New hobbies

[bluebell]

42 minutes ago, Calm said:

I thought you were going to rent out cats.

 I would have a cat except for the yowling outside my bedroom door at 7 am, my prime sleep time.

I thought maybe she was going to set up one of those cat cafes, like a starbucks setting where people can pet cats too.  

[Peacefully]

5 hours ago, Calm said:

I should talk to my son and if he doesn’t want the coins we gathered up in Canada and Russia anymore, I can send then to you.  Unlikely, he never seems to want stuff until I tell him I am decluttering and then he says hold on to them a bit longer.  Like he doesn’t have his own house to keep things in, lol

That is so sweet:) I collect American coins from late 1700s to early 1800s. My favorites are Draped Bust large cents. I gave all of my foreign coins to my great niece and my grandson. 

[Tony uk]

I managed to inherit a small collection of English coins from my grandmother. English money that was in circulation from the first half of the twentieth century, shillings, threepence and so on. Early 1970s, the money went to more simple pounds and pence. If I recall, in this collection, there maybe a dollar note from the 1940s.

[Stargazer]

1 hour ago, Tony uk said:

I managed to inherit a small collection of English coins from my grandmother. English money that was in circulation from the first half of the twentieth century, shillings, threepence and so on. Early 1970s, the money went to more simple pounds and pence. If I recall, in this collection, there maybe a dollar note from the 1940s.

I, too, have a small collection of obsolete English money! Since I lived in England for a couple of years when these coins were still in use, I actually had to deal with them on more-or-less daily basis. As a schoolboy, I had a local part-time Saturday job at a retailer in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, and sometimes had to man the cash register. This was back when the devices were electromechanical and did not calculate change. If a purchase amounted to £3 2/6 (that's also written as £3 2s 6d - three pounds, two shillings, and sixpence), and the customer presented a five pound note, I had to calculate in my head that the change was £1 17/6. That's because there were 12 pence in a shilling and 20 shillings in a pound. Tons of fun!

At the time I was here, by coincidence one British penny was equal to one US penny. Which made the pound sterling equal to $2.40, there being 240 pence in a pound.

[Peacefully]

12 hours ago, bluebell said:

I thought maybe she was going to set up one of those cat cafes, like a starbucks setting where people can pet cats too.  

That would be fun but sounds like a lot of work, lol. 

[bluebell]

36 minutes ago, Peacefully said:

That would be fun but sounds like a lot of work, lol. 

Agreed!  And I can't imagine the health code issues and how much cleaning you'd have to do be doing to keep everything in line.  Plus, I'd be worried about people not always being nice to the cats, especially if someone brought kids in.  And then the insurance you would have to have in case a cat bit or scratched someone....makes my head hurt just thinking about it.

[Peacefully]

4 hours ago, bluebell said:

Agreed!  And I can't imagine the health code issues and how much cleaning you'd have to do be doing to keep everything in line.  Plus, I'd be worried about people not always being nice to the cats, especially if someone brought kids in.  And then the insurance you would have to have in case a cat bit or scratched someone....makes my head hurt just thinking about it.

Agreed! I have two cats and hairballs are not uncommon. Imagine that happening in a cafe. Yuk! 

[rodheadlee]

On 7/2/2025 at 3:17 AM, Tony uk said:

About 20 years ago, in my early 30s. I decided to learn chess. A book and chess board bought to help me learn, at least the basics of the game. I have managed to get a few games online, where I have been resoundly beaten, but all in the intention of learning.

 

 I just wondered if any others of this board have taken on hobbies, at a  more mature stage in life.

We didn't take up sailing until we were in our forties. At the age of 50 we took off cruising in a fairly cheap boat and we cruised for about 6 years and put on around 40,000 ocean miles. Now in our'70s we're glad we did it Young so to speak I don't think we we would be capable of doing that now. It was rather late in life to learn how to sail. When I was in my twenties pushing 30 I water skied at 100 miles an hour and I never thought I could scare the heck out of myself in a 8 mile an hour boat.

[bluebell]

I think stained glass looks like a ton of fun, but the cost to get into the hobby is like $300-$500 just to start so I haven't taken the plunge yet.  And to be honest, all the safety stuff that you have to do working with lead solder also keeps me at bay.  But maybe someday...

[Tony uk]

17 hours ago, bluebell said:

I think stained glass looks like a ton of fun, but the cost to get into the hobby is like $300-$500 just to start so I haven't taken the plunge yet.  And to be honest, all the safety stuff that you have to do working with lead solder also keeps me at bay.  But maybe someday...

