Berms, Berries and Mushrooms

9th Choice: Collecting
My 3 year old grandson is teaching me the art of collecting.
We go out into the deep woods, and he collects berms from trees,
berries from bushes, and mushrooms (fungi) from mossy ground.
We bring them home and he sorts them.
My friend, Des, collects stamps, and buys and sells on E-bay.
Ron collected classical music.
Peter collects jazz and related items and news articles.
I collected dolls at one time, and small stone sculptures.
I've even collected pretty stones/rocks for my gardens.
It doesn't have to be something that will earn money.
Just the enjoyment of collecting will bring you lots of happiness,
and fill in those extra hours magnificently.

8th Choice: Part-time Employment

I am working at reduced hours for my company now, and edging into the retirement profession slowly.
Dorothy goes to Bingo and earned $8000 dollars last year playing the game once or twice a week.
Pauline took up painting pictures in her retirement, and sells at fairs, and art galleries.
Des became a publisher of a small magazine.
Many people at PhotoNat, young and old, sell some of their pictures.
Terry took up painting in oils so that he could paint his photos.
Olive moved in with friends and kids for a few weeks in the summer so that she could rent her waterfront home.
Take your hobby and sell some of it.
Start a store on E-Bay, or sell off some of your surplus. You won't need it where you're going.
Go to yard sales, and then have one of your own.
Add to my ideas if you like.
But you get the idea! Right?

7th Choice - Hiking

So far I have mentioned engaging in the following activities upon retiring:
Playing FreeCell, or Solitaire, or any game you like.
Reading books, blogs, newspapers, magazines, pamphlets etc. for both entertainment and for further education.
Joining a club. There are so many.
Writing...a biography, diary, blog, letters-to-the-editor, etc.
Cycling - motorcycle, motorscooter, bicycle, wheelchair.
Photography, either seriously or for fun.
Even though it is still drab April colours out there, we went hiking yesterday, and I found several photos worth taking. It's serenely quiet in the woods in one way, and exceptionally noisy with bird calls of all sorts. The trail was damp and puddles were numerous. Wear boots. You forget the coolness with the interest in the 'hunt'. Windless days are best for photography, and so is having lovely cumulus clouds floating overhead.

PEI More Scenes

Western tip, shoreline, near windmills.
Grey shed, near Summerside
House near O'Leary
Lone Tree near Summerside
Sunset - universal but this one is in central PEI

Living Photos

PEI Confederation Trail 2003
Lots of life along the trail, across the entire 275 km.
Horses near Stewart.
Tomato Worm
Tom E. Toad
and a person in a wheelchair at Summerside.
That's how well groomed the trail is.
There were Golden-winged Flickers every 2 km. flying up from the trail.
Great Blue Herons were even in the little ponds, and every along the shores.

Picking Photos

PEI Confederation Trail 2003. Why is it the best trail in Canada, you ask.
You can stop and pick a peck of potatoes, or pick a bale of hay, or pick a pint of berries for lunch. Afterwards, you can veg out in the near long grass.

PEI Scenes 2003

Firefighters' School
Firefighters Practising at the Wharf, Summerside
Caboose near Richmond
Tignish monument to a head-on train wreck
The Confederation Trail is on PEI's former train line from the eastern tip to near the western tip - (Tignish sees the western end of the trail), 275 km.

PEI Trail Scenes 2003

St. Peter's Bay mussel farm from Conferation Trail
A family of Vanagon's, just like the one I was using, cycling back on the trail every day to sleep in it at night at the various provincial parks in PEI.
Sheds on Northumberland Strait.
Boats on the Gulf of St. Lawrence, eastern end.

Photography as an Activity

With lovely scenes like these, can you blame a person for feeling the need to photograph it all? Again, PEI Confederation Trail, by bicycle, and camera.

6th Choice - Taking Pictures

Photography is one of the best activities to take up during retirement (and before) because the digital cameras are so light you can keep them in a hand bag or pocket at all times, and you can photograph nature and/or every other activity you take up.
For instance, I take my camera with me every time I go cycling, carrying it on my belt. The stopping and starting makes the trip more exhausting, but also makes it that much more interesting and fun.
Here are a few PEI Confederation Trail pics from 2003.
These were taken from the area around the eastern tip of PEI where you can see the Meeting of the Waters swirling below - Gulf of St. Lawrence (left), meets the Northumberland Strait.

