Monday, March 4, 2013

Heart of Gold/Orange To Dye For

Neither of us had any idea.  The big alder tree in my sister's yard was scheduled to come down.  And it did.  Lots of work but no mishaps resulted in tired but pleased people.  But then the color set in.

Ends all ablaze






Orange, bright, defiant, yellowish orange was scattered all over the place on the cut surface of every chunk of wood. We stood in amazement drinking in the flamboyant show of a tree trunk cut to stove wood lengths.










Golden "Beets"
Wiki, our close, informed friend, helped us out here: "If the shoots of the alder are cut in March, they will provide a cinnamon colored dye, but when they are dehydrated and powdered, they provide a yellowish-brown or orange shade.  On the other hand, freshly cut wood of the alder provides a pinkish-brown or pinkish-fawn coloring, while the catkins provide a green dye."



Rich color of the bruised bark

Even the sawdust glows!
Somehow the creative Things I get to do today yearn to play in the color.  We'll find a way, and I'll share the results of this Heart of Gold.

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