4. Birds. I have always enjoyed watching birds. I never really knew much about identifying them or knew many varieties. I did enjoy putting out bird feeders…and collecting found feathers.
When Ed died, I started trying to find meaning in my life. By DNA, it was likely I had only lived 2/3 of my life and that, thus, I had 25 or so years to go. So, I started trying to find out what I liked.
And, as I looked around, I found the camera. So I took a course in Backyard birds where the teacher shared some of his pictures of the birds attracted to his backyard. Wow! Were they poor pics!
I decided that I could do better. But, first, I had to do something to attract birds…and figure out who was who. I signed up for a Birding adventure, which was fun. We used binoculars and wandered around identifying birds.
Then I added a Cornell app to my phone to assist me in recording the birds I saw…and another to help me identify the ones I saw. Both apps had their limits for me. But, both served me in helping me to get interested and in aiding me in finding out who came to my yard.
I am still trying to improve my ability to identify less well-known birds and to take pictures of the ones that come. And, I would like to do some bird identifying walks. There is a nature preserve near me connected with Audobon in Jackson SC. But, otherwise, I think my interest in birds has reached a plateau.
5. Genealogy. In the past few years, I have re-established my Ancestry genealogical tree and begun researching and recording info onto it. In 2021 I also joined a WVA FB page and learned more about my maternal grandfather. I also discovered that a cousin who lives in SC also is into genealogy. We share some ancestors as her mother was the niece of my mother.
I’d like to continue to research and fill out more about my paternal and maternal info, but the research takes time and I can get lost in it for hours at a time. If that was all I did, it would be OK. But, I have so many interests. I also am not sure why I am doing it. I have no children. There is no one who will benefit from all this. So, sometimes it seems pointless other than my own curiosity about what makes me me.
6. Shooting. Ed, as an ex-military brat and as a man, wanted me to be comfortable with guns. He and I took the courses, bought personal guns, and occasionally went shooting. And, then he died. I did not grow up with guns, but I believe in the rights of the individual to own and use guns responsibly. So, here I am with guns.
This past summer I took the Glock that I had kept to Ed’s son. It was his anyway as Ed had bequeathed to him but allowed that I could keep it. However, Rick was adamant that I should keep my own when I tried to give it to him. He believes that I should be able to protect myself as a single woman traveling alone. So I did.
I have become comfortable with firing the gun. I no longer flinch from the sound nor am bothered by the recoil. I have even joined a shooting range…but have not yet gone.
My goal was to be proficient in the use of the gun…nothing more. This year I will need to renew the concealed weapons carry permit for my state. It is time to decide what to do about the pistol I still have.
7. Stars. I enjoy looking up at the sky in the very early morning. I can find a few constellations: Scorpio and Orion, both in the southern sky. I can also find the Big Dipper but have not succeeded in finding the Little Dipper or the constellation for the Big Dipper. I can also identify some of the planets. But, those are activities that I do without assistance from binoculars or telescopes.
Sometimes I think that I would like to know more. To be able to identify more. Sometimes…
8. Reading. I am a reader. That will not change. I set yearly reading goals and am a member of several online reading groups. No reflection needed. This is life to me. It is my escape from issues and my advisor when life is tough. It feeds my need to know, to problem-solve, to go on an adventure…so many ways it impacts my life.
So this finished my interests. Now onto the other two goal categories.
Feathers of My Mind 