Paul and I took a walk in the Carleton Arboretum today while Girl of the House was at the pool.

The prairie is full of blooming flowers.

I really need to find out the names of all the varieties.







This was one we hadn't seen before.

Do you know what they are?








Turns out, they're the seed heads of the yellow echinacea.

(At least, I think they're echinacea?)







I finished spinning and plying four ounces of merino from Chameleon Colorworks.

240 yards. I didn't think I liked the colors in the roving, but I like it now that it's all spun up.

Reminds me that fall is coming...

CSA - OMG

We are so overwhelmed with the quality/quantity of our CSA. It's the best thing we've done, nutrition-wise, for years!

We pick up on Wednesdays, so we're ready for the weekend.

Here's what we picked up last Wednesday:

Cabbage, carrots, yellow and green string beans, sugar snap peas (all you cared to pick), shelling peas, beets, strawberries (all you cared to pick), scallions, zucchini, summer squash, cucumbers, broccoli, kale, swiss chard, head lettuce, and mixed greens.

There were a number of fresh herbs, too.
However, we've got herbs growing here at home, so I didn't take any.




Strawberries!!!








How do three people possibly eat all this? I've been carrying a gorgeous salad for my lunch most every day.

Truth be told, this is more veg than Girl of the House can handle. "Beets? Again?"


And flowers! All the flowers you would like, to make a bouquet. Isn't that a lovely addition?

GotH arranged this beauty.





Our potatos are flourishing in their bags on the deck.










I'd never seen potato flowers before.

Have you?







This weekend I did some dyeing of the Coopworth fleece I picked up in May.

I washed the fleece in June. It filled this big tub.







This is about 22 ounces of the huge fleece. I estimate I have more than five pounds left.




It's been nice weather, so it was great to work outdoors with the dyeing.

Malanaphy Springs

This past weekend, Paul and I headed down to Decorah Iowa to visit Ben and Bekky. We all headed to Malanaphy Springs State Preserve, just outside of town.

We hiked through the woods along the Iowa River and came upon the rocky cliffs where the spring is hidden.


We climbed up to near the top.












Paul had a look at the spring cave.










Little Bekky checked out the inside of the spring cave.
















Malanaphy spring starts with a rivulet down the stone face,
















it picks up steam and makes a larger falls as it enters the Iowa river.



It was a great day of hiking and exploring, made even better by the company of the kids.

I've done a bit of mindless, relaxing spinning. Two 4 ounces skeins of BFL from Chameleon Colorworks. They'll go into the basket of unplanned yarns, to be a project someday.