A New Year; New Goals!

I get very excited every year around this time. A new year, new beginnings, new garden plans, new things to learn... it's hard to be restrained. I want to plan every second out and cram in as much as I can. And the tendency is to over plan! 

Photo Credit: maplemama

I know nearly every blogger is talking about resolutions and goals for 2011. And for good reason. Without goals, a person tends to drift without clear direction, but with goals, one can set a course. Even if the goal is not fully achieved, at least something is a most certainly gained in the process. 


So if I make a list of goals for the new year, I will direct the limited time that I have as well as my limited energy to those goals. Without a list, I will flit from thing to thing and most likely miss achieving the very thing that I really believe is important. I don't like to think of these as "resolutions" because as soon as I do, I feel pressure and guilt that no one in particular places on me, but it's just there.  However, if it's a "goal", than it's just something I'm aiming for. 


Oh, and I can assure you, I know I won't meet all my goals. I always have way too many. But there again, the pressure is removed when I know this ahead of time. So now, I can just type away and list all my dreams and desires for 2011 and not feel anything but joy and excitement.


My 2011 Goals
(In no particular order)


• Make my own bar soap


• Order bees and get my hives up and running (and possibly add a second hive)

• Finally learn to make sourdough bread!


• Sprout more seeds for salads, etc.

• Help Molly start a flower cutting garden and business


• Start seedlings on time for an early spring garden

• Reseed certain crops every 2 weeks - like lettuce!


• Start a fall vegetable garden and have season extenders ready to go


• Finish the laundry room


• Paint and add bead board to the entry hall

Country Living

• Complete the 30 Day Husband Encouragement Challenge - at least twice!

• Pray through Power of a Praying Wife at least 6 times in 2011


• Make two twin size quilts for the younger girls and coordinating euro shams

• Finish my study on Colossians and do a study on Titus


• Organize my food storage better and fill in the gaps


• Finish organizing my recipes 


• Get the paperwork always on my desk under control and keep it that way!! (least likely to happen)


• Make Farmgirl Cyn's Homemade Deodorant


And my biggest challenge for 2011...


• Get a small barn and two goats for milking! 

I'm working hard on this one, but God is going to have to provide some things for this to happen before the goats are born so I can be ready for them. 


You should know this is not my entire list; it's just the things that have been running in my mind for months and I really want to tackle in 2011. So expect the list to change over the course of the year.


Now it's your turn. I love to read other's goals for homesteading and otherwise. Won't you share yours? 


Happy New Year!