Flower Friday

Here's Queen Anne's Lace in a vase. Other name's for this plant are wild carrot, Bishop's lace, bird's nest.

This plant is the origin of our carrot, Daucus carota. The plant was brought here from Europe and it now naturalized throughout the country.

Even though it's been warmer this year than last year and we had a warmer Spring, the Queen Anne's Lace is blooming later.

I picked these in the middle of the day and they wilted.

Later I cut the stems and placed them in cool water and they revived. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

Queen Anne's Lace

Summer has arrived with the Queen Anne's Lace blooming everywhere. Something I didn't know is that it's a wild carrot. The flowers look so delicate but the plant is very strong. Seeing the flowers I was inspired to make something in clay but I forgot to take a photo, next time. I did unpack the pendant below which is one of the first one's I ever made. I used Duncan stroke and coat glaze on this one, more of which I discovered I have in my clay supplies.

This past Friday we set up at the local Trash and Treasures Market in Blairsville. Gary sold some tools he didn't need any longer and I sold pottery. The market is held in the same location as the Farmer's Market and is under cover so we can back our car right up to the spot. It was well attended and we did quite well. It's easy to set up and sell, so we'll go back. I need to make pendants to take to sell because people seem to flock to booths with jewelry. One woman in the booth beside us was selling plastic bead bracelets and sold tons. It must be a bling thing. Ha. I rarely wear jewelry and pass those booths right by.

Below is a wood fabric block from India I picked up at the treasure market. I was reading about natural fabric dyes and might try my hand at some. I could use it on clay but I'm afraid the clay will get embedded in the wood. I could spray it with Pam, what do you think? I also have one more person signed up for pottery lessons. The electrician has the kiln plug on order so he'll put that in next week.

I did some sanding on one of the smaller pieces of wood but I need to get some more sandpaper in various grits to streamline the process. I also picked up some stain for the wood. More about my wood projects later because we're off to the beach in Florida for another quick trip, see you soon. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

Carolina Flora

We've been here just about two weeks and I find myself falling love with the countryside of the Carolinas. The area I am talking of is Upstate South Carolina and the Hendersonville area of North Carolina. Beautiful rolling hills and luscious greens abound everywhere. There are Japanese maples, multi hued evergreens and dogwoods in every landscaped yard it seems. And the blue hydrangeas and gardenias are blooming in profusion. I'm especially enamored with all the native plants growing here and there in abundance. Much of the land does not seem to be hampered with the invasion of non native plants from what I can see. Except of course the occasional mimosa and some areas of kudzu but it's not everywhere as it seems to be in many low lying areas of many states. Perhaps the winter cold here holds it at bay.

Peering into the woods here and there I see so many flowering plants blooming in abundance. Orange day lilies line just about every roadside ditch and there is profusion of queen anne's lace. Today I spotted this orange beauty and I have no idea what it is but I just love it. Do you know what it is? I would have gotten out of my car to take a closer look at the leaves but there was no where to pull off the road safely. You know this looks like a butterfly weed. Could it be? I also spotted a blue salvia a little farther along the road but neglected to stop again to take a photo. I may have to pick up a book of native plants for this area to learn all I wish I knew. I guess we're expecting more rain storms today. Good I got a fix of the outdoors while I could. White rabbit to you all. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.