned to use construction staple gun 10/9/25]
-- Patched screen panel 10/12/25
-- Started wood chipper 11/23/25
-- Ran chipper for part of brush pile in parking lot 11/24/25
* Add storage to garden shed. [MET]
-- Pegboard and hardware for hanging tools? [Begun 3/3/25 looked at pegboard in Home Depot, looked at metal diamondboard pegboard in Menard's 3/18/25, found Rubbermaid garage storage system at Home Depot, 5/2/25 bought modular white plastic shelves for either garden shed or greenhouse, ]
-- Tool bucket or rack?
-- Shelves?
* Revisit Country Arbors Nursery to shop for rocks.
-- large flat cobblestones for edging purple-and-white garden [MET 2/20/25 bought 5]
-- small piece of fossil-bearing slab [MET 2/20/25
-- small pink boulder with large mica chips for purple-and-white garden or wagonwheel garden [MET 2/20/25, 3/18/25]
-- two sandstone flagstones with worm trail fossils [MET 3/18/25]
-- also plants.
-- looked for pond plants but they didn't have what I needed [5/28/25]
* Fasten white wagonwheel so it stays put. [MET 2/5/25]
* Sort seeds into new seed-storage containers. [MET 1/5/25 Sorting Seeds on a Snowy Day, 3/6/25 sorted large seed bags into new container]
* Put more bee plants in the prairie garden. [MET 12/25/24 already ordered Monarch Butterfly Wildflower Seed Mix (also bee-friendly) from American Meadows, 1/18/25 ordered Bee Lawn Mix from OPN Seed, 1/23/25 OPN Seed order arrived, 4/27/25 sowed Monarch Butterfly Wildflower Seed Mix (also bee-friendly) in the notch of the prairie garden, 4/28/25 sowed Monarch Butterfly Wildflower Seed Mix in east-west strip of prairie garden, I have a bee tree this year! :D 3q3q3q!!!]
* Plant some landrace seeds or plants. [MET 1/18/25 ordered sunflower 'Hopi Landrace' from Buffalo Seed Company, 5/8/25 planted sunflower 'Hopi Landrace' in telephone pole garden]
* Continue developing the landrace Shithouse Marigolds named 9/5/23. [Begun 3/2/25 sowed Shithouse Marigold seeds in pots, 5/1/25 sowed Shithouse Marigold seeds in oval pot, 5/5/25 planted Shithouse marigolds grown from seed, 9/4/25 gathered Shithouse Marigold seeds, ]
-- Some volunteer sunflowers are blooming in telephone pole garden. [7/7/25]
-- Some zinnias from Charleston Food Forest are blooming in septic garden [7/18/25]
-- Gathered sunflower seeds [9/23/25]
-- Gathered many different seeds including marigolds and zinnias [MET 10/9/25]
* Take care of Midwinter Grove: [MET begun 6/1/25, 12/31/25]
-- Colorado blue spruce (needs a lot of extra water in dry times)
-- 'Royal Family' hollies (extra water and care while establishing)
* Keep track of my crowdfunding activity as the year goes on. [Begun 1/1/25, MET 12/31/25]
* Keep track of things I would like to receive as gifts. [Begun 1/1/25, MET 12/31/25]
* Add a "Planting Ahead Goals for 2026" tracking page. [MET 1/1/25]
* Read at least four cookbooks, marking recipes of interest. [MET 1/16/25 Feast: Food of the Islamic World, 1/30/25 Warm Your Bones, 2/15/25 Italian Country Cooking, 3/8/25 170 South African Recipes, 4/19/25 Taste of Home Grandma's Favorites 2024, 5/2/25 Milk Street: Cook What You Have: Make a Meal Out of Almost Anything, 5/17/25 Taste of Home's More Grandma's Favorites 2025, Nutritious Delicious 5/28/25, 6/18/25 Hello! 365 Tomato Recipes, 6/26/25 Taste of Home's Easy Everyday Cooking 2025, 7/22/25 The Complete Cooking for Two Cookbook, 8/4/25 Reader's Digest Live Longer Cookbook, 8/21/25 Southern Living Slow Cooker Cookbook, 8/26/25 Baking for Two by America's Test Kitchen, 9/5/25 The Young Forever Cookbook, 9/27/25 Taste of Home Grandma's Favorites 2025, Taste of Home Fall Baking, 10/18/25 Stock the Crock, Indulge, 11/19/25 Our Best Blue Ribbon Recipes, 12/26/25 Taste of Home Christmas]
