morning glory

photograph by rinne allen

pinks + greygreens

there are lots of silvery-greens in our garden right now and they pair perfectly with the hints of pink that are popping up too (although some of these pink hydrangeas came from a friend's yard)...

photographs & arrangement by rinne allen

summer canopy

photo by kristen bach

fermented summer salsa

our tomato plants have just started to give us some ripe tomatoes.  in just one day, i harvested over a dozen from just the few plants that we have.  i knew that there was more coming to me soon, so i decided to make some fermented salsa.  now we have salsa for the next several months! 

ingredients
about 8 summer ripened tomatoes
1 bunch of cilantro, finely diced
3 jalapenos or other peppers , just depends how hot you want them
2 large cloves of garlic
12 spring onions, finely dice the whites and 4 inches of greens
juice of 4 lemons
1 1/2 TBSP sea salt
 

directions

-wash your tomatoes and remove any splits or blemishes

-cut the tomatoes into big pieces

-put all tomatoes in a food processor

-pulse 10 times or until there are little or few big pieces left

-put tomatoes in a smaller bowl

-finely dice the jalapenos, spring onions, garlic, cilantro

-add to bowl

-add the lemon juice and sea salt

-carefully spoon your salsa into clean mason jars, leaving 1/2 inch of space at the top

-using plastic mason jar covers, secure lids on each jar

-place salsa out of direct sunlight for 2-3 days

-after the second day taste your ferments, if you would like it more tangy you can leave for another day or two

-when your salsa is done fermenting, store in refrigerator for up to 6  months, if it will last that long

photos and recipe by kristen bach

moss + stone

photograph by rinne allen

sweet peach's sweet spots!

since the fall, we have been working with our friend pamela of sweet peach on a guide to 50 of our favorite spots in athens...the free printed guide will be available in just a few weeks! we wanted to share a sneak peek today, as we all proof the guide in preparation for sending it off to the printer...

it is a beautiful little guide and will share the sensibility of pamela's guides to atlanta that she has produced over the last year...the wonderful sarah neuburger of the small object illustrated the guide and her style makes it all the more special.

we love sharing what we love about athens, so keep your eyes open for the guide around town!

summer humidity

photograph by rebecca wood

beautiful barn

i recently visited some friends in marshall, n.c. there are a lot of beautiful old barns around there, and we went exploring. here's one -

photographs and words by rebecca wood

geranium

photograph by rinne allen

the panhandle landscape

'tis the season to head to the beach and plant yourself next to some water.  it reminded me of our last beach trip to the panhandle of florida... to fort pickens, right off of pensacola.  the landscape there was minimal with white sand, blue water, and bare with the occasional live oak.  a lovely sight!

photos and words by kristen bach

watermelon on the vine

photograph by rinne allen

garden greens

recently, i made a simple arrangement for a friend out of different types of hydrangeas, solomon's seal, hearty begonia leaves, and some iris greens...

photographs by rinne allen

reflection

photo by kristen bach

cabbage & fennel slaw

we love making this fresh slaw.  it is great on BBQ, tacos, or salads and is a perfect dish for a potluck.

ingredients

1 head of cabbage, thinly sliced

3 heads of small fennel bulbs, or 1 large, thinly sliced 

1 clove or diced garlic

juice of one lemon

1/2 cup of mayo (I used veganaise)

3 Tbsp red wine vinegar (or juice from pickles)

1 Tbsp maple syrup or honey

sea salt

fennel fronds, reserve some for sprinkling on top

directions

-thinly slice your cabbage and fennel

-in a small bowl mix together mayo, garlic, lemon juice, syrup, and vinegar to make your dressing

-in a large bowl, toss cabbage,  fennel and some fennel fronds

-combine your dressing with the cabbage mix and salt to taste

-put in fridge for an hour to let flavors marinate

-just before serving sprinkle some fennel fronds on top for beauty

-bon appétit!

recipe and photos by kristen bach

Sassafrass

photograph by rinne allen

crafting with magnolias

there is a constant supply of magnolia leaves around here and are one of our favorite craft supplies.  we love to spray paint them for a blank canvas, glitter them for some sparkle, paint or color them, and string them up for a burst of color in a room.  harvest some magnolia leaves and make something this weekend! 

wild aster

photograph by rinne allen

brick and vines

i revisited an old factory complex of brick buildings in madison, georgia recently. i'd say they're from the late 1800's. the grass was so green after a big rain,and the color of the old bricks and the blue sky was lovely. and of course, the bricks made a lovely backdrop for the ever growing vines of the south.

photographs and word by rebecca wood

web & leaf

photograph by rinne allen

oconee hill cemetery

recently, i explored oconee hill cemetery...it is such a beautiful place. it runs along the river, tucked away in the shadow of the UGA football stadium. it used to be more open to the public; there was even a footpath cutting through it for students to traverse to and from class, but the path was closed due to a rise in vandalism. it is a shame, because there are beautiful monuments, large old trees and plantings, and, contrary to what many may think, a diverse group of athenians laid to rest here...

words and photographs by rinne allen