Discover the interests and hobbies of well-adjusted people to changing seasons.
What brightens up your morning?
When can you think better?
Individual preferences make us unique. Blessed with the gift of free will, human beings can decide for himself on a certain degree of liberty. Our personal choice in all aspect of our existence creates the character and personality. It builds the foundation of who we are. Numerous factors affect and determine our personhood.
Seasons, undeniably, is an external factor that affects our decisions, choices and preferences. This is something beyond our control. Thus, weather and seasons reveal who we are. Try this Seasons Personality Test to see for yourself the connection between personality and changing seasons.
How was it? Your choices, faves and likes define you relative to the season that best represents your answers.
In this article, let me show you the other side of the coin. Your response to four different seasons speaks of your individuality.
Timely as it is, winter season has a wide range of activities to choose from. Dealing with the winter hazards is a manifestation of one’s life perspective. It shows the ability to handle uncontrollable circumstances. It could bring out the best in you or the worst.
To start with, look at winter as an opportunity of growth by trying out new hobbies. Believe me! You never know your full potential unless you try it.
Keep guided by this outline as I proceed the discussion towards the remaining seasons to come.
Winter is the best time to turn collecting as a hobby. Collecting builds character. Basically, everything that exists is collectable, your pick of what to collect reflects your personality.
What kind of collector you wanted to be?
“They’d spend thousands of dollars on art and other unique, high-value items, even sending agents in their place instead of doing the work themselves. For this reason, collecting didn’t take hold as a recognised hobby of the common man until the mid-1800s or so.
Before deciding what to collect, acknowledge first the benefits of pursuing this fascinating hobby. In choosing a hobby, among the top most consideration are the gains. Though, in the long run, some people realise the benefits of their chosen hobby only at the latter part.
A. The practice of collecting builds life skills.
In pursuing this hobby, a balance between time and expense requires a system. Skills in organising are acquired through the system that the collector designs to achieve the goal of accumulating stuff.
A successful collector has to manage resources including time, energy, and money. As a hobbyist becomes more fused with the practice of collecting a particular stuff of interest, acquiring will no longer be as simple as having the item for free. Collectors buy things, unless, the goal would be like collecting freebies. In a more practical sense, collect what your finances can handle.
Whilst collecting may mean a sudden change in your daily routine, organise your daily schedule by allotting time for searching and gathering. Without proper time management, your new passion can surely bring you more trouble than a sense of fulfilment.
You would not want a hobby which is stressful.
In the first place, it’s your passion that brought you to the point of amassing.
This skill has two faces.
First: The chosen item to be collected turns the collector into an expert.
Second: The collector’s prior expertise led him to collect the items related to the prowess.
A Collector Turns Into an Expert.
Collecting as a hobby will make you knowledgeable of the field; all field related to what you collect. It will require research, tracing back history for evidence, and in-depth search for answers crossing different area and disciplines.
A collector becomes very familiar to what he collects. Familiarity includes knowledge of the time, spatial orientation, and even with techniques. Knowing the best ways, the most efficient methods and the highly advisable makes a collector a reliable source of information about the subject. Say you have the passion for watches. Hear it from an expert watch collector.
An Expert Turns Into a Collector.
Where to the find the experts? Every field has experts. It takes specialisation to be one. This winter, someone can be an expert with the weeds in their garden. Simple as it sounds but an expert is an expert.
Given that you can be very keen on the weeds growing in your garden, your expertise is very practical not only for your gain. You might end up educating other gardeners or even publish your findings.
After achieving expertise on the matter, unconsciously, you’ll start collecting. What can you collect out of being a “garden weed expert”? Well, everything you find fascinating related to weeds. To decide on this, you will see that the world of garden weeds is broad enough for you to exhaust. The way collectors narrow down the wide variety of collectables; they eventually see garden weed as a big world to explore.
Determining your collection’s potential marketplace profitability requires a lot of analysing skills. This skill covers many factors in marketplace analysis. Consider the fact that while collecting tends to be addictive, why not be addicted as well with turning your hobby into a profitable and wise investment. Collecting for profit is very attractive especially during the rise of commodities. Read on Forbes on how can you get rich out of your precious collectables.
Finding a hobby is same with finding life. Hobby is beneficial in many forms. It is known to man as therapeutic that can even defy ageing. It touches a person holistically—physical, mental and emotional health. Collecting as a hobby might work well for you along with your gardening hobby.
As observable as collecting seashells whilst walking along the shores, as active as collecting seeds from mature garden plants, collecting stimulates the collector to move from one place to another. A recovering surgery patient would testify, “ I get up from bed by starting to collect sports cards.” The hunt for something that requires travelling or simply spending time outdoor to collect is physically beneficial.
