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

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

the alabama organic cotton project

We've written about our friends at Alabama Chanin here many times; They are continually doing great things. Recently, alongside their friend and frequent collaborator Billy Reid, they've seen the launch of their first line of garments grown from their very own organic cotton.

Over two years ago, members of the Alabama Chanin and Billy Reid teams planted seeds for a 6.9 acre organic cotton crop, and tended the field with the help of friends & family. In the fall of that year, they celebrated the harvest by hosting a picking party for the 150+ friends who came to help pick this first batch of organically grown cotton. The cotton was then delivered to a nearby gin, and then traversed the south to various mills where it eventually became yards & yards of cotton jersey fabric.

Rinne documented the harvest and the crop's journey to becoming clothing designed, made and sold by Alabama Chanin and Billy Reid. Her work, alongside more photographs and details about the harvest can be found in the first installment of her New York Times series on harvests across the South.

photograph by rinne allen

rural academy theater

we love this...so much. horse-drawn wagon + performance...we wish their horses could get down closer to our way here in georgia! check out the rural academy theater's site for their tour dates...

favorite places

one of my favorite places to photograph is hancock county, georgia. an hour or so from athens, the drive down is through scenic farmland and river forests, but the best part really is arriving at the destination; you know you are there when the county courthouse looms into view. while exploring the patchwork of beautiful historic buildings, the deepness of this place comes across in its structures, whether humble or grand, restored or fallen. this church is one of my favorite places within the county lines, or anywhere.

words & photographs by rinne allen

field

photo by Kristen Bach

divinity

One of my good friends was telling me about her love for divinity, a Southern Candy.  Most Southerners seem to have fond memories of this sweet and decadent treat.  The other day my daughter and I made a batch to try it out.  I sprinkled with a little fleur de sel just to give this a little sweet and saltiness.  I am hooked.

photos and words by Kristen Bach

Little Arabia Mountain

Over the holidays, my friend and I decided to check out some other "Stone Mountains" near the big, famous Stone mountain southeast of Atlanta.  There are two smaller granite domes nearby that you can also visit.  First, we went to the next biggest dome, at Panola State Park.  There's lots of little trails there where you can observe the granite outcroppings and the plant life that survives there. Isay survives because during hot summer droughts these plants and lichens are baked for days on end, but when the rains come, the natural depressions in the rock spring to life, each pool it's own mini ecosystem. You can't hike to the top of panel mountain yet ( a trail is promised ),but you can see it.

We then went to the smallest dome, Little Arabia Mountain, also a state park, and were pleased to find we could climb up it.  We found our way by stone cairns set every so often. the puddles reflected the blue sky.  The wind was gentle and the rocks were warm.  A great place to go.

photos and words by Rebecca Wood

Vintage and Variety

While driving through ths Smokies we found this gem of a junk store.  It sadly was closed but we enjoyed peeking around anyways!

photos and words by kristen bach

Brown Parcel Press, From Scratch

Every year I look forward to the new Brown Parcel Press Calendars.  Each month is a sweetly illustrated depiction of life on the farm...in the South. 

Artist Megan Fowler resides on a farm in Sparta, Georgia with her husband, daughter, pigs, goats, and chickens. She prints in a lovely Old General Store.

If you would like to purchase a limited edition Calendar...visit here or here.

Here is a sneak peek at the calendar and a little video showing a little bit about her creative process. 

Check back next week.... share some views of her sweet Letter Press studio that we recently visited.

Trail of Tears BBQ

We were driving through Stone Mountain Village and came across this BBQ joint.  It left us wondering.....