Rustic Table Decoration

Another use of dwarf mistletoe, in a vase for decoration. Not only do these witch's brooms look great hanging freely, or decorated and hanging freely, the small ones can be used in arrangements like this one. Their great twiggy texture works well alone or blended with softer ones. Did I mention that often there are nests inside of them where mice or squirrels have lived for a time. I put them to work, too, because of their great natural form. And afterall, they are no longer a threat to the trees by the time I get my hands on them.

A Springtime Veggie Print

There's been a growing (no pun intended!) interest

lately about eating locally and what's in season,

so here's a print that's an example of both!

~Reba's Prints

Names for my Witch's Broom Witches

Funny how things come together. My first witch on a witch's broom, Zelda is flying high over someone's happy home. But I have others in waiting, and now I have a way to name them all, something really witchy. At this web site, http://www.behindthename.com/random/, sent to me by a librarian friend today, you can generate names of any style, ethnic group, or persuasion. I selected Witch and came up with things like, Hazelbroom, Frogsnort and Batgoo. Now I have an endless supply of witch names to go with my endless supply of witch's brooms. Here is the next one in line, what should I call her? Hmmm, how about Catmoon, since she flies over a catworld. And here she is.......

Welcome Reba's Prints

We have a new Team Member, Reba's Prints. Check out her profile with a picture of her printed T-shirt. Welcome Aboard.

Witch's broom

Dwarf mistletoe, also known as witch's broom, changes the natural structure of the tree.A dense mass of shoots grows from a single point, with the resulting structure resembling a broom or a bird's nest. Easy to find on the forest floor, they can become objects of art as well. The first rendition was Zelda the Witch Mobile. Actually she was the first sale for Crooked Wood Designs, a happy witch lover took her home.

Dwarf Mistletoe

Anyone walking in the woods of the Northeast Kingdom in Vermont will most likely find mistletoe, known here as dwarf mistletoe, a parasitic plant that parasitizes evergreens such as spruce. They have very reduced shoots and leaves (mostly reduced to scales) with the bulk of the plant living under the host's bark. Severe dwarf mistletoe infection can result in a reduction in tree growth, premature tree mortality, reduced seed and cone development, reduced wood quality, and increase the susceptibility of the host tree to pathogen and/or insect attack. (source: wikipedia). That said.....they have many other uses in my world. Here a hummingbird(far right side of branch) uses one for a morning perch near the feeder.

What's UP?

August 14-15, 2004, where was I? Not in northeastern Vermont avoiding the traffic!! The final tour (NOT) of the Vermont based rock group, Phish, took place in the next town over from here. At the site (aka psychedelic amusement park)I first witnessed these huge upsidedown trees. They must have used a crane among other things to place them. Loving them, I have used that idea around my place on a much smaller scale obviously. BIRDS NEED THESE! They are covered with birds at all times, all seasons. Bluebirds are using them here. They have been wildly successful for the birds and in giving me and others pleasure, first in seeing the natural shape of a root system, as well as a natural resting place for the birds. I call them my phish commemoration trees, and I wasn't even at the concert. I can still see the concert trees when I drive through the site, now reverted back to its original function, a farm. BTW, this really happened, go to http://www.coventryphish.com/ to see more pics, and those wonderful root trees.

An Inch of Rain

Rain here just doesn't really go anywhere, like into the ground, it runs off and stays just under the surface. It will be soggy in the woods unless I wait few days, a week, to let things dry out.

The wildlife visitors today, coyote, turkey, deer, vole and hummingbird were digging the sunshine after all the rain. Good to see everyone up and about. Back on wed.

More on dying with lichens

Here is what Carol said about using the lichen for dying.."The lichens (after collecting) have to be digested for several months in a vinegar solution; then the wool is boiled in the dye solution until the desired depth of color is reached." I think she called it Rock Tripe and here is a picture from her blog. For more details on the preparations, go to http://amcraftsvt.blogspot.com/

NEK spring colors

Carol's sweater totally reinspired me to look at colors today...They don't last so here they are. Imagine sweaters made with these colors.

Starting all this...

First off, thanks to Carol Knox (see racing beach art blog below), the headless women wearing the lichen dyed sweater.....for advising me while setting up this blog. Another craftsperson from the great Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, she is also a techno savvy botanist/teacher with a good eye on the natural world. What a gorgeous color for a sweater and who would know the color came from Rock Tripe! I used to do EE programs, one I recall was about using natural things for colors-then I discovered the secret hidden hues inside nature.
Anyway, this blog is not just about me, but about using nature for art, sculpture, dyes, food, structural materials, and any other inspiration that one finds. You don't have to be from the NEK either. This is open for business.