5th Choice is Cycling

Bicycling, Motorcycling, or Motor Scooter cycling.
I should have possession of a Hyosung Rally Scooter within 2 weeks.
The scooter I'm getting maxes at 75 km/hr. I'll be using it mostly on trails, and going down to the cabin, at about 20 km/hr., looking for photo ops along the way.
However, if I do get to do the TransCanTrail with it, (instead of by bicycle) 4000 km of which are still on highway, then I will be very thankful for the following great tips on motorcycles/scooters below, from my brother, Ron.
The Vespa Piaggio was too high, only my tiptoes reached the ground, and the owner didn't mention that.
On the Hyosung, the scooter is lower and the seat more comfortable.
I liked it right away and the owner showed me everything -
electric start, and brakes like a bicycle's with the left being the front brake.
2 cycle so I have to always watch the oil although there are indicators.
With the Piagio, the repairs are only in Kingston,
but with the Hyosung, repairs can be done in Picton.
Hyosung's 100 lbs. lighter, too, as the P/Vespa has a lot more steel in the construction.
I've ordered the one with the bigger tires, for off-road...$2600 incl. tax.
Hopefully, it will be fun, and give me lots of cheap freedom.

Next question, how soon can I leave.
Well, hopefully I can at least do Nfld. this year because I've never seen it, maybe Aug. or Sept. K
From: ron smith
Hi Karen, Don’t know how much I can help. I don’t know much about scooters.
The first thing I’d do is find out if there are any road/highway restrictions for scooters - (no! but I have found out that operators do have to get a licence, insurance, and helmet)
Make sure you try it out first to see if you have any problems - (none of the dealers will let you do that, so you have to buy and then try it out).
At least one of the brakes will be a right-side hand lever, like a bicycle.
(scooters have two brakes just like a bicycle with the left being front brake).
On a motorcycle the back brake is a foot lever.
If your feet touch only on tip-toes I’d be concerned – it’s a balance issue –
you want to make sure that you start out with a bike that isn’t leaning.
Maybe try out a few different models to see if heights differ - (I tried two).
Note: ***If that doesn’t work,
you can consider getting a Harley low-rider
but you’ll also have to get
at least one visible tattoo,
a wallet with a chain attached,
learn to spit into the wind,
and perfect your one-finger salutes to any Vespa and Hyosung riders you happen to meet on the road.
Attitude is everything.
(I can learn to do that, Ron)

Tips – well…
When you are on a highway, don’t be pulling way over to the right to let other vehicles pass.
It’s just an invitation to get run off the road.
You want other drivers to treat you like any other vehicle and properly pull into the left lane to pass you.
The usual position is where a car’s left or right tires would be or somewhere in between (center).
If you’re approaching the crest of a hill, be in the right tire track area so if an oncoming car comes up and over the hill in your lane,
you’re that much closer to the ditch (seriously, road rash if much preferable to the alternative), or the shoulder.
When you have your hand on the throttle, don’t have your wrist raised, have it level or lowered (called a ‘broken wrist’).
If your wrist is raised and you start off too quickly (from a stop), the force pulls you back and you risk pulling even more on the throttle and making the situation (much) worse.
Try to get in the habit of doing shoulder checks when you change position, turn, etc.
It helps you in being aware of everything going on around you.
Watch for left turning vehicles in the oncoming lane.
Car drivers are notorious for A. – misjudging the speed at which you’re approaching, and B. – not seeing you in the first place.
Because you run a high risk of having a silly grin on your face (scooters are fun after all), develop a taste for bugs.
If I think of anything else I’ll let you know.
Note: Ron taught motorcycle safety a few years ago in Edmonton.
He also notes the big smiles that are a part of every motorcyclist wardrobe.

The pic of the cyclists is from a Bday card years ago from Steve, Marjo n Claire.
It says ' They always seem to catch up with us.' (bdays)
I wrote on the top, back then,
'If you don't try new things,
then you'll always be stuck with the old.'
Note the smiles.

Enjoy all your new things, folks.