At Home: A Short History of Private Life

Bill Bryson's At Home: A Short History of Private Life is the type of history book you wish you'd had in Junior High or High School (but are thankful you found as an adult). History is presented as a series of discoveries and innovations that evolved as people moved through the zeitgeist of their time. At Home was published by Doubleday, a division of Random House in 2010. I read the book soon after it came out, but wanted to re-read it with our Eden By The Bay filter of "Vision 2020".

The setting for the book is the Bryson home, a former Church of England rectory located in Norfolk in eastern England. The rectory is a Victorian house, built by the rector Thomas Marsham in 1850. Bryson decided to write a history of the world by focusing on everyday objects, and how they came to be. He uses each room of the house as a jumping off point, for example, the bathroom launches the reader into a history of hygiene, the kitchen into the history of spice trade and nutrition, and the bedroom into the history of birth, sex, and death. The end sheets of the book provide Ground and Chamber Plans for the rectory and a map for the journey. 

The initial chapters, "The Year" and "The Setting" set the stage for the book, by describing what was happening in England and the world in 1850, at the time the Marsham house was built. Bryson starts with the fascinating account of how The Crystal Palace—the largest greenhouse ever made with the most glass panels ever produced—was being built for the Paris Exhibition, designed by the 23-year old head gardener, Joseph Paxton (we learned a little about that in Garden History – Innovation of Glass Houses).

From there, Bryson takes the reader on a tour of all the rooms of the house, including the hall, kitchen, scullery, drawing room, celler, study, stairs (where an early version of the bathroom was originally designed to go), bedrooms, dressing room, nursery, attic, and so forth, and artfully explores related topics. Naturally, one of my favorite "rooms" was the garden. Bryson covers topics such as the beginning of the landscape movement, plant hunters, railroads and suburban living, gardening by the middle class (including women), park-like cemeteries and public parks, guano and fertilizer, plant diseases and famines, grafting, and lawns and lawn mowers.

One of Bryson's discoveries on his journey is that throughout history, homes were not necessarily designed for comfort. Comfort in the home is a fairly recent idea. Thankfully, we're living at a time when we take great pleasure in the comfort of our homes! I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys history and would like to learn more about how our homes evolved (and speculate how they might continue to evolve in the future)!

Summer Movies 2020: The Holy Thief

Welcome back to our summer movie series, in which plants are the real movie stars! This summer we're enjoying more episodes of Cadfael, the British drama series that is based on the books by Edith Pargeter, writing as Ellis Peters. The series is set in medieval England, and takes place in the town of Shrewsbury. Brother Cadfael is a Benedictine monk in the Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, and works in his garden and medicinal shed to prepare botanical remedies. He served as a soldier in the Crusades and joined the monastery later in life, and is often called upon to use his logic, experience, and plant knowledge to solve local mysteries.

The Holy Thief (Season 4, Episode 1)

In this episode, the year is 1144 and England is torn by civil war as King Stephen and Empress Maud vie for power in The Anarchy. The whole land is in upheaval as factions squirmish and support their cause. Loyalties are strained and property is at risk. The episode begins in a torrential downpour of rain, with Sub-prior Herluin, Brother Tutillo, and a small party travelling from Abbey Ramsey, which was recently destroyed by Empress Maud. At Shrewsbury they request funds, and make an audacious request to take the relic of Saint Winifred. Brother Tutillo has had a vision about a great lady, which Prior Herluin interpets to mean they should acquire the relic to raise funds to rebuild. The Abbey relies on the donations from pilgrims to keep the Abbey running, but surprisingly, Prior Pennant agrees to lend the bones for one year. (Recall in A Morbid Taste for Bones he acquired the relic for the Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul).

Sub-prior Herluin insists on travelling with Brother Cadfael on a mission of mercy to the dying Lady Donata. She refuses to see Sub-prior Herluin (because he is always asking for money), but is comforted when Brother Tutillo and the slave girl Daalny sing. Brother Cadfael administers poppy juice to ease Lady Donata's pain (and informs Daalny's troubadour owner that the church opposes slavery). Upon her death, Lady Donata bequeaths valuable gold and jewels to Brother Tutillo. Back at Shrewsbury, the bones of Saint Winifred and the jewels are stolen, Daalny is kidnapped, and the driver is found murdered. Cadfael follows the lead of a red-dyed thread, and works with Sheriff Hugh Beringar to expose the holy thief (even their good relationship is strained by political unrest). To decide where Saint Winifred's bones should rest, stakeholders conduct a sortes Biblicae, each randomly selecting a scripture from the Gospels to discern their path.

