mt. zion walls

photograph by rinne allen

mt. zion

we have written about mt.zion many times before, but recently, i was in hancock county and had to stop in; it is impossible for me to not go by this place when i am near. mt.zion is actually in much better shape than it used to be...you can tell someone is caring for it by the swept floors (which used to not be the case).

enjoy the view...

words and photographs by rinne allen

roots

photograph by rebecca wood

a stone beauty

once a focal point to this tiny town, the remains of this stone building now sit still. covered in a patina of vines, moss, and lichen it's mysterious bones leaves passersby like myself in wonderment.

barn with ivy

photograph by rinne allen

hyacinth + maple buds

i have spent alot of time in my studio lately, tinkering...no set goal in mind, just making things for the sake of making. we had grown a hyacinth recently, and i took a few of the blossoms and strung them along thread. i attached it to this branch with tiny clusters of not-quite-open maple buds- i love their deep oxblood color. something simple to brighten your day...

words & photographs by rinne allen

southern soil

photo by kristen bach

winter minestrone

this year the weather has been chilly and no signs of spring seem to be anywhere in sight.  this past week we had our first flurries of the year, an ice storm, and tomorrow we have snow in the forecast. winter just doesn't want to let up! 

with that being said, I am going to keep making soups to keep us warm through these cold days.  this minestrone is a perfect soup to do just that.

winter minestrone

-in a large stock pan, saute 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt, 1 large diced yellow onion, 3 cloves of diced garlic, 1 large or two small fennel bulbs, sliced and core removed.  saute on med-low heat for 20 minutes

-add 5 cups of good quality vegetable stock, (homemade if you got it), 2 cups water, 1 can of white beans, 1 small can of fire roasted tomatoes (14.5 oz), salt to taste, a pinch of pepper, 1 Tbsp of maple syrup or another sweetener.  if you have any rinds of parmesan cheese you can add them to the stock for flavor.  let simmer for 1 hour to allow the flavors to develop.

-add a handful of sliced greens such as chard, kale, collards, turnip greens, or spinach and also add 1 Tbsp of finely diced fresh parsley.

-lastly, add 1 cup of orzo and allow the pasta to cook for 20 minutes or so.  bon appetit!

photo and recipe by kristen bach

photo

field

photograph by rinne allen

earthwork sculpture

yesterday while i was making dinner my husband and daughter were outside doing yard work.  we have lots of trees that have dropped limbs over the winter and they were gathering them all from around our yard, i figured they were just putting them in a pile as usual.  

this morning as i returned from my daily walk, i walked up through our back yard and found this lovely earthworks sculpture that they had made.  clearly inspired by one of my favorite artists- andy goldsworthy- they made this sweet sea of sticks intentionally placed around a tree.  you can imagine what joy this brought me! 

photos and words by kristen bach, sculpture by josh skinner and maypop wren

wall

photograph by rinne allen

adorable shacks in madison

i love a shack! right now i'm craving seeing some old weathered wood. don't know what it is, but here's some cute ones i saw while exploring nearby madison.

words and photographs by rebecca wood

old wooden windowseat

photograph by rinne allen

providence canyon state park

we just spent some time in south georgia, right on the alabama and georgia border.  we stopped at providence canyon state park for a little hike. 

it was such a lovely sight and it was obvious how it got it's nickname of little grand canyon.  you can hike around, down into the canyon and admire the variegated colors and shades of earth. 

japanese magnolia

photograph by rinne allen

valentine's day flowers

years ago, i would do flowers for many restaurants around town and also sell them at the market. it was a fun time. here are some arrangements i made one valentine's day for a local restaurant...it is interesting because many of these flowers are not even blooming around here yet, this year. i love how nature is unpredictable.

words & photographs by rinne allen

dinner prep

photo by kristen bach

winter bounty bowl

around our house we call these bounty bowls.  what's a bounty bowl?  it's a mix of seasonal vegetables all cooked up (or sometimes raw), a protein, then layered into a bowl with a sauce of some sort. to me this is the most ideal and satisfying comfort meals.  and quite lovely i might add. 

this winter bounty bowl was composed of charred kale, roasted brussel sprouts with raisins, roasted sweet potatoes, and black lentils.  the sauce i made is one from a cookbook called "go dairy free".  i have been making this sauce for years and putting it on top of rice, noodles, salads.....and more~

magic sauce (a variation from a recipe out of the "go dairy free" cookbook)

-in a food processor or blender, add: 1/3 cup tahini, 3 cloves garlic, 1 handful of parsley, a dash of salt and pepper, juice of 2 lemons, and 1/3-1/2 cup water.  you can also add fresh cilantro if you have some on hand.

-blend until mixed adding more water if necessary.  the texture should be smooth like gravy.

-serve atop salads, mashed potatoes, vegetables, noodles, or rice. 

photo by kristen bach

a heart

photo by kristen bach

handmade valentines

we have been working on our valentines all week.  adding layer by layer..... day by day.  it's always a fun time to bust out the glitter, paint,  tape, gather some natural ingredients and start an assembly line of making.  happy valentines and happy making!

photos and words by kristen bach