Goals for the Merry Month of May

 

I have updated April goals post to reflect the things I accomplished.  You can view that here if you want to see how well I did.  I won't go through those on this post this month.       

I've been thinking long and hard about May all week long and what I want to get done.

First and foremost my thoughts are outdoors.  It's the season of the year when I like to get plants and flowers and seeds going for blooms later on.  Now that the pollen is not coloring the whole world yellow, I want to get started!   One thing I buy each year is a Fern for the back porch.  For some reason, Ferns do really well on the back porch but not so much out front.   So this year, I'm buying ONE fern, for the back porch and will look at other options for my front porch plant hangers.    I don't know just what I want there but I do know I want something with color this year.  

I've been doing some plant research.  The two Mandevillas from two years ago are thriving.  Those will bring a bit of color to the front porch so I will add only one or two other flowering plants.  

I'm thinking perhaps I'll see about getting some Jasmine.  That should also do well on the front porch as it is in partial shade and gets 2-3 hours sunlight in the morning. We walked past a huge bunch of it in Florida and oh my goodness it smelled absolutely wonderful.  I can plant it on the rose trellis I think but if that's not suitable I can get another trellis for a small sum.

The Bougainvillea has not done well on the front porch and my research suggests I might move it to the back side of the house which gets more than six hours of sun daily.   That would be more ideal and hopefully it will bloom once again.  And it's thriving!   Hopefully this year it will bloom and really grow.

I'd like to look for six packs of annuals like petunias, impatiens, coleus (color even though it's not a flowering plant).   These are generally inexpensive and do well here.  

I have Dianthus that need to be divided.  These are perennials that do really well and will bloom for 9 or 10 months of the year here.  Dividing will net me more plants to spread about the flower beds. 

And of course, I want to plant my seeds now that frost dangers should be well past us.

There is weeding, mulching, etc. that must be done.  I'm just going to keep at it, doing a little all along through the months ahead.  Ditto for laying out landscape blocks.  My small bites theory has netted me more flower beds than I've had, though not nearly enough (my opinion) but I'm not nearly done!  I long to have  a blooming yard from late winter right through late fall.  Working working working

I also need to start cleaning porch railings on the back porch as well as the rafters.  I really really wish those rafters were not white...But I cannot change them at the moment because there is only so much time and so many plans I can make at once!

I've asked John to get the dryer and washer moved off the back porch and into the sheds.  That will make a huge difference out there. Bless the man...He got ahead of me and moved both this week while we were working outdoors...

And paint for chairs, tables and such on the porches is needed.  I have so much to paint though that I'm thinking I'll need to plan to do this in increments since I'll need to purchase so much.   So I'm going to set myself the goal of painting the cafe set and side table on the back porch first.  

Yes, I've set all that as a goal for this month and it's all outdoors.  So what do I mean to do indoors?

I have a good many houseplants that are showing signs they must be repotted and some will need to be divided, as well.  So that goes top of my list.  Most of these will also be moving outdoors this month if night time temperatures begin to rise a little bit more. I have all but one repotted.    I'll pass along a few to Bess.

I'm going to focus on projects as I come to each Zone this month.  I don't really need to do deep cleaning this month, just basic room maintenance.   I can focus on small projects in each Zone and call that Zone work, as well.  It worked very well!  I've accomplished something in every zone! 

In the kitchen, I've noted the shelf above the sink could use a new coat of paint.  I have a similar shelf in the same color above the stove and I'd prefer to paint both at the same time so the colors remain similar.  Done!

In the back entry, there are crooked pictures and I've a plaque that I've wanted to hang for the longest.  It doesn't have a hanger on it but it suddenly occurred to me the other day I could put one on it...Duh!  Sometimes the things I don't think of do amaze me.

I'd also like to put out a fresh arrangement on the shelf above the stove.  I'll pot all the cuttings I've rooted that are currently living on the sink shelf and get those outdoors (and that too is done), except for the Australian fern which apparently just loves it's spot there at the kitchen window and is thriving. 

And the one job I dread doing but which I know from personal experience works very well is that both the big African Violets need to be beheaded and replanted.  This always makes me very nervous but as I said, I followed directions two years ago to do this and they thrived afterwards so I'll assume they shall do the same this time around.  I'm thinking just maybe they are ready for a bigger pot, too.  I do have African Violet soil in my shed. These must have known I meant to tackle them.  The things have put out a bunch of buds.  I'll wait until they are done blooming.  Obviously they are healthy if they are overgrown! 

