Vicia sativa
Tragopogon porrifolius
One of my favorite plants, not a weed–
Hibiscus trionum
The harvested seed was from several years ago. A pleasant surprise.
Vicia sativa
Tragopogon porrifolius
One of my favorite plants, not a weed–
Hibiscus trionum
The harvested seed was from several years ago. A pleasant surprise.
All of the pots filled with our newly made compost have sprout fungi.
I am not keen on yellow, but am warming to this plant. I have a few volunteers in the courtyard and hundreds in the orchard.
Curious that I never noticed the shape of the foliage until today.
When pressed the flowers become a lovely golden color.
University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources–Weed Gallery
Bound with a knitted I-cord and a large pine scale.
Bound Book from Above
Cover is a recycled packing envelope.
Code is Hope for Growth
Each page with bound pine seeds has a piece of tissue for a bit of protection.
The majority of the stitchwork is done in red fiber.
Code is Hope
Code is Hope in tree code based on Morse code.
Hope in Masonic cipher
Hope Line code based on Morse code.
For Growth in Tree code.
Matchbook packet for notes on work.
Pine Cone from One of the Trees in My Garden
Materials–Paper, fiber, pine bits.
Scale–Bound 5.5″ x 4.75″ x 1.25″
New Growth on the Original Trapped Cactus Cuttings
First Alstroemeria Flower of 2023
First Time Noticed Muscari Asterisks
Last Season Passion Vine Tendril
Volunteer in Orchard
Rose Bush is in Need of Attention
I recently ran across a quote that definitely seems relavent today.
The quote is–The forest was shrinking but the trees kept voting for the axe. For the axe was clever and convinced the trees that because its handle was wood it was one of them.
I first thought about making a wallpiece using code with oak leaves and twigs. Just the code portion would have been 45″ x 16″, the addition of a border and frame would have made it more of a commitment of materials and time. Instead, I decided to use a book format.
The layout for the code in book format resulted in 21 pages. Each page is a folded sheet of drawing paper with a core support of a paper-covered piece of cardstock. Felt that the addition of twigs needed some extra support.
The first sentence I used tree wrap for the code with a green paper covered piece of cardstock. The second sentence I used roofing felt for the code and brown packing paper covered cardstock.
We have Coastal Live Oaks in our garden, but I dislike their leaves. They not only prick your skin, they embed and attach to it. I chose to use oak leaves that I purchased from Natures Pressed, an Etsy shop. I used the leaves in several projects; still have a good number left.
Currently the pages are roughly 7″ x 5″ and vary in thickness depending on whether there are twigs attached.
I unfolded the pages and applied CMC. The pages were left to dry overnight.
The Forest
Was
Shrinking
But
The Trees
Kept
Voting
For The Axe
.
For The Axe
Was Clever
And
Convinced
The Trees
That
Because
Its Handle
Was Wood
It Was One
Of Them
.
Today I used double sided tape, a mix of CMC and PVA to attached the paper covered cardstock inside the pages. The damp of the glue was not a good choice. The last nine pages I switched to using UHU glue. I wrapped each page in wax paper, placed in stacks of three, and placed inside a padded packing envelope. Then weighted with a heavy book.
I am leaning toward an accordion binding with each fold have three pages.
Pages Weighted
Oxalis is considered an invasive plant by the California Invasive Plant Council.
A portion of our garden is covered with the plants. Not planned, just happened.
I cut a few to dry and use in a piece. The flowers are lovely with a sweet, subtle fragrance.
I had a few buds left. Popped them in a small vase of water. Three days later they opened and are still opening during the day and closing at night.
The plants also have interesting foliage.
If the flowers are dried in my microwave flower press they become a golden color. When dried in my flower press between layers of blotter paper and cardboard they retain most of their yellow color.
The leaf is nearly dry; the flower completely dry.
Living on the California Central Coast, during years of drought. “Weeds” can be a nice surprise.
It is odd that they don’t seem to want to grow in the designated gardens. They often grow between pavers, areas that aren’t watered.
Unfurling Evening Primrose
Evening Primrose and Companions…
…a geranium and an ant.