Have coins? Will collect!

Old coins that is. Try looking under that old dresser, or up the attic where grandma or grandpa's things may be stashed away patiently waiting for you to discover them. Who knows, you might find a coin there, an old coin that - at today's rate - may be worth a few dollars; probably three or four or five, even ten times what the coin was worth back then.

A penny a day, is worth okay

Fortunately or unfortunately, there was a shortage of copper during the year 1943 and all pennies made at that time were minted using steel. There were however, some Lincoln pennies that were incorrectly minted on bronze that turned out to be blanks. A few years - or decades later -these bronze pennies became a rarity and are valuable. The steel ones though, because of their commonality, are worth only between one to three dollars each.

Be aware and be wary as there are schemes where gullible coin collectors are sold coins that are copper plated in an attempt to make these pennies appear to be bronze. Also, keep your guard up anytime someone offers you a circa 1943 penny made out of a metallic white alloy.

Old coins are good coins

Coins, specifically the silver dollars made and circulated between the years 1878 and 1935, are worth between twelve dollars and twenty five dollars for the circulated coins. The coins that were not in circulation are worth considerably more.

Meantime, those quarters, dimes, or half dollar coins made and circulated prior to 1965, are usually made out of ninety percent silver and therefore worth as much as today's silver (with an additional premium, albeit small, put on the coin's face value).

Wrong pennies are right

There is a Lincoln penny issued in 1972 on which the date and the letters on it appear to have been doubled. This rare coin is currently worth about sixty dollars, assuming the pennies are in standard condition. The Philadelphia Mint during that time period accidentally misaligned the die used in minting the coins causing the portrait of Lincoln to look like it was doubled. Fortunately or unfortunately, eighty thousand of these were circulated before the error was discovered.

In summary, coin collecting is similar to collecting bits of history and trivia from the past. In addition to the face value its worth as a treasure - pennies, dimes and coins - often are worth more in the long run.

Have coins? Will collect!

Old coins that is. Try looking under that old dresser, or up the attic where grandma or grandpa's things may be stashed away patiently waiting for you to discover them. Who knows, you might find a coin there, an old coin that - at today's rate - may be worth a few dollars; probably three or four or five, even ten times what the coin was worth back then.

A penny a day, is worth okay

Fortunately or unfortunately, there was a shortage of copper during the year 1943 and all pennies made at that time were minted using steel. There were however, some Lincoln pennies that were incorrectly minted on bronze that turned out to be blanks. A few years - or decades later -these bronze pennies became a rarity and are valuable. The steel ones though, because of their commonality, are worth only between one to three dollars each.

Be aware and be wary as there are schemes where gullible coin collectors are sold coins that are copper plated in an attempt to make these pennies appear to be bronze. Also, keep your guard up anytime someone offers you a circa 1943 penny made out of a metallic white alloy.

Old coins are good coins

Coins, specifically the silver dollars made and circulated between the years 1878 and 1935, are worth between twelve dollars and twenty five dollars for the circulated coins. The coins that were not in circulation are worth considerably more.

Meantime, those quarters, dimes, or half dollar coins made and circulated prior to 1965, are usually made out of ninety percent silver and therefore worth as much as today's silver (with an additional premium, albeit small, put on the coin's face value).

Wrong pennies are right

There is a Lincoln penny issued in 1972 on which the date and the letters on it appear to have been doubled. This rare coin is currently worth about sixty dollars, assuming the pennies are in standard condition. The Philadelphia Mint during that time period accidentally misaligned the die used in minting the coins causing the portrait of Lincoln to look like it was doubled. Fortunately or unfortunately, eighty thousand of these were circulated before the error was discovered.

In summary, coin collecting is similar to collecting bits of history and trivia from the past. In addition to the face value its worth as a treasure - pennies, dimes and coins - often are worth more in the long run.

Notice our theme here, of getting him out of the house? Out from under you feet! All he needs is a good birding book and set of binoculars.

Why Bird Watching?

Birds have long delighted people all over the world because of their beauty and their power of flight. Birds are everywhere, and everywhere they are different. Birds are mysterious, beautiful, and sometimes wonderfully elusive.

