Is it too soon to say "Happy Spring?" Doug and I cleaned out the birdhouses, put some cedar shavings in the bottom of each one, and put up two new houses. We're ready for the male mountain bluebirds to come back and "check out the real estate" as my dad used to say. The redpolls that routinely emptied our bird feeders each day have gone north--it's been too warm for them the past few days. I heard the squeaking of the first gophers emerging in the horse pasture near us. I haven't seen any starlings yet--our first birds of spring--but saw what were either swans or snow geese beautifully white in the blue sky overhead. They like to congregate on their migration routes in the spring and fall on a large pond about four miles southeast of us so I'll check there on my way to Okotoks this afternoon.
That first paragraph illustrates one of my dilemmas as a mostly retired person--fully retired if I don't count the half hour or so each week day I spend trying to make some money on my trading accounts so I can finance all these hobbies. I have too many hobbies and not enough time.
I would love to spend more time 'bird-watching' and be able to accurately identify all the species in our area. Doug and I joined Nature Alberta--only $25 a year for a family membership--and I briefly glanced with longing at all the program offerings. Interested? See http://www.naturealberta.ca/
As many of you know, music has been an important part of my life since childhood. My grandchildren like to sing along with me as I chord on the guitar. I sing alto in a community singing group, High Country Chorale (HCC). Between 40-50 of us practise every Tuesday evening at the nearby Red Deer Lake United Church. Everyone is welcome, and there are no auditions. The website is https://highcountrychorale.com if anyone is interested in joining. I have sang in many different groups over the years, and HCC is the best for those of us who just like to sing and perform at seniors' lodges with two more formal concerts a year.
Family history research and writing short stories trying to bring ancestors to life on the page has absolutely permeated my life. As I wrote in my January entry, I really tried to put family research aside for a year so that I could do other projects, but it keeps finding me. So, I'm going with it and continuing my presentations mainly to genealogical groups at this time and trying to get some more of my own family history work done as people find me--often through this website. There is such a hunger out there for people to find and record their family stories that I'm thinking about teaching a few classes on the topic. So, my goal in April is to put together materials and propose a short course of four to five sessions and hopefully teach on-line in the fall. (I'll put more information on this website if this plan becomes reality.)
My book club provides a welcome break from all the 'heavy-duty' non-fiction reading that I do to keep up with my varied interests. The other book club members 'stretch' my reading interests so I've read books that I would never choose on my own. The Okotoks Public Library through the Marigold System can bring in books from many provincial libraries so I can obtain most of the books there. I purchase books that are 'keepers' that I want to read and re-read. I used to enjoy volunteering at the library, but my other commitments meant that I was missing too many of my regularly scheduled days. Instead, I try to help out at the library with special projects on writing and travelling presentations when I can.
I really enjoy doing aquafit at the Okotoks Recreation Center a couple times a week. My goal is twice a week; the reality is more like once a week. There is a great group of women and men, most of whom faithfully attend, in the Gentle-Moderate drop-in class. A couple of the women remind me that they haven't seen me for awhile when I procrastinate and miss a few classes. A little bit of guilt is a good motivator!
All the information on retirement states that people must have hobbies when they retire. Those hobbies often provide the structure that so many people miss when they leave the workplace. But, what about those of us who have so many hobbies that we can't keep up?
Enjoy your hobbies--what a privilege to have the time to do some of the things that I really want to and never had time previously.
And, doesn't this weather just make you want to start digging in the dirt and playing in the soil? I will post another musing the end of April. In the meantime, you can always post a comment. Remember that I'm the only one who can see your response until I click on the link to make it public. I always check with the writer to make sure I have permission to make the comment public.
I'd like to hear from you. It gets tiresome talking to myself. Happy Spring.
That first paragraph illustrates one of my dilemmas as a mostly retired person--fully retired if I don't count the half hour or so each week day I spend trying to make some money on my trading accounts so I can finance all these hobbies. I have too many hobbies and not enough time.
I would love to spend more time 'bird-watching' and be able to accurately identify all the species in our area. Doug and I joined Nature Alberta--only $25 a year for a family membership--and I briefly glanced with longing at all the program offerings. Interested? See http://www.naturealberta.ca/
As many of you know, music has been an important part of my life since childhood. My grandchildren like to sing along with me as I chord on the guitar. I sing alto in a community singing group, High Country Chorale (HCC). Between 40-50 of us practise every Tuesday evening at the nearby Red Deer Lake United Church. Everyone is welcome, and there are no auditions. The website is https://highcountrychorale.com if anyone is interested in joining. I have sang in many different groups over the years, and HCC is the best for those of us who just like to sing and perform at seniors' lodges with two more formal concerts a year.
Family history research and writing short stories trying to bring ancestors to life on the page has absolutely permeated my life. As I wrote in my January entry, I really tried to put family research aside for a year so that I could do other projects, but it keeps finding me. So, I'm going with it and continuing my presentations mainly to genealogical groups at this time and trying to get some more of my own family history work done as people find me--often through this website. There is such a hunger out there for people to find and record their family stories that I'm thinking about teaching a few classes on the topic. So, my goal in April is to put together materials and propose a short course of four to five sessions and hopefully teach on-line in the fall. (I'll put more information on this website if this plan becomes reality.)
My book club provides a welcome break from all the 'heavy-duty' non-fiction reading that I do to keep up with my varied interests. The other book club members 'stretch' my reading interests so I've read books that I would never choose on my own. The Okotoks Public Library through the Marigold System can bring in books from many provincial libraries so I can obtain most of the books there. I purchase books that are 'keepers' that I want to read and re-read. I used to enjoy volunteering at the library, but my other commitments meant that I was missing too many of my regularly scheduled days. Instead, I try to help out at the library with special projects on writing and travelling presentations when I can.
I really enjoy doing aquafit at the Okotoks Recreation Center a couple times a week. My goal is twice a week; the reality is more like once a week. There is a great group of women and men, most of whom faithfully attend, in the Gentle-Moderate drop-in class. A couple of the women remind me that they haven't seen me for awhile when I procrastinate and miss a few classes. A little bit of guilt is a good motivator!
All the information on retirement states that people must have hobbies when they retire. Those hobbies often provide the structure that so many people miss when they leave the workplace. But, what about those of us who have so many hobbies that we can't keep up?
Enjoy your hobbies--what a privilege to have the time to do some of the things that I really want to and never had time previously.
And, doesn't this weather just make you want to start digging in the dirt and playing in the soil? I will post another musing the end of April. In the meantime, you can always post a comment. Remember that I'm the only one who can see your response until I click on the link to make it public. I always check with the writer to make sure I have permission to make the comment public.
I'd like to hear from you. It gets tiresome talking to myself. Happy Spring.
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