Tuesday morning, up before the dawn. Chores, cold rainy, dark. Hot coffee in hand, contemplating the day, and mentally planning how to get the most done. I can hear people starting to stir upstairs. CC getting ready for work, the kids working their way to the land of the living. I turn on the computer to get a jump on the kids school day and to check in with the world. First thing that pops up is a reminder that I need to post on NDIN this morning. My mind goes blank. I’ve got nothing. Usually I have a post already written, or at least a well developed idea in my head (I spend a lot of time having conversations with my self.) This morning I had nothing. When I first started writing for NDIN I was given a topic list as a guide depending on the week. It wasn’t a hard fast rule, if I wanted to write off topic I could, but it was nice to have a topic to focus on for the week. This week the suggestion was Craft or Hobby. So while I drank my now tepid cup of coffee I let my mind freewheel along the craft/hobby byway. Before long I realized that I don’t have any hobbies any more. There are some “crafts” I do, mostly practical building and farm related stuff. But other than that, nothing. Once I had hobbies. I painted, took pictures, wrote, fished, made furniture, rock climbed, and a host of other things. Now I have kids instead. Their projects, hobbies, and needs seem to take up all the time I used to spend on hobbies. I guess that’s my hobby now, raising kids. For example, this past weekend was spent camping with my son’s Webelos den. I’m the leader, so I needed to go. It was quite an adventure, a group of 9-year-old boys, two nights, three days, rain, cold, camp fires, hotdogs and s’mores. Not exactly a hobby, but fun. We got to explore relationships, respect for all living things, and basic survival. Boys who had never camped got to sleep in a tent in a huge thunderstorm, make their own food, hike all over the scout reserve, and learn to work together. It left me exhausted, but pleased with the results.
This coming week is the county fair. JJ and RR are taking some of our goats. We get to be there with the animals all week. The goats have to be in their stalls on this coming Thursday. My week will be spent helping the kids decorate the stalls, move the goats, and prepare everything for the coming week. 4H is great. The kids have learned a lot and grown a lot in the program. It is my other “hobby”
The rest of my time is spent on the farm, building and creating, making this place the haven we want it to be. That’s my hobby too, but it’s also my job.
So, what are your hobbies? How do you fit them in? Has homesteading changed what you consider a hobby?
Well after having three boys when our girl came along it revived my sewing career…actually I did it so much for a while that I sold things on ebay and etsy. Now that boy #4 is here I have no time to sew professionally but still do it for Sweet Girl. I truly love our time picking out fabrics and dreaming up new creations…a 6 year old can come up with some wild ideas!
Of course there is my camera…but at this point it seems like such an extension of my arm I forget that it is a hobby!
We also hike, ski, surf…go to old car shows, although that is hubby’s hobby that we just drug along to!
Blogging does that count?
I used to quilt and paint and cross stitch…those have long ago been dropped. There are only so many hours in the day, darn it! Kim
I remember a hobby of yours Alan…you used to write about Mouse Wars…I miss those little adventures! Kim
Hobbies!! I laugh at you!
Who has time for hobbies?!—Well maybe when it’s like 30 below outside and then you can’t go out anyway
Seriously…reading. I love to read. And I do get a moment or two at night before bed. I choose reading over many other things….most especially over t.v watching.
Hobbies? Oh yeah. I forgot. That’s a jon boat under that large tarp. And those five-foot tubes propped in the corner of the spare room contain flyrods…..
I suppose that blogging is a hobby; squeezed into the odd hours that don’t lend themselves to more productive efforts. And considering posts like yours, I’ve ‘met’ some very nice and very helpful people throgh this hobby.