Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Birthday package from Alaska


It's always exciting when a package arrives from Alaska I know it will be wonderful, my good friend Deb sends the best gifts and this birthday present was no exception. It started with her hand made card featuring Alaskan "snow" machine stitched between layers of white netting.
A beautiful snow globe.


And inside the package was a snow dyed jacket (only in Alaska could you still be snow dying in the middle of May). This will look so cute this summer with black capris and sandals. Thank you Deb!!




The back, she used black and red dye. I love how the snow does it's own thing, mixing the dyes however it wants.


I finished my apple tree, as I was embroidering the blossoms the wind was blowing and they were coming down fast. The flowering trees of spring don't last long but they are beautiful after the long winter. I thinkl some spring flowers will be the next block on my Earth quilt, hopefully I will start them this weekend. I'm not sure how I will sew this altogether, still working that out.





Close up, leaves and blossoms done with silk ribbon.




Last evening the Herb Society took a hike to Lost Lake. This was private property for years and years and when the original owners died the grandchildren put it up for sale. Nonprofit groups raised money to buy it and keep the land out of developers hands. Our group donated money towards the purchase. Now it is public land that boarders on State Park land for everyone to enjoy.



The yellow water lily's are just beginning to open.




The surrounding property around the lake is acres and acres of woods. The sunlight coming through the trees made it look magical.





And one of my favorite spring woodland plants are the fiddle head ferns. They have such personality!






The spring woodland plants are very small and you have to look carefully, but worth taking the time to see. I have never seen this flower before and am not sure of the name. It's not a violet.




And this tiny white star flower.




This is the Mayapple, a large umbrella shaped plant with a white flower under its leaves that turns into a little green "apple". Someone said that the fruit contains pectin and that it use to be used to thicken jams and jelly's. (I'm not sure if this is true so don't try it without checking further, used Sure Jell).









4 comments:

Melodie said...

You post the best photos! You have a good eye...

Kathy -MIQuilter said...

Thank you Mel, I was honestly just thinking how bad my pictures were. I see so many blogs with great pictures but I guess I'll just keep trying. Glad to see your back blogging.

Vicki W said...

That jacket is beautiful!

t said...

Well that snow dyeing is just amazing, and your apple tree is just perfect kathy.

Thanks for taking me on a walk through the Lost Lake and surrounds. Nice to think that spring is happening somewhere in the world.

xt

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