The Wordsmith's Forge

We made it to the end of April! \o/ If you have completed any of your short-term goals or subgoals, and/or you're still chugging away at your ongoing goals, then pat yourself on the back. You worked hard for that. We've also gotten through the secdond month of spring. If you're doing seasonal goals, you may have finished the first of your spring ones and/or be looking ahead to the summer batch.

This year I'm trying something new, continuing to track goals at the end of each month. So far it seems to be helping, so that's encouraging. I'm looking at my goal list more often and trying to keep ticking off more of them.

These are the previous check in posts:
New Year's Resolutions Check In January 4
New Year's Resolutions Check In January 10
New Year's Resolutions Check In January 17
New Year's Resolutions Check In January 24
New Year's Resolutions Check In January 31
New Year's Resolutions Check In February 28
New Year's Resolutions Check In March 31


Your Resolutions

Many people like to make their resolutions in April. Others refresh their goals.

Other folks are working on their New Year's resolutions from January. Find ways to keep going. What progress have you made?

Did you set any outdoor goals? It's easy to overlook those in December-January when the weather is frigid. Now that spring has sprung in the Northern Hemisphere, check to see if you have goals for gardening, yardwork, nature trips, etc. If not, you might want to set some goals now. Spring cleaning is another good topic to check. Here are some ideas on setting monthly goals.


Explore some ideas for the month ahead ...

8 Ways to Create Summer Structure for Your Child

150+ Achievable Monthly Goal Ideas to Improve Your Life

Gardening Tasks To Do in May

How I Plan for Summer

How Not to Fail the 1000 Hours Outside Challenge

How to Plan a Vacation (with Pictures) -- wikiHow

A Just-Structured-Enough Summer Schedule For Kids

May House Cleaning Checklist: Keeping Your Home Fresh and Organized

May Nature Calendar: 31 Days of Nature Activities


My Goals

Here are my goals for 2025.

Completed: 25 previous + 2 new = 27 total
Bee plants in prairie garden completed
Street fair completed

* 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]

* Move poetry printouts. [MET 1/1/25]

* Clear out some backlogged email. [MET 2/17/25]

* Sort through bingo cards and remove those from 2024. [MET 1/1/25]

* 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]

* Run the Rose & Bay Awards for 2025. [MET begun 1/1/25, completed 3/1/25]

* 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]

* 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]
-- 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
-- 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.

* 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.

* 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]

* 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]

* 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 ]

* Organize at least one area that is currently a mess.
- Shrink book stack in front of printer [MET 1/23/25]
- Take books off couch?

* 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 8" one]

* Assemble and hang hippie strand. [MET 1/9/25 received star and moon crystals, 1/24/25 assembled and hung]

* Put new hair ties onto metal snap-rings. [MET 1/23/25]

* Make at least one hiking or driving trip to view spring flowers and/or migrating birds. [MET 3/31/25 marsh park]

* 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

* Catch a street fair. [MET 4/25/25 Spring Fest]


Begun: 27 previous + 2 new - 1 completed = 26 in progress and 7 completed
(most of these cannot be finished quickly)
Began Three Weeks for Dreamwidth.
Began sewing projects.

* 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. [Begun 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, ]

* Write at least 400 poems. [Begun 1/1/25]

* Continue holding one Poetry Fishbowl per month. [Begun 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, ]

* Collate at least three more poetic series or threads into collection files. [Begun 1/6/25 Nebuly, 2/24/25 Cousins of the West, ]

* Create more supporting materials for poetic series as necessary, such as character cast lists or scientific notes. [Begun 1/31/25 added more entries in notes for Peculiar Obligations Animals]

* Supervise updates of the Polychrome Heroics material and other series. [Begun 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, ]

* Participate in at least six bingo fests. [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, ]

* Participate in Three Weeks for Dreamwidth. [Begun 4/25/25]

* Continue posting in birdfeeding. [Begun 1/1/25]

* 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]

* Continue posting in goals_on_dw to support New Year's resolutions and other goals. [Begun 1/1/25]

* Keep up with writing records better, updating at least monthly. [Begun 1/16/25]

* Test the durability of the two new paint pens on plant markers. [Begun 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, ]

* Add storage to garden shed.
-- 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, ]
-- Tool bucket or rack?
-- Shelves?

* Plant some landrace seeds or plants. [Begun 1/18/25 ordered sunflower 'Hopi Landrace' from Buffalo Seed Company, ]

* Keep track of my crowdfunding activity as the year goes on. [Begun 1/1/25]

* Keep track of things I would like to receive as gifts. [Begun 1/1/25]

* Make at least one new recipe per month. [Begun * 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, ]
* Quite good, ** Made 2+ times

* Finish sewing projects on couch. [Begun 4/15/25 cut hems]

* When posting for Moment of Silence, include "carry on the work" suggestions based on each person's activities. [Begun 1/7/25 Peter Yarrow, 2/24/25 Roberta Flack, ]

* Do more archiving of web links to combat linkrot. I primarily use the Wayback Machine, Ghost, and Archive Today, but there are other options. [Begun 1/1/25]

* At least 3 times, pack up some of Mom's old clothes and donate them. [Begun 3/7/25]

* Visit a Pagan store at least 3 times. [Begun 3/28/25 Half Moon, ]

* Take and post pictures at least once per season. [Begun 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, ]

* Watch for Greenup events and try to catch at least one (any season). [Begun 2/26/25, not found yet.]

* 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. [Begun 2/26/25, not found yet.]

* Revisit Charleston Food Forest at least once each in spring, summer, and fall. [Begun Spring 3/12/25, 3/24/25, ]