This brings our summer movies series to an end for 2020. I hope you've enjoyed these episodes of Cadfael, and the glimpse into the distant past. I really enjoy seeing Brother Cadfael working in his garden and medicinal shed, and solving mysteries using his plant knowledge. It is also interesting to learn more about the English civil war that serves as a backdrop to the series. Brother Cadfael has seen plenty of war in his time, so strives to bring healing where it is needed and calm the strife.

Summer Movies 2020: Saint Peter's Fair

Welcome back to the Summer Movies series for 2020, in which we watch movies where plants are the movie stars. This summer we're travelling back in time to watch more of the British drama series, Cadfael, set in medieval England. Brother Cadfael is a Benedictine monk in the Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in the town of Shrewsbury. He works in his garden and prepares botanical cures in his medicinal shed, and is frequently called upon to use his plant knowledge, intelligence, and worldly experience to solve local mysteries. As a historical backdrop, England is filled with strife between King Stephen and his cousin Princess Maude, as they struggle for power in The Anarchy.

Saint Peter's Fair (Season 3, Episode 2)

This episode, set in late summer 1139, opens on the eve of the annual St. Peter's Fair, with the town of Shrewsbury making preparations, and merchants and tradesmen arriving from the countryside. The local tradespeople are agitated, and meet with the abbot to voice their grievance that they must close their shops for three days during the fair, but still pay the abbey a toll that benefits the church while they lose income. The abbott defends the practice as being part of the charter. Discontent ferments, and, a confrontation erupts in the night between the local and visiting artisans.

The next day a visiting wine seller is found dead, and the abbot charges Cadfael with solving the mystery discreetly, so the fair can continue. The wine merchant's niece, Emma, is determined to honor her uncle by opening their booth during the fair, but is visited by thieves, and accosted in a back alley. Unrest continues in Shrewsbury, as well as curfew breaking, drinking of noxious Vienna liquor, and more deaths. Cadfael begins to think that there is more than petty theft and misdemeanor at work, and suspects political intrigue and possibly a spy. He deftly interviews locals and visitors alike, collects botanical clues, and pieces together stories and timelines that lead to a resolution.

It's a pleasure to see Cadfael working in his garden and medicinal shed, and using his plant knowledge. In this episode, his shed is filled with drying herbs collected over the summer (in The Rose Rent, set in late winter, it was almost bare, no doubt depleted from treating winter ailments). I recommend this series for anyone interested in botany, gardens, mysteries, and the details of everyday medieval life. Edith Pargeter, writing as Ellis Peters, does a wonderful job weaving English history into the fictional series.

Summer Movies 2020: The Rose Rent

Welcome to the Summer Movies series for 2020, in which we watch movies where plants are the movie stars. This summer we're again travelling back in time to watch the British drama series, Cadfael, this time set in early 1142 medieval England. Brother Cadfael is a Benedictine monk in the Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in the town of Shrewsbury. Brother Cadfael works in his garden and prepares botanical cures in his medicinal shed (and is frequently called upon to use his plant knowledge, intelligence, and worldly experience to solve local mysteries). The mystery series is based on the books by Edith Pargeter, writing under the pseudonym Ellis Peters, and stars Sir Derek Jacobi.

I confess that I briefly entertained the idea of watching "zombie apocalypse" movies instead. This would give me a chance to rewatch some favorite plague and virus movies like The Dead Don't Die (with its appealing theme song, sung by Sturgill Simpson), I Am Legend, and World War Z. I finally decided that I am a little "pandemic weary", and chose instead to focus on the past with a botanist-healer of medieval times (a time that was no stranger to plagues and disease). The vision of future pandemics is quite daunting, so I'll save the "zombie apocalypse" series for another time (hopefully when we have a vaccine, and COVID-19 is behind us)!

The Rose Rent (Season 3, Episode 1)

In this episode, a wealthy widow, Judith Perle, owns a prosperous clothier business and rents space to artisans and to the abbey for the yearly rent of a single white rose from her property. She requested this arrangement in grief three years before, when her husband and unborn child died within weeks of each other. Several early guilds benefited from the low rent arrangement, including wool carders, weavers, dyers, and Niall the bronzesmith. Several suitors have their hearts (and pocket books) set on the eligible Judith Perle). On the day the rose payment is due from the abbey, Brother Eluric, who typically delivers the rose, is nowhere to be found, so Niall is asked to deliver the rose.

Later Brother Eluric is found dead with a knife nearby, and the white rose bush fatally damaged. The dyeing rose bush causes angst among the renters, who must now pay full rent, so Judith sets off at night to the abbey to remove the rose rent requirement, but never arrives. Sheriff Hugh Beringar and Cadfael are called in to investigate the death of Brother Eluric, and the disappearance of Judith. They trawl the river and discover Judith's cloak, and the impression of a boot in the mud. They take a wax casting of the boot print, and search the town, river, and environs for clues. Several more deaths ensue. Cadfael interviews those closest to Judith, and figures out who stands to gain the most. In a dramatic ending, the rose bush is consumed by fire and the guilty party is revealed. Judith is found and Niall delivers the last rose rent, as he had been asked, in a satisfying finish. 

