Friday, April 4, 2014

out of the dye-pot: a light blue morning glory


Some little pieces of blue cloth came out of the turmeric dye-pot today looking much different from when they went in. Nanette and I were going for green in our dye-along (blue + yellow = green), but nonetheless I'm loving these golden results. There's a light blue morning glory in there -- a good omen, yes?

I'm not starting a huge number of plants in the house this spring but what seeds I do plant will be tended patiently and carefully. I'm trying to grow a few unusual, for me, plants, too. Henna, Lawsonia inermis, seed is in my refrigerator right now -- wrapped in damp paper towel, to be brought back to room temperature in four days until it sprouts, and then placed in pots. And Greater Celandine, Chelidonium majus -- an herb Maurice Messegue refers to in Of People & Plants (a wonderful book, by the way). If you've grown either of these before, I'd love to hear how it went.

Lately I've been hearing and reading reports about Gaia's ill-health and that makes me want to do my best for her. These warnings seem like wake-up calls that we collectively hit the snooze button on, don't they? There's something different going on now though -- it feels like a kind of stirring to reclaim hidden parts of ourselves. At this point on the spiral, I'm remembering and re-experiencing how hopeful April and spring can feel -- trying to take back tasks that I've unwittingly given away, and I hope cooperating more. Growing food, for example -- being a better farmer in the spirit of the footsteps of the farmer are her best fertilizer.

Thanks for visiting.

9 comments:

  1. have you tried turmeric on cloth wrapped around a tin can to get green? i wonder if that would work?
    i might have to try that myself?

    ReplyDelete
  2. No, I haven't -- that would be fun to try though!

    ReplyDelete
  3. My cloth looks a little like yours Peggy, a pretty golden. I might try the tin can too. Look forward to seeing how your unusual seeds develop.

    ReplyDelete
  4. tumeric is so so strong. pomeganate works best for me over indigo.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I do like your morning glory! April is hopeful. I always feel reborn during my April birthday month. Reading this I realized that I posted an old draft today...but have not a birthday post as I usually do :) Happy spring to you!

    ReplyDelete
  6. your glory is glorious

    ReplyDelete
  7. I appreciate your sensitivity to the stirrings of spring and the changes going on around us... and the colors in this post are to die for!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Catching up with blogging, your newest moondala is perfect for this time of year, I feel like it shows Spring and Winter at odds with each other.
    Love your morning glory.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks, everyone -- can't wait for some real live morning glories around here! xoxo

    ReplyDelete