The Benefits of Hobbies

What are the Benefits of Hobbies?

With so much going on in the outside world with the Covid-19 virus continuing its spread across the world we all need distractions. If you are furloughed from your job, isolating, lost your job or at home for a myriad of reasons, it is natural for thoughts to turn to hobbies. 

Maybe until now you haven't had time for a hobby, stuck in the routine of work, sleep, eat, repeat.
The thing is hobbies can be so much more that just an interest to while away a bit of time.

Hobbies have proven to be very beneficial to people in general. They give you time to relax and to do things that you enjoy doing. Having a specific hobby has also helped many people to make new friends, keep the brain sharp, and even make money in some cases.
They are also excellent for mental health, keeping the focus on something outside yourself. They can be very absorbing once you find the right one.

Hobbies That Sharpen the Mind

Some hobbies are better than others to make you problem solve and to think. These are especially important as you age. Some hobbies that are best for keeping your brain sharp include:

•  Puzzles, crossword puzzles and brain teasers
• Reading
  
  
•  Learning how to draw and paint
•  Learning how to play a musical instrument
•  Playing chess
•  Learning a new language
•  Participating in trivia games
• Online brain training games
• Card games like bridge and solitaire
• Jigsaw Puzzles
• Games that make you work things out
• Designng
• Graphic Designing

Hobbies for Kids and Families

Certain hobbies are perfect for you to do with your family. Making models together can be fun as well as frustrating. 
Hobbies that are best in ensuring you have a strong relationship with your loved ones include:

•  Making model planes and trains
•  Building with Lego
• Jigsaw puzzles
•  Magic tricks
•  Kite flying
•  Going to zoos
•  Playing with remote control cars
•  Swimming and playing in pools
• 
  

Hobbies for Outdoor People

It’s important to get out and get some exercise. 

Certain hobbies can help you to do that. Getting yourself outdoors can be very relaxing as you will see the beautiful scenery that surrounds you every day that you just don’t seem to have time to notice. For the adventurous, some of the key hobbies to help you get the needed exercise and relaxation include:

• Fishing
• Running, biking, or walking through parks, neighborhoods, or mountains
• Playing baseball, softball, or volleyball
• Swimming
• Traveling around the world
• Bird watching
• Climbing
• Jet Skiing
• Surfing
• Kite Surfing
• Hot air ballooning

Hobbies That Help You to Earn Money

Hobbies don’t just have to be something you do for enjoyment. 

Besides providing you with needed relaxation, there are a large variety of hobbies that provide you with money if you know how to advertise it right. Some of the most popular hobbies that provide people with the opportunity to earn money include:

• Knitting
• Crochet
• Felting
• Painting
• Jewellery making
•  Photography
•  Blogging and writing
•  Craft making like cards, candles, and soaps
•  Baking
•  Graphic design
•  Carpentry/woodworking

Hobbies for Collectors

Collecting objects that you find fascinating or that mean a lot to you brings you a sense of peace and relaxation. Having a set of something that is solely your own and something you worked hard to get brings a sense of joy to a person. Some hobbies that give that to you include, but are not limited to, collecting:

• Books
• Spoons
• Coins
• Vintage or unique toys
• Sports memorabilia

Hobbies for the Crafter

Craft hobbies are very popular and provide a variety of benefits. 

Crafts bring a sense of relaxation and calmness to a person. With some crafts, it has been shown to increase their confidence. Some crafts that help people to do that include:

•  Baking
•  Painting
•  Sewing
•  Crocheting
•  Knitting
•  Scrapbooking
•  Needle point
•  Quilting

Hobbies for Stress Relief

Everyday life can be very stressful. Having a hobby to fall back on when things get hard and stressful is key to enjoying life. Some hobbies that provide stress relief include most of the above as well as:

•  Yoga
•  Meditation

So many Benefits

Hobbies provide people with so many benefits, and change us for the better. It’s important for humans to have something special we can do separately from our everyday, busy lives. It's also good to have something absorbing and enjoyable to do in these trying times.

So what’s your favorite hobby?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I hope you enjoyed this post, if so please share. Questions and comments welcome.

Candle Making fun

Natural Beeswax Kit

 

                                                Candle Making

Making your own candles is a favorite craft and/or hobby for lots of people. It can be fun to try different methods and get creative with colours and shapes.
Worth doing some research on the best types of wax to do if you are new to it. I think natural wax's, soy and beeswax are better purely because they give off up to 90% less soot so less polluting for your home. Using essential oils to scent them with is also better than commercial parfums.
Making your own can be more economical than buying them as good quality candles can be expensive.

Stress Reducing.

Any craft can be enjoyable and relaxing, excellent to do in times of stress. Also very good for the world situation as it is now with so many of us confined to our homes due to Corona virus. Lockdown is necessary but it can be difficult to suddenly have freedom of movement curtailed.
Losing yourself in the creative process can be very therapeutic.


What's available?

