Nature, helping it out.

So. I have been thinking off and on about getting a job at the Coyote Grille. Which is out at the Nature and Raptor center. I went out there today figuring "Yep I'd damned well better get a job." So I did. While I was out there, waiting for the place to open I was looking around the actual nature center itself. They are looking for volunteers to seed, and gather wild crafted seeds of particular varieties. Especially the really rare ones. For example, Showy Milkweed.

Latin name Asclepias speciosa, this picture is from NPS.gov and was taken by
Jim Pisarowicz.This is his linkedin information.  
This nifty little plant is listed as fairly common. It is in fact pretty common. However birds and the like love the seed pods, which make them complicated as all get out to gather. 

I got to spend a little bit of time looking at wild berries, and the like and have gotten highly giddy with the fact that I can use that information for homeschooling the kiddo. In fact that will be part of our science class over the summer. Identification of wild plants, latin names, taxonomy and the like. 
Super excited.


There are a few things to bear in mind when one is looking to wild craft seeds. One, it is against the law with out a permit on federal land. No seriously. That is illegal and there is jail time attached. They will go after you. Don't....do....it.

You must also be wildly careful not to over gather from areas. Most of these plants are endangered. If you gather every seed from 30 plants, how will they reseed themselves? If you pull the whole thing up by the roots rather than just take a small cutting to grow how on earth will it grow a new one next year? Think. Leave as small of foot print as possible.

Do not place your gathered seeds in plastic. Paper. Preferably acid free paper.
More to come later

A day in the life.

This morning I woke up. Yeah. That's right. Woke up.

heard my lovely small child say "Meh..mornings" as she grumped through to the bathroom and then stomped back to her bedroom. Ask her to walk the dogs did I. She walked them. It made me super unpopular mom (TM). After a cup of tea, then another I settled down to ply my Border Leicester locks. Utterly stunning do they look now with the silvery thread flashing through them.

There is a little under 18 yards here. Which may not seem like a lot but considering there is just 1 oz of locks hiding there I am rather impressed.

After yesterdays massively high winds I figured that the world must be coming to an end. No really it must be. Today however dawned a startling blue and made me remember why I love colorado so very much.

A quick perusal of Craigslist found me calling a local alpaca farmer. He found out I did equine massage, was willing to ride his horses and give spinning lessons in order to obtain some of this alpaca and thought I may well be the best person since sliced bread!!! Very good day in general.

After the above and beyondly abysmally sad day of Monday when I was hormonal and thinking that quite possibly the world was coming to an end and I should just curl up and die this has vastly changed my week. Lovely and makes me very very happy.

Today's homeschooling lesson, I have not yet decided what it shall be on. Quite possibly plant hormones. Or possibly just how to make paper out of flowers. I am leaning towards that to be perfectly honest.

My own "lesson" of the day is as follows. After wool is dry you can chuck it in the dryer and it will throw out large chucks of the VM that we all hate. OMG it's the most amazing thing.


This photo just came across my facebook feed. I do have to say this fits me some days. Generally I am very feline in how I behave, however this is a running joke between me and a friend so in Homage.

In an effort to have a more magical life.

In an effort to have a more magical life, I am taking a queue from a book I recently read. I am starting by organizing everything. So...Here is what I have accomplished today.

Moved the couch back 4 feet or so...This was done so the living room feels more like a "room" and not some randomly placed group of furniture.

moved the chair over  to the back wall rather than the opposite wall more to make the room seem more friendly when guests enter.
 moved the spinning wheel, This had to be near the chair, after all it needs to be accessible when I am spinning.
 moved the loom into the living room. After all It makes much more sense to be able to weave while I am watching Netflix rather than just about anything else.
 Moved the cat tree, It is now near the door it will probably move again but this is where it is for the time being. 
 threw out this shitty lamp that is falling apart. This is the part of decluttering. This lamp was falling apart, constantly being in the way. It was ugly and served no purpose. It didn't bring joy. It had to go away
 did about 5 loads of laundry,  This is just part of the "Well honey we need to get rid of the dirt in our lives to be more at peace". 
changed my bedding.. Seriously, is there anything better than freshly washed sheets on freshly shaved legs? omg sensual. 
..um... finished spinning my lock yarn, (will post photos of this soon)
edited photos from a wedding and am working on the videos from the wedding..
.organized several large lumps of wool. Spun out some wool i had washed. 

swept, mopped and the like in the living room. Put more books up. polished the wood on the loom....again

  
If a perfect stranger were to walk into my apartment they would go "Gods this woman never cleans" Friends would go "wow!" I simply go "I need food now thanks".  

And for those who are asking, this is the book Magical Housekeeping