Closely related to organisational skills developed by the practice of collecting, this hobby improves productive thinking. Pattern recognition through identifying characteristics is a superior mental ability.
Are you familiar with “collecting instinct”? A study is made on how effective collecting instinct is in teaching particularly to the younger ones who are not aware of its value.
Predominantly, collecting is innate to humans.
Any more proof of this instinct that we both have within us?
Do you have this particular variety of garden plant flourishing in your yard? Maybe a wide range of peppers you acquired from different countries you have been visiting. Do you have garden gnomes particularly categorised?
You might be a collector of something without even noticing it.
Part of the preparations for the winter season is how to deal with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). Mental disorder is executed through moods and feeling. It dictates emotions.
Collecting this winter is another way of keeping sanity intact. Suggestions on what can be collected this winter will be presented in the later part of this series.
Positive social interaction is emotionally healthy. Collecting fosters bonds and connection. It feels good to meet and talk to people on shared ground. This practice will bring you closer to someone which caters the affective needs of an individual.
Consider collecting out of advocacy.
Whilst researching on collecting related topics, I came across Ed Decker, a science/health editor who collected Rhinos. Not the real one. His collection of rhinos revolves on figurines made of wood, metal, plastic, ceramic, rubber, glass, and hematite (a mineral).
Save the Rhino. He found this creature worthy of protection and preservation.
Knowing that you have a sense of purpose in life is a feel-good idea.
What is the most abundant resource to start collecting this winter?
You need proper time management to be a wealthy collector.
What are the collectables this winter?
Do I have the proper place to keep my collection?
What does my collection requires; a shed, storage or a workplace maybe?
Choosing or deciding what to collect.
Since it’s winter, explore the immediate environment. Try your luck in your garden.
Here are four items that can be a subject of your fascination found in your garden.
Spending most of your time during the winter break in the garden, you can start collecting garden gnomes. Why gnomes?
For starters, they are considered to be optimists. Dwarfs (sometimes thought of interchangeably with gnomes) were frequent characters in Grimm fairy tales, and dwarf figures were believed to bring good fortune to a home if placed indoors or in the gardens.
Lately available in a wide variety of sizes and style, collecting gnome gardens is certainly an enjoyable hobby. Availability of variety that fits the collector’s taste and personality is very relevant in considering what to collect. Gnomes are making a comeback and gaining more popularity.
Learn more about gnomes as garden ornaments.
Not much fascinated by garden gnomes? How about preserving animals from your garden?
Insects are fascinating creatures. Being an expert on insects is not bad. You are not the first one to do this. The information on how to be a triumph in collecting insects are readily available.
Start this rewarding hobby this winter. Get to know bugs better through collecting. Garden insects vary as the seasons’ change. Maximise winter by studying the types of insects found in the garden during winter. In any cases that other small animals, like a bird, die of frost inside your yard, it’s time to learn the art of taxidermy this winter.
Butterflies are one of the most popular collectables found in your garden. With less sunlight touching your garden and controlled heat penetrating the greenhouses, butterflies are usually resting somewhere; making them easy to catch.
Whilst other species are on their way to migration and hibernation, gently grab a sample of their kind.
Observe the proper way of collecting and preserving butterflies.When animals are collected and preserves, the future has the most gains. You’ll never know the worth of this hobby for the coming generation.
These insects will give future the idea of what plants grow in your garden. These winged organisms might be attracted to a certain plant in your garden which is about to get extinct. No one can answer such queries when living witnesses and pictures are gone, but your preserved insects can.
Purdue University has a helpful guide that you need with this new hobby.
Seed security. Another avenue of bridging the present and the future through collecting hobby. In this hobby, you may not end up with displaying the collected seeds on a frame. Could be exhibited but since seeds are not that attractive to look at, find a creative way to showcase your collection.
Both a method and a hobby, seed collecting is a great advocacy of keeping and saving. Slowly turn this hobby into a project.
Start with the plants in your garden. With the help on the proper gathering and storing seeds, begin your search for these gems hidden in the pods and dried flowers. This is the best season to collect seeds. Intentionally keep it for the next season or next generation of gardeners.
Weed collecting sounds odd. Who would collect weeds? I suggest you read more pieces of literature on why collect weeds if you find the practice queer. Including weeds among the suggested collectable will never be a regret. This winter, the weeds available in your garden will no longer exist the next season. Better walk around your garden, and start identifying weeds. Make yourself knowledgeable. Maybe you are keeping a flowering plant of unknown species because it’s a weed.
