Hobbies

Good day to everyone. What do you all do as a hobby? There are so many things that people do for their hobbies. I have several that I like to do to relax and unwind after a long day at work. My top choices are reading, gardening, putting jigsaw puzzles together, doing cross stitch and watching TV (which includes YouTube and streaming platforms). I go through phases where I do one for a while then switch. Some I haven't done for a while and want to pick back up.

When it comes to reading, other than the Bible, I like to read Christian fiction, and historical fiction. The current Christian fiction book author I am reading is Francine Rivers. I found that you have to watch out who you read, even in the Christian author section. There are quite a few I do not consider Christian, but that is a story for another day. I like to read historical fiction but it is getting harder and harder to find wholesome content.

Gardening is seasonal and on a very small scale right now since I rent. I grow solely in tubs or buckets. Every year I grow tomatoes and bush green beans. This year I also decided to grow cucumbers, yellow crookneck squash and zucchini. The only thing that seems to be growing well this year are the tomatoes because I struggled with the insects on the squash, zucchini, and cucumbers. The squash bugs and aphids were terrible. I don't want to use chemical pesticides. I believe that the other issue I have is with my soil. I think I need to amend it because all my plants have yellow leaves. I am not an avid enough gardener to know what is needed but I am learning. I decided to grow two different tomato plants this year. I only planted one Zachary tomato and four Celebrity tomato plants. The Zachary tomato plant is not doing well at all. All the blooms died after only getting three tomatoes off the plant. The first one was actually three tomatoes grown together, it was hollow and looked like grey mold was growing inside it. As of the time of this writing at the beginning of August, I am just getting to pick the other plants but they are loaded. I look forward to some delicious tomatoes.

For the first time in years, I started putting jigsaw puzzles together. I prefer the 1000 piece puzzles that are country themed. Thomas Kinkade is my favorite artist. Coincidently, he co-authored a few books as well that I have read. Now, I don't put puzzles together to take apart and put back in the box. I like to frame them and hang them in my home. That is why I am very picky about the ones I do. If I can't frame them right away I will take them apart in sections and put back in the box. I have also done some other types of 3d puzzles which is fun. I have seen huge ones that would take up a whole wall, I am serious about getting one of those. We shall see what I find.

Watching TV is seasonal. I spend more time outside during the warm months, so TV is low on my list. During the colder months it takes more time. I prefer to watch dramas on streaming platforms/TV. Medical, crime, military all fit into the category. On YouTube, I like to listen to mystery stories, watch farming/homesteading videos, and how to videos.

As far as the cross stitching goes, I have tried several times to pick it back up but have not much luck with it. I have cats and they like to chew the thread. Chewing thread can be very dangerous to them, so this is one hobby that will wait until I no longer have any cats.

This is not all of the extra things I like to do but I hope in sharing, maybe I have inspired you to think about a new hobby or picking an old one up again.