"Outside a dog a book is man's best friend, inside a dog it is too dark to read!" -Groucho Marx========="The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid." -Jane Austen========="I don’t believe in the kind of magic in my books. But I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book."-JK Rowling========"I spend a lot of time reading." -Bill Gates=========“Ahhh. Bed, book, kitten, sandwich. All one needed in life, really.” -Jacqueline Kelly=========

Monday, November 2, 2020

TTT: Non-bookish hobbies/activities


 Top Ten Tuesday:
Activities I enjoy that don't involve books and reading

1. Baking. I've always enjoyed baking cookies, cakes, and pie. Lately I've branched out to more yeast breads.

2. Puzzles. I love putting together jigsaw puzzles. I usually only work on them during the winter months but since the COVID-19 pandemic I've been working on puzzle after puzzle. I think I've finished over 30 so far in 2020.

3. Hiking. I live in the Pacific Northwest so nature is practically right outside our door. We also have several National Parks within a few hours of our home. A good hike in a National Forest is a wonderful thing to do outside even if there is a pandemic.

4. Politics. I confess to be one of those wonky people who follows National and local politics fairly closely. This involves about three hours of political programming on TV per evening. I AM SO STRESSED right now.

5. Blogging. Obviously I blog. But one day a week my blog post is about politics not just books.

6. Gardening. I especially love growing flowers. My favorites are hydrangeas and roses.

7. Volunteering through my church and other church activities.

8. Sports fan. Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Mariners, and University of Oregon teams are my favorite teams.

9. Pet ownership. I sleep with my cat (or she sleeps with me) and I love my dog with my whole heart.

10. Grandmotherhood. I have two wonderful grandsons. They are the joy of my life.

11. Travel. Now that I am retired I have the time to explore the world just when it is closed off to us. Sigh. 

12. Music. Listening to it, not playing it. I love having a sound track to my life. Going to concerts is still a favorite activity to do with my husband.

-Anne

26 comments:

  1. You are in such a beautiful area for hiking. Michigan has some beautiful areas but for hiking I imagine the PNW is in a league of its own. And music! I still love a good concert.

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    1. It is so gorgeous here but often the rain keeps us indoors. Happy election day!

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  2. Yeah. I don't think I have ten that don't involve reading.

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    1. I didn't think so either, then I started writing them down.

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  3. I love jigsaw puzzles, too. I wish I'd thought to put those on my list. :)

    My post.

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    1. I have done so many. But amazingly I just started buying them. I had a ton in my cupboard from years of collections.

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  4. I love baking and hiking. I love/hate politics. I love to talk about it with people I agree with, and I hate to talk about it with the rest.

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    1. I don't think the political scene allows for calm discourse these days. I just hope that things settle down after today rather than ramp up.

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  5. I've gotten into puzzles lately, too. I actually just ordered a new one yesterday. My favorite are the BUffalo Games brand.

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    1. Oh, I need recommendations. I've bought some really bad ones this season of lock downs.

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  6. I love travel as well, I'm so glad I got to go to South Africa earlier this year, so it's not been a total write off for me travel wise!
    My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2020/11/03/top-ten-tuesday-288/

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    1. South Africa? Lucky you. On my bucket list. But I dread the hours and hours it will take to get there.

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  7. You must be the world's best grandmother to list it as a hobby! Politics... goodness - that just give me a headache not matter want country!

    I also love baking and gardening. Here's the rest of my list: The Collected Works of Elza Reads

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    1. You wait. When you have grandchildren, they zoom to the top of any list of anything.

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  8. I grew up in the PNW! I hiked a lot when I was a kid, but I was in a lot better shape then. Ha ha. Also, I don't care what anyone says - the Arizona desert is nowhere near as pretty as Washington's beautiful forest and waterfalls. If I'm going to hike, that's the kind of scenery I want to see.

    Oh, and I love that sweatshirt. Sleeping is one of my very favorite pasttimes :)

    Happy TTT!

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    1. The sweatshirt was just something I found on line. I'm not actually a big sleeper. At my age I am lucky if I get a solid six hours. Aches and pains wake me up. Sigh.

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  9. Nice list! I should have put puzzles on my list! I really enjoy baking as well. Here is my Top Ten Tuesday. Thank you!

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  10. Seems like a lot of us have puzzles, baking, or both on our lists! And I envy you your proximity to National Parks and National Forests. It's about a 2-hour drive for us to the nearest NP (Shenandoah), though there is a state park not too far from here. Shenandoah has been really crowded, from what I have seen on the news, so I haven't been comfortable going there.

    I wouldn't call politics a hobby of mine, but I've certainly followed it closely this year. I don't blame you for being a wreck. The only way I can stay calm today is to try to avoid all news channels, most social media, and any mentions of politics. I figure we aren't going to know the results of the election for days, probably weeks, and I have already done what I can to influence the outcome. But it's nerve-wracking.

    I wrote about my hobbies here.

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  11. Great list! Have you tried Liberty Puzzles? They are made of wood, have detailed, intricate pieces, and are beautiful. Politics... no comment for today!

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  12. That sweatshirt is awesome! And I also love hiking and doing puzzles. Both are very calming activities. :)

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  13. Awww, I'm very envious you live in the Pacific Northwest! We were able to travel there a few years ago, and I've been longing to return ever since. It's unlike anywhere else. <3

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  14. I totally understand what you mean about politics ... I'm one of those people, too! And this week sure has been ... something.

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  15. I enjoy baking... most of the time. Just depends on if whatever I'm baking turns out. ;)

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