Sounds like an interesting hobby to get involved with. Starting up, maybe a bit off putting, I imagine once up and running it can be quite enjoyable. There is all types of stained glass, some more complex than others.

[Rain]

On 7/13/2025 at 12:36 PM, bluebell said:

I think stained glass looks like a ton of fun, but the cost to get into the hobby is like $300-$500 just to start so I haven't taken the plunge yet.  And to be honest, all the safety stuff that you have to do working with lead solder also keeps me at bay.  But maybe someday...

I tried to take it up when I was younger. You can do it for less, but I highly reccomend spending more on the soldering iron than I did.  One the has temperature controls. I ended up getting pregnant so I stopped doing it with the plan to go back to it back to it once I was no longer going to get pregnant and the kids were older, but I never did.

[Tacenda]

On 7/8/2025 at 9:41 PM, Peacefully said:

That is so sweet:) I collect American coins from late 1700s to early 1800s. My favorites are Draped Bust large cents. I gave all of my foreign coins to my great niece and my grandson. 

I collected coins when I worked as a bank teller, but the little bank I kept them in was stolen. 

[Rain]

I have been taking up various forms of art the last few years. Urban sketching, watercolor, acrylic abstracts, multi media. Not great at any, but I enjoy them.

I just started teaching watercolor to refugees.  I get uncomfortable saying that as I really am not a professional at all. I share it more as "I have access to these things and here are a few things I know."

Recently, I started the process to teach crochet basics to refugees at a resettlement agency. I did not realize how involved the approval process is though so it's taking longer to get started than I thought. 

[Peacefully]

36 minutes ago, Tacenda said:

I collected coins when I worked as a bank teller, but the little bank I kept them in was stolen. 

That is so sad. 

[Tacenda]

25 minutes ago, Peacefully said:

That is so sad. 

Thanks, I think it could have been one of my younger brother's friends. My dad's Saxophone was also stolen from the premises. There's a chance it was my own brother selling for money, but sure hope not. That wouldn't be his nature I don't believe.

[Rain]

46 minutes ago, Tacenda said:

Thanks, I think it could have been one of my younger brother's friends. My dad's Saxophone was also stolen from the premises. There's a chance it was my own brother selling for money, but sure hope not. That wouldn't be his nature I don't believe.

I don't know if this was your brother with addictions or not, but we believe my brother who was addicted stole things from us. Saddly, addictions have you doing things you wouldn't normally do. 

[Peacefully]

1 hour ago, Rain said:

I don't know if this was your brother with addictions or not, but we believe my brother who was addicted stole things from us. Saddly, addictions have you doing things you wouldn't normally do. 

Our ex son-in-law stole money, computers, tools, and we think some of my coins. Pretty sure he sold things cheap, just to get enough for another hit. The cons I had were silver dimes with the silver being worth about 2000. I’m betting he sold them for $40 which seemed to be the going rate for a hit of meth at the time:(  

[Tacenda]

8 hours ago, Peacefully said:

Our ex son-in-law stole money, computers, tools, and we think some of my coins. Pretty sure he sold things cheap, just to get enough for another hit. The cons I had were silver dimes with the silver being worth about 2000. I’m betting he sold them for $40 which seemed to be the going rate for a hit of meth at the time:(  

Yes, I had silver dimes and dollars. I'm so sorry about your ex son in law. I hate drugs and alcohol. I hate that my addicted brother has gone years and years, now with liver disease and being 55 and can't seem to kick it. I hope your ex SIL is doing better or that your daughter hasn't suffered, of course she most likely has, but hoping she's okay now. 🤗

Edited July 16, 2025 by Tacenda

[Peacefully]

5 minutes ago, Tacenda said:

Yes, I had silver dimes and dollars. I'm so sorry about your ex son in law. I hate drugs and alcohol. I hate that my addicted brother has gone years and years, now with liver disease and being 55 and can't seem to kick it. I hope your ex SIL is doing better or that your daughter hasn't suffered, of course she most likely has, but that I'm hoping she's okay now.

Thank you. She tried to help him but finally had to save herself and divorce him. She is married to a wonderful man now:) 

I’m sorry about your brother. That must be so hard. 

[Tony uk]

I have a small garden at the front of my house, and a small one at the rear. For the last few years, I have been trying to grow Rose Bushes. I keep them watered as necessary, and prune when needed. 

At the moment, two have died, and the others are just existing. I wondered if anyone on the board, has experience with this, and any helpful suggestions would be most welcome.

[Calm]

Check out the dirt.  I don’t know if the UK has the testing facilities, but in the US you can often find testing places in universities and government sites.  You could be lacking something the plants need or not getting enough or getting too much drainage.