Weed collecting doesn’t mean encouraging weeds to take over your garden. Your knowledge about weeds whilst collecting will lead a gardener to eliminate these unwanted dwellers. Winter season is the best time to identify many cool season weeds like common chickweed or henbit. During these times, they are small and not rooted very deeply, so they are easy to pull up and get the entire plant out.
Press and preserved the collected weeds for future references.
For this season, a hopeful collector can explore areas within the immediate environment. Able to travel far places for a family trip is plus, however, it is not a requirement. Apply the basic treasure hunting ideas. Study the variables of a particular location before starting the search.
Be logical not to search for gnomes on places where it’s impossible to be found. However, there is always a possibility of being the luckiest. This is were developing organisational and analytical skills applied most. Identify the places to find your treasures. Old items are usually kept in the antique shops.
In the case of collecting bugs, animals, and weed species, your garden is the immediate place of your hunt. When staying longer outside for outdoor search doesn’t work well, start planning with magazines, newspapers, and other materials that will eventually lead you to the places of your gold mines. Once done with gathering enough information, put on a warm cloak and start your search.
Safekeeping collected gnomes is very different from storing and keeping seeds. Collections maintenance varies. One must study and decide the most appropriate for the collection of choice.
Workplace and storage are vital factors in the maintenance of the collection. Collected gnomes are commonly being displayed in the garden.
Insects and garden weeds need to be processed in a workplace like a room or garden shed to keep fragile parts free from distortion and decay.
Containers and canisters are what the collected seed need. Seeds intended for preserving and conserving a particular plant species require more care and well-thought safe-keeping. Make sure that the seed will be available for planting in the future.
How do you see the future of your collection? Ideally, you want it big.
Knowing the nature of this hobby, it’s hard to stop.
But, in situations that a collector started to lose the blaze, several questions need answers from the collector himself. If you’re not yet ready for rivalry and competition, stick first with what the winter season can offer.
As long as you started this hobby this season, you will be more stable as a collector this coming spring. Another season will bring an additional array of selections.
Figure out the sources of motivation in keeping collection as a hobby. It is an active pursuit of interest, however not at all times passion rules.Try to read on Six Reasons to Pursue a Hobby and Four Tips to Maintain Them.
Consider the future of your hobby as a motivation.
It all started in winter, where will it bring you?
A fantastic question that only the future holds the answer. As time passes by, the value of your collection leaps up.
Ordinary items today, precious pieces of gold in the years to come.
Aside from sentimental value, your collection will be part of the family heirloom. Family Tree Magazine gives more ideas on what to collect today that can make your descendants wealthy and famous. Collections can be a family legacy in a monetary form. Through this practice, you may also pass on good values and pride.
Ron Broomfield is just among the Guinness record holders for collections. Draw the starting line this winter of your race to Guinness. Ann Atkin, another record holder for collecting gnomes, turned her place into a garden gnome. Bringing honour to your family and country just because you enjoyed collecting? Not bad. More than gratification, collections are leading to businesses.
Seeing your collection towards the path of earning from a hobby, evaluate valuable items to be collected that you think will have an increased value in the long run.
Winter 2016, is predicted to be a very different one compared to last years, according to an independent meteorologist, Matthew Hugo.
Forecasts for the coming season help a lot as we decide on so many things concerning lifestyle. Wintry blast as early as November are early warnings for the people whose life primarily revolves outside the comfort of their houses. The outdoor enthusiasts are the most affected by this weather condition. Allocating big chunks of their time for outdoor activities, Winter could be even more exciting this year.
Getting along with the differences between previous and current winter, outdoor enthusiasts can linger over on three foci under outdoor activities. The first one is on rescuing homeless animals, the second is community involvement, and the third, gardening.
Altruism or selflessness chooses no season. It is embedded in our human nature to be of help to the neediest at all times.
Winter has its beauty for the outdoor enthusiasts. However, I can’t speak for the animals. Statistically, thousands of animals are not able to survive winter months. Lack of shelter, these vulnerable animals die due to starvation and frigid weather. For the stray and the feral animals, staying alive this season is a great challenge.
They need us to survive the winter blasts. Put these animals on the refuge in two ways.
We cannot exactly tell when to get in contact with stray animals along our way to our destinations. Can you even recall the last time you’ve seen a stray cat or dog? Maybe earlier this day.
On-the-spot care for these animals is highly appreciated this winter. Winter is not a favourable season for them primarily because they are homeless. Being exposed for longer hours outside the snowy streets makes them susceptible to many forms of danger.
On-the-spot care prolongs their lives without bringing them home. However, part of this action is to report the situation to the local animal shelter.
