12. Volunteer

Volunteering is an important thing to do - especially when you're not exactly rolling in the dough, and can't make large donations of the monetary nature. Instead, make donations - of all sizes - with your time, heart, mind and soul!!!

This month, September 2016, I officially became a 'Big Sister' in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Program, and I am super excited to start getting to know my Little! :)

I plan on doing more too, and will update when I do...

11. Write Letters, they are often cherished!

A.) Write (or make, as my adorable niece said) a card to Michael and one to Mary (my siblings).

B.) Reconnect with someone by sending them a postcard. 

10. READ -- b.) 40 of the books considered the best in Classic Literature

In order to keep myself on target with these, I signed up for goodreads.com.

And to be fair, I have read some of the books considered to be the best in Classic Literature already, but there are so many on that list that I'm sure I can find forty I haven't read yet.

Every time I read a new one I'll add it to this post. :)

#1 of 40: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle 
#2 of 40: Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery 
#3 of 40: The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
#4 of 40:

9. Visit New Skete With Dad

Went with Dad, and Mom, to New Skete on __DATE__, for their Pilgrimage. Experienced the Monastery, ate good food, meet many of the monks, pet a few pure bread German Shepherds. Good day! :)

8. READ -- a.) Read "How To Be a Woman" by Caitlin Moran

A thoroughly enjoyable read. She's very funny, a bit crass at points - but who isn't? Ha. She really made me think about a few things that really land in the world of "being a woman." 

Thanks to my friend Lisette for putting suggesting this as one of my 37-things to do. :)

7. Pickle something.

Pickle Something, said my Little Uncle Shreddy ... so ... here we go:

1. Spicy Carrot refrigerator pickles! 

Carrots (1 lb). Jalapeño Peppers (2). Garlic (couple of cloves). Cilantro (a bit of fresh). Vinegar (1.5 cups). Sugar (1/2 cups). (Water 3/4 cup). Boom.

In a sauce pan, over medium heat, combine vinegar, water and sugar - cook until sugar has dissolved. Set aside to cool.

While mixture is cooling, peel and slice the carrots. Slice the peppers. Peel cloves - cut in half if they're large. Place veg into an 800 ml mason jar.

Add a bit of cilantro.

Pour mixture over veg. 

Making sure the jar is cool enough for the fridge...cover and place in fridge. Enjoy!

*I ran out of carrots before totally filling the jar, as you can see a fair amount of liquid at the bottom. 

The recipe I followed said they'll be good for a week or so. 

And I'm sure I'll pickle more things over the next 3 years ... so here's number 1! 

#2. Pickled Okra

6. Visit 37 Micro-breweries/Pubs you've never been too.

I'm This one will have to go in steps, obviously! :)

16. Frederick

15. CO 11/6/17 axe and the Oak

14. CO 11/6/17 Holy Cross Winery

13, CO 11/5/17 Whistle Pig Brewery 

12. CO 11/5/17 Great Storm Brewing 

11. CO 11/3/17 Colorado Mountain Brewery

10. CO 11/2/17

9. MD 8/25/17

8. Old Klaverack Brewery

7. Ommegang-it counts, even though is been before, because it's in a new building and they had new beer to try, right?!?!?! 12/30/16

6. 

Short Tart and Handsome

5. Honey Hollow Brewery 10/1/16 2/Aunt Kris. I had the Hurricane Pale Ale.

4. Cape Cod Brewery 7/8/16 w/the folks and The Hall's Part 2

What a fun brewery! The tour is all in one room, where you can keep on taking your 5 tastings, and where kids (or grown up kids) can play games. Quite tasty! 

3. City Steam Brewery in Hartford Connecticut! 6/4/16 with Charlie. It was a spur of the moment find, we'd just seen "Anastasia" at Hartford Stage and it was the only restaurant, that didn't have a wait, in town. There was some big Gymnastics meet in town...

I had the Puckish Monk, very Yum

2. Since the task was to visit 37 Micro-breweries and or Pubs you've never been too before, I think this one counts! It was one of the, lets face it, MANY, pubs I went into in London in May 2016. Founders Pub ... and Young's London Stout was a beer I'd never tried before. Tasty ... and I got the glass! :)

1. Druthers in Albany (3/31/16 with Aunt Kris, Uncle Fred, James & Laura)

If you're going to try the sampler, have a designated driver! It's like 3 whole beers ... and if you're like me, and because it's a "sampler", you can wind up drinking it really quickly. LOL

5. Make your own flower pot and then plant a kind of flower you've never planted before.

This one comes from the list my niece made for me, and while it's not a "flower" I think it still works.

Mom's is on the top and mine is below. :)

Additionally, this is a book that was my Grandmother's ... a woman who loved to read and to garden! Oh, and I did this one with my Mom. :)