Our Variegated Blue Flax Lily + Video from Flaxseed to Linen from Horst my Birthplace

 Rather late I discovered that our Variegated Blue Flax Lily was blooming again.

We have this since 2014. 

On September 8, I captured these...

Such tiny lovely flowers!

That's the entire Variegated Blue Flax Lily on our patio, as a pot plant.

On September 19, they were still there... now they're gone.

You see the blue sky we have!

Having hailed from Horst, a region in the Province of Limburg, in the South of The Netherlands, there is quite a history about Flax and the Linen weavers.Want to share this very interesting video with you.From flaxseed to linen (Museum de Kantfabriek Horst) — the old Lace factory!Translations:from flaxseed to linenHorst (my birth place) around 1920First, the land is made suitable for the cultivation of flax.Sowing takes place at the beginning of April.After a few days, the first flax seeds germinate.The weeds are removed.At the beginning of June, the flax is in bloom.Harvesting can begin in mid-August.With the rekel, the flax bulbs are removed.The flax is placed underwater to let the soft parts rot away; called retting.Dad used to have a piece of land at the Rotven. One of those former fens...The flax bulbs are threshed from which linseed oil is extracted.Part of the seed is used again for the next harvest.After drying, the stems are roasted to remove the hard inner core.By breaking, the hard inner core is broken; scutching.After the harvest it's time for a party.With the crank, the remaining wood residues are removed; hackling.By hackling, only the best fibers remain.In winter, the fibres are spun into flax yarn.Finally, the yarns are washed to remove the lye.After rinsing, the yarns are ready to weave into linen cloth.By bleaching the linen in the sun, it gets a bright white color.The linen is now ready for use.In the meantime, it's spring again. High time to make the land suitable for a new harvest.This program is composed on the basis of a film (1976) that was commissioned by the Antiquity–Room Horst
Nowadays linen is from Belgium, Ireland, Italy, Poland and of course in China...
But seeing how labor intensive it is—you might appreciate more your linen pieces!At fashion school we learned how this was being created but the above video is far better for understanding...
Did any of you know this process?
Related link:{Variegated Blue Flax Lily} | previous post by me with good closeup photo of flower{Horst my Birth Place, Used to be an Old Linen Weavers Town} | previous post by me

Coprinellus disseminatus in our Garden

On August 29, the day of our 39th anniversary as an immigrant, Pieter spotted these very special mushrooms in our garden, under our Magnolia Grandiflora.

Coprinellus disseminatus.

Beautiful Coprinellus disseminatus...

Pieter, being a true teacher, placed a US penny next to some of the fruit bodies to show how tiny they are!

Not a clean penny but you still manage to read: IN GOD WE TRUST...

Here they are, growing on the decaying roots of some of the Magnolia Grandifolia shoots that had come up under the big tree.

It was only because of August being like a WET MONSOON...

Perfect climate for any mushroom to develop!

Have you ever seen this variety?

Related link:

{10 Hand Painted Wild Mushroom Plates by A. Zen Nove, ITALY} | previous post by me showing another Coprinus edible mushroom

Meeting with Mushroom Grower Nick Pora in Metcalf, Ontario Canada

 We did rise early at our Fairmont Château Laurier, for having breakfast and to get on our way. 

Nick Pora Sr. on the left, with Pieter at his Continental Mushroom Farm

On Tuesday, August 18, 1998 we had received a fax at the Fairmont Château Laurier, for our meeting next day.

So after breakfast we got on our way for FINALLY visiting Nick's mushroom farm!

Nick Pora, was also a loyal customer of my Lacquered Brass Window Decorations 'Mushrooms' in two sizes.

Below post you find some links for actually seeing them.

Guess Nick came to the Dutch Mushroom Days in June of 1988, where I had a stand for selling those.

Nick Pora, also had enclosed these cards with that letter...

CHAMPIGNON — CONTINENTAL —MUSHROOM

Producers of some of the best mushrooms in the world

Nick Pora, hailed from Romania and in 1972 he came to Canada with only $ 5.00 in his pocket.

With hard work, he managed to build himself up and run a successful mushroom farm.

Already during the 1st NAMC at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco he met Pieter in 1979.

See link below this post with his photo.

Again, at the 12th NAMC Conference in Vancouver he begged us to visit him.

But Ottawa is not a city we often flew into...

So this time, when using our frequent flyer miles for a vacation to Canada, we planned it such, that we would end in Ottawa and then drive to his place.

We first met at the mushroom farm's office where we also briefly saw Virginia Pora, Nick's lovely wife.

Nick Pora Jr. and Nick Pora Sr. at almost 82 years of age (September) and Pieter.

In February, Nick had lost 40 lbs (18 kg) of weight after their return from a vacation in Aruba.

Me, Nick Jr. and Nick Sr. at the restaurant for lunch.

Nick Sr. had taken us via the compost slab, to a first break room, full with product.

His skills for mushroom cultivation proved to be good.

Then he took us to the Packaging area.

THE BEST WE EVER SAW!

They used a barcode with ratings: 1–2–3–4 or cannery (for worst quality). Beautiful white product!

A Chinese 'mama' ran the packaging including a clean floor; no spills! 

We were both very impressed and told Nick so.

They daily handled 13 tons of fresh product.

Both of us felt very happy for finally having fulfilled his request to visit him!

Fond memories of a long time friendship.

Next day we did check out from the Fairmont Château Laurier, drove to the airport and returned our Herz rental car after driving our 987 km or 613 mi. 

By 11:00 o'clock we flew via Newark, New Jersey on Continental Express, to Atlanta, Georgia.

That was the end of our memorable Canada Vacation!

Related links:

Fairmont Hotel, San Francisco, CA 1st North American Mushroom Conference | previous post by me where Nick Pora attended

Dutch Mushroom Days and Selling My Own Design of Brass Mushrooms | previous post by me

{My Own Design of Brass Mushrooms} | previous post by me