2. Turn garden into a nature reserve.
The moment that on-the-spot care becomes inadequate; for someone with a soft spot for animal welfare, start turning your yard into a nature reserve this winter.
How ready is your yard to accommodate transients this season? Let’s make things happen in the name of compassion.
Get started by decluttering your garden shed to maximise storage and containers for this project. Reaching out for these animals may require more space in your yard. Along with decluttering, you can allot time to give your shed a makeover for winter.
Note: To ensure the attainment of a favourable result for the shed makeover, just put the weather condition into high consideration. Limited sunlight is not advisable for painting jobs. Focus on other tasks to refurbish the shed. You may also consider, restructuring your shed to strengthen it for the anticipated winter storm. A sturdy structure inside a nature reserve garden for the animals will secure the place further.
Aside from the stray cats and dogs, the folks from the wild are in great hostility due to extreme weather condition. A little more effort can be put into creating makeshift shelters for stray cats. A modified design and sizes can be done for the stray dogs.
And the wildlife? Your yard can be their temporary home. Begin welcoming the wild into your garden this winter. By doing so, these animals will start spreading your goodwill. One by one, they will find their way to the garden to spend winter.
Let us not be confined in the idea of gardening as a hobby. This pastime has another purpose. Own this purpose for it does well not only to yourself but also for the others.
Now that you have the best intention to be of help this winter, identify your expected guests this winter. Observe and learn the behaviour of the wild. Have a prior knowledge on what animals you expect to be visiting your yard. Among them are the hedgehogs, foxes, squirrels, waterfowl and garden birds. Animals of different species have different needs. But generally, they need food and a patch of heaven in the backyard.Make your garden suited for everyone.
At the same time, plant for spring. Fostering wildlife can be a continuous or permanent feature of your garden. Garden planning needs a long term mind frame.
Community involvement for both young and adults reinforce citizenship. This act caters to the need to be a part of the society. And this is an enlightening way of spending winter. This may not be purely outdoor, but the mere fact that you are outside your house getting connected with the world through face-to-face socialisation, you are an outdoor enthusiast.
Getting involved has many forms packed in fun and exciting ways.
A leadership-driven way of being connected. Organize competitions, cute ones or tough ones. Be the host by administering or offering your place to the neighbourhood. It doesn’t have to be grandeur. As simple as hosting a cookie competition is something to look forward. Have it in categories for adults and kids, or let the adults make the cookies for the kids to judge. I agree that kids have the taste buds for sweet treats. They’ll be the best to judge the best cookie in town.
How about hosting a winter barbecue party? Incredible. Invite some neighbours to join your family and friends. Let them bring something along with them that can make the gathering more exciting. The unpredictable weather during winter nights might require putting on the lid of the barbecue grill.
Who can resist trivia questions? This is another fun community activity that you can preside over. Just make sure that the answers are searchable on the internet to avoid disputes at the end. Carry this out along with the winter barbecue party.
In connection to extending help for the animals this winter, make yourself available for volunteering. Visit your local animal shelter. Volunteer to walk dogs. These animals require much exercise during the cold season. A few hours of walk helps in blood circulation. It also prevents them from anxiety brought by the gloomy atmosphere.
Does spending quality time with dogs appeals to you? How about spending time with the elderly? Thoroughly rewarding. A feel-good activity this winter. The warmth of your benevolence will make their remaining years with us more meaningful. Be generous to this group in our society. Share time and stories with the elderly, a fulfilling way to spend spare time this winter.
Launch new activities or program for the community. You can also enhance or innovate the existing programs and clubs in your place.
Seek approval. Invite suggestions. Keep an open mind. An example of this is the TalkTime Phone club.
Among the chosen few, there are individuals who love to create new things. I believe, you’re one of them.
Winter season gives an array of dazzling ideas in bringing something into existence. Get devoured by the winter feel. Consider winter as a perfect season to conceptualise.
What to think about? Try to mull on winter wedding themes.
A truly magical and romantic winter, wedding pep up couples to tie the knot during this season.
Let innate creativity play around winter wedding themes. A magical and romantic garden wedding this winter is a fab and a fad. Wedding Ideas gives four themes from where you can get inspirations in cooking up your original themes. In conceptualising winter wedding themes, structure your planning starting from the daintiest to the immense detail of an ideal wedding. Work around an outline to have an organised placing of free-flowing thoughts.
In brainstorming for an idea or concept for an event theme always recognise the two variables; controllable and uncontrollable variables. Location, time, attire and decor are for me, the major facets of any event. These are adjustable factors. In our current set up, winter season is the uncontrollable variable.
