Ended Official BYC Mini Contest - What is Your Hobby?

[Madie'sOddFlock]

Entry #1 - Horse Riding!

I have been riding on and off since a young age and my family have always owned horses and ponies. In 2005 my mother started a business selling horse riding holidays around the world and I have been lucky enough to join the business. I get to ride horses in different countries, either testing trips or escorting customers, when I am not in the office. I don’t ride at home these days but we do still keep a family herd of four. I have ridden in 32 countries so far.

I love riding because I love to be with horses and to spend time in nature. It’s also a fantastic way to experience a new country and make new friends!View attachment 1967891View attachment 1967893View attachment 1967896View attachment 1967897View attachment 1967898View attachment 1967900View attachment 1967901

I sadly don't have any pictures of me riding, but I definitely have to agree that riding is one of my favorite hobbies , when I actually get the chance to go riding, haven't seen my boy in over a month(I don't own him, but I ride him more than my uncle who is technically the one who owns him). I might have to post an entry about it

 

[HollyWoozle]

Entry #2 - Netball!

I don’t think you play netball in the US? But I LOVE it! I played in school (all the girls had to) but during my school days I was overweight and unfit and sport was embarrassing for me. I’ve returned to netball as an adult and have been playing in a local team for maybe 5 or 6 years now, including having a go at being captain and now qualifying as an umpire (which I gave up a lot of time for).

Netball involves a similar ball, court and goal to basketball (except there is no board behind the goal) but the rules are quite different. You cannot run with the ball so once you catch it you have to keep your landing foot still until you pass to a teammate within 3 seconds. I find it hugely fun, amazing exercise and really good from a social point of view... I am part of a whole netball community and have met a lot of people I probably wouldn’t have otherwise. I also find team sports to be very good for my brain - when I play the game I forget all my troubles.

 

[HollyWoozle]

I sadly don't have any pictures of me riding, but I definitely have to agree that riding is one of my favorite hobbies , when I actually get the chance to go riding, haven't seen my boy in over a month(I don't own him, but I ride him more than my uncle who is technically the one who owns him). I might have to post an entry about it

I’d love to see a pic next time you have a chance to get in the saddle!

 

[karenerwin]

Entry #1 - Horse Riding!

I have been riding on and off since a young age and my family have always owned horses and ponies. In 2005 my mother started a business selling horse riding holidays around the world and I have been lucky enough to join the business. I get to ride horses in different countries, either testing trips or escorting customers, when I am not in the office. I don’t ride at home these days but we do still keep a family herd of four. I have ridden in 32 countries so far.

I love riding because I love to be with horses and to spend time in nature. It’s also a fantastic way to experience a new country and make new friends!View attachment 1967891View attachment 1967893View attachment 1967896View attachment 1967897View attachment 1967898View attachment 1967900View attachment 1967901

I'm jealous!!!

 

[HollyWoozle]

Entry #3 - Baking

I love to cook and bake but I started out with a passion for baking cakes (mostly because I like eating cakes, haha). I am no expert, just a home-baker, and I don’t bring too much finesse to the decoration... I like to make things that look tasty and are great to eat. Mostly I love to make cakes for others or share with people. It’s especially satisfying when you have access to beautiful free-range eggs from your own chickens as I’m sure many of you feel.

I have often spent many hours in a panic late at night trying to bake birthday cakes for family members but they do always appreciate them. I find baking to be very therapeutic and of course you get a great reward when it’s all finished!

 

[karenerwin]

Entry #2 - Photography
I've enjoyed photography from a very young age, and I've got probably 8 USB thumb-drives full of photos I've taken over time. I believe that photos capture memories and important, magnificent things. It's a way to preserve family time, and capture wildlife at their finest. In particular, I've been photographing hummingbirds in the past two years as a way to honor my late Grandmother and her love for them.

When photographing wildlife, it requires patience. I don't have a fancy camera, but I love the one I have because my husband gave it to me! I still consider myself a beginner with much to learn. I've sold a very small amount via stock image websites, and have yet to ever win a photo contest, but I keep trying!

