It is actually quite difficult for me to name a specific hobby since I like to spend my free time doing a number of things. It could be said that I am a lucky chap who managed to create one entity combining work, hobbies and personal entertainment and so it is almost perfect set up. Almost, because sometime one struggles for lack of work. Being a freelance artist represents a lot of sacrifices and one comes to understand that happiness is not in having a lot but rather in being content with a little.

I love anything exotic or out of the ordinary. My collection of plants  includes all kinds of cacti, bromeliads, orchids which I grow on the yucca trees ( no greenhouse or any sort of pampering ), exotic trees  with orchid-like blossoms and some carnivorous plants. I enjoy growing everything from seeds collected during my travels.

                                                        My backyard
                                           ( Every square inch is planted )


   

                                                 

                                                        

Woodworking is another thing I like to do. Where ever I see an old beat up piece of lumber I take it home and use it to make a piece of furniture or something.

                              
         Coffee table from used lumber.                                      This old plow serves well as a table after      (scaled down replica of a renaissance table)             I gave it a top from a distressed drip edge of our house.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

While on the subject of building - once I have seen a picture in the Architectural Digest that looked quite like my front porch. I liked it so a sat down, made few sketches and bought the material. Three days later I had a new porch.Total cost - $120.00 and my aching back.


           

Architectural Digest inspiration                     My porch before                                             and after


At one time I tried to design and build some odd musical instruments. They sound surprisingly well despite the fact that I have never done anything like that before.
                                                                                    
String instrument                                                  Guitar                                   String instrument
      ( Mahogany )                                               ( Various mahoganies )                             ( Mahogany, pine, deer skin )


                                                       Recycling an old Cadillac...

                                     

                            Two cornering lights put together, little wiring, two bulbs and voila...

I love animals and hate people who harm any kind of wildlife. Man in my opinion is the most harmful, cruelest and disrespectful predator on this planet in his quest to fill his pockets no matter what. Ivory hunters, rhino killers, baby seal clobbers, fishermen  throwing live sharks with all their fins cut off back to the sea, those are sights that make me sick to my stomach. We all shall pay dearly for this one day!

Few years ago I got an idea to build an aviary for my birds providing them with enough flight space needed for successful breading. So I did it and the birds multiplied quite a bit.

                                                                  
Here is my aviary...                                                               ...and it's happy occupants



Must not forget Bruno, starling (sternus vulgaris), whom I found freshly hatched
under a palm tree, right on the street in front of our house. A crow stole him from the nest and dropped him after an atack from it's protective parents.  I took him in,
treated his wounds and managed to feed him. Bruno grew into a very mischievous
bird and lived with us flying around the house for two and a half years.

             
Feeding time                                                   What now?                             Susan's  earring, my favorite toy