What are some of your hobbies?

[Mr. Pibb]

Lynn and Robin while I don't raise bees I enjoy trying honey from different keeper what a difference in flavors the stuff that come off of an apple orchard is somewhat sweeter than that of what come out of the woods or alf alfa fields which are milder in taste but still very likable. My favorite to eat is the cone itself MM MM good.

Jerry

[mamaruns]

My favorite hobbies have always been staying active, especially jogging and taekwondo. I'm on a break from those activities for the time being....but have full intentions on getting back into it.

For now I enjoy playing with my kids (well I always have), doing lots of research, talking with friends, gardening, and playing the drums. I just got my first set for Christmas, and they have been a great source of rehab for me. Sometimes I do a lot of sewing too.

[BuckeyeFan]

Even though I am a complete klutz, I have always enjoyed sports. In high school, I ran cross country and track. Even today, at 46 I still play a lot of basketball when my knees can handle it. Still not any good, but I really enjoy the exertion. I think it is a great stress relief. I am also a complete nut about football at all levels.

Two years ago, I started a completely new hobby, growing GIANT pumpkins. Last year I grew 6 pumpkins totaling more than 3000 lbs. My largest were 728 (in the picture) and 684 lbs.

This is a hobby that has become international and the world record has been broken each year for the last 9 or 10 years. It now stands at 1689 lbs for a puimpkin grown in New England (in the mid 90s, mine would have been world records). I think some of these guys live in their pumpkin patches all summer. I just do it for the fun and relaxation. I am shooting for 1000 lbs this year if the family gets healthy.

To me, this is a type of therapy. When I am out in the garden working all alone, it seems to help clear my head or if I am mad about something, I can take it out on the weeds. My son-in-law helps me quite often and this has helped us get closer. My grandkids also love them.

I would recommend a little quite time in the garden for anyone dealing with stress.

[LynnW]

Jerry (Mr. Pibb) - Archery...cool! My 14 year old son has recently acquired an interest in archery. We got him a nice starter recurve bow last Christmas. He's not interested in hunting, just target shooting. Mostly what we have around here are crossbow and compound bow users who hunt with them. Not really any archery clubs or school archery teams. Do you have any recommendations for websites, books, etc that he might be interested in?

Buckeye - I have been admiring the pumpkin in your avatar - is it yours? Several months ago there was a PBS show about giant pumpkins - did you see it? Some of those folks are a little obsessed!

BTW, I'm originally from Cincinnati (most of my family still lives there). My dad and sister both attended OSU. My sister currently lives in Columbus. So I guess that makes me a buckeye too!

[BuckeyeFan]

Yep, once a buckeye, always a buckeye. I actually earned my degrees at Wright State University, but when it comes to sports, it is Ohio State all the way. I have recently became a bigger fan of OSU since I have two relatives being treated at their terrific cancer hospital. It is a national leader in cancer research.

I did see the PBS special and yes some of those guys are nuts, along with plenty of time and money on their hands. I keep my growing a little more limited, but my local group of growers sure has a good time. Last year we turned our pumpkins into boats and raced them in a local river. The pumpkin in my avatar weighed in at 728 lbs. We lifted them out of the patch with a tractor. I spend a lot of time in the patch, but I try to keep it in perspective with everything else. We were on CNNs web-site.

Search for 'Pumpkin Regatta' on you tube or CNN video

[Danielle]

I'd have to say ever since age 5, art was a huge part of my life and still is today. That probably explains why I became an illustrator. So,definately drawing and painting is #1 on my list for hobbies. Also, like most girls l love to shop and get a great deal. It's a girl thing I guess. Traveling is another thing I enjoy as well. I'll admit I haven't been to as many destinations as I would like, but the best place I have been so far has been Cancun,Mexico. Absolutely Gorgeous!! Pretty much any place with a warm climate I enjoy. Listening to music and spending time with family and friends are on the list as well. After going through all of the terrible times that I have experienced through the years due to my epilepsey I've learned the best hobby is to be happy and enjoy life to it's fullest. Pretty much I'm just out for the ride!!

[minnbikergirl]

I love to ride my bike. I love the outdoors, and living in Minnesota, its either biking in the summer, or cross country skiing in the winter for me. I go on canoe trips every summer.
sports is no#1 for me, and then music is great too !! I am a baby boomer, and the 70s, the beatles are great !!

