Yesterday was a Busy Day

Yesterday we stayed at home again and did lots of projects like making thread from silkworm cocoons which was fascinating.

Silk thread on a spool

The process of making silk thread from the cocoons

Another project was to dye a silk scarf with madder for red for one third, then another end dye with boiled gardenia pods another third, leaving white in the middle, then over dye with indigo to form green (over the yellow gardenia pods) and an aubergine colour over the red madder.

This morning I am going for a walk up a steep hill behind the house to see if I can see some monkeys in the bamboo forest - here is a little wild violet I found yesterday

Last night we had a Brazilian barbecue which was delicious - have never tasted such delicious steak!!! The person who cooks for us is a Brazilian born Japanese man. He said there is a big population of Japanese in Brazil and many of them have returned to Japan. He goes to a Brazilian grocer for his meat and supplies.