Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Walnut Ink...and erosion bundle extracted...

Walnut Ink.  So expensive at the art store, and so easy to make.  These walnuts have been sitting in a bucket on my back porch since last year.  They were moldy but that was no match for boiling water.

There was no complicated recipe or precise directions, I just boiled them like taters!  But for much, much longer until the outside disintegrated off the nut.  Then, I broke them apart and added more water and let it simmer for about 5 hours.  Strained the juice, added some vodka and clove oil to deter bacterial growth, and now I'll use it to dye fabric and watercolor paper.

And then there's THIS.  It took me a while to dig it up, and when I found it I didn't even recognize it...my compost bundle!

After giving it a quick hose down, I see that the fabric truly is eroded.  It's worn, rusted and a bit slimy!

Poor centipedes will have to relocate.

I've suspended the treasure from the clothes line in hopes that it will dry out before I tear into it this Saturday.  It's already rained on it, but I see some upper 90 degree days coming, that should do the trick.

It's like an alien cocoon...

I don't even remember what's inside...

Sunday, June 7, 2015

Life's a garden, dig it...

Here comes the heat....here comes the garden.  The great healer, calendula....

Ant hill in the dill...

Egyptian walking onion...

It was bittersweet having to pull off the flowers from my blueberry bushes....but I know it will pay off next year when they're bigger and full of berries.  Had to leave just a few though!!

Broccoli I started from seed...even if the little green caterpillars leave me just one head, it was worth it!