Blog

Portulaca

It's very hot with temperatures in the 90's and high humidity.. Outdoors really smells like summer.. The scent is both sharp and sweet. It reminds me of summers past.

The heat makes it hard for me to work on anything besides spinning hemp fiber into yarn. and dyeing it with indigo.

I've also kept up dyeing the silk thread.

Silk threads dyed with indigo, coreopsis flowers,walnut hulls and madder

Redbud  (Cercis Canadensis)

How quickly the days, weeks and months rush along!  Every day there are new amazements. I like to spend my time in the garden and pay close attention. The only trouble is that I don't get much done indoors.

 Milkweed (Asclepius syriaca)

As I was emptying the old potting soil from  a flowerpot, I discovered several pods of milkweed that had dropped into the soil and been covered up.These seed pods had overwintered here and are now sprouting.

After two days of sunshine and warmth, the cold winds and gray skies have returned. I'm trying to keep the sweet pea youngsters from getting too cold while still giving them light.

I know they don't mind cool temperatures, but surely they don't like freezing. I've been carrying them outdoors in the daytime and back in at night. This morning  I made a little tent for the containers with clear plastic to let in the light and keep out the very cold wind.

Happily, the scilla doesn't mind at all. Patience, endurance, gratitude and cheerfulness live in the garden.

bBloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)

 Suddenly it's warm! The garden is joyful and beautiful. The back-yard colors inspire natural dyeing.

These silks were dyed with walnut hulls, coreopsis flowers, weld and indigo

Crocus

Violet shades from madder, lac and indigo

King Alfred Daffodils

Greens, yellow and blues from weld, coreopsis flowers and indigo

The very brave Scilla

Indigo

Warm morning sky

I'm very grateful for this rare, lovely and warm Spring day.

It's still cold here without the occasional warm days. In spite of this, the brave daffodils, tulips, scilla are holding on. Some are even blooming.

Scilla

For the first time in ages, I'm growing sweet peas. Thought they are prefer cool temperatures, I don't think they'd like to be outdoors in 20 degrees and ice.

The sun is so beautiful and srtong in March. I'm always amazed at the way the March sun shows the tiniest details. Sunrise in the plant room is a quiet joy.

I've been working with osage orange sawdust and silk thread. Here the sink is soaking in rinse water.

Here it is hanging to dry in the plant room.

The yellow color seems to deepen in the air.

Snowdrops

Daffodils

Silk, indigo and weld

Everything changes. The morning light is different now.

Determined daffodils

Tulip snouts

 Old and new

Flying north

Daisys' favorite weather!

Icicles on the neighbors' house

Seeds packets and Valentines' cards

Waiting for spring

A little snow and ice fell overnight.

Yesterday I made a path through the mud with old Christmas tree branches. The birds are making their own path of footprints.

Walnut brew left outdoors

Indigo dye project left out overnight

Sweet, furry Daisy seems to like the cool on her tummy.