I'm a beginning candle-maker. I started making candles in the summer of 1998 and have done pillars, votives, and spheres. I've been interested in candle-making for many years, but was always afraid of trying them, fearing that I'd set something on fire while I was melting the wax. Finally, I decided if other people could do it, so could I! I'm glad I did--they require attention, of course, but they're fun and make great gifts for my friends. I love the wide variety of scents available and can't wait to try new ones.

Other crafts that have captured my interest over the years include various types of needlework, toy-making, macrame, basketry, rubber-stamping, and soap-making (I haven't actually made any soap yet--I'm still in the research stage, but I hope to make my first soap soon). Actually, many different crafts have appeal for me, so any time I'm in our local used book store, I check out their craft section to see what I might want to add to my library.

I enjoy working in my garden, although I'm a novice gardener. The previous owners of our property evidently didn't care very much about the yard, so I've been trying to create some order while still accommodating the wildlife. I'd love to build a wildlife habitat, but that will have to wait until we're no longer located in such an urban setting.

In the summer of 2003 I was able to get into an eight-week class in stained glass, and I think I've found my niche! Since the class, I have attended twice-weekly workshops at a local stained glass studio and produced oodles of works, including kaleidoscopes, a lamp, boxes, an ornamental table top, as well as many hanging panels. Among the first projects after my class was a pair of sidelights for our front door--for as long as we'd lived in this house, I'd been thinking stained glass sidelights would be great there. One work, which I created from a design on a T-shirt, was submitted to the annual art show sponsored by the Library of Congress Professional Association. While I miss seeing it in my own window, it's exciting to have it hanging publicly.

During a vacation to Maine in 2005, we were introduced to kayaking. The owner of our rental cabin owned two recreational kayaks and gave us permission to use them, so we did and found we loved it. Subsequent little "yak" trips just confirmed that this was something we'd enjoy when we retired. In the summer of 2008, after taking a class and researching boats, we bought our own kayaks and have been out paddling as often as we can manage. I'll be keeping an online journal of our excursions.