Dandelions & Lace

I thought summer had arrived, but today it is pleasantly warm, and a little unpleasantly windy. Usually when it's like this at this time of year a cyclone is announced. It'll be interesting to see if there is one sitting off the coast, or it this weird weather has no reason at all.

I'm enjoying a break from the intense humidity today. I find cooler weather so much more productive than the extremes of summer heat or winter cold. Today I've found myself knitting lace, baking chocolate slice, drying dandelion leaves for tea and getting lots of washing hung and dried.

This is my first time drying herbs, and I must say it's rather fun. I don't drink dandelion tea, but my sister enjoys it, and since dandelions are blissfully taking over my veggie patch I thought I may as well put their leaves to good use. I harvested a big bunch yesterday evening, and popped them into the dehydrator, set the timer for two hours and went to bed.

This morning they still had some moisture in the leaves, so another two hours dehydrating and they were ready to crush up and store. I just rubbed the leaves in my hands over a bowl and they broke up nicely. Some of the stalks were a little thick, so I left them out.
Now these are ready for adding to tea, or throwing into a pot of soup at the end of cooking. I like adding a handful of nettles or dandelions into soup just before serving, as it adds nutritional value but they really don't have any taste. It's a great way to get herbs into your diet, especially if you're like me and aren't that fond of most herbal teas.
When I'm coming down with a cold I find a steaming bowl of chicken bone broth with a good amount of crushed garlic, grated ginger and a handful of dried herbs in it does wonders. I've a friend who swears that chicken soup will cure anything, and I don't think she's far wrong.

Here is the lace I am knitting. The silk I am using is one I have had in my stash for around five or seven years. It's handspun and dyed silk, purchased from a friend who is so creative and clever. She spins, weaves, dyes, paints silk, gardens and has the best way of writing about her overseas adventures. 

Each skein of silk is only 24gms, so I'm limited as to what I can do with it. Being so unique, I can't go and purchase more either so I decided that I would knit each skein into a lace trim. One day I'll incorporate the lace into another project, but for now I am enjoying finally casting on with this special yarn. Lace is my favourite thing to knit. It's so easy and pretty. 

Lace raveled here

What are you up to today?
Are you enjoying unseasonal weather or are you part of those down south suffering in the heatwave? Stay cool if you are. Forty degrees isn't a temperature I'd want to have to spend the day in!

Sarah x


Subscribe to Say! Little Hen via Email and never miss a post again

Follow