There are plenty of books on candle making that can provide everything from basic instructions, tips, and creative ideas to make beautiful candles. Many of the books will have an illustrated step by step guide with the instructions.
There are of course other resources, such as You Tube for instructions. The beauty of video of course, is that you can stop and start it as required.
Once things are back to normal, the library too can be a great resource and many areas will have candle makers that offer classes.


                     Crafting can reduce stress
                   even though it makes a mess.
                      The sheer joy of making
                     whether candles or baking.
                Try different crafts to find the one
                    that enthralls so you are gone
                    to a far away place of delight
            where your mind goes when it takes flight.
                Where imagination soars and leaps
              in a way that says, this ones for keeps!

DIY Easy Step By Step Guide to Making Scented Soy & Beeswax Candles and Wax Melts at Home 

This book published in 2018 is a good guide

with details on equipment, supplies and safety. Before going into the making process. 

It goes through the making of different types of candles as well as the best fragrances to combine and use.

Making Candles and Soaps For Dummies 

Instructions to make floating candles and herbal soaps. Learn the secrets of color, shape, and scent in an easy and enjoyable way. 
Whether you're a beginner or seasoned craft person, this fun book offers everything you need to make beautiful, professional-looking candles and soaps at home. 
There are practical tips on dyeing and scenting wax, using unusual molds and adding embellishments to your candles too.
Even some practical tips on turning your hobby into a business.
What more could you want.

House of Crafts Candlemaking Craft Kit

• Make your own candles
• This kit is packed full with creative new ideas within this ever-popular pastime
• Ideal for gifts
• Kit includes wax pellets, candle moulds, coloured dyes, fragrance oil, bulb pipette, wicks, wick rods, mould sealer and full instructions

Practical Uses.

Candle making can be fun to learn. Its wonderful to make your own candles and also give them as gifts. They can also be useful to make as part of the decor for a wedding. Making things you can use yourself gives great satisfaction as well as a sense of achievement.

If you continue to enjoy the creative craft you could even turn your hobby into a business. Especially going the eco friendly natural route as they are becoming so popular.

-------------------------------

I hope you enjoyed this blog post, if you did please share.
Questions and comments welcome.
Thank you for visiting.

Cruising Life. YES!!

Better Late than Never!

Well I promised to tell you a bit about our holiday.
This is rather late nearly 6 months after we went. At least I am getting round to it now.

Weeell .... we went on cruise .... title gives it away really. All 13 of us! 9 adults, a 10 year old, 13 year old and 2 x 2 year old's.
Whenever we all got off together we were like a tour group all by ourselves. They probably thought that on board too when we moved en masse, as it were.
We had to go in the school holidays obviously for the school ager's and to accommodate 1 university student.
So what lucky cruise line got to house us for 2 weeks? Royal Caribbean. And the lucky ship? Independence of the Seas.

When we arrived at the port the cases are taken away and the parking was nearby, 5 minutes walk.
The picture was taken on the first day as we arrived, not a good start but the weather did improve.

Those adults who hadn't been before and all the children were amazed at the size of it. It was wonderful to see their faces, children and adults.

Expedited arrival, we filled in everything online, meant we literally showed papers and walked straight through onto the ship. We had an hour and a  bit until we could get into our cabins so we headed off in search of lunch first. The kids are always hungry.

What was there to eat? Pretty much anything you could think of. Hot and cold food and vast arrays of it. I meant to take photos of it all for a blog but forgot.
Though you can see pictures of buffets and meals in the brochures.

They loved the look of the pool area and couldn't wait for the chance to try it out.
The day we left there were high winds and it was very dull and grey looking. Wasn't cold though. However the pools were closed as they always are in bad weather.
The children were a bit uncertain at first because of the size and not being familiar with a boat that size. It didn't take long for that to wear off.
We had a drinks package too, so everyone had a pass card for drinks. Was great for the 10 & 13 yr old as they didn't have to ask, they could get them whenever they fancied. As it was hot, that was a bonus.

Cabins aren't massive on any boat and these were average size and perfectly fine as we weren't going to be in them much. They had everything needed, TV, fridge, hairdryer, en-suite bathroom, good sized window etc.
The staff I have always found to be excellent on any cruise. They go out of their way to help, always cheerful.

Often we would go back to the cabins sometime after dinner and find something made from towels by the cabin steward to amuse us.
The photo opposite is one after a visit to Gibraltar. I had bought monkeys for the toddlers so the cabin steward made one too. The children loved it.... well to be honest the bigger kids and adults did too.
A few would rush off to check what each days creation was immediately after dinner. They weren't all the same though which was nice.


On more than one occasion the youngest two stole the show, dancing on the stage, copying each others moves in a way that had the audience ahhhing. They found too, that if they clapped, the audience would copy and they loved that too, putting hands over their heads to clap. The videos of them still make me laugh.



As far as the eye can see
a vast sparkling blue sea.
Behind the ship a frothing white wake
as majestically we sail; and make
our way to the next port of call
with all on board, having a ball.
I stand here gazing at the view
enjoying the scene of endless blue.
Wondering will I see a dolphin today?
If I don`t though, that`s okay.
I love the music of the sea
it`s there for all to hear, not just me.
But many just pass it by without a glance
hurrying to the next meal at a fast prance.
They are missing nature`s gallery of art
unlike others who pause, they are smart!!