Historically, they used to be considered omens. The ancient Romans believed that the flights and calls of birds could foretell the future.

Today, modern science still uses birds as a kind of oracle. Changes in bird populations can reflect the health of the environment.

Birding also fulfills another basic instinct-the quest for knowledge. Birding is about acquiring knowledge. Not just about birds' names, but also about their songs, their behavior, and how they relate to the rest of nature. It's a perfect opportunity to enjoy a unique human pleasure-the successful exercise of lore.

In fact, amateur birders often get to make real contributions to scientific knowledge. Today, much of what ornithology knows about birds has come from the observations of ordinary but dedicated birders.
Some birds are indicator species, like the USA's national bird, the bald eagle. They forecast environmental conditions. The knowledge of birds can help us plan a better, more sustainable relationship with nature.

Maybe we watch birds because they are accessible: wherever we go, birds are there, usually active while we are active, sleeping while we sleep. In our own backyards, we lure them with birdfeeders and birdhouses, and by placing shrubs, water, and appropriate plants in the landscape.

More than any creature except perhaps insects, birds visibly share our outdoor space, and if we have to travel miles and sit quietly for patient hours in order to see a rare or elusive bird, that makes it a treasure hunt.

We love treasure hunts and we love novelty. Birds provide both. While many birds have very wide ranges, the birds of one country tend to differ from the birds of another; even if you find the birds at home rather ordinary, you will be thrilled by unfamiliar birds when you travel. You will see the same type of bird in varied locations, but the birds will be different.

Birds are beautiful. Their brilliant hues offer a companion to their color vision. Birds flash past in every shade from emerald to vermillion, beautiful as showy flower blossoms but usually more surprising. An endless variety of patterns, shapes, and sizes delight us. Even the common crow has a lovely sheen and certain elegance. Yes, birds are an awesome part of life - how could we not watch birds?

Bird watching is FUN! It gives you a great excuse to leave your television behind and venture out into the elements. Need a good reason to head out and go for a walk? Bring along your binoculars. It provides a healthy activity that just about anyone can enjoy. You don't need good knees like skiing. You don't even need to be able to venture beyond your own back yard. Bird feeders placed on window sills allow individuals with limited to enjoy birds with little or no effort.

Birding is also the ideal solitary sport. There's a special pleasure in going out alone to bird. Your mind settles down. Your senses open up, and all nature seems to become your friend. Birding is a sport of many moods, and it serves the causes of companionship and solitude equally well.

Be warned, however, Birding can be addictive. You may find yourself obsessed with some rare species that may have been reported locally. You find yourself getting up earlier and earlier to put in a few hours of birding before work. You begin looking at your landscaping in a whole new way as you start planting more bird friendly plants, installing feeders and bird baths and reducing the use of harmful chemicals.

As we've said, birds can be fascinating creatures. If you've never watched them before, just try for a few moments in the early morning light. Look at how they soar through the air. Listen to their morning songs. You can find great peace and great enlightenment in birds. How would you be able to truly enjoy these creatures unless you watched them? It's time to get started in bird watching!

I've added a link below to find a couple of things to get him going in bird watching. Good Luck in finding him a hobby and you some peace!

My Husband Needs A Hobby - Let's Try Bird Watching!

There are numerous reasons why you should exercise to keep in good physical health, yet at the same time, many people simply have no desire to exercise.

Often the excuses are time to exercise is a problem as well as the hassles and problems with trying to find something that is interesting, rather than completely boring. If you have no idea what you are doing to improve your health, then it is definitely time to get up and do something that is productive and sure to ensure that you can get yourself in good physical shape.

Golf is a sport that can cater to those young and old, as well as male or female. This is a huge benefit when you consider that many people simply do not have the time or the energy to go searching for extensive exercise programs.

As a sport, golf is quite easy to learn, and as entertainment it manages to be quite entertaining to those who play. While watching golf may seem incredibly boring it is very different when you are actually on the green playing yourself. This can often be the missing key to actually getting up and doing some exercise.

If you enjoy what you are doing, you will be thoroughly surprised at just how often you look for excuses to play. For these reasons, golf has recently emerged as a sport that provides numerous previously sedentary individuals with a good reason to get up and get started with some exercise.

