Hot and Humid Even Before the Sun Comes Out

Early morning

no sun to be seen

nothing but low, low clouds

not a breath of air

hot and humid

that was one sticky walk!

But the funny thing was

RP Shandy

stopped and scratched her neck

Called her to me

Checked her for ticks

Nothing there.

This repeated three more times

Then realization

She had her sister's collar on

Called RP Kayla

Swapped collars

No more scratching.

That's one fussy Rusty Pup!

Back at the ranch

Unwrapped the bundle with red blobs

I'd forgotten

The red was from Eucalyptus.

Nothing very exciting

But after mordanting in an iron bath

things got more interesting

I'm into greys at the moment.

Pebbles holding

things down in the summery sun.

Seven Days Scratched

One day at a time

Weaving on a Monday

Doctors on a Tuesday

On misty mornings that spiders and their webs are easily seen

Athletes from all over the world are running at great speeds this week

and on Saturday Handy Hubby found a lovely white feather

For Sunday I had to record the end of the Olympics

Think my favourite is the Kantha feather.

Of Blankets and Bundles

Early mornings are mystical at the moment

Perhaps the Rusty Pups and I should call

ourselves cloud walkers

So refreshing walking through clouds

before the heat of the day sets in.

Hay bundles are still drying along the dike

My dye bundles

have been disappointing this week

but still I dye!

and I spy red blotches in this one.

Colours from the Garden

Raw silk

always eager to soak up the colours

Finally colour on cotton

Coreopsis and Sumac

among other garden pickings

It took two dye session

and an iron mordant in between.

One thing I'm learning

if at first it comes out pale and boring

just dye again and again and perhaps again!

Starting August in Scratches

That was the week

Don't ask me what Monday was all about!

Haven't a clue

Perhaps browns and greys because

dyeing has been on my mind

Wednesday

Handy Hubby and I were like 

ships that pass in the night

The only time we saw each other was

waving to each other from our cars.

Thursday was to honour

the abundance of echinacea

colouring the flowers beds in glorious yellows.

Friday 

I found inspiration in my kantha books.

Saturday

Stitches about all these Olympians coming together to compete.

Sunday

at the crack of dawn 

the Rusty Pups and I walked above the clouds

to the quarry

where we disturbed two large birds

Hawks I think. 

Reflecting on Red

Red was the colour

of the morning sun

as we walked along the dike

Red was the colour

(okay reddish)

of pealing paint on a dike post

Leaves turned red overnight

Berries shone red

in that morning sun

all ready for any hungry critters

or perhaps Rusty pups to pick

Then later on back at the ranch

I returned to grey

Goosey, goosey gander

Reflecting red in his eye!

Changing Colours

Went through my fabric stash

Found some peaches and bright yellows

that have been sitting there for years.

So out came the dyes

and some over-dyeing was done.

To my surprise a lot of red occurred

Still not really colours I was looking for!

But I love accidents

and will give them a chance

to tell me if they have a story to develop

This would be my favourite

think it started off as my mop-up cloth.

Meanwhile the giant bundles are still stewing

in a brew of

Queen Anne's lace

ferns

golden rod

and garden waste.

The bundles are always at their most beautiful

just before you unwrap them.

Oh such fun!