[marjolein]

Mij hobby is learning my dog to be a police dog. He is now 4 years old and it is not goiing verry fast because of my health. I allso have MS . Grrrrrr Allways tiered. But the dog is nice and I love him and i am keep on training him . There will be a time that he understands what he must do ( I hope ??)

Marjolein

[alivenwell]

Yep, once a buckeye, always a buckeye. I actually earned my degrees at Wright State University, but when it comes to sports, it is Ohio State all the way. I have recently became a bigger fan of OSU since I have two relatives being treated at their terrific cancer hospital. It is a national leader in cancer research.

I did see the PBS special and yes some of those guys are nuts, along with plenty of time and money on their hands. I keep my growing a little more limited, but my local group of growers sure has a good time. Last year we turned our pumpkins into boats and raced them in a local river. The pumpkin in my avatar weighed in at 728 lbs. We lifted them out of the patch with a tractor. I spend a lot of time in the patch, but I try to keep it in perspective with everything else. We were on CNNs web-site.

Search for 'Pumpkin Regatta' on you tube or CNN video

Buckeye, what do you guys do to grow those pumpkins so large? Super fertilizer? Are they organic? I just had to ask...

[BuckeyeFan]

We start them indoors for one thing. Mine are growing under a heat lamp right now. I need to start a photo album of them.

We do use a lot of organic material on the gardens along with keeping the PH balanced. Many nutrients are added to the soil to enable it to pull everything it can from the soil. The plants grow very large. I will have over 500 sq ft for each of my plants this year. We try to stay as organic as possible.

A big thing is as the vines grow, we bury the vine a foot or so behind the new growth. This allows the plant to send new roots down under each leaf junction. Thus you are feeding it from the entire area covered by vine. We also pick just one pumpkin to keep. Once it has a good start, we trim off all the others so the plant spends all of its energy in that remaining pumpkin.

During their fast stages, the vines can grow a foot in a day and the pumpkin can gain 20-30 pounds in a day. Takes a lot to keep up with those stages.

Last - lots of water.

[TexasTravel]

Guns (I am a former member of a black powder club), hunting (I started hunting at around age 6), fishing (I started as soon as my father could get me into a boat which was pretty young. I was a member of a fishing club that my father helped to found. I learned how to float and tend to myself, in the water, at a very early age also), music, computers (not games, but building, programming, networking, etc.), plants (I am a Texas Master Gardener, well not yet really. I have finished my schoolwork and have my acredited hours, they only need to put the degree in my hands next May) and many more.

[hawke86]

I don't have a hobby.

[alivenwell]

We start them indoors for one thing. Mine are growing under a heat lamp right now. I need to start a photo album of them.

We do use a lot of organic material on the gardens along with keeping the PH balanced. Many nutrients are added to the soil to enable it to pull everything it can from the soil. The plants grow very large. I will have over 500 sq ft for each of my plants this year. We try to stay as organic as possible.

A big thing is as the vines grow, we bury the vine a foot or so behind the new growth. This allows the plant to send new roots down under each leaf junction. Thus you are feeding it from the entire area covered by vine. We also pick just one pumpkin to keep. Once it has a good start, we trim off all the others so the plant spends all of its energy in that remaining pumpkin.

During their fast stages, the vines can grow a foot in a day and the pumpkin can gain 20-30 pounds in a day. Takes a lot to keep up with those stages.

Last - lots of water.

I've heard of taking tomato plants and removing the excess green tomatoes so the more mature ones have the energy to grow.

I love to eat squash and I plan on growing it again this year. I may also grow zucchini.
I know my parents used to grow the zucchini and bake a casserole with lots of spaghetti sauce and cheese mixed in with it. Of course, I was a kid and lots of food tasted great.

My hobbies have primarily been music and art, with a touch of math or puzzles. I may take on a new hobby and figure out how to plant something and keep it alive.

[RobinN]

I don't have a hobby.

I don't imagine that it is every too late to begin one.

[RobinN]

I've heard of taking tomato plants and removing the excess green tomatoes so the more mature ones have the energy to grow.

I love to eat squash and I plan on growing it again this year. I may also grow zucchini.
I know my parents used to grow the zucchini and bake a casserole with lots of spaghetti sauce and cheese mixed in with it. Of course, I was a kid and lots of food tasted great.

