u/upsidedownorangejuic

Digging my own garden for once, upturned a foot deep of our lawn, and mixed in a bunch of goodies... With rather free range long cut lawn, our top soil was quite lovely and deep for what it is. Mixed in some pumice, wood chip, some old compost from last year and bit of new. It's exciting to have my own garden for first time, having large garden like at my mum's place I helped build nice to finally have my own. A bit of bold choice to go with ground, instead of raised.

I also fitted round peg to square hole, with mallet handle out an old ship adze as hoe, and I also found small adze or hoe (it's round eye so more likely a hoe), and carved a new handle out of a very curvy magnolia branch with a hatchet, so I could have an extra long weeding hoe. A side quest purely to get more bark chips, as it's about 1/4 the original size of the branch. Like to say, that mallet handle round peg in square hole works great, and did not wiggle even after doing most of the hard work. Both these are both my first time at fitting and making handles.

Delightful start to the season, now just, fail lots on my first season, and find out what will survive this pending drought that is coming upon us. Okra is on my list, both for it's stunning flowers, and that it might be a hot season.

The silly things we get up to in our 30's, I am so glad I am getting well enough and feel strong enough to have my own garden for the first time, after this many years.

3rd page into a sketch book, of trying out water colour painting/brushes for the first time. I read a lot of books that use that style of ink and water colour and I rather loved it.

I really like the fact you can ink in your lines first like the table or draw lines in after like the red blobs for the flowers or the choc chip buscuit. It's so fast and rewarding with a delightful second dip of enjoyment to add the finishing details.

The mystery fruit/veggy is my favourite kind of practice item. I have always hated learning spheres and cubes, something about making up a believable plant really helps my brain understand blending.

But if you have name for today's mystery fruit and what taste/function it has I'm keen to hear lol.

This is my first ever time painting and using water colours (I used pencils). But please, please, roast the hell out of me, I have arted long enough to enjoy a good laugh.

I have used cheap water coloring pencils as quick drafting pencils because usually draw with oil coloring in pencils to draw flowers and birds, and those are so expensive compared to a cheap 24 pack of $24 (nzd) water colouring pencils.

At 30 odd, I finally decided to actually buy some nice brushes and paper, and just paint something random and fun, so I could have crack at using water colouring pencils with well... water, haha

I am for sure going to enjoy painting more with water colours, and actually do some basic things like practicing shapes and form so I have more understanding of how water colours blend, and think after a few more fun drawing maybe buy some nice pencils.

It's quite interesting having to sort of pre think how the colours will stack. Also water is lot more controlled then I thought it would be, as the last time I painted with brushes or used water colour I would of been like 10 years old on office paper.