India Flint returns from an early morning forage around the creek and paddock: the magic is about to begin....
But first there is morning tea in front of the roaring fire (a new cake experiment - flourless apple, raisin, almond & ginger cake got the tick of approval - add to future cake repertoire!).
Everyone is curious and excited about a big table loaded with India's treasures, about to be shared...
Peek-a-boo eucalyptus leaves!
Sticks, twigs, pods, leaves and weeds (even our dreaded lantana!).
Collections are thoughtfully laid out on a long wrap of pure wool.
Then bound for their lengthy dip in India's cauldron, bubbling in the big Dairy fireplace....(every step of the process is exquisitely beautiful....).
Lunch in the loggia, included a collection of new season's leaves and petals, (along with pumpkin, apple & ginger soup, a large rustic spelt loaf, baked rhubarb & cumquat ice-cream), whilst waiting for the cauldron to work its alchemy...
And twelve beaming, anxious participants prepare to unfurl their creations!
Each is slowly unwrapped....to reveal a dozen lengths, every one unique to its owner.
For a few hours in the wintry afternoon sun, the Dairy resembled a Moroccan market, with wraps hanging from beams, tree branches and spread out on the grass to dry. Then everyone went on a walk to forage for their own windfall finds, to make a silk/linen wrap, followed by a bag to hold their precious new creations. The final works went home still bundled, so individual designs were kept under wraps. I wonder how they turned out?
One of our participants was heard to utter, during the afternoon session, to no-one in particular,(maybe really just to herself), "oh gosh I just LOVE this'! I have a sneaking suspicion she was expressing exactly what everyone felt! It was simply the most divine day and I know I'm not alone in expressing my heartfelt thanks to India for visiting Glenmore.