J.R. Johnson

I spent some time in high school studying the medical and practical uses of local plants. I may have mentioned that I entertain Mr Man when we go out for walks: “Those ‘weeds’ are edible, that’s good for firestarter, and you can use that to make cough syrup. Oh, but that one’s poisonous.” (I’m sure my brother has stories of mysterious bottles marked with a skull and crossbones in the fridge.) 

That’s why this video appeals to me (the useful part, not the poison part):

In Search of Forgotten Colours – Sachio Yoshioka and the Art of Natural Dyeing

Sachio Yoshioka is the fifth-generation head of the Somenotsukasa Yoshioka dye workshop in Fushimi, southern Kyoto. When he succeeded to the family business in 1988, he abandoned the use of synthetic colours in favour of dyeing solely with plants and other natural materials.

So pretty!

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