You all are reminding me that I need to get my garden planted.
I love it when I go out one day and the zucchini is 5", then you go out two days later and it is the size of a football. I love to make zucchini bread.

I also enjoy growing corn. The ears never get very big, but they are so sweet and tasty, I wait all summer for that one meal.

[stilldancing_98]

Of course volunteering anywhere I can. Mostly the schools or boys and girls clubs of America. My music. I have been singing opera, playing the violin and now the guitar. I just got my new guitar yesterday. Personaly made for me. by a good friend who worked for Gibson. So he gave me a guitar and is now giving me lessons. I did acting in our local playhouse and singing in competion made one cd and now for fun. I love dancing. I love singing Fergie, Mariah and Norah Jones.

[alivenwell]

Of course volunteering anywhere I can. Mostly the schools or boys and girls clubs of America. My music. I have been singing opera, playing the violin and now the guitar. I just got my new guitar yesterday. Personally made for me. by a good friend who worked for Gibson. So he gave me a guitar and is now giving me lessons. I did acting in our local playhouse and singing in completion made one cd and now for fun. I love dancing. I love singing Fergie, Mariah and Norah Jones.

Wow! You're my idol. I love opera, guitar and tried violin. I've been somewhat successful with piano and bassoon. It seems like once I memorize a phrase, I can pick up its velocity and plan the appropriate rhythm.

I own a rather expensive guitar, but never really learned how to play it really well. My one English high school teacher was a virtuoso guitar player of classical music. We had a literature magazine club which published student writings. He was in charge of it. Although I remember him as a rather hard teacher, he taught me so much. One day he actually performed guitar and it amazed us. He had a great sense of humor. He played Bach on a ukulele (kind of like a little guitar) also. He was always ranking in a humorous way with another teacher. My sister had that teacher. She was always somewhat artistic. She sketched that teacher taking a nap during a study hall. It got posted on the wall for a while.

If I ever have weird dreams, it's probably because I have led a rather weird life. There's a theory that you sequentially dream of the previous day's events. The last thing you think of before sleeping is the first thing you recall when you wake up. And, I've had some really weird dreams. I've been able to pick out the symbolism in them. Similar names of people are placed together in a dream's event, even those people have never met. I got an A in psychology when I wrote an essay about some of the symbolism. I'm not sure about those Freudian symbols.

[alivenwell]

You all are reminding me that I need to get my garden planted.
I love it when I go out one day and the zucchini is 5", then you go out two days later and it is the size of a football. I love to make zucchini bread.

I also enjoy growing corn. The ears never get very big, but they are so sweet and tasty, I wait all summer for that one meal.

Yeah. I find digging in the dirt a good stress buster. I'm growing more stuff in my garden again. I love fresh veggies. Tomatoes are sold on the vine at our stores to keep them fresh.

This way, I just have to step outside and pick one off the vine. So convenient and so fresh!

I wish I knew how to can them.

We have a cherry tree out back that will soon yield some excellent cherries as well. I'm really looking forward to having them. They're a great snack when I'm mowing the lawn!

[stilldancing_98]

I am going to move by you alive and well . You make me feel so good. Hey Hawke. I talk a lot and thats the reason I have done these things. PR and a mother that will not let me stop. Going for a walk is an opportunity to me. I believe in you. After my coma, I know I talk about it a lot but it was life changing for me. I was home bound all the time. Depressed like I had never experienced. I had no hobbies. Do the yard. I am from IL I love corn.

[alivenwell]

I am going to move by you alive and well . You make me feel so good. Hey Hawke. I talk a lot and thats the reason I have done these things. PR and a mother that will not let me stop. Going for a walk is an opportunity to me. I believe in you. After my coma, I know I talk about it a lot but it was life changing for me. I was home bound all the time. Depressed like I had never experienced. I had no hobbies. Do the yard. I am from IL I love corn.

Thanks neighbor!

My 80 year old mom was gracious enough to plant a few tomato plants for me. She went on her usual date with my dad to get dirt (how romantic!) and some plants. I was really touched that she thought of me.

My mom has achieved her lifetime goal of continuously blooming plants. She has those daffodils blooming early in spring, a bunch of day lilies (various varieties), mums and at least 20 other varieties of stuff.

Well, I'm heading out for my nightly walk with my border collie. She's persistent and rowdy even though I played with her in the back yard for a few hours. It's cool out and perfect for her.