GTKY: Keeping Busy!

BornReady · February 2016

In my never ending quest to entertain and distract myself, I thought maybe we could all use one another for some entertainment suggestions?

What are you reading/recommend?

What are you watching (TV, Netflix, Amazon Prime)?

What are you doing (crafts, hobbies, garden prep)?

BornReady · February 2016

What are you reading/recommend?
Currently reading two books. I listen to "All Fall Down" in the car and I'm reading "My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry" at night to wind down. Just started both, so not sure yet if I recommend. Always looking for new ideas though!

What are you watching (TV, Netflix, Amazon Prime)?
Mozart in the Jungle on Amazon Prime! Such a good show. I may love Gael Garicia Bernal. I also watched "The Killing" which was on TV a long time ago, but I just saw on Netflix. Good suspenseful crime drama.

What are you doing (crafts, hobbies, garden prep)?
Mostly trying to improve and stay on top of my photography. Also organizing my photos, which I tend to get backed up on.

dpjennifer · February 2016

I am reading the latest Diana Gabaldon Outlander Series book, "Written in my Heart's Own Blood." I love that story line, so it's a good distraction.

I just started to watch the new Shannara Chronicles tv series. I'm liking it so far, but I'm only a few episodes in.

I enjoy coloring. I'm working on a ton of crafts, currently an afghan and a cross-stitch project. I also scrapbook, although not as much lately. And I'm working on some sewing projects for reenacting. Plus, I will have to start seriously thinking about the upcoming gardening season, but it's harder to do that when there are several inches of snow all over the place, and still snow in the forecast!

jlo1019 · February 2016

I'm currently reading Moonlight Garden by Corinna Bomman. It's historical fiction, which I usually gravitate to, I'm enjoying it.

As far as watching...I'm on the last episode of Making a Murderer. I'm also watching my favorite Downton Abbey

I need to start a hobby. I'd like to start knitting or crocheting but haven't found a class yet. My definitely need to start plotting my garden this year! I'm planning on putting in a garden that attracts butterflies. So that should be fun to cultivate :-)

fivetimesnoluck · February 2016

I recently started reading "Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology" by Jena Miscavige but haven't picked it up in a week or so. It was not holding my interest as I thought it would.
ETA: I read a lot of magazines and short pieces, far more often than books. The Bitter Southerner, Oxford American, The Atlantic, The New Yorker are some favorites.
A book to recommend: "The World's Largest Man, a Memoir" by Harrison Scott Key - a great, fun read that resonates with me for a variety of reasons. (I love Southern writers and stories about the South.)

Watching: Modern Family and Blackish and waiting patiently for Grey's to come back on. (Am I the only one that still watches these shows/cable?)

Staying busy: Yoga keeps me busy. I try to go 4 times a week. I am also really involved in my community. Have never been good at developing and sticking with hobbies, but I have a list of things at which I aspire to get better and gardening is one of them. Really, just keeping house plants alive would be a great first step.

mylittleversailles · February 2016

What are you reading/recommend? I am currently reading a few things and my house is practically falling down from the weight of all our books:

The Fourth Hand by John Irving. I try to read all his stuff and pick up an older one every year or so, especially when I feel I lack the attention span to read anything else.

Henry and June by Anais Nin. It's an excerpt from her famous diaries about a year she kind of spends trapped between Henry Miller and his wife June. I love her erotica short stories (Little Birds and Delta of Venus) and would love to eventually find a gorgeous copy of her full diaries.

Communion by bell hooks. This is more of an idle interest (Womanism, black feminism) and I was just so happy to find one of her books in the used bookstore that is below our apartment that I bought it for the sake of it being bell hooks.

I highly recommend The World According to Garp by John Irving, Beautiful Losers by Leonard Cohen, Orlando by Virginia Woolf... Oh, it will never end. Here's my (not always updated but always growing) Goodreads, in case anyone else is super into books like me.

To tell the fair truth, my area of training is in the antiquarian and rare book trade, so I have some sweet hook ups when it comes to books. I hope to open an antiquarian bookstore one day and would have already had I not left my hometown for places where the cost of living makes it prohibitively expensive.

What are you watching (TV, Netflix, Amazon Prime)? My husband and I are watching The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Episodes, Seinfeld and Parenthood. We just finished a a re-watch of Flight of the Conchords. I always recommend Gilmore Girls, Mad Men and Friday Night Lights.

