50 Before 50 - Part Two

Following on from my 50 Before 50 - Part One post, here is the second part of my list of fifty things I want to do before I reach the age of fifty.

26. Visit the Lake District.
We don't live that far away from The Lakes but it's somewhere I've never been.

27. Use my camera more on manual settings.
I've had my DSLR camera for over three years now and even though I went on a workshop showing me how to use it, I still have it on automatic most of the time. It's time I got to grips with it and started using the manual settings so I intend to take more photos without the camera being set to auto.

28. Have a go at needle felting.
Mick bought me a needle felting kit for Christmas 2014 and I still haven't had a go at it. I love the little hare that can be made with it so I really should get it out and give it a go.

29. Take a trip to the cinema.
I rarely go to the cinema. The last thing I saw was Me Before You in June but Les Miserables back in 2012 was the last thing I saw before that.

30. Do the Leeds Owl Trail.
Leeds has owls on its coat of arms and because of this, owls have sprung up all over the city. The purpose of the Leeds Owl Trail is to inform and inspire people about Leeds' rich heritage. Owls can be found perched on various historical sights including the Town Hall, St Anne's Cathedral and Leeds Bridge.

31. Go on a picnic.
Mick makes a great picnic, he always packs such yummy snacks and treats.

32. Read all the Harry Potter books.
I've already read some of the books but not all so I'm going to start again right from the beginning. Daniel and I read some of the books together but he continued reading on his own and I didn't bother so I've no idea what happens in the later books.

33. Watch all the Harry Potter films.
Like the books, I've seen some of the early ones but not the later ones so once again, I shall start all over again with them.

34. Go to the ballet.
It's years since I've seen a ballet so it's about time I went to see one again.

35. Visit Scotland.
The first time I went north of the border was last year when we stayed in Northumberland. Even then, we only ventured about five miles in to Scotland so I'd like to see a bit more of the country.

36. Have a massage.
I could definitely do with a massage at times to relieve stress so I'm going to indulge when the need arises.

37. Take an overnight trip with Eleanor.
We both love the theatre so this may or may not involve seeing a show.

38. Climb Flamborough lighthouse.
The lighthouse was closed the last time we visited but I'd like to overcome my fear of heights so that I can see the view from the top.

39. Go on a ghost hunt.
I think York would be a good place for this, there's always lots of ghost walks taking place and they even do ghost tours by bus now.

40. Watch a sunset from a beach.
There's something magical about seeing the sun dip below the horizon.

41. Go for afternoon tea.
I only drink tea occasionally but I love the idea of sandwiches and sweet treats, a quintessential British tradition.

42. Treat myself to something I really want.
I'm not sure what this will be, nothing springs to mind at the moment but I'm sure something will pop up that I'd like.

43. Adopt an animal for charity.
I don't mean one that will come home to live with me, I don't think Archie would take too kindly to that. There's lots of organisations that ask you to adopt an animal or become a sponsor, like Hope Pastures where I've adopted Banjo the donkey in the past.

44. Finish the Spice Of Life crochet blanket.
I'm over half way through this project but it's been put aside for quite a while now along with my Granny Stripe blanket. I'm not sure what's happened to my crochet mojo, I'm more in to knitting and cross stitch at the moment but I'm sure it will return when the colder weather arrives.

45. Send a message in a bottle.
I always wanted to do this when I was a child but never did. I wonder where the bottle will end up and whether anyone will read my message.

46. Engage in social media.
I've so far managed to avoid Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and most other social media but I'm thinking of joining in. I'm not sure if I'll just sign up to one or two things or if I'll go the whole hog and join everything. I'll have to find out how everything works first though.

47. Visit a craft show.
I think various craft shows are held at Harrogate International Centre, or a little further afield at the NEC in Birmingham.

48. Attend the Christmas lights switch on.
The lights switch on in my small town has become more of an event over the last couple of years, it's organised by the local Lions, a service club organisation, and now incorporates a fun fair and market as well as local groups providing entertainment throughout the day. I haven't attended for a good many years so it's time I put in an appearance again.

49. Grow a tree from a pip.
I'm sure I remember sowing apple pips from the fruit I'd eaten when I was a child, not that I can remember anything growing from them. Perhaps I was just too impatient and gave up too quickly. I think I'll give this a go again, perhaps I'll sow something a little more exotic this time.

50. Explore Nottingham.
I should have plenty of opportunity to do this as Eleanor will be living there for the next three or four years. I've already spotted a great yarn shop in the city centre which I'd like to visit and I'm sure there's some lovely green spaces around the city.

So that's my list of fifty things that I want to tick off before I reach my fiftieth birthday in two year's time. I wonder how many of them I'll actually do. A few of you have shown an interest in making a list yourself, I'd love to know if you do, it would be fun to see what things you've included on your own list.

Don't forget, if you haven't already entered my giveaway, you've got until midday on Wednesday the 7th of September 2016 to do so, just leave a comment on my Sixth Blog Anniversary Giveaway post.