Oh Nuts!

This is my backyard.



Hiding in the corner, by the creek, is an ancient black walnut. This tree and I have had issues as it drops large green nuts all over the area I need to mow. I usually take a golf club out and hit the nuts into the creek. I've gotten pretty good at it.



It also drops large branches of leaves which take a lot of raking. This tree is very high maintenance.



My attitude about my tree changed dramatically when the last issue of Spin Off showed up.



There was an article about using the nuts and the leaves to make a natural, but powerful dye.



I smashed up the small handful of nuts I could find, as the season is pretty much over, and soaked them in water. Overnight the water turned dark brown. I need to soak them a week or so and then boil them before I can use them to dye. I can't wait.