What are you doing (crafts, hobbies, garden prep)? Yesterday I did my first activity that wasn't going to the hospital! I made a large batch of chocolate cupcakes with strawberry buttercream for a community association's planning meeting. It was supposed to be my first meeting, but by the time it came I felt so yucky I stayed home and sent my husband with my hard work. But baking is a the hobby people most associate with me; I do it all (cakes, patisserie, bread). Cooking, as well, I have a long term project that works on perfect vegan versions of French classics (with my French best friend).

Going to the local hardware store today to get supplies and seeds for our deck garden this year! I just saw one of my orchids grew a new leaf, so I'm feeling more confident than normal. I have seven houseplants that are all alive and this is my first taste of success - all within the last seven months or so. I will not recall the many I have killed in my lifetime.

I have a painting I'm working on, but that's strictly an anxiety relieving activity and hardly counts as a hobby. It's pretty much a secret, but there are no secrets on message boards for me.

@BornReady I also take pictures! What's your area of interest? I do food styling (for my website and recipes) but am genuinely pretty obsessed with farmer's market shots and anything botanical, really. I was thinking of doing a series on some of the truly bizarre street names in Toronto this spring/summer.

chloe97 · February 2016

I like this game!

Im reading Kristin Hannah's Firefly Lane" which I like. I love Lianne Moriarty's books "The Husbands Secret" and "Big Lies". Very entertaining- beach read type books!! I just finished Amy Poehler's Yes,Please!! book on tape in my car on my commute! I'd also recommend Serial and This American Life podcasts if you're looking for more audio content!

We are watching Transparent and DH is catching up on Downton Abbey, so I'm rewatching with him. I want to start Mr Robot and get caught up in House of Cards when he's done. I'd also strongly recommend Masters of None and Making a Murderer if you haven't seen it yet for binge watching. I'm also a big fan of Big Bang Theory, Modern Family, and Shameless. And yes, @fivetimesnoluck I still watch Greys too, but sometimes half-heartedly while doing something I the background.

Im sorely lacking in hobbies- this is why I hang out here so much!! I had just finished planning my wedding/honeymoon when I got pregnant, so I was kind of at a loss of what to do with myself afterwards. I play a lot of IPhone games- Words with Friends, 2048, Trivis Crack are the ones I'm playing now. I usually get sick of them after 3 months and move on to new ones. I also love to search for houses, but H is a realtor so he doesn't enjoy my hobby like I do! We are going to save more money before we sell our 2 BR condo and buy a house. No use in buying a bigger place until we have a child that needs the room. Plus we still aren't sure where we want to move next.

FireInWonderland · February 2016

I'm reading textbooks. I don't recommend any of them unless you love precalc, anatomy or physics.

Im watching scrubs. And various other shows I track on Hulu: vampire diaries, originals, pretty little liars, mortal instruments, flash, arrow, legends of tomorrow... The list goes on.

Im studying to get into med school - so I get little time a day to myself now. It's an amazing distraction.

catiecatp · February 2016

Right now I'm listening to Seveneves by Neal Stephenson - it is good, but perhaps a bit of a trigger for a few scenes. Next up will be Calamity by Brandon Sanderson (coming out Feb 16) which is the last of a series and I'm pretty darn excited about it. And then Bands of Mourning also by Brandon Sanderson - book 3 of 4 in the second series set in a particular world.

I also read textbooks for work - right now and Intro Psychology one and a Cognitive Development one (child development with a focus on the mental accomplishments they have between being born and say 10 years (some adolescence but not much)). And then supplementary stuff for each class - so parts of other books and articles.

Watching - so many shows... Big Bang Theory, Lucifer, Brooklyn 99, Modern Family, Blackish, Mindy Project, the Grinder, iZombie - waiting for the last season of Parks and Recreation to come on Shomi - and in preparation for Fuller House on Netflix I'm starting to re-watch Full House. I may have cried during the first episode...

Hobbies - I knit and spin A LOT with a bit of crochet. I also bake - but with only 2 people in the house I don't do it as often as I'd like because it is a lot of calories to eat just the 2 of us. @jlo1019 - have you seen the Craftsy platform for online craft classes - I'm sure they'd have a great learn to knit one that you could take - but you wouldn't have the social interaction of an in person class if that is what you're looking for.

zrain · February 2016

What are you reading/recommend?
I read All the Light We Cannot see recently, which was amazing. My workbook club just read The Alchemist. Not so great. Our next book is Five Days at Memorial, which is about a hospital during Katrina. I'm really excited to read it.

