My Idea of Fun

 

Little Free Library Hopping

 I have a new favorite hobby:  Little Free Library Hopping!  Little Free Library is a program set up by San Jose' State University.  People can register with them, put up a Little Free Library box, and fill it with books to give away.  Little Free Library sends them a plaque to put on their box, making them part of the system. 

  You download the app.  On the app is a map that marks the locations of the Little Free Libraries in your area. You can just go from box to box, taking any books, you are interested in, and leaving any books you would like to donate.  It is so fun!  I just have a bag full of books in my trunk that I want to donate.  Whenever I am out and about, I can check the app, choose a location, click on it, and GPS will guide me to that box.  When I find a book I might be interested in, I check my goodreads app and see what it is rated and read about it.  If it looks good, I take it.  I always get in my trunk and leave at least as many books as I take in each box.

This is a well-maintained/ stocked one close to our home.

Thanks to my friend, Jen who got me started on this.  She has a free library by her house (I keep forgetting to take a picture of her cute box) and loves to go Little Free Libary hopping, too.

This is my idea of FUN!  

Glass Infusion

 I've only done it twice, but  I have decided that one of my favorite things is doing glass infusion.  Kristen introduced me to it several years ago when we visited them in Wisconsin.  We went to an art studio and spent several hours making a glass project.  I chose to do a plate with cherries to put in my kitchen.  She did an elk plate for her husband.

I display it in a cute plate holder made from antique spoons that my sister, Pam gave me.

Before it was fired.

We recently visited Kristen in Colorado.  We drove to an art studio in Longmont and spent the morning doing glass infusion again.  It was SO fun!

I made four pendants.

Kristen made a beautiful mountain picture.

All done- before they were fired.

After they were fired.  Kristen sent these pictures after she picked them up from the studio.

Her mountain picture is so beautiful.

Doing glass infusion fills a creative need in me.  It is truly fun for me!

Studying General Conference Talks

 I am a conference junkie.  I love to read and study the General Conference Addresses.  The last few years, Deseret Book has published General Conference Addresses Journals.  Included in these journals are all of the talks in that conference, printed with large, lined margins in which to write notes.  This journal has increased my joy in studying the general conference addresses.

Studying General Conference talks is truly fun for me.

Family History

      On each second Friday I do a "fun for me" post.  Sometimes it is something that is fun for me.  Sometimes it is something that is fun for Ken.  Sometimes it is something that is fun for both of us. This is something that is fun for both of us.

Ken and I both spend a big part of every day that we are home working on family history.  This includes writing and recording our own histories, grandma and grandpa stories, etc, cataloguing family pictures, blogging (my ongoing project), writing weekly updates to our family, finding ancestors that need temple work done and preparing for that to be done, printing temple cards, sending cards to family members willing to help with doing the ordinances for deceased ancestors, keeping track of what has been done and what needs to be done, going to the temple ourselves, etc.

These things consume part of every day. They are doing our part in the latter-day work of gathering Israel. They are the things I look forward to doing.  They are things that are fun for us.

Playing the Piano

     On each second Friday I do a "fun for me" post.  Sometimes it is something that is fun for me.  Sometimes it is something that is fun for Ken.  Sometimes it is something that is fun for both of us. This is something that is fun for me.

On my daily "to do" list is playing the piano.  It is a daily habit I developed during the COVID lockdown.  I enjoyed it so much, I have continued to play most every day.  It is relaxing and fulfilling as I see myself improve. I say that it is something fun for me, but Ken also really enjoys listening to me play, so it is fun for him as well. Playing the piano is truly fun for me.

Reading

    On each second Friday I do a "fun for me" post.  Sometimes it is something that is fun for me.  Sometimes it is something that is fun for Ken.  Sometimes it is something that is fun for both of us. This is something that is fun for me.  Well, actually Ken enjoys it, too.

It is no secret on this blog that I love reading! As of the date I am writing this, there are 354 book reviews that I have written on this blog.   I read a lot.  I love books of many different genres.  I try to vary what I read.  I read both nonfiction and fiction.  I both read and listen to books.  I also read on my iphone.  But my preference is to read a real book.  I love holding the book, smelling the book, stroking the book.  I also love reviewing the book when I am through reading it. 

Reading truly is fun for me.

Diamond Painting

   On each second Friday I do a "fun for me" post.  Sometimes it is something that is fun for me.  Sometimes it is something that is fun for Ken.  Sometimes it is something that is fun for both of us. This is something that is fun for me.

 I think I have a new favorite hobby.  I find diamond dot painting fun and relaxing.

Kristen introduced us to it at our family reunion.   She always brings a fun craft for everyone to enjoy.  Everyone from the smallest kids to the Grandma (me!) really enjoyed it and succeeded with it.

I bought a kit and have been looking for what I want to make.  So, I'm just getting started, but I'm excited about it.

Diamond painting is fun for me!

Birding with Don

   On each second Friday I do a "fun for me" post.  Sometimes it is something that is fun for me.  Sometimes it is something that is fun for Ken.  Sometimes it is something that is fun for both of us. This is something that is fun for Ken.