* Make at least one new recipe per month. [MET * 1/5/25 Reggae Medley and Daybreak Blend smoothie, * 1/7/25 ginger beer tropical blend smoothie, * 1/26/25 Italian quiche, ** 2/3/25 pineapple Daybreak Blend smoothie, ** pineapple strawberry smoothie 2/13/25, Pasta with Scamorza Sauce 2/16/25, * 2/21/25 Halloumi Veggie Burgers, 2/22/25 Halloumi Lamb and Tomato Skillet Dish, 3/17/25 Pistachio Cardamom Cookies, * 3/19/25 Cocojune passionfruit Daybreak Blend with extra passionfruit smoothie, ** 4/13/25 Granola Butter Brownie Batter smoothie, * 5/5/25 Granola Butter Cookies, ** 6/14/25 Santorini Stir-Fry with Chicken and Patty Pan Squash, 6/15/25 watermelon smoothie without banana, * 6/15/25 Pretzel Bread Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, * 6/17/25 watermelon smoothie with frozen banana, * 6/19/25 Chicken Stir-Fry with Mushrooms and Swiss Chard, * 6/20/25 Pretzel Bread Savory Bread Pudding with Ham, ** 7/1/25 orange tropical mix smoothie, 7/5/25 orange strawberry smoothie, * 7/7/25 chicken stir-fry with peapods and shredded carrots, ** 7/12/25 pistachio butter smoothie, ** 7/19/25 Dark Chocolate Brownies with Raspberry Spread, * 8/24/25 shrimp stir-fry with leftover vegetables, * 8/24/25 guava mixed fruit smoothie, 8/27/25 green smoothie with pea shoots, * 9/2/25 guava pineapple mixed fruit smoothie, * 9/7/25 molasses spice gingersnaps (ultimate ginger cookies), 9/9/25 Tomato Basil Bread, * 9/18/25 Corncob Broth, * 9/28/25 apple-strawberry crisp, * 9/30/25 Pigeon Peas Stew, * 10/6/25 caramel apple crisp, ** 10/6/25 caramel apple cider smoothie, ** 10/17/25 Quaker Oat Flour Blueberry Muffins, ** 10/19/25 Butternut Squash Soup with Apples and Onions, * 10/24/25 Apple Pie Cookies, * 11/2/25 Tomato-Basil Bread (yeast version from p. 32), ** 11/7/25 strawberry apple cider smoothie, * pomegranate-blueberry strawberry smoothie, * 11/26/25 cinnamon Candy Cane Cookies, * 11/27/25 Crockpot Smoked Turkey Leg with Beans, * Cheesy Bacon Potato Soup, * 12/5/25 Banana Banana Bread, * 12/7/25 Lemon Thumbprint Cookies, 12/10/25 Crockpot Healthy Chicken Soup, 12/14/25 wrote out recipe for Butternut Squash Soup with Apples and Onions, 12/19/25 crockpot shrimp boil, * 12/22/25 rosemary-lemon cookies, ]
* Quite good, ** Made 2+ times
* Try at least one new cooking ingredient. [MET 1/25/25 bought scamorza cheese, cardamom extract, Little Italy Pizza spice blend, and Santorini spice blend; 1/26/25 made Italian quiche with scamorza and Little Italy Pizza spice blend, 1/31/25 guava jelly in grilled cheese sandwich with queso fresco, 2/21/25 halloumi cheese and Santorini Citrus spice blend in Halloumi Veggie Burgers, 3/16/25 cardamom extract in Pistachio Cardamom Cookies , 6/13/25 bought 2 patty pan squashes, 6/14/25 made Santorini Stir-Fry with Chicken and Patty Pan Squash, 7/10/25 pink oyster and blue oyster and lion's mane mushrooms, 9/30/25 Pigeon Peas Stew, 10/19/25 corncob broth in Butternut Squash Soup with Apples and Onions, 10/20/25 freeze-dried lemon powder in Quaker Oat Flour Blueberry Muffins, 12/10/25 Mazyana Curry spices in Crockpot Healthy Chicken Soup, ]
* Organize at least one area that is currently a mess.