What are you watching (TV, Netflix, Amazon Prime)?
All I've been doing since learning of my MMC is watching tv. I finished re watching the entire series of Gilmore Girls (always good when you're sad). Also enjoy Downton Abbey, Walking Dead, Scandal, Black Mirror, Grimm, Z Nation, The Man in the High Castle, Girls

What are you doing (crafts, hobbies, garden prep)?
I actually got off the couch and did some weeding s couple days ago! It felt great. I started a painting, but like @reneeannem it's more therapeutic than hobby. I do want to start painting for fun again so I'm going to leave my easel up and try to do something more happy when I get through painting this miscarriage. I have garden of tropical plants in my bathroom with grow lights and a heater. My plumeria, a bromeliad, and an orchid all bloomed right after I found out I was pregnant and then stopped this past week...weird timing. @catiecatp I love baking too but there are also just two of us so we end up feeling really guilty. I suppose we could always take whatever I bake to work. Nurses make good garbage disposals.

mylittleversailles · February 2016

@catiecatp I rewatched all of Full House while in stuck in bed with morning sickness and I cried more than I care to admit. Also cried when I saw the trailers, including the one that was released yesterday.

@zrain I don't have a sweet tooth at all, so everything I make gets given away. To neighbours, local businesses, friends or my husband's office (people in tech also seem to make good garbage disposals!!). Also, Gilmore Girls

dpjennifer · February 2016

fivetimesnoluck I watch Greys!

reneeannemm Yay books! I am actually an Archivist and the rare books class I took in grad school was by far my favorite. I also love to bake and find it very stress relieving! Congrats on the painting, that sounds exciting. I was super proud of the paint-by-number I did that managed to look half-decent, and I love to color, but every time there’s a blank page in front of me it’s like I draw a blank on what I want to create and nothing comes out right. So kudos to you and I hope it goes great for you!

@catiecatp and @zrain I bake all the time and usually I find that I eat one the night I make them and then I take all of it to work (or send it with DH to work) and eat one that day and they are gone! This way I can bake and eat what I crave/want, but send away the extras to be eaten by others.

silentP · February 2016

this is fun!

What are you reading/recommend? I am challenging myself to read more and I recently finished "The People in the Trees," which was disturbing but very engaging. I just started "Middlesex," which I have been wanting to read for a while.

What are you watching (TV, Netflix, Amazon Prime)? I am watching Downton Abbey, and we are watching the new X-Files, and Always Sunny in Philadelphia. I wanted to like Mr. Robot, but we lost interest.

What are you doing (crafts, hobbies, garden prep)? I have been getting back into my fitness routine and it's done wonders for my mental state. I also like baking. But giving most of it away is a must! I get nerdily excited to meal plan each week, too.

Wishilivedinflorida · February 2016

Ooooo I want to play! (Actually my answers are lame but am totally pumped about all your reading recommendations!)

What are you reading/recommend? Ha. I only read medical journals and texts mostly since I'm a new NP. I need to pick up something non-medical or TTC related. Someone at work recommended "Wild" to me so I'm going to start that. I'm also working through the gospels chapter by chapter with Bible journaling. It's been very helpful after my loss.

What are you watching (TV, Netflix, Amazon Prime)? Big Bang, South Park (it's been lame lately though), just finished Making a Murderer. DH has been binge watching Curb Your Enthusiasm, which makes me cringe about five minutes in each time. We recently finished Mad Men and nothing could compare to that IMO. If Sopranos is still on Amazon Prime I highly recommend if you've never seen it. I like dark stuff, I guess. Though I will admit I'm pumped for Fuller House and I did enjoy Unbreakable Kimmy Schmit.

What are you doing (crafts, hobbies, garden prep)? A good friend of mine and I have taken advantage of some free arm knitting classes at Michaels. I'm not great at it, but it's fun. I want to learn to crochet eventually. DH and I have also been painting and decorating our new house so that's been eating a lot of time, thankfully.

GoldenTMama · February 2016

What a great idea!

What are you reading/recommend?
- I'm currently reading "The Water Knife" and "Notorious RBG." I'm having trouble getting into "The Water Knife," which surprises me since the topic is right up my alley (I'm an environmental law attorney with a specialty in water issues). I just started "Notorious RBG," but I'm very interested to learn more about the Justice. Since I just started them, i guess I don't have any recommendations yet.