My favorite thing to photograph outside of hummingbirds is old, abandoned chimneys and barns. I do this because it requires a moment to stop and think- who lived here? How special was this place to them? What is the history of this land? It's a way to preserve forgotten places.

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I love this! Wonderful picture!!

 

[N F C]

Entry #3 - Baking

I love to cook and bake but I started out with a passion for baking cakes (mostly because I like eating cakes, haha). I am no expert, just a home-baker, and I don’t bring too much finesse to the decoration... I like to make things that look tasty and are great to eat. Mostly I love to make cakes for others or share with people. It’s especially satisfying when you have access to beautiful free-range eggs from your own chickens as I’m sure many of you feel.

I have often spent many hours in a panic late at night trying to bake birthday cakes for family members but they do always appreciate them. I find baking to be very therapeutic and of course you get a great reward when it’s all finished!
View attachment 1967920View attachment 1967921View attachment 1967922View attachment 1967924View attachment 1967925

I'm a baker too, but nowhere close to your level. Your cakes are amazing!

 

[The Angry Hen]

1). PHOTOGRAPHY
Since the age I first learned to use a camera, photos have been my interpretation of the world. It's what I turn to when I need a break- it's what keeps me grounded to the world.
I mostly do nature photography, birding and scenic shots.
Last year, I decided to begin a website called "Eilenz", a mashup of my middle name (Eileen) and the (lens) of a camera. Hopefully I can one day make a profit from my biggest interests in life. For now, that's not my wish. Watching nature thrive- that's my wish.
http://www.eilenz.com

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Entry 1; Video games

Video games is a hobby a lot of people don't take very seriously. Which is a real shame.
Video games have become an ever increasingly important part of our society. Not everyone is into them but currently 65% of adult play video games in the US.
Video games serve an important role in our society these days, as communities become less cohesive and people with your interests no longer live down the street. Video games give us a way to reconnect. Many men, who are more socially and mentally isolated than women, have found competitive gaming to be an outlet for improving their mental health and reliving stress and social isolation. This is true for me as well even though I'm not a man. I struggle with my mental health and maintaining social interactions while homesteading. Not many people in an inner city are interested in the nuances of breeding easter eggers or how to pull a calf, so isolation can be real.
Video games is not only a hobby many of my friends can relate to but it's a social one. I can invite my friends over for a LAN party of Diablo the way many have knitting circles or book clubs. Most semi-competitive or competitive games these days are multiplayer, which means I can get social interactions without leaving my animals. I can spend a day gaming while chatting about a mutual need like cleaning the house for Thanksgiving visitors and then discuss our different strategies for tackling the challenges in video gaming.

Additionally video games allow us to experience worlds that we can't in our every day lives. They communicate stories, some simple, some are just rip-roaring adventures, some are complex where your actions have long term and even drastic and moral consequences on the games world. There are even video games being used as teaching tools in classrooms, as interactive experiences instead of books. Some even model complicated real world scenarios like a flight simulator, or a peaceful survival game that simulates the battle between technological growth and a planets ecosystem where you can drive species of animals to extinction and cause areas of land to desertify and become no longer arable for crops. In a video game you can fight a dragon, or model your real-life dream farm with neighbors and villagers who have their own goals.

(Caption: This beautiful scene features a T-rex and raptor that can be ridden into battle against other dinosaurs and players in the sci-fi survival game called ARK. The weather and clouds actively change as the days progress and some days are cold or hot or it may get foggy or rain, leaving carefully rendered landscapes looking and feeling real. Different servers allow for more competitive or cooperative gameplay styles.)

Many video games are even reflecting professional sports in the secondary market of watching highly skilled players. Some people make a serious living off of gaming, but currently I participate exclusively for fun and enrichment.

Games are extremely fun, social and good for building our mental capacity. It's our generations version of the poker or bridge night wrapped up with the story telling of books or movies all in one. I play mostly semi-competitive games that favor building and long-term construction. Some game worlds I've played on have been around for years and have epic things built on it ranging from small but charming homesteads to huge cities and beautiful works of art.

 

[SueT]

A recent project- I painted these spindle people using sample shapes my husband turned on the lathe. Took them to granddaughter....