- Shrink book stack in front of printer [MET 1/23/25]
- Emptied bags by desk and put away contents [12/20/25]
- Take books off couch?
* Finish sewing projects on couch. [Begun 4/15/25 cut hems, July started sewing hem on brown dress and finished it, August working on black skirt, September still working on black skirt, October finished multicolor skirt but still working on black skirt, ]
* Clean the window prisms. [MET 1/8/25]
* Work on cleaning up the fairy window:
-- Remove dead leaves / plants. [MET 2/1/25]
-- Move empty pots to lower storage shelf. [2/6/25]
-- Repot plants that need it. [Begun 1/21/25 bought small pots for repotting, 2/1/23 tested deep plant saucers in brass hanging planter; need to buy another one]
* Apothecary cabinet:
-- apply food-safe finish
-- hang in kitchen
-- stock with bitters / spices.
* Hang the cobalt bead strand. [MET 12/28/25]
* Assemble and hang hippie strand. [MET 1/9/25 received star and moon crystals, 1/24/25 assembled and hung]
* Hang mandala painting in living room. [MET 5/3/25, also hung new "The Starry Night" diamond art]
* Hang barn art in dining room. [MET begun 5/3/25, but needs hanging hardware, got hardware in May, hung 6/22/25]
* Multicolor yarn project:
-- clear ornament shells?
-- wall hanging with tresses & braids?
----- needs dowel, possibly large beads
----- may need Zauberperlen
---------- Zauber Perlen #2463 (red to yellow)
* Put new hair ties onto metal snap-rings. [MET 1/23/25]
* When posting for Moment of Silence, include "carry on the work" suggestions based on each person's activities. [MET 1/7/25 Peter Yarrow, 2/24/25 Roberta Flack, 2/26/25 Michelle Trachtenberg, 6/10/25 Sly Stone, 6/11/25 Brian Wilson, 8/8/25 Jim Lovell, 10/1/25 Jane Goodall, 10/31/25 Patricia Crowther, 11/30/25 Leslie Fish, 12/18/25 Gil Gerard]
* Do more archiving of web links to combat linkrot. I primarily use the Wayback Machine, Ghost, and Archive Today, but there are other options. [MET 1/1/25, 12/31/25]
* At least 3 times, pack up some of Mom's old clothes and donate them. [MET 3/7/25, cleaned out refrigerator 6/18/25, bag of clothes 6/26/26, bag of clothes 8/4/25, bag of clothes 10/25/25]
* Visit a Pagan store at least 3 times. [MET 3/28/25 Half Moon, 4/11/25 Half Moon, 6/26/26 SarahLee's Healing Mountain Crystals and Three Crows Emporium, 10/17/25 Half Moon, 10/29/25 Akasha Zamora, ]
* Make year-end posts in my blog. [MET 12/31/25]
Seasonal Goals
* Take and post pictures at least once per season. [MET Winter 1/3/25 Testing Pens on Plant Labels, 1/6/25 Photos: House Yard and South Lot, 1/8/25 Photos: House Yard, 1/16/25 Photos: Winter Sunset, 2/26/25 First Flower, Spring 3/2/25 Photos: House Yard and South Lot, 3/5/25 Making a Tiny Terrarium in a Spice Jar for Lichens, 3/12/25 Photos: House Yard and South Lot, Photos: Savanna and Prairie Garden, Photos: Back Toward the House, Photos: Garden Shed, 3/24/25 Photos: Charleston Food Forest Part 1 Right Side, Photos: Charleston Food Forest Part 2 Left Side, 3/27/25 Photos: Antique Jar Terrarium Build Part 1: Washing, Drainage, and Barrier, 3/28/25 Photos: Antique Jar Terrarium Build Part 2: Mixing Substrate, 3/29/25 Photos: Antique Jar Terrarium Build Part 3: Adding Mosses, Photos: Cookie Jar Terrarium Part 1: Setup, 4/21/25 Photos: Cookie Jar Terrarium Part 2: Planting, 5/14/25 How to Secure Trough Pots to a Bench, 5/14/25 Photos: Sunset, 5/14/25 Photos: House Yard and South Lot, 5/14/25 Photos: Savanna and Prairie Garden, 5/15/25 Photos: Cookie Jar