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photo by kristen bach

Magnolia Fairy

this year for halloween, my daughter maypop chose to be a nature fairy.  i have to say i was waiting for the day to make a fairy costume.  this week we have been collecting ingredients to make her costume with.  this southern nature fairy is going to be covered in magnolia leaves and handing out acorns.  i can't wait! happy halloween y'all!

photos and words by kristen bach

persimmons

photograph by rinne allen

fall field beauty

this time of year, i can be found driving around in the country...alot. i love the fall fields.

photographs by rinne allen

swamp sunflowers

photograph by rinne allen

little tin barn

this little tin barn is in rebecca, georgia. the back end is held up by the biggest chinaberry tree i ever saw. love old tin shacks!

words and photographs by rebecca wood

marshgrass

photograph by rinne allen

white

photographs by rinne allen

longleaf

photograph by rinne allen

autumn vegetable pie

'tis the season for comfort meals, eating dinner on the porch, and enjoying the brisk evenings.  the other day my family enjoyed this fall pie, hope you do too! 

-pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees

-dice 1 small yellow onion, 3 cloves of garlic, and 1 medium sized butternut squash

-cool the butternut squash layer and mix in 3/4 cup pecans and 5 leaves of sage, finely chopped

-toss vegetables with salt and 1 Tbsp of olive oil

-roast in the oven for about 30 minutes or until fully cooked 

-wash and cut up into small pieces 1 bunch of kale grate 8 ounces of gruyere cheese

-in a medium sized bowl combine cheese, kale and 1/2 tsp salt

assembling the pie...

-using a pastry brush coat the bottom of a 9 x 13 casserole pan with olive oil

-carefully arrange a sheet of phyllo dough and using the brush, apply a coat of olive oil, repeat until you have layered 5 sheets

-carefully spoon a layer of the butternut squash mixture over the phyllo dough layer

-repeat the phyllo dough and olive oil layer (5 sheets of phyllo)

-spoon the Kale mixture over thy phyllo and repeat the phyllo sheet layer

-spoon the remaining butternut squash mixture over the phyllo dough

-put the final layer of phyllo.  you can use whatever is left over.  sprinkle with salt

-bake covered with foil at 350 degrees for 30 minutes

-remove foil and cook until browned, another 10-20 minutes

photo and recipe by kristen bach

firecracker lily

photograph by rinne allen

old friends

a few weeks ago, rebecca, kristen and i spent the day with our friend nancy. we wanted to visit and catch up, but, also, nancy was writing a piece for the bitter southerner about her path southward, and also about beauty everyday. we spent the day going to each other's spaces and talking and reminiscing, over tea and homecooked food.

nancy was really one of our early connectors...i discovered rebecca's pottery in 1994 because nancy carried some pieces in her shop, frontier, in downtown athens. i have vivid memories of the early days of frontier; it was like stepping into another world, full of beautiful items all lovingly curated by nancy. it was more than just a shop; there was so much to be inspired by. also, i will never forget the first time i went to nancy's house. seeing the space that she had created for her family made a huge impression on me.

in 1995, i returned to athens after college and had my sights set on working at r.wood studio...and eventually i started working there. there were only 3 employees back then...no one knew how much it would eventually grow; we just enjoyed it for what it was at that moment. i learned more from my time there and from knowing rebecca that it is impossible to sum it up in this space here.

but, now, all these years later, i feel lucky that we are all still close and that we get to spend time together and collaborate and create. everyday.

enjoy these photos from rebecca's house and r.wood studio, and from treehouse kid&craft, kristen's shop, and 1 or 2 from our lunch break at my studio. you will see a cycle of inspiration running throughout. they all inform each other and all come from and back towards each other.

words and photographs by rinne allen

carved

photograph by rebecca wood

rebecca, georgia

on the way to albany last week, i made a side trip to visit rebecca, georgia. it was a gorgeous fall day for road tripping. i was proud to see the water tower with my name on it, but all that was left otherwise was a quickie mart. the little row of brick shops was all caved in and windows gone. nothing available there now but beauty.

words and photographs by rebecca wood

hand hewn

photo by kristen bach

sarah and zach's farmington home

a couple of months ago i visited with a friend in her home in farmington, georgia.  farmington is just 20 minutes or so outside of athens and the tiny town is filled with potters and folk artists.   we always daydream about living there, seeing this house only enhanced that dream!  

i met sarah a few years ago, just as she and her husband purchased this house and dove head first into a major historic preservation project.  while i didn't see the house before, the finished home was one of those spaces that will forever be marked in my mind.   this expansive 1800's home is filled with tall ceilings, plaster walls, hand hewn logs, old furniture, and art.  zach owns oneta woodworks which specializes in reclaimed millwork.  there are elements of reclaimed wood all around the house that has given it some modern yet rustic updates while nodding to it's orginal time period. it sure is a lovey home and accomplishment.

photos and words by kristen bach

morning sparkles

photo by kristen bach

gathering fall

fall is my favorite time for gathering things from the garden- persimmons, kale, okra, clematis pods and more find their way into this quiet arrangement. i love the mix of textures and the dark palette.

arrangement and photographs by rinne allen

napa leaves + sun

photo by kristen bach

napa and kohlrabi kimchi

i have always loved kimchi and i am thrilled to see it popping up on menus around town.  my favorite kimchi dish that i have had is at home.made where chef mimi maumus makes  a kimchi and quinoa bowl topped with an egg and pork belly if you choose.  i can't wait to try to re-create that at home! 

this past week i got a big napa cabbage from our farm along with some other early fall hearty vegetables.  i immediately knew what i wanted to make.  KIMCHI!  i know that kimchi is traditionally made with salted shrimp and fish sauce but i wanted to make one that highlighted the fermented vegetables.  so if you want to add some fish sauce and korean salted shrimp.....go for it!  here we go.

napa and kohlrabi kimchi 

-cut 1 large napa cabbage into 1 inch pieces and put in a large bowl.  coat the cabbage with 1/4 cup sea salt and set aside to let the cabbage sweat for 1 hour

-in a colander rinse the salt off of the cabbage. press all of the water out of the cabbage, use a clean towel to dry as well

-meanwhile, make your kimchi paste.... in  small food processor take 5 Tbsp dried korean red peppers; gochugaru.  this can be found at your local asian market.  a 3 inch piece of ginger; skin removed, 4 cloves of garlic, 2 tsp sea salt, the whites of 6 spring onions, 4 carrots, and 2 Tbsp sugar.  puree these ingredients until combined and a paste is formed.

-peel and slice 2 kohlrabi into mach stick shaped pieces and slice the greens of 6 spring onions into 1/2 inch pieces.

-combine all of the vegetables in the large bowl.

-add the paste and massage it into the vegetables. 

-in 2 quart sized jars, fill with the kimchi mixture leaving 1-2 inches at the top. 

-put jars in a dark cupboard and let rest at room temperature for 3-4 days. 

-check each day and open jars to release the gases. your kimchi will start to bubble, it's ok it's supposed to. 

-store in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.serve on salads, over eggs, add to stir fries but make sure to not cook the kimchi too much or you will destroy the healthy fermented goodness of the kimchi.

photos and recipe by kristen bach