So what did you do with your OTHER hobbies today?

[seatazzz]

Took the entire weekend (including tomorrow) off since I covered everyone last weekend. Yesterday I made butter (easy in the food processor), homemade mozzarella (also easy but wouldn't melt), and bread. Found a recipe for bread machine that incorporates both parmesan and garlic; it didn't turn out great in terms of density (more of a brick than a loaf) but was tasty. Went well with the costco lasagna dinner last night.

Today I moved my weekly breakfast appointment with mom to tomorrow, and just finished cleaning up my sewing room. Over the last few months it's become the room where laundry baskets go to be ignored, also other random stuff. Got it all cleaned up, and planning a big sewing day tomorrow. Our local walmart usually has a big bin of knit fabric remnants (2-4yd) for cheap, I check every time I go and have gotten some screaming deals on fabric that is usually anywhere from $8-$20 per yard, for no more than $8 for a four yard remnant. I can get two tops or a pair of yoga pants from each one. And it's fun; I sew some of my clothes for the same reason I brew. I can make whatever I want, maybe not cheaper than I can buy at the store but it's something that I created.

 

[Yooper]

Today I went fishing, went scoping for birds in the lakes area and hardwoods, shaped a dough of sourdough for cold retard, and did some agility training with my dog. I watered some of my garden (peppers and herbs), and drank some homebrew. All in all, a great day!

 

[kenmcchord]

I'm an amateur furniture maker, just something I picked up about 12 years ago. I was always pretty good with wood (insert adolescent joke here) and as I was getting close to my retirement in 2013 I found a cool furniture making school in Philadelphia. Still at it, I mostly build stuff for myself and my wife, and the kids and grandkids.

Here's a few projects I've done recently. One of my favorite parts of retirement is being able to take woodworking classes across the country. Built a rocking chair in Vermont with George Sawyer, built a Welsh stick chair with Chris Schwarz in Covington KY last fall. Kind of had to lay off that as were doing some rather expensive upgrades to the house, but I know I'll be back on the road again soon.

Here's a few things I've done.

A vanity for my granddaughter's birthday last month. Cherry with dovetails...

Her name is Mara, so I inlayed an "M" in black walnut on the top.

Windsor rocking chair I made at George Sawyer's place, VT. Spring 2024. That was the coolest class I've ever taken, totally in the middle of nowhere, I would walk almost a mile in the morning to his barn. Great people, I felt so far removed from my normal day to day, and that was great. Oh yeah, Hill Farmstead was the next town away

Caught a class, I think summer of 2023, with Mike Pekovich at the Tampa School of Woodworking. Elegant design, I love Mike's design sensibility, and this was my first try at kumiko. I keep telling myself I am going to incorporate kumiko into future projects...

oh yeah, I did build this for my wife, just a place to put her pencils (she likes drawing). Just some knock off kumiko design on top.

I've got more I can share, you get the point. Woodworking is fun!

 

[kenmcchord]

I need to figure out how to bake bread.

Somehow it always ends up too dense. I've never had that big airy open crumb like @Yooper

I know it's been a few months, can I suggest this book. I suck at cooking and baking, or rather I don't enjoy either very much so my results are not surprising. Anyway, I baked more than a few recipes out of this book, totally worth picking up if you think baking may be your thing. Ken Forkish has a few baking books, they're all very good.

https://www.amazon.com/Flour-Water-...d=1748833656&sprefix=flour+wat,aps,138&sr=8-2

 

[Bramling Cross]

I gave Collinite No. 915 wax a shot this morning. It's specialized for dark paint, so I figured I'd see what it can do compared to the carnauba that I’ve used for years. Now that the sun is up it seems to have done a nice job. This picture was taken this morning while my street was still shaded.