Charlie, Chair looks likes its coming along really well.
Munky, Love the candles , I might look into doing that.
As far as my ' Other Hobbies'
Gardening is up there with cooking. To me they go hand and hand. There is nothing I like more than cooking something up that contains the majority of its ingredients from the garden. Growing flowers is ok, but if you can eat it, I've either grown it, and growing it, or plan on growing it. I like trying exotic things Like the pineapple, cinnamon tree, lemon grass, allspice bush ( which I finally killed), banana's, coffee, lemons, curry.... My wife gets angry at me when I get the catalogues, cause she knows its just one more plant that has to come in in the winter . The only good ( not great) window in the house are the sliding doors in the kitchen, so all my plants take residence in the kitchen during the winter.
Aquaponic gardening. Not for the fish, just use goldfish , but they provide the nutrients for the herbs I got going in the winter, Right now its parsley , dill and basil.
Mushroom - Ill usually get a few mushroom growing kits for the winter, gives me something to do.
I also love making things from scratch or from their raw ingredients. This probably falls under cooking, but its more for the curiosity of ' How its made, and can I do it'. than the cooking itself . Its not always successful, but a good learning process. Right now I have Apple wine and soy sauce in progress. The wine takes months and the soy sauce could take up to a year. Again, gives me something to tend to in the winter.
So second to cooking/ gardening would be music.
Back in the day, I was in a band ( keyboards at the time). Didn't like the band thing, and since computer technology was becoming big in the 80's, got myself enough stuff to set up a recording studio in my parents basement. Did my own writing, recording and learned multiple instruments ( piano, guitar, base , drums ... whatever I could get my hands on. Have a violin I haven't touched yet and really want to get a cello and accordion). Fast forward to today, I still find time to kick around the guitar and piano. Every time I pick up a different instrument my mind ( and fingers) get creative and write. So, although I dont record as much or to the quality of what I did years ago, I still get my ideas down. Maybe this winter Ill get a little more serious and produce something that will remind me of the good old days.
Concerts. absolutely love going to concerts. Especially since most the people/ groups I like are from the 80's or before which means they either are on their farewell tour ) for the 20th time), they stopped touring or are dead. So, I take advantage to see anyone I an. there are a few new artists I will see also, but primarily people from my youth ( Billy Joel, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Ringo, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Queen, The Who, Bon Jovi(. Actually going to be in Cleveland in a few weeks on business, and scored Celine Dion tickets ( been wanting to see her forever, but she was stuck in Vegas doing residency). Being a simple person, I dont spend a lot of money on many things, but when it comes to a concert, I want the best seat I can get, so I spoil myself. Also makes for good pictures, which Leeds me to my next hobby , Photography.
Photography. I love scenic/ Landscape photography. Since I do a lot of road trips, I will make it a point to pass through a scenic destination to get some good pics. Now only do I like pics of the landscape, but I like pics that tell a story just by looking at them. Almost like documenting my roadtroip/ journey through the eyes of my lense. They may not be the best quality, but that old saying, ' a picture is worth a thousand words'. sure plays into my pictures. In addition, tying my photography to music, I get pretty good shots when at the concerts too. So, in my studio downstairs, the walls are covered with all the pics ive taken at concerts or through my musical travel ( Graceland, Sun Studios, Muscle Shoal Studios, Nashville , Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ( which Ill be visiting , again, in a few weeks along with the Motown Museum in Michigan ( bucket list destination for me )).
Road trips. Since I dont like flying ( haven't done it in about 7 or 8 years), I rely on the road trip. It can be a pain in the A$$ literally , but I find a way to make the best of it. I always make it a point to have a destination or two after a days drive ( usually my trips are so far that its multiple days to reach the final destination ( Montana, Nashville, Biloxi ...)). I also like off beat things, so sure, Ill go to the Gracelands, and Yellow stone and the 'cant miss' destinations, but Ill also hit the more unique or quirky things , like a granite quary, cranberry bogs, potato museum, Casey Illinois which has about 20 of the 'worlds biggest' things. Going to Cleveland in a few weeks, and as mentioned , will hit the rock and roll hall of fame (again), Motown Museum in Michigan along with the Ford museum ( if time allows). May hit kinzua bridge state park on the way back in PA as long as it coordinates with peak or almost peak foliage.
Museums and factory tours. As mentioned earlier, I love how things are made so Ill almost always visit a factory tour if I can find one. Ben and Jerry's, Cabot Cheese, Hebert's Candies, Herr's, Anderson Pretzels, Celestial Tea, Corning Glass, Old restored villages like Old Sturbrodge, Williamsburg VA, Tenement Museum lower east side, Hands on activities Like Black smith lessons, basket weaving ( In a few weeks), glass blowing
Theater. Luckily Im not too far from NYC, So I make it a point to see a few shows a year. Ill also catch the theaters in cities I visit ( especially when Im on business trip and need something to do at night). Walnut Street Theater in Philly and Boston Opera House are usually an annual thing due to annual conventions .
The great outdoors. Mountain biking in trails, although the ticks have been terrible the past few years , so I limit my biking to street biking ( usually riding to the beach), Walking the beach, Hiking in trails or up mountains ( but not like mountain or rock climbing, thats too extreme for me), kayaking, animal site seeing ( Elk in PA, Bears in the Smokey mountains, Moose tours in Vermont and New Hampshire, The Wilds in Ohio ( which was the closest thing I came to a safari, as the animals are basically free to roam over thousands and thousands of acres), Bison at national bison range , Puffins off the coast of Maine, whale watching off the coast of NY and New England , Alligators in Mississippi . Along with aquariums zoos and aviaries.
Botanical gardens, arboretums , Flower and landscape shows
Not big into sports, the older I get , the less I care about them. Ill tune in to the big games , but other than that, I have better things to do then watch a bunch of kids play ball and get paid a heck of a lot of money for it. Id rather do all the above.