jasper county in springtime

photograph by rinne allen

budding

photograph by rinne allen

strawberry buttermilk ice cream

i am afraid that the warm of summer has moved in for good.  we have been having lots of perfect days....those perfect ones that make you want to be outside all day long.  warm days go hand in hand with strawberry season.  check out this perfect warm day treat. 

ingredients

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

2 cups buttermilk

1 dollop of local honey

1 tsp vanilla

a pinch of salt

1 large handful (or more) of fresh strawberries, finely diced

directions

-remove from heat and cool over an ice bath

-mix in buttermilk, honey, vanilla, salt

-put mixture in an ice cream maker and follow directions that come with your machine

-enjoy solo or with a slice of warm pound cake

photos and recipe by kristen bach

flowering trees

photograph by rinne allen

branches

photograph by rinne allen

fields of color

i walk at a track on the edge of town. it’s surrounded by fields left unmowed ( probably budget cuts! ), but i am so thankful! the wildflowers and weeds make the most amazing color display! see if you can believe it -

photos and wordsy by rebecca wood

crown vetch in bloom

photo by rebecca wood

spring berry cake

our spring has had a late start this year...lots of rain & cool days... it has gotten us behind schedule.  spring berries are just getting started.   today we made a spring berry cake.  we enjoyed it with some vanilla ice cream and a big sunday dinner.

ingredients

2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temp

1 egg

3/4 cup local honey

1/3 cup whole milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla&

1 pound fresh berries

directions

-pre-heat oven to 325 degrees

-mix dry ingredients

-mix wet ingredients

-add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined

-spread the mixture in a small casserole pan (roughly 8 x 10 inches)

-arrange berries on top

-put in the oven for about 50 minutes or until browned on top

-serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream

passion flower

passion flower, a.k.a. maypop

photographs by rinne allen

spring

This is how spring happens sometimes. you go to bed with bare branches against the starry sky,but after a night rain and a warm night,you wake up the next day and everything is solid chartreuse!

photo by Rebecca Wood

planting a garden

photo by Kristen Bach

green popping through

Yesterday I went for a walk in the woods and loved all of the green popping through the browns of winter.  A lovely sight that only lasts a couple of days until the entire forest is covered in green!

photos and words by Kristen Bach

violet posey

in my 20's i spent a stretch of time in england...i remember flower-sellers with little violet posies on the street corners in the spring. they are so tiny, but so sweet. in our garden, the violets are popping up and they make the perfect bouquet for a friend.

photographs & words by rinne allen

magnolia color

this time of year everything is bursting out. outside my studio door there is a japanese magnolia that drops its purple petals on my doorstep. i walk through them each day as i go to work. i love all of the shades of purpley-pink...

photograph by rinne allen

buds + blooms

photo by Kristen Bach

rainy day drivin'

I love to ride out in the country, looking at pastures, trees and sky.  I got these lovely photos capturing a storm blowing over.

Photos and words by Rebecca Wood