Terrarium Part 2: Planting, Summer 6/1/25 Photos: House Yard and Photos: South Lot, 6/9/25 How to Make Comfrey Liquid Fertilizer Part 1: Jugs and How to Make Comfrey Liquid Fertilizer Part 2: Leaves, 6/10/25 Photos: Lake Charleston Butterfly Gardens, 6/11/25 Photos: Dark Gardening, 6/19/25 Charleston Library Butterfly Gardens, 6/21/25 Coles County Community Garden and Charleston Food Forest, 8/2/25 Charleston Food Forest and Coles County Community Garden, Autumn Candy Jar Terrarium Part 1: Setup, 10/9/25 Charleston Food Forest and Coles County Community Garden, 11/3/25 Photos: Lantern Terrarium Assembly Part 1 Gathering Materials, Photos: Lantern Terrarium Assembly Part 2 Testing the Fit, 11/8/25 Photos: Charleston Food Forest, Photos: Coles County Community Garden, Photos: Lake Charleston, 11/10/25 Photos: Lantern Terrarium Assembly Part 3 Adding Air Plants, Winter 12/4/25 Photos: House Yard icicles and snow, 12/8/25 Photos: Tuscola Winter Window Walk, 12/26/25 Lights on the Prairie walk-through display]
* Watch for Greenup events and try to catch at least one (any season). [MET 2/26/25, not found yet, 5/30/25 found Cumberland County Fair in Greenup August 9-16, 6/6/25 found dates for Apple Fest Oct. 9-11 and Christmas in the Village Dec. 13, 10/11/25 attempted Apple Fest, 12/13/25 Christmas in the Village snowed out]
* Watch for new issues of A Day Away central Illinois magazine and pick them up. It comes out twice a year: Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter. Available at Grissom Family Orchard or The Village Hall and Municipal Building in Greenup. [MET begun 2/26/25, not found yet, completed 6/6/25 with Spring/Summer 2025, 8/31/25 found Fall/Winter 2025]
* Revisit Charleston Food Forest at least once each in spring, summer, and fall. [MET Spring 3/12/25, 3/24/25, Summer 6/19/25, 6/21/25, 8/2/25, Fall 10/9/25, 11/8/25]
* Make at least one hiking or driving trip to view spring flowers and/or migrating birds. [MET 3/31/25 marsh park]
* Make at least one hiking or driving trip to view summer wildlife, a butterfly house, or a permaculture garden (such as the Charleston Food Forest). [MET 6/10/25 Photos: Lake Charleston Butterfly Gardens, 6/21/25 Charleston Food Forest, 8/2/25 Charleston Food Forest, ]
* Watch a fireworks display in July. [MET 6/10/25 Today's Adventures in Tolono, 7/4/25 Fireworks home show]
* Catch a street fair. [MET 4/25/25 Spring Fest, 5/16/25 Strawberry Jam, 6/7/25 Fairy Market, 6/13/25 Marshall Farmer's Market, 7/11/25 Marshall Farmer's Market, 7/22/25 Edgar County Fair, 7/31/25 Effingham County Fair, 8/15/25 Mattoon Farmer's Market at winery, 8/26/25 Champaign Farmer's Market, 8/30/25 Tuscola Family Fun Day and Arthur Amish Country Cheese Festival, 9/5/25 Arcola Broomcorn Festival, 9/19/25 Autumn Fest, 9/27/25 Harvest Frolic, 10/18/25 ODD Market in Tuscola, 12/6/25 Hometown Holly Days in Marshall, ]
* Make at least one hiking or driving trip to view fall foliage, migratory birds, and/or a memorable cemetery. [MET 11/8/25 Lake Charleston]
* Reconstruct the bowl of lights with new light string (already found), and look for fresh potpourri. [MET 12/19/25]
* Make at least one driving trip to view holiday lights between Thanksgiving and New Year. [MET 12/4/25 Mattoon LIghtworks, 12/26/25 Lights on the Prairie walk-through display]
* Fill in the blank: __________. This slot is left open because, during any given year, I usually pick up some "surprise" goals. This time I want to give myself credit for that.
