Air Layering

For those of us who want an infinite supply of free fruit trees, this seems like a revolutionary technique.  Air layering, also called marcotting, is a technique of propagation where a target region of tree bark is wounded and then surrounded in a moisture retaining medium, such as compost, then covered with a plastic film.  Rooting hormone is applied to encourage the wounded region to grow roots. When enough roots have grown from the wound, the stem from the parent plant is cut and the new tree planted. It takes about two- three months for a new plant to become mature.  Now the question is...does it work?  We have tried it on three of our apples trees, a pear, peach, orange, and lemon.  We'll let you know in a few months!

We happened upon this you tube about air layering fruit trees.  If you are into propagating, this is definitely worth 17 minutes of your time...watch and find out what we are so jazzed about.

Seasons of Creativity

Beginnings of a new quilt made with scraps from my stash

Making time for the creative energy to flow freely is imperative for a healthy mind, body, and spirit.  Fall is the time of year I am most inspired to work with textiles.  Out of all the luscious natural fibers to choose from, hand dyed yarns, bright earthy colored fabrics, and raw wool roving are my favorites.  Several years ago I went to a quilting exhibit I will never forget at MOMA in SF.  The title was The Quilts of Gees Bend.

Below are three of the quilts I love from the Gee's Bend exhibit, they are so simple yet the colors and the designs are exquisitely artful. These quilts were mostly made from old worn out clothing, Sears corduroy and denim.

 The stories behind these amazing women are not only moving and inspiring, but humbling.  After experiencing the artwork at the exhibit and reading all of the women's stories in the book, I realized how important it is to use what we have, not always out of necessity but because frugality has become a lost art. 

corderoy

recycled denim

These days, when I get excited about piecing together a new quilt or dreaming up some kind of crochet project I try to always use what I have whether it is just old scraps of fabric from previous projects, recycling some jeans, or yarn from my stash basket. This latest quilt I am making for my bedroom reminds me a bit of Frida Kahlo's style with the bright colors, flowers, teals and reds.  A little bit of color brings light and a warm uplifting energy, perfect as we move into the crispy cool days of autumn.