What are you watching (TV, Netflix, Amazon Prime)?
- I started watching "Fortitude" on Amazon Prime, it's a little gruesome for me, but it is an interesting murder mystery. I love "New Girl" and "The Originals."

What are you doing (crafts, hobbies, garden prep)?
-I need to find hobbies, this TTC is driving me nuts. I learned to knit years ago and i feel like i should start that again, but I really want to figure out how to start a garden at my house and get back into photography.

DinosaurJumper · February 2016

It makes me happy to see all these ladies gardening

@BornReady I do that too! I'll take thousands of pictures with my phone and then upload them to my computer and it'll be months until I finally organize them. Such a silly task to skip I guess. What kind of photography do you do?

@chloe97 Zillow is such an awesome site lol sometimes I'll just troll for hours finding my dream house. I found it one time, 5 bedrooms 4 bath with an upstairs deck on a green chunk of land. Only cost $800,000

What are you reading/recommend? I was reading Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles up until recently. Made it to the fourth book and had to stop because it was very depressing and I don't need more of that lol.

What are you watching (TV, Netflix, Amazon Prime)? DH and I have been rewatching Dexter. Sometimes I like to pull out my VHS player and watch some old nineties movies (Anything with Diane Keaton

)

What are you doing (crafts, hobbies, garden prep)? Well, I am a grower for a large nursery and so I am spending more and more time at work since spring is around the corner here in Arizona. But I try to get myself out in the yard to prep my own garden for the upcoming season. I've been trying to stay up on exercise this year. Yoga every morning and some good cardio and weights twice a week. Sweating up a storm has been very distracting.
I also draw a fair amount. Got myself an art tablet and do some digital comic like I did in grade school.
This is one I did recently. I've been wanting to do some silly comic strips about TTC too.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/y7/35lqgxlriomn.jpg

megsbrock · February 2016

So many Gilmore Girls and Downton Abbey fans here. What a fabulous group

right there with you.

I'm currently reading "The Nightingale" by Kristin Hannah. WW2 fiction, which I really enjoy. @chloe97 I'll have to try The Firefly next!

I'm sitting here letting the PVR record Scandal...when I'm finished this post I'm diving into that winter premiere, zipping thru the commercials for maximum enjoyment.

I just finished season 1 of Occupied on Netflix. It is kind of like the Norwegian equivalent of Homeland (which I also love). I freakin loved it and am dying to find season 2!!

Also impatiently awaiting the return of House of Cards on Netflix.

@reneeannmm I also got into Episodes....randomly found it on Netflix and loved it.

On cable I enjoy House Hunters International, The Amazing Race, and Sex and the City reruns.

I have always spent much of my free time at the dance studio. Since my pregnancy losses my energy feels zapped and I am more mindful of the toll that dance is taking on my body, so I don't take as many classes but it still keeps me going. It will always be "my thing".
As you can see, i have found lots of TV shows to entertain me when not at dance class...

cooaladoll · February 2016

Great idea!

What are you reading/recommend?
Currently reading The Fiery Cross, the 5th book in the Diana Gabaldon Outlander series (in agreement with @dpjennifer the story totally draws you in) and The Annotated Peter Pan edited by Maria Tatar which has such wonderfully interesting back story of JM Barrie. We had originally been planning on having a Peter Pan inspired wedding before wrenches were thrown.

What are you watching?
I luckily had already scheduled vacation days that coincided with finding out about the MMC, so I spent 5 straight days stuck on the couch watching tv: Outlander Season 1 on Starz (bummed that Season 2 won't be out til Spring), and Black Sails also on Starz (fantastic but slightly dark drama about the pirates of Nassau Island, in it's 3rd season now). Also midway through Bones, Twin Peaks and Criminal Minds on Netflix (when I get a little sick of one I switch to another and keep rotating, lol). TV was wonderful for taking my mind away and letting it dwell in fantasy rather than awful reality for a while.

What are you doing?
You ladies have reminded me it's time to start planning this year's gardens and now I'm quite excited for that. I usually start my seedlings indoors in March. Fiance and I bought a fixer upper a few years ago so there is always a project of some sort we are working on in the house. Most currently I plan to go back to finishing our foyer. I'm doing a patchwork stained pallet wall (pallet wood cut at varying lengths, attached to the wall on a diagonal, staggered and stained in various pastel colored wood stains) and helping my mom design a birch tree mural that she will be painting on the opposite wall.