Ken and Don share the hobby of birding.  They enjoy going together.  Ken is good at finding the birds, then he helps Don find them and Don photographs them with his high-powered camera. 

It is truly fun for Ken.

Blogging

   On each second Friday I do a "fun for me" post.  Sometimes it is something that is fun for me.  Sometimes it is something that is fun for Ken.  Sometimes it is something that is fun for both of us. This is something that is fun for me.

It is probably obvious, but I love to blog.  It is truly fun for me.  Blogging is on my daily to do list and it is a chore I look forward to each day.  I don't do it to make money or promote myself or a business. I have no ulterior motives.  I do it because I love it.  I do it to preserve a history of our family, our adventures, and our thoughts and feelings.   It is an outlet for my love of writing.  It is a way to stay connected with people.  

Blogging is something that is truly fun for me.

Watching Movies

  On each second Friday I do a "fun for me" post.  Sometimes it is something that is fun for me.  Sometimes it is something that is fun for Ken.  Sometimes it is something that is fun for both of us.  This is something that is fun for both of us.

We love to watch movies together.  We both work hard during the day. At around 6:00 we eat dinner, then do our Come, Follow Me study, then usually have some free time.  Then at 8:00 pm we get a treat of some kind and go downstairs to watch a movie.  Sometimes we watch a show in a series rather than a movie.  We can't follow this schedule every day, but we so enjoy the times when we can.  I post about the movies we like and where we watched them on this blog each Monday morning at 8:00 am.  

Hiking and Backpacking

 On each second Friday I do a "fun for me" post.  Sometimes it is something that is fun for me.  Sometimes it is something that is fun for Ken.  Sometimes it is something that is fun for both of us.  This is something that is fun for Ken- backpacking and hiking.

Ken has loved backpacking and hiking since he was a young boy.  He has so many stories to tell of his adventures through the years.  Here are some pictures from our "hiking" picture file:

These from his youth:

From adulthood:

A group of hikers from our ward.

Ken hiked the Grand Canyon with the Cameron family- Blake, his dad and brothers.

Our dear friend, Kurtis, a frequent hiking buddy.

Ken and I did a little hike on Prince Edward Island through the famous Haunted Woods in Anne of Green Gables.  It was so beautiful.

We went on a hike with our entire family on the Riverside Nature trail by the Logan river.  We had so much fun.  There were a lot of Water Snakes.  The kids had so much fun picking them up and holding them.

Resting on a bench

So, from youth to Grandpahood, Ken has loved hiking!

Fishing

On each second Friday I do a "fun for me" post.  Sometimes it is something that is fun for me.  Sometimes it is something that is fun for Ken.  Sometimes it is something that is fun for both of us.  This is something that is fun for Ken- fishing.

 Since Ken was a little boy, he has loved to fish.  He doesn't go really often, but loves it when he does.  When we travel, he sometimes goes deep-sea fishing, and always loves fishing in mountain lakes and streams.  Following are some random pictures in our files of Ken fishing:

Kona, Hawaii.  Deep sea fishing with Jared.  They caught skip tuna.

Salmon fishing in Alaska with some of his business partners when we went on a partner retreat cruise.  Phillip Peine, Todd Feltner, Ken, Chad Atkinson.

Deep sea fishing with Jared off the coast of Maine.

This is probably his favorite: fishing in a remote mountain lake.

Isn't this beautiful?  Photo cred: Tom Morris.

Golfing

 On each second Friday I do a "fun for me" post.  Sometimes it is something that is fun for me.  Sometimes it is something that is fun for Ken.  Sometimes it is something that is fun for both of us.  This is something that is fun for Ken- golfing.

 Golfing with friends or family is fun for Ken.  He loves being with the people and being out on the beautiful courses.  He has spent many pleasant hours golfing through the years.  He has even been part of teams that have won tournaments several times.  Following are some random pictures of Ken golfing and of some of the awards he has won:

Ken, James Stasinos, Mike Smith, Dean Burdick

In my family, golfing is a big deal.  Whenever we gather as siblings, golf is on the agenda for the guys.  Pictured here:  Tom, Roger, Hal, Ken, and John.  Whenever they golf together, they play for the "duck."  Years ago, my mom purchased a wooden duck trophy.  Little gold plaques are engraved with that years' winners and put on it each year.  It is a fun tradition.  I wish I had a picture to post of the duck, but unfortunately, we do not possess it at this time.  Who does?  Probably Tom.  He has won it the most times throughout the years. 

Dean Burdick, Mike Smith and son, Morris Peacock, and Ken

Another brother shot.  They have golfed some beautiful courses throughout the years.

Not pictured:  Ken now golfs with friends frequently:  Dean Burdick, Don Lyman, Kent Perkins, Jon Mizakawa, Auston Johnson, and Tedd Stromness.  The group goes at least once a week.  Ken doesn't go every week, but pretty often.  Dean is his long-time friend and business partner.  Ken served in the stake presidency with Don Lyman and Tedd Stromness.  He loves staying connected with them through golf.