I really enjoy the glimpse into medieval life that Cadfael mystery series provides. Peters always supplies an interesting cast of characters, and incorporates many historical details into her stories. I always feel that I learn something new. In this episode the arrangement of the rose rent was intriguing and community-minded, and the glimpses of the early trade guilds was also insightful. As always, Cadfael uses his mind, compassion, and experience to bring resolution. I found the DVD through the local library system (checked out using new "contact-less" procedures), and online retailers, such as Acorn Media.

Dye Project: Madder Root

In this episode of Plants to Dye For - Season 2, we're dyeing with a commercial ground madder root. Madder is a flowering plant in the coffee family, Rubiaceae. It grows throughout Asia, Europe, and Africa, and color is extracted from its roots. Madder is complex, containing about 15 compounds, including the munjistin, alizarin, and purpurin dye molecules. By tweaking mordants, additives, and the pH of the dye bath, you can produce a wide range of colors from reds, to yellows, oranges, purples, and browns. For this project, we're using Rubia cordifolia, the source of the famous reds found in Indian chintz and painted cottons (including the ubiquitous bandana of the wild, wild west).





I purchased ground madder root from Maiwa Textile School, located in Vancouver Canada, so did not extract the color myself. Maiwa recommends using 35 - 100% WOF for ground madder root. For this project we're using 50% WOF, or 250 grams for a medium red color. Madder works best in hard water. To push up the pH, you can add 1 teaspoon of Calcium carbonate per pound of fabric, using ground chalk, antacid tablets, soda ash, household ammonia, or wood ash water. Madder is sensitive to temperature, so the dye bath should be kept between 140 and 160º F. If you boil the dye bath, the higher temperature destroys the red pigment, resulting in shades of brown.

Madder (Rubia tinctorum) Kohler: Public domain

Ground madder root (Maiwa)

The Weight of Fabric (WOF) for this project is 498 grams (or just over a pound), and includes five dish towels and one T-shirt. We're using fabric that has been scoured, mordanted in oak gallnut, and further mordanted in an alum and soda ash bath. For details, see Scouring your Fabric (Soaking Method), Mordanting Fabric (Oak Gallnut), and Mordanting Fabric (Alum Brightener). Preparing fabric for dyeing is so important for the outcome.

Outdoor studio and basic equipment

For this project you'll need a well-ventilated workspace. I used our patio, which is located in the shade of an oak tree and great for summer dyeing. You’ll need a soaking pot, a dye pot, a heat source, and a candy thermometer to ensure the dye bath is kept at a consistent temperature. For safety, wear a face mask when measuring and stirring the powdered dye, so you don't inhale or ingest small particles.

Use a candy thermometer to monitor dye bath temperature

The basic process, based on Maiwa online instructions (Ctrl+F and search for Madder):

1. Presoak the prepared fabric.
2. Mix the dye in water, and heat to 140º for one hour.
3. Add fabric, and heat for 1-2 hours, maintaining the temperature between 140 and 160º F.
4. Rinse and air dry the fabric.

Presoak prepared fabric before dyeing

Add water to the soaking pot, and presoak the prepared fabric for at least an hour (or overnight). This helps ensure that the fiber soaks up the dye evenly. Stir occasionally.

Add madder to the dye pot and stir until incorporated

After presoaking the fabric, add two gallons of water to the dye pot, and stir in madder until mixed. This process can take a while because of the quantity of dye stuff. In retrospect, it may have been easier to incorporate the dye into a small bowl of water, and then add the concentrate to the dye pot. Bring the temperature to about 140º F (60ºC), and hold for an hour.

Add fabric and any modifiers to the dye bath (these antacids change the pH)

Add fabric to the dye pot. At this time, you can also add your modifiers to influence the color outcome. To increase water hardness and influence the dye towards bluish-red instead of orangish-red, I added eight antacid tablets (I had Tums on hand); four tablets would have been sufficient. Continue cooking the fabric for another 1 - 2 hours, stirring and rotating the fabric periodically to distribute the dye evenly.

Simmer the dye bath, keeping the temperature within range

The left burner provides heat, but offsetting the pot helps control the temperature

Maintain the temperature between 140 - 160º F. to avoid bringing the the dye bath to a boil.  I find it difficult to regulate temperature with my heat source (it's either on or off, regardless of the setting). But, I can control the temperature better using indirect heat (offsetting the pot from the burner), and adding water periodically to cool down the pot.

