Carrot Top Pot

It did not take me too long to jump into another natural dye pot.  This go round I dug around in the veggie bin and came up with a bundle of carrot tops!

I again used 200 grams or 7 ounces of yarn.  To mordant, I simmered it for about 2 hours with 20 grams of Alum and 10 grams of Cream of Tartar.  While the yarn was set to mordant, I had the carrot tops in another crock simmering their little green tops out while in a mesh bag.

Once the yarn was finished in the mordant, it was rinsed and then added to the crock with the simmering carrot tops.  This pot was simmered for about 3-4 hours to ensure the natural dyes were well and absorbed.  This time, I did not let it sit over night.

I am very happy with this pretty little pale yellow yarn that resulted from my second attempt at natural dying.   It is much, MUCH prettier than the grey from Monday's post;)

Miss Kitty had to get a piece of the action too!  She is all about being the center of attention when we are outside.  And who can blame her.  If I were that cute, I would demand to be the center of everyone's world too!

I know you like the pretty flower, but I'm here too!!  Meow!!

I pose pretty for you too!

Garden News....

Monkey Grass
Blossom

My oh my how my garden doth grow!    I have quite a few plants that I still need to take pictures of like the peppers, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and head lettuce which is starting to seed out.  It sure has been a fun little garden this year.

Of course, it would not be Kentucky with out quite a bit of hot muggy weather.  The heat index has been well over 100 deg f. for several weeks now.  All I have to say about that is, 'Thank Goodness I don't live in Nashville anymore!'. I can only imagine how hot they have it!  I loved it in the winter, but summers there were brutal!  We did have a few nights where it cooled down enough we could sit on the deck at midnight and have a cuddle session with Miss Kitty, so it's not all bad!

I really need to get a few snap shots of the crazy sweet potatoes I planted by the tomatoes!  They are insane and I can't wait to eat them up this fall!!!  And I really need to remember in the mornings when I go to check on the tomatoes and peppers to bring my camera to snap a few shots of the Brandywines, Good Reds & Mystery tomatoes before I pick them;)

Basil has since been topped.

Hope we have cauliflower real soon!

Pretty in pink Dianthus

Young Grasshopper munching on my Monkey Grass.

Lettuce & Spinach about to go to head.

Miss Kitty enjoying my lap on an abnormally cool evening:)

close up of the Monkey Grass Blossoms

Did I mention I have a new truck!?!  How exciting is this!  The tundra was going on 11 years old and was in need of a few repairs.  My Dad surprised me with a 2007 Ford F150!  Do I have the best Dad in the world or what!?!

Garden 2011

I haven't had much time for posting due to shows and getting ready for shows between shows;) The next show you will find LunabudKnits is the Midwest Fiber and Folkart Festival outside of Chicago June 24-26.

I had a moment to take a few pictures of this years garden as Bill was finishing up his little project. He tells me stories of the 'lettuce box' they had as a child and how they would go out pull up the old door and pick some lettuce for dinner every day. The other day, he comes home with an old storm door someone was throwing away and wood. a few days later, he has his 'lettuce box'. I have to say that he did a very nice job on the construction of the box. Do I honestly think the lettuce will grow in a humid little glass box in the middle of summer? Let's just say, erm, how do I put this nicely..... I think I will sow more lettuce seeds in the fall. And, it should make for a great seed starter in late winter early spring;)

Bill finishing up his lettuce box

Lid open

Seeds

Lid closed

Miss Kitty supervises

Sweet Basil

Cematis

Cactus

Cactus

Delphinium

Delphinium Flower

lettuce seed I started a few weeks ago.

Miss Kitty follows where ever we go.

What are you growing?

Apparently around here, we are growing kitties.  Or at the very least we are trying to.  Miss Kitty has taken over all of the flower pots around the house as her personal cat nap stations.  I do have to admit she would make a pretty little flower if only she would just stay put!

The Kitties....

Just realized that I have not posted about the Kitty Cats as of late. Here they are in all their furry fineness.

Miss Kitty on the back deck.

Little Kitty supervising my knitting. He doesn't even remotely look like the cute little fur ball we picked up on the side of the road two years ago does he;) Or the little lost kitty he was last winter after being chased away by a dog.

Miss Kitty speaks.