peeling paint

photograph by kristen bach

ideas everywhere

i'm always scrutinizing shapes and colors and patterns that i see on my walks. lately, i seem to be drawn to the abstract. i'm also thinking about how to paint abstractly.  with each of these cement curb shots, i can see as a huge 8 x 12 foot painting. maybe i could paint like that...

photographs and words by rebecca wood

brick shadows

photograph by kristin karch

winter bot gardens textures

we all spend a lot of time at our local botanical gardens…it is just at the edge of town, along the oconee river. winter walks along the many trails there yield glimpses of nature’s structure and quieter colors and patterns than you see in the warmer seasons. the openness that comes from winter is refreshing and provides views that would otherwise be obscured.

words & photographs by rinne allen

beach tracks

photograph by kristin karch

mississippi fog

over the holidays, i visited some family in coastal mississippi. there was a dense layer of fog over the beach and the harbor for almost the entire trip that made for the most wonderful moody landscape.

photographs by kristin karch

frosty leaves

photograph by kristen bach

sasanqua simplicity

photographs by rinne allen

winter color

photo by kristen bach

banana cream poke cake

in the south, new years day is just as big of a celebration as new years eve.  eating collard greens, black eyed peas, and corn bread is a southern ritual for bringing goodness in the new year.  my family has a tradition of spending the day with friends and family and having a big potluck feast.  i made a banana cream poke cake to go alongside all of the savory items.
-i started by making this buttermilk cake as a base and punched big holes throughout
-i then made a batch of vanilla pudding and layered it on top of the cake
-next, i added a layer of freshly sliced bananas
-then i made a layer of whipped cream and carefully spread it over the bananas  (see recipe below)
-lastly i topped the dessert with a layer of vanilla wafers.
my favorite whipped cream recipe
1 liter of heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp of sweetener (maple syrup or powdered sugar)
1 tsp vanilla
inside of 1 vanilla  bean (optional but so good)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
a pinch of salt
-whip your very cold whipping cream until soft peaks start to form
-add a sweetener and whip again
-slowly stir in the rest of the ingredients and keep chilled

photos and words by kristen bach

ginkgo

photograph by rinne allen

wild growth calendar

our friend megan of brown parcel press makes the loveliest calendars each year. this year’s calendar is no exception! titled ‘wild growth’, it is full of beautifully illustrated and beautifully printed pages, one for each month. this calendar would make a special gift for someone you love or who loves beautiful things.

photographs and words by rinne allen

crocus

photograph by rinne allen

fort yargo camping

i recently went camping with some friends at fort yargo state park for the first time, and it was so much fun! we chose to sleep in a yurt, which had access to the beautiful lake, cannoes, and a fire pit. it is located in winder, just a quick 30 minutes from athens!

photographs and words by kristin karch

autumn vines

photograph by kristin karch

mule creek

my family's property is one of my favorite places. i got the chance to fully explore it this past weekend and i was surprised of all the beauty i found. something about moody overcast light brings out the soul of the land.

photographs and words by kristin karch

patched tin

photograph by kristen bach

ikebana book

this is the time of year when i am drawn to ikebana. all that is left in the garden are pods and stems, with a few sasanquas here and there. this book from japan always inspires me (i think i may have shared it here before, because i love it so much!). there are some beautiful moments inside it. hopefully it will encourage you to try a simple flower arrangement this winter too!

photographs and words by rinne allen

creek + leaves

photo by kristen bach

salt and vinegar sunchokes

i love when root veggie season starts.  roasted roots are one of my top comfort foods. last week we got some sunchokes in our CSA box and roasted them up to go alongside a veggie burger. 

ingredients
sunchokes, cleaned and diced into medium size pieces
1 tsp olive oil
large flake salt
malt vinegar
directions
-pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
-in a roasting pan toss sunchokes with olive oil
-roast for about 30 minutes or until they start to get some color
-toss with a tiny bit of vinegar and sprinkle with some salt

photo and recipe by kristen bach