barn doors

photograph by rinne allen

bird specimens

Recently I visited rural Illinois to see family and happened upon the lake shelbyville nature center. they had all these amazing bird specimens lying on the window sills, as well as lots of other educational taxidermy.

bird prints

photograph by kristen bach

edisto

time for my annual visit to edisto island. i always make a trip out to botany bay, a 4800 acre park. it's the combined remnants of two old plantations, 'sea cloud' and 'bleak house'. finally there was one man living there that had inherited it all. he ended up donating to the DNR. it's a half mile walk to the beach, over expanses of marsh grass. once you're there, it's 2 miles of undisturbed natural beauty.

 the shoreline is changing, and the salt water is encroaching on the woods by the beach. the oaks and palms aregradually dying. they fall over into the surf and are sanded clean in no time, becoming bleached bones on the beach, becoming endless stark beauty.

photographs and words by rebecca wood

mossy

photograph by rinne allen

monteagle assembly

rebecca and i both went to sewanee for college, in tennessee. i feel lucky to have gone there as it is such a beautiful place, and am glad i get to go back regularly. this summer i led a photography workshop at the monteagle assembly, a group of 100 year old houses near sewanee, in monteagle. founded over a hundred years ago as a retreat from the summer heat, this group of over a hundred houses makes up a charming and secluded place. only small lanes and little alleys separate the houses; there are paths that cut through the woods from house to house, as well as tall wooden boardwalks crossing valleys. on the day i was there, there were children running loose (but safely) and golf carts cruising around. there was a summer camp going on for the little ones and creative programs for the adults. then, everyone gathers to eat together in the mid-century dining hall. it was fun to be there as an observer and to roam with my camera.

words and photographs by rinne allen

sunset

photograph by rinne allen

eryngium, cimifuga, rue, and cosmos

i am still in maine and am loving exploring its flora…lots of things here that we can’t grow at home…

words and photographs by rinne allen

viburnum

photograph by rinne allen

fresh blueberry crisp

i know the south is all about their cobblers and i do love them but growing up in the north,  i have a soft spot for a good crisp too.  i grew up enjoying crisps and they always remind me of home.  yesterday i taught my daughter how to make a crisp, just like my grandma taught me.

blueberry crisp
1 cup oats
1 cup AP flour  plus 2 Tbsp for berries
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup cold butter, unsalted
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
salt to taste
5 cups blueberries

instructions
-pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
-dice butter into small pieces
-combine all ingredients except 2 Tbsp flour and berries
-in a casserole dish, combine your blueberries with 2 Tbsp flour
-pour your topping mixture over your berries and softly pack down into the berries
-bake for about 40 minutes or until berries are bubbling
-enjoy with vanilla ice cream
 

recipe and photographs by kristen bach

old stairway

photograph by kristin karch

made

if you are looking for some inspiration this summer, head on over to 'MADE', at the hudgen's art center in duluth, georgia. it is a group show of powerhouse women: natalie chanin of alabama chanin, susan hable of hable construction, rebecca wood of r.wood studio, and rita mae pettway, one of the quilters of gee's bend. there is a 48 foot long wall of the history of rebecca's ceramics, starting with the very first one. there are wonderful, large botanical drawings by susan hable, as well as a couple of hand painted chairs and an inspiration wall. alabama chanin shows her famously hand stitched outfits and the pattern cut outs that they must use as a guide. there are 8 colorful quilts.

this show is wonderful not only for the creative output exemplified, but for the strong current of female energy that it embodied. drawing, sewing, decorating, making plates and quilts for the home - these are the feminine arts. no man could make this. everything in the show is fused with this wonderful energy. it's a very organic show how it all works together. go and see for yourself! the exhibit will be up through sept. 24

words and photographs by rebecca wood

mimosas

photograph by rebecca wood

kudzu

everywhere in the south you can find kudzu growing and going about its business of covering old houses, roadways and trees. it was brought over from japan to help control erosion, which it does nicely. however, it is hard to get rid of and will grow up to a foot a day in our subtropical climate, reaching out and wrapping its' tendrils around any and everything. if left unattended, it will gradually cover everything in site. here is a kudzu patch right in the neighborhood, taking over all the trees and shrubs in an undeveloped gulch, and creeping onto the porch of a nearby house.

photographs and words by rebecca wood

barnacles

photograph by kristen bach

coastal bird beauty

Every time we go to the beach i love to spend time wandering the coast and taking in everything.  I am always marveled by the birds and all of the textures and patterns that they leave in the sand.

photographs and words by kristen bach

green woods

photograph by rinne allen

roses and wildflowers

i am in maine now and i always love walking around and seeing what is in bloom here…the raspberries are barely out, but all of the wild roses are in bloom and the air is fragrant! i also love that things like lady’s mantle thrive here, as the heat of our southern summers tends to overwhelm them. even in areas where garden beds are tended here, forest and fields always surround the edges, which makes foraging for flowers endless fun. a mix of groomed and wild comes together, in a vase.

words and photographs by rinne allen

drive by barn

photograph by kristin karch

blueberry sorbet

with georgia blueberry bushes producing at their peak, we have gotten creative on ways to enjoy the delicious berries. this week we made blueberry sorbet from the berries we handpicked ourselves. 

blueberry sorbet
3 cups of frozen blueberries
1/2 cup sugar or other sweetener like honey
1 cup coconut milk, you may not use all of this
herbs, add fresh herbs like basil, thyme, or mint to your mixture

-place berries in your blender, a vitamix if you have one
-start blending adding a little bit of water, slowly just to help blend
-blend until mixed all of the way through, you may need to scrape
sides of blender several times
-eat right away or place in freezer for later

recipe and photographs by kristen bach