Special gifts & Japanese Indigo seeds

I've received a couple of gifts lately that made me really happy.  Maybe they were a bit unusual - there might be a woman or two out there who wouldn't feel the same glee as yours truly.  But honestly, I feel so fortunate to have a husband who really have a knack for gifting. How about this beauty?

I don't know the english word for it - or if there even is an english word for it - it's called a gruekedel in danish. An old fashioned laundry thingy, that boils large amounts of water. You get the point, hmm? I've really needed one for such a long time - and the other day my husband comes home carrying this dear monster. I picture myself dyeing in the garden this summer - huge amounts of fabric and yarn - while comfortably lolling in a hammock.

And this was a special gift too - a Hapalopilus Nidulans, found by my aunt who's a natural dyer herself. It was growing on a dead Sorbus Aucuparia, one of its favourite hosts. I'm going to shread it, before dyeing a lovely purple with it. When I got the courage ...

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By the way; I have got more seeds from my japanese indigo than I'll be able to use. And they have to be sown this uear because they don't keep long. They are organically grown, a species with red stems, pointed leaves and pink flowers. If you'd like to try and grow some, please drop me a line and we'll work something out. I'm not going to charge anything for them. But if you have something to trade with, that could be fun.