No matter how progressive is the perception of a thinker, stay guided by the basics. Take this opportunity to debunk winter wedding myths and present contemporary views. Be a brave soul to present and share these ideas even without personal experience.
Find a vessel to carry these gems. Let the community learn about what your mind conceived. Create your own blog where people can keep a track on your future concepts. Being a blog contributor is another effective way to publicize suggested winter wedding themes.
What comes perfectly with a hot drink while enjoying free time this winter? Yes, BOOKS!
E-books or printed, it’s the purpose that they serve to the reader that matters.
However, readers have the privilege now into which form they are more comfortable. The Bookseller conducted research that found nearly three quarters of 16- to 24-year-olds preferred print to e-books.
Reading e-books means longer exposure to light. Parenting these youngsters takes a lot of balance and reflection. Warnings and reminders even in the most creative approach will not always guarantee compliance.
Let me present to you a forcible manoeuvre to redirect children from digital to printed books. With conviction, start this healthier and safer reading habit this winter.
Give a second or more thought about renovating your dull and lifeless home library. Focus on two elements: interior and exterior.
Assess the kinds of book you are keeping. These are the books that you want your family to read. If you want your children to engage on reading, study their reading preference. Ask and observe about the subject of their interests. The National Literacy Trust has a study focusing on reading habits and preferences of the young people. Conduct a candid survey then invest on the materials to fill your shelves.
Next, work on shelves. Make your shelves appealing as the newly refurbished books that it keeps. Range over your garden storage or workshop, start working on a stylish bookshelf. Give it a makeover that it deserves.
This is not new at all, however, only a few draw attention on this space inside the house or in the cabins. The frost outside may limit some of your family members’ outdoor activities. Away from distractions, make your reading nook the best place to spend their productive winter reading. Devote your extracted creative juices on designing a place that serves as your “hideout” away from distractive web browsing. Highlight personal touches representing your artistic palette. Turn the entire place—the books, the shelves, and the reading nook—into a masterpiece. Genius!
For the upcoming winter break, let’s not just consider gardening as a way of “filling up time” activity. Make use of the space and the time to create wonderful experiences for ourselves and our loved ones.
Thinking of making something in your garden that you can share with a friend or relatives?
Let me share with you my winter garden project for a cause. Of course, the benefits of gardening is always relative.
These Three Garden Stuff will Aid Your Brainstorming for the Best Gifts.
No matter how small your space is, hanging basket will add a pop of colour to your garden. Your greenhouse, as the weather gets colder, is the ideal place to hang these ornaments. Once the spring shows its first sun rays, you can bring them outside to greet visitors.
Thoroughly think for the most appropriate flower plants that will grow into an attractive flower ball. Before buying a flower ball as a gift, try to grow your own while on vacation.
Flower balls can be reinvented from the usual to more eccentric. Instead of the conventional stationary rounded mass of flowers, explore the potential of this ornament. Keep in mind that it is intended to make a grandmother or in-law the happiest gardener in town.
These planters will be your next masterpieces in your garden. Brit + Co has 35 awesome ideas for DIY planters. Not just creative, planters are practical to have in a garden. You can play with space, and they can be move from one place to another.
Preparing for winter requires anticipation and thorough planning. Aside from emergency kits and enough supplies, think about these 3 items for keeps.
Go around the greenhouse and check for mature harvests, fruits and vegetables. You can still enjoy the flavours of the current season by preserving it for the winter.
Learn the practical ways to preserve harvests for winter. Berries, peas, rhubarb, and apples (blanched) freeze particularly well. Tomatoes, peppers and apples are good for drying. Beetroot and shallots are delectable when pickled. Read on Mother Earth News for more tips on preserving food.
Where to gather the ingredients in creating the best healing concoctions for winter? Have a quick trip to your yard or greenhouse, discover the best things it offers for you to survive winter.
Have enough knowledge about healing plants. Chives, basil, coriander, dill, fennel and ginger are just among the natures powerful medicinal plants. Mother Nature Network has remedies to help you through winter.
Most cooking spices are not for refrigeration. The slightly humid environment may alter the flavour of the spices in the long run.
For this idea of preserving spices for winter, turn your garden shed or workshop into a still room. This room has enough space for processing and storing the spices; fill hanging rack with spices drying for winter use. Way back in the old times, this room serves the same purpose where the lady of the house is in charge. Today, we have the workshop where we can keep the spices we love to enjoy without buying from the groceries.
Winter may not be your season. But since you are a seasonally adjusted person, every season has a modified means of keeping your spirit whole year round. Something special is stored for versatile people, stay upbeat.