Wool, silk and cotton cloth went into the pine cone dye-bath yesterday. The photos pretty much speak for themselves, they're untouched/unedited except I sharpened the one with the checkered wool a little. I'm thrilled with the three circles on the silk (this was my first attempt at circular resists). The little circle is from a stitched-on penny and the larger ones are from a can and its lid.
It's snowing today, but yesterday was nice enough for the honeybees to come out. I don't suit up to tend to them in the winter, they're usually pretty mellow when they do come out. Yesterday, I had a couple get caught in my hair, and several landed on me. I thought oh, please don't sting me and they didn't! You see, not a single person has been stung in our yard since they were moved into the hive, and I didn't want my first sting just yet. I know it'll probably happen eventually though, misunderstandings are bound to occur in any close relationship.
Anyway, they were so active I decided to put an additional feeder out, a plate with maybe a quarter-inch of their regular sugar water. I soon discovered that even a quarter-inch deep can cause problems. Several bees looked like they were drowning -- kicking on their backs, trying to set themselves right, all the while getting coated even more with sugar syrup. Some made it out on their own, but some didn't. I was about to intervene but then saw, over and over, other bees rescuing them -- like lifeguards. They take care of their own.
Now I'm thinking about taking a class in goat-keeping. Home-keeping, bee-keeping . . . it seems logical, doesn't it?
Happy weekending! xo
nice markings on your cloth. color in one photo looks pink. did you leave any of the pine cones in the dye bath?
ReplyDeleteYou do good dye jobs. Love your art.
ReplyDeleteThe Bees.......rescue bees, amazing.
Thank you, for sharing.
Deanna, thank you. I didn't leave the cones in, they took up all the room in the pot. But I saved them -- which I don't know why I did that because there's no shortage of cones around here!
ReplyDeleteWild Magnolia, why thank you very much. Yes -- "rescue" bees! Yes -- amazing!
ReplyDeletejust a suggestion...the cooked pine cones might give good color on the cloth. you might pick apart the cones and lay the pieces on the cloth and roll it into a bundle and then put it in a dye bath just to see what happens. you know that i love to experiment.
ReplyDeleteDeanna -- Oh, I see what you mean, that's a great idea and I think I'll do just that! Thank you so much, Deanna -- I'm glad you love to experiment and then share, I've learned so much from you about dyeing.
ReplyDeleteI like Deanna's idea about the cones. It would be so neat to have pine cone prints! I found the bees fascinating. I like the thought that they look after each other - perhaps society could learn something? I love goats. They have personality, until they get in a snit. Ask me how I know! LOL! Have a beautiful weekend.
ReplyDeletewonderful bees!...one day I want to keep goats. I often dream about them. It's like they are waiting for me, or me for them more so...
ReplyDeleteLove the three circles on silk...beautiful.
Much love
We rescued a Nubian goat once, not bad for cat rescue group lol Hed been brought up around 6 children so was convinced he could sit on folks laps forever.
ReplyDeleteThis was okay till the families Dad had a breakdown and the kid had gotten big enough to be a...goat!
I adored him and he lived in my back garden, bleating at me for company which drove the neighbours daft. He ate most of my plants mind you and scared my two cocker spaniels to death!
I finally found a farm for him to live on, where they had school visits so that he was so tame, was just fine and once theyd neutered him he was happy as anything.
They are Hudinis though and escapologists !
Bless those bees...........yes society could learn a great deal.
You have almost an eclipseed sun or moon...........fabulous result that!
A very successful day's work Peggy, and much to be satisfied about...lovely dyed fabric, gentle bees and goat planning. I have a Leunig cartoon as mu home page header...it's called 'a goated community'(a lovely pun)and there's all these great little drawings of goats looking whimsical,curious and busy, the sort of faces only Leunig can manage.
ReplyDeleteGoats, I want goats... Love the bees, love the dyeing. I did a bit today too.
ReplyDeleteLove the poetry of your post title Peggy, and you must be so thrilled with your dye results....still procrastinating about getting down to it here :~( !
ReplyDeleteThe bees, oh the bees...thank you for sharing their story...it brought sunshine to a wet, grey day.
Home~steading ~ is there anything more satisfying....
Jeannie, I liked Deanna's idea, too, so tried it today. Didn't have the patience to lay them nicely in rows though. We'll see. And, you're sounding mysterious! --do you have a goat experience? I haven't been around them that much, want to take the class to see how it all feels. Baby steps, ya know. Hope you had a great weekend, it's almost over!
ReplyDeleteTrish, thanks! You know, I've had goat dreams, too. Reading what you wrote makes me remember that. Hmmm. You sound very sure about them though, I'm just starting to think about them...I hope it happens for you!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lyn! Oh, your goat story made me chuckle. I could just see it all happening. And a happy ending, too, I like that! You ought to write a book -- honestly, Lyn, you have a way that is so entertaining! :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Nanette -- once in a while, something gets done around here, I guess! I'm going to have to look up Leunigs because I'm not familiar with them, I'm a very beginner with all this! Is there a link for that page header, I'd love to see it?
ReplyDeleteDeb, goats must be in the air. They want us to have them so they're putting out their goat vibes. Yes, that's it. I'm sure.
ReplyDelete;-)
Helen, thank you! I'm not that experienced with the eco-dyeing but have a lot of fun learning. And I'm happy the bees brightened up your day! They were out again today and will be the next few days as we're having warm temperatures in the forecast. They are so hungry, I just wish I could hurry spring along, they'll be so happy to have the dandelions bloom!
ReplyDelete