In the Living Room, I'll make the pillow covers.  If I can determine what color I want to paint the dining chairs I'll paint those.  At the very least, I will recover the seats since we've just bought staples for our staple gun.  The seats would be removed when I paint anyway, so it won't matter if I go on and recover them now. I have all four seats for the dining chairs recovered and a neutral base on my ottoman, but no cushions. 

When I come to the bedrooms and bath week, I need to get busy and find some new curtains for the bedroom. Will be making guest room curtains from material on hand.  Not a thing done about my room as of yet. I also want to put on my lighter Spring/Summer quilt  (done this week, too...I know.  I just got excited for May goals!) and make the new pillow covers for this room.  I changed my mind on the pillow covers.  The new spread looks so nice with the old shams that I'll keep them in this room and continue to enjoy them afresh.

I want to do something different on my dresser.  I'd like some greenery in the room and I think the dresser, which is not beside the bed, would be the ideal spot to put a plant.  Since I'm repotting things anyway, I may well wind up with a pot of something to go there without making a purchase.

I think a single wider panel would be fine to use in the bath  so I'll look for one while I'm checking around for bedroom curtains. Done, using what I have on hand.

I also have a two plants in this room that must have a new pot.  One done.  Now I need potting soil...

In the guest bedroom, I'll try to change up the look there with a solid spread and perhaps some fresh art work.  Chose to do a solid spread.  The window doesn't get lots of sunlight because it's well shaded by the old Sweet Gum tree,  so I can get by with just a simple drape in that room rather than blackout curtains.  I decided to use the new pillowcases to cover the throw pillows on this bed and I'm very happy with this fresh look here.  

I have a HUGE framed needlepoint that is above the bed in the guest room but I want to take that down and find something different.  I want to like it but after two years I have to admit that I simply do NOT.  It's time to let it go!   I'd like a similar sized piece to go in that spot but I might well end up doing another gallery wall.  I've gotten rather good at grouping things.  Part of me wants something totally fresh and new but I'll start looking at thrift stores first and then at other sources if nothing appeals to me.

In the guest bath, I want to do a little something different but not sure what at present.  I'll have to think on it.  There's not much space so I can't plan to put out much but perhaps a faux green plant would look nice, and a new wastebasket.  I'd like a new piece of art to go in that room, too.  A little faux boxwood from Dollar General at $5 including pot worked out lovely.

The fourth zone is porches and I think I've pretty well covered those for this month so there we are.  That's in and outdoor goals for May...what about personal goals?

As usual, I want to set up a wardrobe for the month.  I knew I'd culled the closet back in March but how deep did I go?  I have only about 10 shirts at present, which is generally all I'd wear in any given month anyway.  I might have to put shopping on next month's goal list for variety.  We'll see.

I'm due a haircut.  I don't plan to change my hair but I'd like to play and see if I can do different things with it.   Done

Truth told I'm longing for some change, my usual mood when seasons change.  A new lipstick might well be in order.  I'd say new makeup but the truth is I'm going to keep coming right back to the fairly neutral palette I wear 98 days out of 100 so why buy more?   But a lipstick...Yes, and maybe a fresh color in blush. Bought a new lipstick.

John and I have an anniversary later this month.  It would be nice if we could do something special.  I've told him I'd like to but I know it's pretty much up to me to determine what we might do and it will be myself who will also have to determine how it will be paid for, so there's some research and budget work to be done.  Then I can present him with options and let him determine which he likes best. We're still talking about this...Will we do anything in May?

I see no reason however, why we can't manage a regular date and/or a picnic in this lovely month, as well.  He surprised me with a date on Mother's Day and we ate a picnic lunch in a store parking lot...Not romantic but lovely weather so it was nice.

If we do go to do the picnic at a state park, I'm planning to go ahead and buy the annual pass.  I discovered that I can get one for half price since we're senior citizens now.  Just five visits will pay for the thing and we do go at least that often if not more each year.  

We have two family birthdays this month.  I need to get cards and determine what gifts will be.  And since I have a plethora of birthdays in June it would do me well to consider them all NOW and start planning what I shall do for those!  One for May done...

I've promised myself that starting this month I can spend  $20 on new to me books each month.  In the past, I've allowed myself only one book and if it was $2 or $20 didn't matter.  However, I might add a new issue or two to my selection of vintage magazines, and I would like to flesh out my collection of a couple of author's works.   Ordered one book for about $12

Now I shall stop here or I'll go on and on...

What are your plans for May?