101 in 1,001: August update

I feel like people say this at the start of every month, but seriously, how did it get to be September already?

It's time for a 101 in 1,001 update!  Heads-up: You'll get a deeper look into my philosophy behind the list (and checking off items) than most months. I hope I'm not getting too far into the weeds here!

To refresh your memory:

The whole list

Last month's update

Track my progress (roughly) via Google doc

I didn't pin down too many goals for August, because by the time I got to my July wrap-up, my Boundary Waters canoe trip was approaching. I identified a few goals that might get checked off in that trip. It's funny, though, because activities that present the potential to check off several list items at once most likely hit a total sweet spot that makes them perfect for the 101 project - but I don't want to knock off big chunks of the list with just one adventure!

With that in mind, I'll cross two items off the list this month:

10) Go camping

27) Visit a new park in Minnesota

Both of these are items that I hope I do again before the 101 project is done, but I think this trip totally exemplifies the spirit behind the list in the best possible way, so I'm happy to cross them out with this trip.

I thought I might cross off 34) Go without screens for one day, but two things prevent me from doing it: 1) it was quite easy to go without TV, computer or phone because I had no possible access to those things - thus making it not much of a challenge, and 2) anyone on the trip can verify that I had my camera and its screen glued to my side. I think I'd like to spend a day at home around town with no screens for a good stretch.

As you might remember, I was really hoping I'd check off one of these!

30) See the Northern Lights

31) See a meteor shower

But that wasn't in the cards, thanks to cloudy nights and campsites with a blocked north view. (We tried, though!) Luckily, I might have an opportunity to go back up north this winter to try again.

So there!  I'm eight months into the project. I have 20 items complete and 17 items in progress.

What's up for September, then? Here are a couple of ideas in my mind:

40) Take a Spanish class (An opportunity has presented itself, and I just have to figure out if the timing is right.)
60) Plan dinners for a week and go to the grocery store once in that week
62) Send one card per week for three months (You're seen this one before - I've started and botched it several times already! I have a plan and am ready to launch it.)
86) Make a huge batch of pesto in the summer and freeze it. Natty inspired me on this one. Also, I can't bear to think of a full winter without sort-of-fresh pesto.

I have a couple of other ideas hopping around, but those will either be a surprise or wait until October. I also have this hankering to learn how to make jam, but I think I missed my window in terms of good fruit crops. And I want to ask someone to teach me something, so I am gathering ideas for that, too.

Hey! How is your list going, if you are working on one? And if you aren't: are there any little projects you want to take on this month?  Comment away, please!