ETA @DinosaurJumper I love that you are a grower, I've got a special place in my heart for all horticulture, and I truly love your comic! @reneeannemm your knowledge of books makes my mind buzz excitedly. I hope you don't mind if I follow you on Goodreads?

kayham12 · February 2016

This is awesome!! I just finished coaching basketball so I'll slowly start back in to all of these things once I get my house organized.

reading? Student papers I was behind on grading before I was out for a week healing from my miscarriage so I'm still drowning in ungraded papers and now I have a week until the end of the grading period!

TV- I try not to bring my work home and watch more TV than I'm proud of. I watch Teen Mom OG, Awakard, Real Housewives of New Jersey and Pretty Little Liars. DH and I love Amazong Race and I really want to do it!! I recently finished all of American Horror Story on Netflix. I haven't started Reign or Killing Fields, both were recommended to me. DH and I watch a lot movies.

Hobbies- I craft a lot, I just haven't had time. This might be weird to some, but I really want to make a blanket in honor of my angel baby and donate it somewhere. I'm planning on getting the fabric this weekend. I also just bought an embroidery machine and I'm pretty excited to play with it.

fivetimesnoluck · February 2016

I am excited to check out some of the books you all are reading.

Disappointed I don't live closer to @reneeannemm's baking, because I definitely have a sweet tooth and would happily receive your extras!

@dpjennifer@chloe97 Glad I am not alone! Did y'all watch last night's episode?!

And Amazing Race fans: new season tonight!

@kayham12 I also watch more tv than I should be proud of.

Impressed with all of the gardeners. (To any/all) Do you do raised beds? Veggies? Flowers? How did you start? I have an amazing back yard that gets awesome sun, but don't have a clue how/what to start.

reneeannem · February 2016

@cooaladoll Absolutely, totally on board. Always in the mood to talk books

@fivetimesnoluck Damn it, I have four uneaten cupcakes sitting in my kitchen wishing someone would eat them already.

As for gardens, I'm doing my first one this year. My only experience is a single evening class taught at a university - something to look into maybe? I'm just jumping in with blind, misguided faith that I can grow something.

Hoping to grow strawberries, tomatoes, hot peppers, kale, Swiss chard, green beans, parsley, cilantro, lavender, thyme, lemon thyme, rosemary, basil, chervil and French tarragon. Maybe some bee-friendly flowers, too. Our deck is really big and I need to focus on something entirely new to me this spring.

dpjennifer · February 2016

@fivetimesnoluck I have not seen the episode yet, but saw it's in my DVR so super excited to watch it!

I love gardening. My father and his family were farmers, so we always had a large garden. Things I usually grow include corn, tomatoes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, sugar snap peas, strawberries, raspberries, pumpkin, onion, etc. I also grow rosemary, oregano, and parsley on my windowsill. Last year I grew spinach for my husband, which did well inside but not as well outside so I may do that inside only this year. I got a few rhubarb plants at the end of last year which I'm hoping will do well this year. And I want to try some specific types of pumpkin pie pumpkins this year and maybe some carrots.

We're also hoping/planning to get some chickens this year and let them wander the garden to eat the bugs.

The house we bought a year and a half ago had a kid's play area outside that was boxed in with landscaping timbers. So I removed the anti-weed material they had down, tilled it up, added some mushroom manure, and put up some posts and wire around it and 'bam' I've got a trendy 'raised bed' garden.

I love gardening so you can always feel free to shoot me a message to ask any questions. I'm willing to take a stab at helping if I can!

dpjennifer · February 2016

@DinosaurJumper I love your image of the greenhouse. It must be a fun job to be a grower! I love planting seeds and watching my 'babies' grow!

However, I also wish DH had plant knowledge. Last June I went away for a week and a half and made sure to tell him to water my plants a few times while I was gone, and then he met up with me for the last few days of my trip. He was so excited to tell me when we met up that it rained a lot that week and that he didn't have to do anything. I then asked him if it rained INSIDE the house and he said "no" with a puzzled look on his face. So I was all like, "So my inside plants are all dead?" And then it dawned on him and he said, "Most likely yes."

