Hobbies

I have several interests in my life. I would have to say that my interest that takes up the most of my free time would be hobby growing. I love various tropical plants. It started with plumeria, then Brugmansia (Angels Trumpet). From there I would discover a new plant and the love affair would begin. Some of these love affairs were brief, others are still going on to this very day!

I also enjoy tinkering with electronics: micro controllers (arduino and Raspberry Pi), robots, RC vehicles, programming. My biggest problem here is I have always struggled with comprehending the technology. I find that I have bouts where I will revisit the interest and become passionate until I hit a brick wall that I just can’t overcome. The technology keeps on evolving and I seem to not be able to keep up!

Thankfully YouTube is a great resource to learn what things are and how to use them. So I have been watching quite a bit of YouTube and learning who is a credible source and who is just a puffer. In case you have not heard the term “puffer” in this context it means someone who talks but has no real wisdom to share. They just simply regurgitate what they have heard without having any understanding of what they are talking about.

I would like to automate my grow room to be more congruent as a whole system. Currently I have automation with WiFi switches that have timers built in which they turn off and on lights and irrigation. This is a good first step but is not one system, instead it’s a couple of systems working together. I would like one system that controls everything. I would like my growroom to be able to monitor conditions, then reacts accordingly to maintain desired conditions. I would also like this system to log the data, display the current conditions on demand, and provide a WiFi video livestream available anywhere I am.

So I am exploring my options to discover which platform would be the best fit for my needs. So far it looks like an ESP32 board would be the most efficient controller for the tasks I require. I need to take some time to layout exactly what I want the controller to be able to preform. This will allow me to find the best fit sensors, relays, pumps, and servos for my build. I really don’t have a time frame for this project, but the sooner I get this project complete the better condition of my plants! Our weather is changing and Spring is definitely on the horizon. Once I am able to get plants outdoors might just be my best move. This will allow me to work without damaging any plants and I will have unrestricted access to the grow tents.

March 10,2025

I have started reading to be able to use python in my programming projects I am working on. So far this is an easy book to comprehend. I will start tinkering with some code next week to gain some hands on experience with the code and wiring of the micro controller board and sensors. So far I’m off to a good start.

March 12, 2025

As I have mentioned before, I tend to start projects and as I am researching them fall in love with new aspects of the topic. Well I find myself with a new love, that is kind of a continuation of an old interest.

FPV drones have really captured my attention here lately. I have owned a few very inexpensive drones and tinkered with them for a while, but this new interest allows me to understand the hardware, and how all of the components interact with each other. There is the design aspect that I enjoy, thinking through the design in a concept perspective. So I look forward to focusing on an initial project and working through it. I have 2 3D filament printers and a 3d resin printer, so I can build whatever parts I can imagine. I am studying micro python, and learning how to work with blender. I have all of the major resources that I know that I might need. Now it’s a matter of time and focus to gain experience.

My latest build

I have started sourcing parts, and doing my research. This is my first build, so I am feeling my way around right now. This first build will be a Raven class drone named Air Raider.

I have ordered a SpeedyBee F405 mini flight controller with a 4in1 ESC stack. I also ordered 6 pairs of Gemfan Hurricain 3 inch gray props. This order should arrive the end of April or beginning of May.

More to come on this build, and the Raven class drone…

July 3,2025

As Spring of 2025 ushered in, my life has become busy and rather complicated by work schedules and other obligations. Most of my hobbies that can be halted have been put on hold for now, my plants are one thing in my life that continues regardless. They really don’t care what’s going on in my life, they require my care or they simply begin to decline!

I have decided to build American Adenium. I really enjoy working with adenium and plumeria and I really think I would like to work with them the rest of my life. Adenium adapts itself to many of the practices in horticulture that I enjoy such as bonsai, grafting and root training. Then there is Plumeria, which is my first love in tropical horticulture. I started my love affair with several Plumeria cuttings that I bought at pier 60 in Clearwater Florida back in the early 1990’s. This lead me to buying plumeria seeds on Ebay in the early days of Ebay.

So I have built a network of friends in the Adenium and Plumeria world, and have been making purchases from several of them. This isn’t as easy as just placing an order, these people live on the other side of the world from me! I am buying from India, Thailand, Maylasia, Tanzania, Taiwan, Singapore, and other locations. Each of these sellers are a different culture, different language, and sometimes different import requirements. So far I think I have done well, and not been burned by dishonest people. I have been able to forge relationships that I hope will last a lifetime. This allows me to be unique and offer the uncommon plants from places most people wouldn’t even know exist. I would lovw to be able to travel and make my purchases in person, I think that would be exciting! You never know where life will take you, maybe my retirement will be full of traveling to discover plants, and seeds for my collection and for sales in my businesses.

So, in July I will be holding my first whatNot Live sale since December of 2024. I got a bit aggrevated with the USPS running late on shipment deliveries, so I quit to allow the holiday delivery season to end. I’m ready to start again with the knowledge I was able to gain from my short run. I want to do this right with graphic images that are intriguing and enticing, good lighting and audio. I was using a levilear microphone that I still need to work out the kinks with it. I just want to have fun with it and do it well, I want to share my knowledge that I have gained with others, and I need to be able to make some money while doing it all! So I will have my first WhatNot Live! of the year on July 17th, just two weeks away!

I will have some special Adenium seeds available for sale during this Live!, and I will also have a few plants that I believe and worthy of sale. Something else that I will be preparing in an educational part to the live where I either explain something, or demonstrate something or maybe both! Anyway I wish to share knowledge and interact with other like minded people, for me It’s not all about the money. I enjoy the plants and the comradely with other hobby growers. I think it’s good for my soul to be doing this kind of work that I really enjoy. I like watching plants grow into their fullest potential, or working with them to form something beautiful with them. So Join me on Thursday July 17th at 7:30 PM EST. Cheers!