Saturday, the first official day of summer found my husband and I out all weekend enjoying the sun. We worked in the gardens, everything is so lush and wonderful with all the rain we've been having.
All the plants are so happy.
and so is the family of boxer turtles we've had living in our brush pile for years. They were celebrating in their own way.
In the evening my husband lit a fire while I worked on my loom.
I've had a very frustrating time with it, it really needs to be warped differently next year.
But none the less it's so meditative to work on it.
Fist I added a row of woad, next another wool strip,
(you may think it must be cold out for a polar fleece jacket, no it's not but with all this rain our mosquitos are also very lush).
After the wool, I wove in a row of skinny cherry branches, another wool strip and then a row of roses.
So this is the pattern so far, wool strip, dandelions, wool, woad, wool, cherry branches, wool, roses and wool. What's next? If I can find enough St. John's Wort which is named and blooms on St. John the Baptist day (which is today) I like to add a row of that.
I'm still trying to make the best natural mosquito repellent possible before we go camping. This is my next try, catnip!
From this book by well know herbalists they recommend catnip seeped in apple cider vinegar. Let set a week, then strain out the herb and throw it away. Put in a spray bottle.
The authors who I heard speak a few year ago at the National Herb Conference are well respected in the herb community. This book is full of wonderful recipes.
Anyway if your interest read this blurb about why catnip is so good. The only thing is with natural repellents you have to apply them a lot more frequently. The natural oil is very volatile and will evaporate quickly.
Any other ideas Peggy, my herbalist friend?
Sunday afternoon we took a picnic "up north". The boys just got their new helments
for their new dirt bikes.
Michigan is fill with State land full of "two tracks" to ride the bikes on.
Following all our beautiful rivers and creeks.
I hope your enjoying Summer (or Winter) your way!
See you next week.
5 comments:
Kathy, I do not think there is a repellent available to keep the population away from attacking us all...there is a bumper crop this year for sure. I am enjoying the progress on your loom and your weaving project. Enjoy the warmth of summer...not my favorite time of year unless it is in the 60's. I have your ice cream scoop from Shipshewana when I see you. Deb C
Thank you Deb, you find the best stuff at Shipse! See you soon.
Your loom is so wonderful, how many times have I said that already? :) Do you mean you would warp it differently because of the curve of the top or what? This is still something I want to do someday. Sigh.
For mosquitos, I've made/tried several concoctions but you know what seems to work best for me is taking garlic everyday. Although I'm not sure I've ever used a catnip/ACV tincture. May do that to test it out on Colorado mosquitos! That are thriving here, too, now.
I love the loom!
I have to laugh when I think how my cat would react to your bug repellant!
I hate to see kids on the dirt bikes. They scare me. I've seen too many bad injuries. Glad they have helmets on at least! The people I see without, I. Call them "organ donors"
Hi Peggy,
I warped the loom by just wrapping the jute string around the top and bottom sticks.It keeps sliding over itself and loosening. I'm sure the curvy top sticks doesn't help, (but I like the look of it). Next time I will warp the frame correctly like the Navajo do. It's an extra step but so worth it.
My "new improved" mosquito spray still doesn't keep the crop of them we have this year away.
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