Let the dye bath cool

Turn off the heat and let the pan cool, leaving the fabric in the dye bath for as long as you want. I covered the pot with aluminum foil, and soaked the fabric overnight for saturated color.

Rinse fabric until the water runs clear

Squeeze out water

When ready, squeeze out excess dye from the fabric back into the dye bath (don’t toss the dye)! Rinse the fabric in cool water until the water runs clear. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, we are very water-conscious, especially in drought years. I try to conserve water by agitating the fabric in a succession of water baths, rather than letting the tap water flow. With most natural dyes, depending on the modifiers used, you can reuse the rinse water in the garden. Run the fabric through the washing machine rinse/spin cycle a couple of times.

Use the rinse/spin cycle a couple of times

Air dry the fabric

Hang the fabric to air dry. In a couple of weeks, after the dye has had time to set, wash the fabric in Synthrapol, or other neutral detergent, to remove excess pigment that has not bonded. You can include a light-colored piece of fabric in the wash cycle to confirm that the dye has set.

Test cloth shows that the dye has set

A cotton dish towel (left) and T-shirt (right) dyed in the same madder bath

Preserve the dye in sealed containers to use later. Be sure to label the jars so you know what you have. According to Maiwa, the madder dye bath can be reused two or three times, producing lighter shades each time. Madder can also be used in combination with other dyes, such as cochineal or walnut hulls, to produce additional colors.

Store the dye for future projects

Learn More:

• Dharma Trading Company: Preparing Madder Root for Dyeing
• Dreamy Goat Design Studio: (Mary) Dyeing with Madder Root, Day 1  Day 2  Day 3
• Natural Dye Workshop: (Michel Garcia) DVD Set

Native Plant Finder

In his Bring Back the Natives keynote, Dr. Douglas Tallamy spoke on what we can do to attract and sustain nature in our yards. Dr. Tallamy mentioned two tools for figuring out what to plant – Calscape and Native Plant Finder. Last month we took a look at the Calscape tool. This month we'll take a look at Native Plant Finder tool.

The Native Plant Finder website (in Beta) is designed to help you find the best plant species to attract butterflies, birds, and wildlife in your area. The data is sourced from the U. S. Forest Service, The National Wildlife Federation, and the University of Delaware, where Dr. Tallamy is a professor of entomology and wildlife ecology. Enter your zip code, and search for plants or butterflies that are native to your area.   

Native Plant Finder in a browser – enter a zip code to get started

Native plants filtered by category for the zip code entered

For example, I can check the Trees and Shrubs section for hawthorns, to learn more about the hedge of hawthorn bushes in our yard. I find out that the native species in our area is Cratageus suksdorfii, and that 78 species of butterflies and moths use this bush as a caterpillar host plant. That probably explains the early morning chorus of birds in the lower yard!

The native hawthorn is a great caterpillar host plant

Save the plant and any of it attracted species to the list, for later research. 

My native plant and butterfly list

Select Suppliers > Native Plant Directory, to access a list of native plant suppliers by state. For California, I see several favorite nurseries here in the San Francisco Bay Area, including Bay Natives, Berkeley Horticultural Nursery, and The Watershed Nursery. If you use the mobile app, you have easy access to your lists and sources while out shopping for plants.

I highly recommend Native Plant Finder as a resource for anyone who gardens here in California, or in North America. You can use the tool without an account for general research or add a free account to use features like lists. I especially like the emphasis on hosts plants, no doubt thanks to Dr. Tallamy's entomological background. Not only can you learn which native plants would thrive in your garden, but which are the best host plants for attracting the birds, amphibians, and wildlife you'd like to see in your yard!

Is it Summer Yet?

After months of sheltering in place, where the days seem to flow in a uninterrupted stream of sameness, it's hard to fathom that summer is finally here! Sure we've passed the usual milestones of Memorial Day weekend, Summer Solstice, and the end of (home) school for the summer. We've had some really hot weather here in the San Francisco Bay Area, interrupted by stretches of cool marine weather. But it's hard to feel that "summer vibe" without the usual parade of summer outings, vacation plans, and gatherings.

Still, we're ready for more lazy days of summer, and an opportunity to redefine what summer means  in new and creative ways.

Fireworks from afar	Old school transportation
Recalling family reunions	Savoring the view
The beauty of nature	Welcoming a new family member
Celebrating old friends	Summer refreshment
Outdoor projects	Container gardening

It may not be a "normal" summer this year, but it is still a good time to enjoy your yard or nature, try some new summer recipes, read some good books, and find ways to connect with family, friends, and neighbors!