For the most part golf is quite a good sport for allowing people to slowly get started with an exercise routine. Especially when you start with taking lessons first, this allows you to gradually build up your physical fitness levels until you reach a point where you are completely in shape and can move along onto mastering more advanced aspects of golf that requires greater physical ability.

With golf being a great match for those regardless of physical fitness level it is something that you can start when you have been highly sedentary and still work towards a much better fitness level.

In contrast to many other sports you are required to be in a decent physical shape before you start playing, this can make it quite difficult to get into shape in order to be able to play. Golf has the benefit of making it much easier to get into shape since you can simply work into an exercise program by playing golf.

This allows you to really focus your time and energy on the things and places that you want. You may be surprised to discover how little you need to play golf in order to work up the strength and adrenaline and play an entire 18 hole golf course.

Of course, in the beginning it is generally best to start playing shorter golf courses until you can improve your overall physical ability to allow you to be able to really handle the physical requirements for a full golf course.

Not all courses allow golf carts, nor do they all provide golf carts. This makes it very much necessary to have the physical strength to actually walk the entire golf course before you attempt to play. You may discover that for your first few games you can only play a percentage of the holes. This may seem highly discouraging but by continuously playing, you will be able to improve your skill level as well as improve your strength to a level that will allow you to play.

If you have any doubts about the benefits of exercise for your personal health, you should talk to your doctor. Most doctors will readily agree that exercise is necessary in order to improve your overall health.

Simply living a sedentary lifestyle is not healthy and can provide you with numerous health problems. At the same time, trying to slide into a more active lifestyle will be quite helpful in allowing you to slowly improve your health and ensure that you are as physical fit as possible for the benefit of your health.

I have added links for you to find items to get him started in his new hobby. Good luck!

My Husband Needs A Hobby -Let's Try Golf.

Gardening is a great activity to get him out of the house and to get some fresh air. And with the cost of food these days, vegetable gardening is a great alternative.

The thing to remember with gardening is to start small. A small plant bed, about 25 or 30 feet square is perfect, it is just enough room for about 30 plants. This will give him a chance to try out his green thumb and if you find that he enjoys gardening he can always expand and increase his plantings.

The next thing you will want to do is choose a site. Gardening must be done in an area that gets at least six hours of sunlight. Try and stay away from large trees that will take your plants water and nutrients, and at least three feet from any fences or buildings. In hot climates it is a good idea to choose a place that will have shade from a part of the intense afternoon sun. It is possible to have a healthy garden with even ten to twelve hours of sunlight, but the type of plants must be adaptable. While soil can always be improved, a site with good soil is a plus. Avoid areas that have rocky soil, steep slopes, or areas where water stands.

Now comes the fun part: start digging. Gardening is not a clean hobby; he is going to have to get some dirt under his nails. First remove the rocks, debris, and any grass and weeds then dig the spot up about one foot deep. Level up the dirt and add compost or minerals if needed. If your soil is too acidic, add lime; if it is too sandy, add peat moss. Plants will thrive in neutral to acidic soil with a little added fertilizer.

If you buy seeds then plant them according to the directions. If picking plants, choose ones with green, healthy looking leaves and stems and healthy roots. Put the smaller plants towards the front of the bed and larger ones in the back. The key to a successful beginning in gardening is planting at the right time. Make sure and wait until the frosts are over before planting. If you are planting seeds the package will usually tell you exactly when you can plant them to achieve maximum growth.

Once he has started and gotten into gardening, making sure your plants receive enough water is essential to their growth. Hand watering works well if you only have a few plants. Other options include sprinklers or sprinkler hoses. Watering is more effective during the cooler parts of the day. The type of plant will depend on how much water is needed, but most require about an inch per week. During the hottest periods plants will be need watering about three times per week.

One of the most helpful things to add to a garden is mulch or compost. Just a few inches of organic mulch will improve fertility and help the soil hold moisture. Wood chips, grass clippings, leaves, manure, and pine needles are all things that can be used as mulch.

Good luck during this retirement time, I know you can find something here for him to enjoy! : ) Below is a link to find many things to get him started in gardening

My Husband Needs A Hobby - Let's Try Gardening.