Photos of the trip

A few pics taken at the various stops we had. Looking through them has made recall what a fabulous time we had and now I want to go again and I keep looking at cruises.
However quite a few are advising caution for now with the Corona virus spreading so rapidly. So I shall wait.

The view from the top of the Rock of Gibraltar.
I didn't go up as I don't like heights but half a
dozen brave souls went up in the cable car and
took photos of the view.

This photo is from Lisbon. It is  many years  since we were there and I was impressed with how much it had changed.
Last time we visited the base of the statue had graffiti on it as did some of the buildings. Now it's pristine clean and looks amazing.
There have been lots of changes which made it a lovely place to visit.

One of the monkeys from the rock of Gibraltar.
*Currently, some 300 animals in five troops occupy the Upper Rock area of the Gibraltar Nature Reserve, though they make occasional forays into the town. As they are a tailless species, they are also known locally as Barbary apes or rock apes, despite being monkeys.*
*Scientists believe that the Barbary Macaques, the proper name of the Gibraltar monkeys, were introduced to the area of Gibraltar by the Moors who lived there between 700 and 1492. ... It is from this legend that the saying was given rise, that so long as the monkeys live on the Rock, so too will the British have control."

 Barcelona's famous cathedral
*133 Years after the building started, Gaudí's Cathedral Nears Completion. The Sagrada Família, inspired by nature and faith, has been under construction since 1882. It's now in the final phase, with just another 11 years until completion.
Its a stunning building but there is always a massive queue to get in.
Better to go with a tour and bypass the queues."

 This photo of a Morgan car was inside the ship outside one  of the bars on the main promenade.

It didn't take up much room because the promenade is wide.

The children found it fascinating to see a car inside on a ship.
Was surprising how quickly they got used to it being there.

This photo was taken from one end of the promenade, which is filled with shops, a coffee shop, a sweet shop, ice cream parlour, clothing,  jewellery, pizza and general shop, as well as bars. 

The bridge often changed colour but rarely was seen in the rainbow colours as it is on this photo. 
As we look along the promenade, behind us was our dining room with an open area in front that was set up for taking photographs for people that wanted them done.

We were delighted to be seated all on one table as we had been told that with so many of us we were more likely to be divided between 2 tables.

Our waiters were lovely and quickly got to know us and we had quite a laugh with them each day.

      




I could waffle on for days about various aspects and all the places we visited, 9 in all, but it would become boring. But you get the general idea.
It was great fun to go together. It was very hot so wonderful to have the air conditioning inside and a sea breeze , once we sailed, outside. We spent a lot of time at the pool, as you  can imagine. The kids were in seventh heaven.

Hope you enjoyed this little insight in to our holiday. I recommend it for smaller and larger parties.

Thank you for visiting. Please come back soon.

My Trials & Tribulations

I started off so well, writing again. Now here I am weeks on and only just writing another post. That real life stuff keeps getting in the way

I finally did get back here after changing my domain hosting and to my horror, discovered the blog was down. I could get in the admin side but the site wasn't showing up.
Now this was scary stuff.

 I was sent information on what to do next but it might as well have been in alien speak for all the good it did me.

Now what was I supposed to do. I kept messaging the support, kept getting links for help/what to do?
Still looked like an alien language but with the blog down I had to bite the bullet and try. Well I learned about 'nameservers' 'A names' 'C names' and 'DNS'. Apparently that's not the same as DNA. Who knew?😂
Well, I just followed instructions until all this stuff was changed.

Could the impossible become possible?




Would I get it right?



The good news is that big red angry writing only appeared once and disappeared when I redid that bit, then everything seemed happy, nice green ticks.✅

But the blog still didn't appear.
Yes I know I was supposed to wait at least 24 hours but who can wait that long?

Well me apparently ......... because it didn't matter how often I checked there wasn't any change.

BUT!!!

Wait for it...... oh you know what I am going to say because you are reading this saga. So yes, this morning it had reappeared, large as life.

YAY!!!!


I just get busier by the day,
life seems to get in the way.
I try to find extra time to write
but Father time will not bite.
I rise early, retire late
lack of sleep is my fate.
Still there aren't enough hours
to even get to smell the flowers.
Then disaster appears, no blog.
now I have a mental fog.
My poor brain is churning
there's technical & tricky learning.
Orders waiting but this has to be done,
oh woe is me, this isn't fun!
I will not be defeated
kept going till twas completed.
Finally, at last, victory is mine,
many green ticks in a line.
Then at last the final test...
a click, my fears are laid to rest!!


I hope you enjoyed this blog, now it is finally back up and running. This is true and was very annoying and time wasting at the time.
The moral of the story is: Check whether anything will happen, good or bad, before you do things. Don't be impulsive like me.
Will I check first  next time? Probably not, I can be impulsive. LOL.
If you enjoyed the read, please share for others to learn from or laugh at.
Have you had anything like this happen? Would love to hear about it!