On the "gentle arts"

I told someone yesterday, joking, that my hobbies included "domesticity." But the more I thought about it, the more that's a pretty apt description for what I enjoy doing.

I really like baking. I made cookies for our class last night that straight-up disappeared. I'm going to make a peach cobbler later that is already making my mouth water. I'm good at baking, and I really enjoy doing it for people I care about. If I bring you a baked good, know that that is a sign that I love you. If I let you make a request, you're in for life. (My father-in-law won himself a heaping helping of scorn when I brought over a homemade pie and he chose fucking store-bought cake for dessert instead.)

I knit, and have started spinning. I only knit things for people who appreciate what an effort it is, so not every request for knitted whatever will be met: I have a friend who requested a "shark hat," but that would take me WAY more hours to make it than it would for him to lose it, so it's not going to happen. I also am picky about what I'll knit with. I appreciate good yarn, and I'm willing to pay a little more for yarns made from smaller mills or better materials. A handknit brings me so much joy to make and to see on the intended wearer.

I've also been having a lot of fun picturing the end design for the new kid's room. Today I switched out the old, awful curtains for the new (ish) off-white ones and tried to find non-floral sheets for that bed (we don't have any, so I get to figure out what will work best! Yay!).

I don't really enjoy cleaning, but I do enjoy a clean home. I also secretly love to clean the bottom of our pots and pans (they're copper-bottom) with ketchup, which is some magical trick that makes them look new and also is fun.

What domestic activities are your jam? I'm not alone here, am I?