Also look for pests, especially on the underside of the leaves, and infections.  Wash your hands between looking at different plants and maybe even parts of one rose plant if you plan on cutting off infected or heavily damaged sections to avoid transfer (every little bit of caution might help).

If you have local gardening groups on FB or other sites, you could get recommendations for the best services for your dollar.

AI came up with this for you, starting with companies that might test (query was “garden soil testing in Lancashire, England”):

• Vibro Menard Ltd: Based in Ormskirk, they are open Monday-Friday from 8 am to 5:30 pm.
• D & A Scrivens & Son: Located in Kirkham, Preston, they are open Monday-Friday 8 am to 5 pm and Saturday 8 am to 1:30 pm. They are also open on Sundays (24 hours).
• Valley Stone & Soil Supplies: Situated in Haslingden, Rossendale, their hours are Monday-Friday 8 am to 5 pm and Saturday 9 am to 2 pm.
• Scrivens Compost: Located in Tarnbrick, they are open Monday-Friday 10 am to 6 pm.
• Seeds Building & Groundwork Ltd: In Preston, they operate Monday-Friday 9 am to 5 pm. 

Considerations

• Type of Testing: A basic soil test usually assesses pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium levels, costing roughly £18-24. More comprehensive soil analyses, like those offered by Buxton Hollow Farm, evaluate micronutrients, organic matter, and soil texture, providing a more holistic picture of soil health.
• Sample Collection: Collect soil samples from multiple locations in the area you intend to test to ensure a representative analysis. Scrape away surface residue before sampling to a depth that reflects the active root zone.
• Consistency: For consistent results, it is best to sample your soil at the same time each year, whether it's early fall or spring.
• Lab Recommendations: Consult your local garden centers or agricultural extension offices for advice on recommended testing labs in Lancashire. 

Interpreting Results

• pH Levels: Optimal pH for most crops is between 6 (slightly acidic) and 7.5 (slightly alkaline).
• Nutrient Levels: High levels of phosphorus and potassium can indicate that you may only need to add nitrogen.
• Professional Guidance: Seek help from garden centers or extension services in understanding and applying the recommendations from your soil test results. 

Garden centers might even help diagnosis problems if you show them damaged or infected leaves (take pictures or place leaves in glass jars so they can look at it without exposure of their own plants.  You might want to doublecheck online to avoid costly treatments just in case you get an overeager sales person.

AI on “common pests of roses in England”:

Common rose pests in England include aphids (both greenfly and blackfly), rose slug sawfly, rose leaf rolling sawfly, and spider mites, especially in hot, dry conditions.Rose scale and less common but potentially damaging pests like thrips and rose chafer beetles can also be found

Edited August 3, 2025 by Calm

[Calm]

This looks like a good site for you if you haven’t already found it.

https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/rose-problems-solved/

Also, you can start out with simple DIY tests to save money.  Quite a few sites and videos pop up for “diy soils testing for gardens”.

https://www.almanac.com/content/3-simple-diy-soil-tests#:~:text=Place 2 tablespoons of soil,the 5.5 to 7 range.

They explain soil testing and at the bottom, after their pitch, offer the DIY tests.

You can also test soil ph yourself by using ph test strips in addition to the vinegar and baking soda tests for more specific measurement.  It’s recommended to spend more money on specialized test strips for soil, but I don’t know if that is accurate.  Do it in several spots as soil may vary from one part of the garden to another, especially if you haven’t been adding enhancements to it like compost.  We have a lot of clay in our backyard, sandy in one spot, and good soil in the part that started out as “garden” before we bought it (my husband has expanded that significantly since we have 1/4 acre or so to work with; I say “or so” because we gave some to our neighbour at that back so their kitchen window wasn’t two or three feet from the fence, we weren’t using it and they paid for a very nice privacy fence).

I wouldn’t go for a phmeter unless you were really into it and had lots of money because from what I read the cheap ones aren’t too accurate.

Just came across this option for ph:

”The least expensive method for checking soil pH is to use a dye indicator solution, like bromothymol blue. This will be blue around pH = 7.6, and yellow around pH = 6.5. In between these values, the solution will be varying shades of green. You have to dig up a tablespoon of soil, and make a slurry with distilled water. The slurry gets filtered, and the filtrate is what you test for pH. This method is not as precise as a pH meter, but it is reliable. A small bottle of test solution sells for around 2 dollars, and will do 50 or 100 tests.”

