YARN DYED RED

  Was so excited to see results, though still knowing it might not be fast after drying, or washing.

This is from making the dye bath acidic with vinegar and lemon juice, and crushing the Pokeberries, 

soaking for a day, 

straining

presoaking wool and yarn in acidic water ( had some old pickle juice )

adding fiber to dyebath

heating for about an hour with can of sterno (use outside)

let cool overnight in dyebath

dry for a week in the shade ( yes, I forgot it )

Rinse and dry again

Dyepot after removed yarn, wonder why the purple wool piece.

After rinse and dry in shade 10 days.

These were from the ferment Pokeberry dyepot, cotton glove, wool fiber,wool embroidery thread, cotton yarn (upper right), noticed the purple and green colors on the yarns. Maybe from changing pH.

Also had some nutritional supplements that used for experimenting as after mordants, Copper, Zinc, and some epsom salts.

The copper and zinc lost the red and the epsom, faded some. Will take a photo later. Trying to find safe mordants.

Have a Eucalyptus cinerea bath soaking now (Silver Dollar Euc.) also Robinia pseudoacacia leaves, found on city lot. Did read that all parts are poisonous, so am leaving it outside.  Black bean soaking water that poured off into old pickle jar has cotton yarn waiting to take up color.

Was 52 degrees this morning at 6am , with a low of 52.

Acorns become Oak trees.

Was is a parking lot, walking from bus stop to grocery store and found an acorn. Then several more, some squashed on pavement from cars, others on landscaped area. Evan noticed a small oak tree seedling.
Wonder where the next very large oak trees will be coming from. Some of the Oaks dont look real healthy.
When I go for walks in public areas that left the old native White Oaks be, they seem to be healthier and see
some seedlings and young trees. If we collect acorns and find good places to plant them (not next to your house as grow so large ). I used to do this, collect some acorns and find crevices in hills to plant. Also tried a few times to  make acorn bread, it takes a lot of work to remove the excess tannins which are less in the white Oaks then the Black Oaks. It came out good, other time, forgot them in a bag and grew little grubs.

Acorns from Black Oak,Quercus agrifolia, See the prickly leaves.

The acorns usually come out around August to November, is different each year.

Acorns from Quercus lobata, Valley Oak. September

Maybe our cities would like the trees from local grown acorns for parks or landscaping in the city.

Chasing Monarchs

  Saw a Monarch butterfly flying across the view of my window and hopped up to see where he/she went, but seemed to disappear. Dont have a new photo of a Monarch. Also saw a blue or maybe it was a hairstreak, it landed on a dried mustard stem and stayed till I walked closer to see. Tried with reading glasses and without, just couldnt tell what it was, except that it seemed to be in  rest mode and was sunning itself. Next time may just watch while it suns.
  What if we all (or most) had some native milkweed plants or community space where the Monarchs could go. Found a whole bag of milkweed silk and seed the other day while sorting through mothers "stuff" to find what my brothers and I want to keep or pass on. Mom had collected it when on a hike. She liked to walk and go bicycling and camping, so when I see this wrinkled paper bag of seeds and floss think of being loved and listened to. Had wondered if the silk could be spun into yarn.

Milkweed silk and seeds in a paper bag.

There was a large patch of milkweed in a field near my school when a child. Would show the kids how the insects really liked this plant. It had bees,wasps, some being a couple inches and blue with red wings, called tarantula hawks. And butterflies.
  Sometimes we need to move more, look up more, get up and notice whats right here.

Healing , Sunrise

Someone asked me if any ideas that might help to loose weight. I am not trying to at all. They had started going on walks. That seems like a very good idea, get body moving and change of view...
Then remembered the other day someone saying they heard that being outside during sunrise, was healing. So they did it everyday and noticed they lost unwanted weight. Wonder if I go out during sunset , would gain muscle,,weight? Or Moonrise. I think when we try to help, ourselves or others, it can create a more positive feeling and that is also healing!.
Woke up early this morning and went outside to see what is like, so beautiful sky and planets and stars!
Wish it smelled better, as cigarette smoke was even in my bedroom from the neighbors.
Son said he had to shut his window for the same reason.
Wonder what people are willing to do to get healthier,
would they stop smoking
or maybe they have joint pain from tomatoes or wheat.
What parts of the way we currently feel are in our choices.

MoonRise

Heat and staying cool

  Well, am finally writing a new post. Idea was first to do it each Wednesday.

Shade of Jacaranda. Beautiful lavender blue flowers!

Then realized would rather just take photos, and not write or have someone 
read what I write.  Feels very warm out , just got home from bus ride out to get groceries.
Thermometer says 84, maybe just me, but feels oppressive.  Time to open a few more windows. In the morning to help keep it cool, I open the windows when cool in mornings.  Also turn on fans ,kitchen... to get more air moving in. Could also turn on the house fan, where switch is for AC, can just turn on fan. Then before leave the house or if staying home, most the way close windows and blinds if really going to be warm. Helps in evening to get more cool air in attic.

  How do you keep your house cooler before turning on AC if have it?

Vitamin D , B12 and MTHFR

Blood test says low in vitamin D, but am out in southern california sun quite a bit. Eat liver sometimes ( actually a week before the check up ). Wonder if am using it up or dont absorb properly. Found my folic acid levels were high and also towards high but in for B12, and if I take B12 feels much more able to concentrate. This happens within half an hour. Found out that some test for B12 arent showing what can use.
Found a DNA test online that has come down in price and also doesnt need a Dr's prescription. 23andme.com, takes about 6-8 weeks for results (lots of snp's ).  Just got results back and found have a common variant called MTHFR C677T. It sounds like , if a gene expresses itself then might not be able to turn the man made folic acid in processed and supplemented foods to usable folate. Its put into flour, boxed cereal...
This has been an interesting learning experience.

Appear like aliens talking or muppets. Were at a local college.

More BUTTERFLIES

Found another butterfly looking at the plants in garden by a senior center.
Its some type of Hairstreak, about an inch across. I take the bus to get there. Only $1.25 and get 1 free transfer. (Would probably cost
$2 to go just 1 way by car.)

Hairstreak butterfly

I think this is a plant native to California.

STARTING

SITTING 

OUT Front this morning after picking up the Friday paper, on a wall. Watched the lavender stalks , noticed bees then large

flying on the scented geranium behind was a huge Swallowtail butterfly.  Felt good just to sit and watch and feel the sun and breeze. Then went in to get the camera and take pictures of house as HOA sent a letter about trim on property needing painting.

  

Swallowtail butterfly on scented Geranium.

4-19-13

wish could put sound in here as the birds around sound so nice, hear a hummer and several dont know what they are.