Other hobbies

[MartianDestiny]

Just finished up a painting and started wondering what everyone else here did for fun outside of bikes?

My recently re-acquired hobby is illustration. Here are my two recent works:

First my puppy Luna in pen and ink (with inkwash for the eyes). I'd still like to do some touchup work on the stippling (needs some darkening)


And my just finished Horsehead Nebula in acrylic on canvas. This is my first attempt at painting, ever. Surprisingly happy with it (which is a good thing because it gets critiqued and graded on Thursday!)

[Ana]

Hobbies

1. Sewing
2. Cooking and Baking
3. Aikido
4. Gardening
5. Reading
6. Knitting
7. Weight lifting

I would also eventually like to start either yoga or pilates

[azfiddle]

I play fiddle- Irish and contra dance music.

[MartianDestiny]

I've always wanted to learn violin. I played the Clarinet in high school instead.

[malkin]

(beginning) piano
Several years ago I won a piano in a raffle; last year I decided to learn to play it to accompany the kids at school. It's incredible fun and maybe it will postpone senility!

(amateur) photography

knitting

trying to get plants to survive in containers on the balcony

drinking beer

[Tri Girl]

amazing art, MD!
I am an artist, too. I paint landscapes.

Hiking (the higher the mountain, the better)

Reading about people's bike tours

[mekira]

Very nice!!

Sewing
Reading

[channlluv]

That's your first attempt at painting? Wow.

I write children's books.

Roxy

[bmccasland]

Bobbin Lace - particularily reproduction of 16th century laces, and Bedfordshire or Cluny laces

Bird watching

Gardening

Quilting

[solobiker]

Quilting
Woodworking
Hiking
Fly fishing
Backpacking
Reading
Cooking

[shootingstar]

This reminds me how my hobbies have changed at different times every few years.


Current Hobbies
Reading --primarily non-fiction: travelogues, social issues, history, food history/practices
Blogging-- A few months ago who would have thought I ever say this. But for me, it actually marries my lifelong love of writing, photography and composition (putting the whole article together with the pics). I would not say journal-writing because I actually dislike journal-writing because my version is dead dull, repetitive.

Blogging has to be thematic for me. Otherwise, it doesn't inspire my creative juices to write. Latest entry in Cycle Write blog covers a hobby that is practiced by several folks here in TE! (but I don't do that hobby).

Guilt trip hobbies-- exercised for a few yrs., temporarily abandoned:
painting --oil, acrylic: landscape, some abstract mixed media
sewing-- we already talked about this elsewhere.

[NoNo]

In no particular order:
1. Photography (once in a blue moon I get a paid job)
2. Cooking/Baking
3. Hiking
4. Making soap (which has actually become a side business)
5. Fixing computers
6. Reading
7. Gardening (still learning lots, but I had tons of fun last year)
8. Kayaking (just bought one today)

I keep trying to learn Italian, but can't consistently find time to study. I also took my first heavy bag class last week, and think I'll be returning for more. What else can I fit in?

[kermit]

I just tried my hand at canning. My husband and I made our first batch of strawberry jam. The strawberries are amazingly in season and I am excited for our first born! Can't wait to make stuff! Still hunting for a sewing machine, narrowing down the choices. I bought two apron patterns, that'll be my first project.
Of course my main hobby is cycling!

[TsPoet]

Photography, mostly birds





and dog performance events, mostly agility

[malaholic]

Wow, MartianDestiny & TsPoet - you guys are amazingly talented. (Actually, I'm sure that all the other responders are also, I just single you two out because I can actually see the end results of your hobbies here. It's unfortunate that I can't taste Kermit's strawberry jam...mmmm...that sounds yummy.)

MD, I can't believe that nebula painting is the first time you've ever painted. If you did that well on your first attempt then I think you should definitely do a few more.
TsP- the owl photo is my favorite, it's just stunning. The eyes are perfectly focused and the background bokeh is butter-smooth. What lens did you use to take that shot?

K, back to the original question. My non-bike hobbies are skiing & skijoring, hiking, watching football, photography, hiking, and playing xbox. I used to do a lot of climbing & mountaineering, but ever since getting the dogs I've favored non-technical stuff so that we can bring them along.