winter's palette

photograph by rinne allen

simple wreath DIY

i have made wreaths for most of my adult life...with my mom and sister, with my grandmother, and with my friends. i have made them big and full, or stripped down with just vine and twine. this year, i gathered kudzu vine (about a 4 foot piece) and twisted it into a circle, weaving the ends around and into each other. then, i had some trimmings from our tree as well as some hemlock cuttings from the garden. i tied these into a small bunch with florist's wire, then attached it to one side of the kudzu base. next, i had a few dried things in my studio: pods from a friend, allium from spring's garden, and a twist of curly willow. i tucked these in or wired them first and tied them to the base. then, i hung the wreath using some vintage rosey-pink velvet ribbon that i had saved off of a garment years ago. super simple...and super perfect. enjoy.

wreath and photographs by rinne allen

red oaks

photograph by rebecca wood

the ultimate inspiration

there are so many things that we consistently return to for inspiration around here. for me, one of these touchstones is the work of walter anderson, the late artist who spent most of his life living along the coast of mississippi. his work is so vivid and so evocative. words don't do it justice. but, his life story is even more amazing. rather than trying to sum it up here, i invite you to please visit the walter anderson museum's website to read more about him and see his work. in the meantime, take a moment to look through these images of his Little Room. they were taken way back in 2004 on a visit to ocean springs. the Little Room was a space where Anderson would retreat to paint. it was a private space, hidden from his family until after his death...they had never been inside until then. what a wonder it must have been to cross this threshold. if his work moves you, please consider donating to his museum or to Realizations, run by anderson's family, to support the preservation of his legacy.

words & photographs by rinne allen

rust

photograph by rebecca wood

under a maple

under a red maple, there was lots of beauty.

chestnuts

photograph by rinne allen

secret pond

a friend took me to see a secret, spring fed pond. it was beautiful and dark, and surrounded by tall pines. chartreuse water lilies broke up the darkness. the bright color of the lily pads and the reflections of grey skies and floating pine straw was way beyond dreamy. must go back there to paint....!

hazel

photograph by rinne allen

fallen leaves

photograph by rinne allen

winter kale salad with pecan dressing

now that the colder days are upon us, i love making hearty kale salads to add a bit of freshness to a meal.  the dressing is made with local georgia pecans, i think it is my new favorite winter condiment! 

winter kale salad

-toast 3/4 cup pecans in the oven for 5 minutes

-in a blender, blend the toasted pecans, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 2 Tbsp honey, 2 cloves of garlic, and salt and pepper

-blend until ingredients are chopped, dressing should have a little grit from the pecans

-add more salt if needed   

-wash and cut some fresh kale, removing any tough stems

-add any other seasonal ingredients

-i added pomegranate seeds and carrots

-i think roasted squash or carrots would be great with it too toss all of the ingredients together and massage the kale leaves a bit

-add the salad dressing and lightly toss it

-enjoy!

photos and recipe by kristen bach

geometric patterns

photograph by rebecca wood

foraged flower collaboration with mandy

this week, mandy and i did another collaboration for terrain. i have worked with terrain since they began many years ago, and this is the second time mandy and i done an arrangement for them; in the spring we did an arrangement with spring flowers and this week we did one with flowers that mandy had harvested earlier in the fall and dried...once again, mandy created some serious beauty! enjoy!

migrations

photograph by rinne allen

thankful

this year we are thankful for our families. we hope all of you enjoy spending time with those you love this holiday season.

it's early morning

fog hovers on the river

and the river road

ah, woodland foliage

ever changing, day to day.

new joys to behold

brilliant red sumac

like fallen indian headdress

along autumn's road

haiku by rebecca's father, tolbert williams

photographs by rinne allen {outtakes from a project for kinfolk}

feather and hay

photograph by rinne allen

local cotton

mandy and steve at 3 porch farm planted a crop of organic cotton this year. they planted a few white varieties, but also a brown one. both were beautiful, in the field and out. mandy said it was a fairly easy crop to tend...they planted it and let it be. i have learned more about organic cotton than i ever thought i would (see here and here) and love seeing it growing so close to home.

words & photographs by rinne allen

fall field

photograph by rinne allen

fall browns

for the thanksgiving table, we often gather fallen leaves from the yard and let them be the focus...here, i added in some store-bought mums. once their flowerheads are pulled from the stem they can scatter across the tabletop. quiet beauty...

arrangement and photographs by rinne allen

speckled light

photograph by rebecca wood