b&w moon trail

I've been stitching a simple black and white moon trail as part of this year's stitch ritual, pathways -- one meandering pathway for each of 13 moons. Last Friday was a new moon, an Equinox and the sun moved into Aries, to mention just three of the day's events -- it was a big day, celestially speaking.

The violet vinegar has transformed into the loveliest liquid magenta. Some pussy willow stems are rooting nicely nearby, almost ready to be potted temporarily until planting time outside. And there's another art journal page for week 11 of Journal52 -- the prompt is to just write. The title of a recent email article on simplicity was Don't Take Action and I like the idea of not needing to do.do.do. Especially since my immersion into the Outlander book series because what I will choose given the opportunity is to read.read.read. Well into the fifth book with just two to go, I hate to see the end come near.

Around here in Zone 5 Colorado, it's time to get seedlings started indoors. This week from the afternoon of March 26th (1:45 PM MDT) through the 28th (9:48 PM MDT), our waxing moon will be in the sign of Cancer, making it the perfect time to plant those seeds. The best time of all, actually.

After some warm days in the 70's and 80's (F), our Nanking cherry bush is blooming so the bees have one more place to forage. I've been learning that pussy willows are a good early source of both pollen and nectar for bees as well -- try to keep them in mind when I'm thinking about new plantings.

Spring. There is a definite sense of things coming together now.

violet moonday

 

I made some flower food today -- a tiny bottle of violet champagne vinegar. It needs to brew for a few weeks before it's ready. Last year I made violet vinegar on Earth Day, April 22, 2014 -- that means the violets are blooming over a month earlier this year.

Directions to make violet, Viola odorata, vinegar and a little more about using violet as herbal medicine are here. I was taught years ago that violet syrup soothes unnamed grief. It stuck with me but I have never really come upon a situation to use violet for that purpose. Recently I read that homeopathically speaking, violet people are bright and perceptive, but can be sad or depressed to the point of crying without really knowing why. There seems to be a connection there. Violet is a great healer, indeed.

More good news is that since those first violet blossoms in the spring are not seed-bearers (that happens later), we can pick them freely.

I'm stitching the little rosemary bookcloth. I was thinking since rosemary is a brain herb, good for studying and remembering, I should use it in a reference book of some sort. The power of suggestion, you know.

Journal52's Week 10 for art journaling was coloring book inspiration. I used a black/white/gray illustration from an old magazine and colored pencils. I didn't think I would like this prompt all that much but I did. The chakra points weren't in the original illustration -- and the Thoreau quote was synchronous, if only I really did have a canoe.

Today is a waning moonday in the sign of Aquarius, a good time for group work and play. And, as always, that strong Aquarian trait of making improvements might make itself known, watch out. Equinox is coming up this week -- did you know both spring and autumn equinox are good days to develop fairy vision?

Thanks for visiting, have a wonderful week and a smooth change of season -- and I hope you get to see a fairy or two. Think I'm going to sink into the color purple for a while now. xo

leaf patch moonday

Green on black continued...I stitched a tiny leaf patch. Small things appeal to me now, maybe because I have so many projects in the works.

I tried the egg-in-the-avocado baking method that I've been seeing around. Baked at 425 for 11 minutes, the egg came out pretty well, but not sure that I'm a true fan of the hot avocado.

Journal52's art journal prompt for week 9 was "artistic restraint with shape and color" so I went with cut & torn circles and painted shades of green. The result is inner circles. It is what it is.

Today is a waning moonday in the very psychic sign of Scorpio. Scorpio days are fertile and beneficial for garden work, especially watering and pruning when the moon is also waning. Now is a great time to give houseplants haircuts and showers and pop a few nuggets of dog food down into the potting soil as an easy fertilizer. Make sure your dog doesn't see you doing it though. Desire and focus are Scorpio gifts -- another is the ability to more easily end connections.

Think I'm going to spend a few more days in the green. Wishing you a great green week, thanks for visiting. xo

black loves green

The snowy photo was taken last week at 10:30 at night under a thick layer of snow clouds. No moon or stars visible but you could still see the colors of the bee house. Snowlight.

Lately I can't get enough of green on black. "Stop and smell the earth" for Journal52 was inspired by the prompt aromatherapy and the black and green cover of the book Sastun. After finishing the journal page I wanted more -- so first a bundle of rosemary was stitched on black linen, to be a little bookcloth, I think. And next up is a leaf patch. Green on black is addictive. Black loves green. And small is the best.

We're selling our antique New Home treadle sewing machine. New plans are afoot for the space it's in so it's time for someone else to enjoy it and maybe even do a little sewing. The embellishments are still beautiful, I'm taking plenty of photos to remember it by. The worn center medallion portrays a mother, a child, a dog and probably a treadle sewing machine.

Full moon on Thursday -- I'll be mooning (as Nancy says) with stitch. And pom poms. Just discovered the magic of chunky yarn and pom pom makers.

Happy week to you.