-- Revisit making terraria [MET 3/5/25]
----- 3/5/25 Making a Tiny Terrarium in a Spice Jar for Lichens
----- 3/27/23 Photos: Antique Jar Terrarium Build Part 1: Washing, Drainage, and Barrier
----- 4/21/25 Photos: Cookie Jar Terrarium Part 1: Setup
----- 9/13/25 Candy Jar Terrarium Part 1: Setup
----- 9/14/25 Photos: Fairy Garden Lantern Deconstruction
----- 11/3/25 Photos: Lantern Terrarium Assembly Part 1 Gathering Materials, Continue with Photos: Lantern Terrarium Assembly Part 2 Testing the Fit
----- 11/10/25 Photos: Lantern Terrarium Assembly Part 3 Adding Air Plants,
-- 9/10/25 sorted Dad's coins into keep and sell for roof repair.
-- 9/10/25 set up safe deposit box and listed items to put inside.
-- 9/28/25 cleared corner at end of couch, put blue flower table beside couch, hung resin dragon on wall
--12/13/25 installed new buffet burner
--12/13/25 installed new Moroccan lamp
September Goals
Make recipes. [done]
Make business cards for coven. [done]
Make terrarium with fern and polka dot plant. [done]
Make lantern terrarium with air plants. [deconstructed, 11/10/25 finished]
Assemble bird dustbath.
Visit Lake Charleston or marsh park.
Visit Charleston Food Forest.
Finish spice cabinet.
(no subject)
Date: 2025-01-02 08:22 am (UTC)Thoughts
Date: 2025-01-02 11:15 am (UTC)I needed those all together. I'm toying with the idea of sorting more into categories, because so many of them batch -- like writing and gardening -- and the list is getting quite long.
>> and applaud the diversity of the main goal list - it encompasses an entire year, good for you.<<
:D
>> There was a butterfly house in Vallejo's Six Flags in fond memory, which now seems to be defunct, though the cheetahs and so forth remain. I chaperoned a middle school group there once and the display of both butterflies and their cocoons was masterfully done.<<
I've been to a butterfly house a few times, and it's always magical.
(no subject)
Date: 2025-01-02 08:39 am (UTC)Yes ...
Date: 2025-01-02 11:31 am (UTC)* People who can't handle more than one goal at a time, but are good at sustaining that one over a long time period reliably.
* People who like a handful of goals, often in different categories, that may or may not be similar in scope or timescale. They usually try to meet all the goals, but even if not, they can manage to finish several so they don't feel back about botching the one and only goal.
* People who need a wide variety of goals in multiple categories and sizes. They try to see how many they can meet, without necessarily expecting to get them all.
Re: Yes ...
Date: 2025-01-02 11:38 am (UTC)I tend to do really well at "do this every week" and "do this every day" but less good at "do this once" goals.
Re: Yes ...
Date: 2025-01-03 11:21 am (UTC)I wound up working with "do the thing X times" because I'm bad at daily or weekly repetitions.
Re: Yes ...
Date: 2025-01-03 11:27 am (UTC)I just make a spreadsheet and keep it up... tracking things weekly makes sense in my brain.
(no subject)
Date: 2025-01-07 06:21 pm (UTC)Thank you!
Date: 2025-01-07 07:00 pm (UTC)Also,