Thankfully I was able to nurse them back to health!

catiecatp · February 2016

@dpjennifer - that raining inside the house story is priceless - I'm glad you were able to nurse them back to health

GoldenTMama · February 2016

I'm so glad to see all of the gardeners here! I truly have no clue how to garden and I would love to learn!

We have a pretty small backyard, which the previous owner cemented over

So any gardening we plan on doing will be done in raised bed gardens. I live in Southern California by the beach, so we get good sun, but it cools down in the evening.

@dpjennifer @fivetimesnoluck What are some good "starter" fruits or vegetables? Also, Any beginners tips are greatly appreciated!

megsbrock · February 2016

@kayham12 and @fivetimesnoluck my brother and I submitted an audition video for Amazing Race Canada. Hehehehe.
(We didn't get anywhere with it though)

CoonMom · February 2016

@megsbrock and @kayham12 Another The Amazing Race fan here! I didn't know another season started!DinosaurJumper I love Dexter!! DH only likes the first 4 seasons; I agree they are the best but I enjoyed the whole series.
@dpjennifer and @fivetimesnoluck I love Greys too!!
@catiecatp -I'm looking forward to Fuller House.
@FireInWonderland I'm currently watching Scrubs too!

What are you reading/recommend? I'm not much of a reader. I'm currently reading books on Pregnancy losses. I do recommend The Shack by William P Young. I don't usually re read books but I've read that one twice already and hope to read it again.

What are you watching (TV, Netflix, Amazon Prime)? Scrubs currently on Netflixs with DH. I watch Grey's, The Bachelor, and Married at First Sight on my own.

What are you doing (crafts, hobbies, garden prep)? I'm taking a liking (a loving, is that a thing?!) to coloring! It's been awhile but it's so relaxing. I still need to do my wedding scrap book!

DinosaurJumper · February 2016

@GoldenTMama the southern states are great for the longer warm season veggies like tomatoes and peppers. Plus, I know that California (especially close to the coast) is supposed to be an amazing growing climate. Four growing seasons I've been told. Here in AZ we actually have a winter so can't grow as much. Some easy things to start with would be tomatoes in the spring and strawberries. Both are fairly simple, just take lots of water, but an irrigation timer will take care of that. I'd also recommend some herbs and greens. Some of them can be very easy and tasty. Good Luck!

@dpjennifer Oh god, that sounds terrible! Very cool that you've got your own greenhouse though, kudos! Yeah I love being a grower. Outside and all that, extremely stressful at times, but absolutely worth it

@reneeannem Those sound like some pretty good crops you've picked. Most of them are fairly simple. Just lots of water for most of them. My motto; Water is Love. Good Luck!

DinosaurJumper · February 2016

@fivetimesnoluck It's super simple to get started! All you gotta do is get an idea of what you want to plant and if you want to plant in ground or in containers. Raised beds are fun but can be a tad pricey to build them and fill them with soil (Dirt is surprisingly expensive). I prefer to plant in ground personally, the plants can get however big they want I don't need to worry about them getting root bound. So get a little idea and head out to your local plant retailer, mom n' pop shop or home depot, doesn't matter. Those guys should be able to give you an idea of what grows well in your area and what's best for that season. That should definitely get you started. Good luck if you decide to plant it up!

cooaladoll · February 2016

@reneeannem thanks! I'll be adding you tho I have to say I haven't updated mine in a while, but this makes me more motivated to do so. Also, with the gardening I'm only a few years in myself. I started with two 4'x8' raised garden beds and have been successful with some of the easier veggies: tomatoes, green, red and jalapeño peppers, pole beans, cucumbers, kale, snap peas, Brussel sprouts, lettuce, spinach, basil, rosemary and thyme. (The herbs, spinach and lettuces I do in pots on my deck.) As the other ladies have said, as long as I keep them happily watered they seem to take easily but I have had to fight pests. Some aphids (we hope to get some chickens too @dpjennifer but probably not til next year), but my main problem is trying to keep out my millions of rabbits, who will decimate a full grown tasty crop. Coming up with a new plan now for trying to keep them out successfully.

One interesting thing I'm tying this year as well is becoming a bee keeper. A swarm of honeybees made their home in the cinder block wall of our house at the beginning of last year. Couldn't get them out easily and wanted to keep them anyway. Fiance built an actual hive for them and though we weren't able to entice them out this last year, we have a trap set for when the weather warms that allows them to leave the cinder block hive, but won't let them return. The return I got on my garden between last year and two years ago tho was proof enough to me of how amazing those little creatures are (almost doubled my production!) and, well who doesn't like honey?