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/1604994/comments-on-cheap-soil-ph-meters

Edited August 3, 2025 by Calm

[Tony uk]

9 hours ago, Calm said:

Check out the dirt.  I don’t know if the UK has the testing facilities, but in the US you can often find testing places in universities and government sites.  You could be lacking something the plants need or not getting enough or getting too much drainage.

Also look for pests, especially on the underside of the leaves, and infections.  Wash your hands between looking at different plants and maybe even parts of one rose plant if you plan on cutting off infected or heavily damaged sections to avoid transfer (every little bit of caution might help).

If you have local gardening groups on FB or other sites, you could get recommendations for the best services for your dollar.

AI came up with this for you, starting with companies that might test (query was “garden soil testing in Lancashire, England”):

• Vibro Menard Ltd: Based in Ormskirk, they are open Monday-Friday from 8 am to 5:30 pm.
• D & A Scrivens & Son: Located in Kirkham, Preston, they are open Monday-Friday 8 am to 5 pm and Saturday 8 am to 1:30 pm. They are also open on Sundays (24 hours).
• Valley Stone & Soil Supplies: Situated in Haslingden, Rossendale, their hours are Monday-Friday 8 am to 5 pm and Saturday 9 am to 2 pm.
• Scrivens Compost: Located in Tarnbrick, they are open Monday-Friday 10 am to 6 pm.
• Seeds Building & Groundwork Ltd: In Preston, they operate Monday-Friday 9 am to 5 pm. 

Considerations

• Type of Testing: A basic soil test usually assesses pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium levels, costing roughly £18-24. More comprehensive soil analyses, like those offered by Buxton Hollow Farm, evaluate micronutrients, organic matter, and soil texture, providing a more holistic picture of soil health.
• Sample Collection: Collect soil samples from multiple locations in the area you intend to test to ensure a representative analysis. Scrape away surface residue before sampling to a depth that reflects the active root zone.
• Consistency: For consistent results, it is best to sample your soil at the same time each year, whether it's early fall or spring.
• Lab Recommendations: Consult your local garden centers or agricultural extension offices for advice on recommended testing labs in Lancashire. 

Interpreting Results

• pH Levels: Optimal pH for most crops is between 6 (slightly acidic) and 7.5 (slightly alkaline).
• Nutrient Levels: High levels of phosphorus and potassium can indicate that you may only need to add nitrogen.
• Professional Guidance: Seek help from garden centers or extension services in understanding and applying the recommendations from your soil test results. 

Garden centers might even help diagnosis problems if you show them damaged or infected leaves (take pictures or place leaves in glass jars so they can look at it without exposure of their own plants.  You might want to doublecheck online to avoid costly treatments just in case you get an overeager sales person.

AI on “common pests of roses in England”:

Common rose pests in England include aphids (both greenfly and blackfly), rose slug sawfly, rose leaf rolling sawfly, and spider mites, especially in hot, dry conditions.Rose scale and less common but potentially damaging pests like thrips and rose chafer beetles can also be found

Many thanks for the above. The part of England I live, is well known for the rain. Sunshine, is an occasional bonus😊. With the above help, I hope to start improving the Roses. Many thanks.

[Calm]

7 minutes ago, Tony uk said:

Many thanks for the above. The part of England I live, is well known for the rain. Sunshine, is an occasional bonus😊. With the above help, I hope to start improving the Roses. Many thanks.

Soil has always been our problem.  Have a couple of trees yellowing due to lack of iron, we believe. Interveinal Chlorosis.  Same thing is happening to a few trees on the block while trees next to the problem ones are fine.  If we are right, means the soil likely has bad patches.  My husband has tried a few different methods, one tree has gotten better, but the other two have not.  It is possible it’s because of alkaline soil, which is common in Utah.

Gardening is fun (when you have the energy), but can be tricky at times.

Edited August 4, 2025 by Calm

[Tony uk]

4 hours ago, Calm said:

Soil has always been our problem.  Have a couple of trees yellowing due to lack of iron, we believe. Interveinal Chlorosis.  Same thing is happening to a few trees on the block while trees next to the problem ones are fine.  If we are right, means the soil likely has bad patches.  My husband has tried a few different methods, one tree has gotten better, but the other two have not.  It is possible it’s because of alkaline soil, which is common in Utah.

Gardening is fun (when you have the energy), but can be tricky at times.

I do find it relaxing, at first I treated as another household job that needed to be taken care of. Last few years, I have gotten to be fond of it. Always get people stopping in passing for a gossip. 

 Ants can be a problem at times, I am able to deter them, also slugs and snails. Although the North of UK is known for rain, more than sunshine. Although there is sunshine, occasionally 😊.