After school today the grandgals and I trekked down to the lower pasture and gathered walnuts. The wagon made it easy for the girls to bring them back up to the house. Ahem, I supervised. ;) There's more...tomorrow, maybe. I need enough hulls for a natural dye bath. I have some baskets that I made a few years back that need dying really bad. ;) There's a Williamsburg basket, a 'tater basket & a couple more. I'll show them to you another time. One wagon load of walnuts is a good start...
Nothing like a hammer for crackin' a tough nut. 
Enjoying the fruits of one's labor.
I bet you thought I couldn't knit with a cut finger - I did just a bit. This scarf was mostly done last winter, so I merely bound it off this morning. (How? See, you just hold up the wounded digit and try to remember to leave it up or much pain follows. ;)  |
| A chunky li'l garter stitch Homespun scarf in Colonial blue. |
Be cool, Y'all. It's hard not to be cool with these wonderful temperatures, eh?
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The Art of Home-Making Mondays
Ha, that brings back memories! My sil & I used to collect walnuts for dye for the baskets we made. I'm looking forward to seeing yours! I haven't made a basket in YEARS, I got totally burnt out on them....but I do love baskets!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see your baskets! I once made a basket out of weeping willow branches. I'd love to learn how to do it properly.
ReplyDeleteAnd I feel rather silly, but I didn't even recognize the walnut fruit. Do you wait for it all to dry up before you crack them open to eat. And is the dye made from the shells? I would love to learn this.
love the scarf! It looks nice and cuddly and is a great color.
Sounds like you are on the mend. I like your scarf. It's always great to finish a project!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see your baskets. I have always wanted to learn to make them.
Enjoy the beauty of the fall season!
Sounds like y'all had a perfect early-fall day. (Nobody says y'all in California; I miss it so much!)
ReplyDeleteCandy corn was my favorite as a kid. Now I'm wondering how a walnut and a candy corn would taste together.
Oooohhhh ... black walnuts .... my mouth is watering! I absolutely LOVE black walnuts in pumpkin cake ... blackberry cake ... fudge ... on apple pie ... straight from the shell ... I've not had them in years. The trees are up in the hills and I can't get anyone to gather them for me. I can't even pay someone! lol I'm in a wheelchair now and cannot do it myself. I guess I don't know anyone who likes them as much as I do. lol
ReplyDeleteOne way to make them easier to crack: put them in the drive way and run over them with the car. That will loosen the shells ... but not break them open ... they're tough little nuts!
I can't wait to see the baskets. They'll be beautiful after the dye bath.
I'm happy to know the finger didn't hold you back from doing what you love.
Have a great week!
Lesley Ann
We have a walnut tree and a huge pecan tree out back. I don't care much for the walnuts but the pecans....yummy!
ReplyDeleteI am so looking forward to some pecan pie. :)
Now you got me wanting candy corn too. :P
Hugs!
Glad your finger is feeling better. I love all of the fun things you have growing around your house. I had no idea you could dye something that way. How cool! That scarf looks nice and warm!!!
ReplyDeleteLove your new header!! I love Fall, just don't like the winter that follows!! Your scarf looks yummy too! Glad you are feeling better and on the mend!
ReplyDeleteSuzanne
Lucky you being able to harvest your own walnuts! With the prices of walnuts these days, it must be nice :) Besides the price I bet they taste better than store bought :)
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see your baskets. My grandmother was quite the basket maker. I've never tried making my own, but I do cherish the few that my grandmother made :)
happy fall :)
What a beautiful picture of walnuts! I rarely see them with the green pods around them.
ReplyDeleteYour scarf is lovely, simple and elegant. I'm glad to hear your finger is healing.
Hon, if I could share my pecans with you...I would more than happy to. I think it's going to be a good year but we'll have to wait and see. I was just wondering....how do you crack those dang walnuts. I don't care for them but my Mom loves them. She isn't really able to do the cracking herself and I never have. Any tips? I want to get some cracked for her...they are dropping like flies now.
ReplyDeleteThanks a bunch!
Hugs!
brings back memories of walnut stained hands! you must have gathered those to make some Christmas fudge! yum!
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful pictures! Fall is my favorite time of year.
ReplyDeleteHello! Thank you for stopping by my blog at ourscentedcottage! I'm happy you enjoyed it and the Irish video. I'm Irish and I still have family living there. I have many Irish radio stations that you can access online as well as the live news so if you're interested email me with your email address and I can send them to you!
ReplyDeleteCome back again soon!
Laura
We still haven't done much with our nuts! They are VERY hard to crack and the nut isn't in tact when all is said and done... Wonderful that you found a use as dye... I hope your week is going well and that your kimchi is fermenting nicely :)
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing that says "fall" more than candy corn!!! :)
ReplyDelete