sanguinaria canadensis

or more commonly known as bloodroot, is blooming nicely in my garden right now.  I have had it for about 3 years.  It came to me by way of a gift from a good friend of mine (who I think may have purchased it from Richter's Herbs).  I learned that in the wild, it likes to grow in rich moist soil in the wood, so I planted mine in the shady area next to the stream bed.  I wanted this plant for the rhizome that is orangey red in color, and has been used by the Native Americans (and in turn the colonists) as a dye plant.  The flowers are small and dainty and white...one would not guess that the root would contain a red sap.  The flowers open each morning, and close up in the late afternoon.  Once the petals drop off, the leaves get bigger, and then disappear in the middle to late summer, not to be seen again until next spring.  I have never had the nerve to dig up this little beauty and destroy it for the dye bath it would make.  I am content that it is growing nicely for me!
While reading about it, I discover more and more interesting facts...like ...did you know researchers are studying the possibility of using the root to treat cancer?  What??!! 
No fiber content on the blog today?
Actually, I have been very busy with springtime rabbit chores.  I clipped and cleaned.  Nothing to show for that but bare hares (baskets of angora) and clean cages!  The chickens like to watch me while I work this chore, they all gather round me and act as if what I am doing is very interesting, and somehow might just have something to do with food ultimately.

 

When I clean the hutches, I use a propane torch.  There are some people that cringe when I say that, but I really feel this is the most effective way to get in all the cracks and crevice's that critters like mites like to hide.  It is also a good way to rid the wispy hair that tends to cling on the wood and wire all winter.  I find that I don't have to deal with the smell of bleach, or wait for the wood on the hutches to dry before I let the rabbits enter.  I read about this method of burning the hutches in Mother Earth Magazine.

 

I enjoy this task, even though it is time consuming to torch every square inch of the hutches with a small propane flame.  I guess I am a bit of a pyro, but I like watching the blue flame melt the hair and anything else that gets in its way.  I always make sure that the rabbits are no where around when I do this.  Otherwise, they would be very worried, I am sure, at the smell of their hair burning...they would be frightened and think that the warren was on fire! 

 

With the hutches all clean and repaired, and the weather abnormally warm for this time of year, it was time to return the buns to their regular routine.  Jack had been spending the week inside with us.  He really enjoys this.  He is very well behaved, and it is a temptation to allow him to become a house rabbit...only I really don't like having to change a litter pan daily.  We will miss his company in the evenings when he has fun playing with the paper towel rolls and running around the living room.

 

Before I put Jack back in his hutch, I moved the doe's hutch so that he could have full view of what is going on over there.  He seems to really like this, and spends most of his time gazing in that direction.
I would love to breed him again, only I do not have any homes to send the offspring to, and do not want to keep more than I can handle.  He will have to be content with this arrangement...so close, and yet sooo
far away!