Rainbow Fingertips

Berry picking stains my fingers and reminds me of spinners on the lookout for dyes to color their wool. Reddish blue of blackberries would have been a favorite, a color that was permanent and would remain true with repeated washing. But then there was a time when we were not so obsessed with washing clothes and colors lasted longer because they had time to set in the fabric. However laundry is a whole different subject.
Summer was the season for berries that yielded reds, blues and purples for coloring wool, cotton and linens which were spun and woven for clothing. There were flowers for blues, yellows and reds. Undoubtedly every bark, leaf, flower, and fruit available to women were boiled and tested for color fastness and used as time permitted wherever they were harvested or traded.
Colors discovered in plants of the West Indies by Spanish and English marauders created brilliant uniforms that lent pride and identity to fighting men centuries past. With laboratory discoveries nature gave way to chemistry and the color spectrum expanded to include subtle tones and hues that make clothing and home furnishings a joy to own. Or a nightmare to match when the need arises. But colors are delightful and I am very happy to enjoy them all around.
So what if I have to bleach my fingers after eating blackberries? A bigger joy comes with knowing I can choose purple colored materials and skip the work it takes to make them.
Naomi Sherer