Memorial Weekend

 A couple of  weeks ago we packed up the camper, as we were heading in the house for the night I snapped a picture of the crescent moon. How beautiful.

 We arrived at the campground early Fri. morning, quickly set up camp and went on a hike. It felt so good to be out in the woods. Here we are at the top of a dune over looking Lake Michigan. It was quite a long hike up and we're not in top shape after winter, but we made it and after doing it for a few days we're  now in better shape!

 The Lady Slippers were blooming.

A woodpeckers buffet. This tree was still alive even with all the woodpecker holes in it.

We came back with alder branches.

 We cut up the branches and put them in the bottom of my dye pot with wool fabric. Rolled the leaves up in wool fabric.

Rolled beach nut leaves up in wool.

 And rolled up oak leaves, I'm not to sure if any color will come as all the leaves are so soft and flimsy. They felt like tissue paper.

 So on top of the alder bark went my strainer and the rolled up leaves.

 Put the lid on and placed the pot on our fire and let it steam an hour.

This is at home 3 days later. The alder bark fabric, on the right is premordanted wool and the left has no mordant. I love the mottled look, they will be perfect background fabrics for my quilts.

Back camping, this was one of our nights supper, I got this recipe off Martha Stewart. You double your foil and layer sliced red potatoes, cod fish, dill, sliced lemon, peeled uncooked shrimp, and fresh corn. A few slices of real butter, salt and pepper more dill and lemon.

 Roll up tight put on the coal for about 20 minutes, rotating every once in a while.

Heavenly!! It was so good I made it the next night too.

The rest of the rolled up fabric is still processing in a zip lock bag with a heavy book on top of it. Next week we'll see the results.