AL_TwinCities · February 2016

@cooaladoll I hope it works out with the bees! That's super cool.

What are you reading/recommend?

Just started The Rosie Project and I'm loving it! I've also been reading a lot about grief and loss for the last couple months.

What are you watching (TV, Netflix, Amazon Prime)?

We started True Detective and like it so far. I'm also with @megsbrock - can't wait for House of Cards to release in a few weeks!

What are you doing (crafts, hobbies, garden prep)?

I bought a table loom a while ago and have yet to start using it. Maybe this weekend - you guys have inspired me! We like hiking, biking, backpack camping, etc. So as soon as it warms up a bit we will be outside all the time!

reneeannem · February 2016

@DinosaurJumper Neat, thanks a lot.

@megsbrock One of my closest friends is ALWAYS talks about doing that with her ex! One of the people from Amazing Race Canada came to the restaurant she works at and she flipped out. Re Episodes: Yeah, I love the actress who plays Beverly, she was in an old favourite called Black Books!

@cooaladoll Sweet, I'd love to keep bees one day! What a cool thing to do. I had honey wine once I really loved. There's a beekeeper in Montreal that makes it.

@AL_TwinCities If you really end up loving True Detective, I have two recommendations!

The Itv series Broadchurch. Not the weird, American remake, though. Similar tension, unbelievable cinematography, fantastic actibg, gorgeous soundtrack.

And the horror stories of Thomas Ligotti. The sort of existential nihilism of True Detective (in fact some direct lines) are straight from his work. My husband loves his stuff and we both really enjoyed the show!

fivetimesnoluck · February 2016

Sorry to be delayed in response. No computer at home this weekend and it's hard trying to keep up from my phone.
I'll keep you all posted if I decide to dabble with any planting. If I start anything it will probably be a couple of pots... probably some herbs and peppers. Something easy. Thanks for all the tips.

GoldenTMama · February 2016

Thank you @DinosaurJumper I will start by trying some tomatoes and strawberries, yum!

beff12 · February 2016

I'm new here so late posting, but I love this thread!

Reading: a bible study that I'm doing with a couple other ladies, as well as whatever the toddler brings me!

Watching: Currently "Call the Midwife." I love the premise and the setting and the accents but I think I need to find something different for right now. After reading through these responses, I think I'll be starting Gilmore Girls in about 5 minutes. I've seen it a billion times and it just stays hilarious.

Hobbies: I love crocheting! I have an etsy shop. Having orders keeps me accountable and I love having projects going on all the time. DH always laughs at the mountain of yarn around me. Whaaaat can I say?

dpjennifer · February 2016

@GoldenTMama Just like some others said, I would definitely go to your local knowledge to find out what grows well in your area. Also, tell them about what kind of light your backyard gets (morning sun, afternoon sun, almost no sun) because that's important. I know some people have had pretty good luck with planting things in planters, but I tend to do mine in-ground or sometimes keep them in the house. I've heard of some people growing pretty awesome 'barrels' of potatoes and getting huge yields! I've always had potatoes do well for me, but I've always done mine straight into the ground. You could also try getting a mini greenhouse to do your planting in. I'm not sure how well that would work for your area?

@dogmomwantinghuman I've taken a HUGE liking/loving to coloring lately! It's definitely been a great way to relax and calm me during this whole TTCAL period. And ugh... don't remind me of all my wedding pictures that are digital and I need to figure out what I want to do with them! LOL. I just haven't found the right thing for them yet and it's starting to drive me crazy!

catiecatp · February 2016

@dpjennifer - have you heard of Project Life for scrapbooking? It is digital and paper based - https://beckyhiggins.com/

dpjennifer · February 2016

@catiecatp I had not heard of project life. I shall have to look into it! Usually I am fine with scrapbooking and doing everything since I'm crafty... but I think the problem with my wedding album is that I'm being very picky in my head about exactly what I want, and I haven't figured out how to do that yet. Blah. I should probably just stop being so nit-picky and just do it!

GoldenTMama · February 2016

@dpjennifer Thanks for the tips! I will look into some local gardens to see what plants and planters they suggest. Unfortunately I don't think a greenhouse will work for our yard, but I will have to find out what will work best in our small yard and in our climate. Thanks!

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