The tree was peeling!

Oh boy, what a mess! Bits of bark everywhere! But then I remembered, you can dye yarn with this bark!

I'm not sure if you remember or not, but a while ago I wrote about my friend, Lorraine's request for eucalyptus.(www.josefinafineknits.com/blog/the-great-eucalyptus-hunt)  She raises her own sheep, hand processes the wool, and hand dyes using plants. And one day she asked for eucalyptus. (www.josefinafineknits.com/blog/an-arm-full-of-tree) At the time, I couldn't find anything, but then my luck changed. 

​Well, Lorraine, you're in luck, again!

Look at this tree!!! Isn't it incredible. Now if it was night time, it would be a little spooky. Creaks and groans from the branches, with things swinging off the high limbs.

But in the daylight, and for someone who uses plants to dye yarns and materials, it's pay dirt!

One day, while driving home from work I noticed a bunch of bark on the ground. But I didn't think anything of it and drove right past. Well, actually, I drove right over it. 

The next time I drove past these trees, I remembered an article I had read an article about someone who used eucalyptus bark to dye yarn
(www.naturalsuburbia.com/2010/03/dyeing-yarn-naturally-with-eucalyptus.html).
​So I stopped to gather bark. 

I guess it's been a thing with me lately, gathering Mother Natures resources and creating something beautiful from them, branch picking, knitting with grass! I kind of like this direction!

It always cracks me up to see people's responses when I gather sticks, and bark in the little green bit next to these buildings!

One woman, in her new gold Mercedes coupe, drove right past, stopped, turned around and drive past me again.

One guy, in a white Chevy pick up truck, drove up right next to me, stopped and watched as I gathered bark off the ground.

"It couldn't be because you are in a skirt, blazer, and black high heal shoes, could it?" my Faithful Sherpa said jokingly! Naw!

Just look at this beautiful tree's new skin! It's incredible, really, to see beautiful new white wood underneath the peeling bark!

Isn't Mother Nature just incredible! Such beauty underneath the peeling, dripping bark!

So, Lorraine, if you are reading this, I have a large bag of bark waiting for you!