Artful Departure
October 29, 2014
Halloween. I don’t get the fascination. ” Christmas ” lights in purple and orange, tacky decorations and even tackier costumes all based on the annual preoccupation with death and dying and all things “spooky”. The Dia de los Muertos is something else completely…honoring and celebrating the lives of those who have passed and staring death straight in the face. I’m all for that. It wouldn’t hurt to have an exit strategy in place before it’s your turn to shuffle off and save yourself from being interred in a location of someone elses choosing in a recepticle that is, well, lacking. A little preplanning can insure your artful departure.
A couple of simplequietmodern options to consider to put the final puntuation on a life well lived:
Tom Kundig’s ” Final Turn” blackened steel funerary urn http://lundgrenmonuments.com
Space burial via Conastoga: http://www.celestis.com/conestogaFlight.asp
There’s something to be said…
October 26, 2014
for the restorative powers of the simplest task. Who knew that the autumnal tradition of raking leaves could be as cleansing as meditation? After a weeklong barrage of premeditated nastiness and disrespect ( yes, I’ve had better weeks ) I look forward to a crisp Sunday afternoon with Jaxon, my rake and my burn pile…an unbeatable combination to help regroup, rethink and get something accomplished. Yep, that’s better.
Soups On
October 20, 2014
Changes in weather…changes in schedule…additional Fall projects…all have me in need of a little break and a little grounding. I can’t think of anything better to get me back on track and slow me down than a big bowl of soup. And if it’s simple…even better. Marcella Hazan’s recipe for Venetian style Rice and Smothered Cabbage soup fits the bill perfectly with just a few simple ingredients. If you plan ahead, prepare enough cabbage to have as a side, then transform the rest into the soup
The recipe can be found here:http://food52.com/recipes/27213-marcella-hazan-s-rice-and-smothered-cabbage-soup photos: gp
It’s a wrap.
October 11, 2014
Well, actually, it’s a poncho…which is a type of wrap, isn’t it? And, just in time to ward off the Autumn chill. When I realized that I didn’t have enough wool to create a blanket or a throw, this was the simplequietmodern solution… a modified and color blocked version of the Easy Folded Poncho from Churchmouse Yarns and Teas. There you have it. Challenge accepted…challenge completed.
Go here https://simplequietmodern.com/2014/08/17/better-like-this-2/and here
https://simplequietmodern.com/2014/09/19/creative-block/ to get the back story.
The original pattern is available here: http://www.churchmouseyarns.com/
Now that it’s Fall…
October 5, 2014
what’s inspiring you?
top to bottom:
The scale of this burlap weave gives some indication of how tiny this found nest actually is. What might you discover on a walk around your yard or neighborhood? And, if you have an idea as to what small bird called this home, let me know.
The local farm stands are loaded with the seasons bounty. Skip the crowds at the cider mill and pick up an armload of beets, take ’em home and roast ’em up or turn them into a soup for the week ahead.
A chill in the air calls for wool…maybe a cap…maybe in hand dyed Autumn reds.
Starting to collect and recycle packaging materials now will save you from picking up a few tacky rolls of gift wrap closer to the holidays. I’m thinking this expanded kraft paper is going to be the perfect addition to my classic crisp white tissue. It’s looking pretty modern to me.
This Lingham stone always seems to move to a more visible location in the Fall so that I can better enjoy it’s unique natural colorations. A quick spin and edit of your interior accessories will have everything looking new as you start to spend more time inside.
A Coffee Break rose, left to dry to a new kind of beautiful, will continue to add interest throughout the Fall, into Thanksgiving…possibly even Christmas. Start by enjoying then drying them now and they’ll be ready to put into service again when the time comes.
all photos: gp
No chickens were harmed…
October 1, 2014
in the making of this dish. More and more I find myself looking for a way not to handle raw chicken but it’s kind of hard to make Chicken Paprikash without it. For this meal the solution was easy…substitute Baby Portobellos and you’ve got, well, Mushroom Paprikash. Easy, easy, easy to make with only a few ingredients and, you could easily have this on the table in 30 minutes. Make some on the next chilly evening and it’ll be like a big hug from a Hungarian grandma. You will never miss the bird.
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