Aug. 1, 2026

It’s been two weeks since my last update, and I’ve got plenty to share.

I’ve been painting a lot recently and I’m really enjoying it. I’m trying to produce as many pieces as I can over the next couple of weeks, so I’ve been thinking carefully about balancing time invested with the finished result. Last time I found myself getting demotivated because each painting seemed to take forever, but I’m in a much better rhythm now, choosing achievable reference images from Pinterest and simply enjoying the process.

I genuinely love all of the paintings so far and don’t think I could pick a favourite. I’ve probably got a few more in me before my deadline at the end of next week. One thing I’ve noticed is that I’m naturally picking up new techniques simply through repetition. For the tree and lake painting, for example, I tried to create more depth by building it up in layers, whereas the portrait with yellow flowers relied is flatter, single layer design. The layered landscape took around four hours, while the portrait was finished in about an hour and a half. It’s interesting seeing how different approaches affect both the final result and the time it takes.

With the weather being so hot, I haven’t spent much time at either the field or the allotment.

I did start tackling the brambles that have completely swallowed the compost area at the allotment. I’d love to get the compost system back into action, but this is probably the worst time of year to fight brambles. They’re growing at full speed and the berries are just beginning to ripen, so I’ve decided not to wage war with them until autumn or winter.

Instead, I’ve been thinking ahead to winter crops. I’d like to sow things like chard and spinach, but timing is everything. Too early and young seedlings will simply scorch in the heat; too late and there won’t be enough daylight for them to establish properly before winter arrives.

I also repaired the window-panes in the greenhouse and added a shelving unit inside to make it much more organised. Once I get some seedlings started, they’ll have a proper home.

The field has mostly been about irrigation. I think I’ve had the borehole and pump for nearly a year now, and I’m still refining the watering system. Perhaps I overcomplicate these things—or perhaps it really is as fiddly as it feels!

The biggest challenge is that every improvement requires exactly the right plumbing fittings. I work out what I think I need, order the parts, wait for them to arrive, take everything down to the field, test it… and inevitably discover I'm missing one small connector. That means another order and another couple of weeks before I can test the next idea. It’s a slow way to experiment, but at least I’m learning something every time.

I’m now convinced sprinklers are the most efficient solution, but the pump only has enough pressure to run two at once. The plan is to install at least six around the field, each covering its own section, and simply rotate between them while I’m there doing other jobs. It sounds straightforward written down, but I promise it’s surprisingly complicated!

I’m also keen to make use of the large IBC tanks I’ve raised onto pallets. My hope is that the extra height will generate enough gravity pressure to run a hose without needing a pump at all. That’s an experiment for the autumn though. For now, most of my visits have simply involved carrying buckets and making sure the trees survive the heat.

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I finished the crochet basket—and I absolutely love how it turned out.

To help it hold its shape, I fused together old plastic bags and wrappers with an iron to create thick plastic sheets. I cut these to size and enclosed them inside the basket walls by folding over the crochet. The result is a wonderfully sturdy basket that keeps its shape beautifully.

It’s now being used to store my knitting yarn, and despite my initial doubts about the colour combination, I actually think it looks fantastic. Best of all, I managed to use up every last bit of the gifted yarn. That's a very satisfying double win.

Finishing the basket got me thinking about some of my older crochet pouffes, which I originally stuffed with loose plastic packaging. They work well enough, but they can look a little rounded and bulky. Using sheets of fused plastic for the walls could give them much cleaner, straighter sides.

Rather than experimenting on an old project, I decided to start fresh and crochet a cube instead—almost like a giant building block that a child could climb or sit on.

I bought some fluffy polyester yarn for the cover, which I slightly regret already. It looks lovely now, but I’m not convinced it will not age particularly well. Inside, I’ve sewn a fabric cube from some old curtain lining and added sleeves on each side to hold rigid sheets of fused plastic. The centre will then be stuffed with softer scrunched-up plastic.

If you enjoy random recycling facts: the plastic you can safely fuse with an iron is LDPE (recycling code 4), which includes things like carrier bags. The plastic that doesn't melt nicely—such as cereal bag liners and many snack packets—is HDPE (code 2), which makes excellent stuffing instead (abeit with a crunchy sound).

The project is still a work in progress because I need to collect enough plastic to fill the centre, but that's actually quite exciting. It means I finally have another useful outlet for all my plastic waste.

The knitted jumper is also coming along nicely, although the fine yarn means every inch feels hard-earned. I’m almost finished with the body and am just about to split for the armholes.

I actually think this jumper might turn out even better than the first. The fit already looks much improved—assuming I don't completely run out of yarn before I finish!

As always, I’m already thinking about the next project.

I’d love to return to hand-spun yarn. I’ve got a fresh batch of fleece from the family sheep that feels wonderfully soft, and I’ve also ordered some rare-breed brown-grey Bluefaced Leicester fleece. I think the natural colours will complement each other really well.

This time I’m planning to spin a finer two-ply yarn, similar in thickness to the one I’m knitting with now. The current idea is to make a cardigan—perhaps with a few sheep motifs worked into the design.

We'll see where the idea takes me.

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