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Lifelong Learning

becoming a tennis player, part 1

It all started when a neighbor relayed that she was signing her son up for tennis lessons with the county at a nearby park. It was four, one-hour Saturdays with a group of kids in his age group for the crazy low price of just $36 american dollars! We were sold — our oldest was signed up by the end of the week and I set out to figure out what kind of racquet and ball to get her.

A couple of weeks into watching the organized chaos of her lessons, I learned there was adult beginner lessons available at the same location — 8 weeks for $72! I was in — signed up online and set out to figure out what kind of racquet I would need.

  • NOTE: So far, I’ve learned there are different size heads and grips for adult racquets. I went to the local Play It Again Sports and found a used Babolat Pure Drive with a 4.5” grip (apparently, I have a giant hand for a woman) for about $45.

I had to miss the first week because of parenting duties, but showed up for the second week, wearing my complete lack of experience on my proverbial sleeve. I learned where the baseline and service line are. I learned the very basics of grips — Continental, forehand, and backhand. My second lesson was more of the same, but we added volleys and played a quick game of King of the Court. My third lesson, we did all the aforementioned, but added ball tosses and overhand serving. Holy cow, talk about HARD (and hard on my lack of shoulder muscles)!

I am NOT GOOD at this sport, yet. But, I do kind of love it. It’s so much fun. And, letting myself suck at something and still enjoy the being part of it and learning? It’s a new and, dare I say, enjoyable experience. I am not too old to be a beginner. Neither are YOU.

becoming a gardener, part 1

18 days from seed (pictured left to right: top row — sugar baby watermelon, poinsett 76 cucumber, sugar cherry tomato, bottom row — purple dragon carrot, chantenay red core carrot, carolina wonder bell pepper, eva purple ball tomato. All seeds came from The Urban Harvest.

I’ve wanted to have a vegetable garden for YEARS, but never made it a priority. However, the allure HAS kept me researching and learning along the way. I joined relevant Facebook groups (using key words to my location and desired kind of gardening), enrolled in informative classes (most notably, “Raised Bed Gardening” through Urban Harvest), and scrolled page after page of higher education expertise (including various parts of the UF/IFAS website and its seminole county extension). SO, when I was gifted with a couple of raised garden beds (we are currently renting, so I can’t plant in-ground) — this one from Lowes and this self-watering one from Costco — near the end of planting season, I actually felt pretty prepared to jump in.

I live in a fairly favorable climate for growing things, but planting time for most fruits and veggies wraps at the end of February, so I immediately went searching for seeds. Picking what to plant had everything to do with what was still eligible for planting FROM SEED (I don’t have the patience or time to make seedlings and transplant) and what I might actually want to feed myself and family. One bed was intended to be vegetables and the other herbs. I planted the veggie garden on February 18 and the herb garden on March 4th (soil info below).

Planting from seed: Dill, mint, strawberries, stevia, thyme, chives, basil, and baby mustard greens.

  • Soil: 4.5 cubic feed in each bed, a 3:1 mixture of Fox Farm’s Ocean Forest and a Mushroom Compost, mixed and made moist on the day of planting

  • Raised beds: Raised Garden Bed Elevated Planter Box 23-in W x 47-in L x 30-in H with Drainage Holes (Lowes) and CedarCraft Self-Watering Elevated Spruce Planter (Costco)

  • Seeds: Ordered online from Urban Harvest and grabbed in-person at Lukas Nursery

never too old to be interested

Back in my twenties, I had this idea for a blog that would have been, essentially, a beginner’s guide to various hobbies. At the time, I was actively engaged in several “new to me” subcultures: long distance running, indoor rock climbing, and road cycling. I was learning (and fascinated by) all the relevant lingo, nuances of equipment, and the validity of relevant resources. There was SO much to learn and explore … and I had the theory that THAT reality might be a barrier to entry for others (as insecurity and fear is often a stumbling block for us humans). So, my idea was to be a wealth of information for beginners - a confidence building inroad into various subcultures for my readers. The idea just never went beyond a shower contemplation.

Now in my forties, I find myself returning to the idea. I’ve found myself returning to horseback riding as my oldest daughter is taking English lessons and I contemplate joining her (I’m only barely versed in Western riding). I start a beginner (group) tennis lesson course in a couple of weeks. And, I’ve been dabbling in painting (both watercolor and abstract acrylics) in recent months. Additionally, I’m fast approaching the start of homeschooling my girls. Maybe these various activities (and the community that surrounds them) could be a writing outlet for me and become valuable input for those interested in similar? Maybe.

So, let’s see …

LOVE.

Currently playing: Lots of RaeLynn

Currently reading: just downloaded “Mother Brain” by Chelsea Conaboy