Mrs. Suzy Homesteader

I have this idea of my life in Ohio, where I'll be this kind of Martha Stewart/ Tree-Hugger/ Homesteader:

(Schoolteacher Miss Mary Longfellow holding down a claim west of Broken Bow, Nebraska. Via tywkiwdbi.blogspot.com)

Like, I'll make things from scratch and not let anything go to waste! But it will all look really good, too:

(A peek inside of my sod house.* Credit: apartmenttherapy.com)

Today I've created a list of 15 things that will help me realize this vision of my life in Ohio. There are some things on this list that have nothing to do with being Mrs. Suzy Homesteader, but they've been a long time coming and need to be on this list.

The List

1. Be more positive (and nicer) (see my last post).
2. Get a smart phone.
3. Start composting!
4. Make some to-go jars for green smoothies.
5. Make over our kitchen table (post coming in the near future).
6. Start eating a healthier diet of whole foods made at home.
7. Learn to sew!
8. Get up early.
9. Start an exercise routine.
10. Maybe trade in my mountain bike for a cute little cruiser. With a handlebar basket.
11. Plant a container garden of vegetables.
12. Learn to play the guitar.
13. Learn how to can foods and make pickles.
14. De-clutter. Simplify.
15. Read the real news. And stop calling celebrity gossip "the news".

This is not an exhaustive list. I'm sure it will expand, contract, and generally morph once we settle in and I see how much time I have on my hands. But this is my starting point and a glimpse into some of my future posts!

What's on your to-do list for the coming year?

(And just FYI, I tend to call the school year "the year" rather than the calendar year. There's something about going back to school in the fall that just feels like starting fresh.)

*And another FYI, I will not actually be living in a sod house in Ohio. We've rented the middle unit of a very lovely-looking triplex.