Reason to Celebrate
May 24, 2014
I thought they were going to be a “no-show”, but, after a couple of 70 degree days in a row this week I noticed a bit of activity on my Dogwoods. Excitedly I clipped a branch to bring inside and by the morning…well… we had bloom. To celebrate I decided a Mint Julep would play well into my Dogwood celebration. It all just seemed simple and modern and southern some how. Perfect.
The Garden & Gun video for this perfect modern take on the classic Mint Julep will have you making one for yourself and wondering why people don’t make these more often. http://gardenandgun.com/media/mint-julep
Better Late…
May 18, 2014
than never. While I usually schedule my Spring clean-up for somewhere nearer the middle of March, this past Winter and Winter-like Spring has only now allowed me the luxury taking stock and pulling on my gloves. Clearly Mother Nature has taken her revenge and has left my property to resemble Chernobyl after the blast rather than a rural retreat in the Midwest. Boxwood hedges…gone. Yew hedges…stripped to skeletal by hungry deer. Japanese Skyrocket Hollies…a moment of silence please. And, what is left in the way of birches, pines and spruce had taken one last good beating during a severe hailstorm on Palm Sunday. Devastating. At least the grass is finally green. And, on that one positive note I will look to the light at the end of this tunnel, entertaining the thought of rewarding myself in a setting like this…pea gravel soft underfoot, a gentle afternoon breeze weaving its way through the masses of miscanthus, and a cocktail. Oh yeah…after this mess there will be cocktails.
photo via: http://cabbagerose.tumblr.com/post/85363575103/outdoor-room-via-lorrainepennington
Bridging The Gap
May 11, 2014
Gabions. Wire cages filled with rock, bridging the gap between rustic and modern, old and new, hard and soft. A landscape application that I’m surprised I don’t see more of. Retaining walls, fences or even enclosures can be achieved cost effectively using steel wire gabion baskets with rock or stone…even recycled concrete. While it might look like a DIY project, seeking out a landscape professional could save some time and expense.
photo via Pinterest
photo:gp
photo via http://remash.tumblr.com/
A simple, lighter spin…
May 4, 2014
on potato salad. We want to move into Spring and Summer but the weather’s still holding us back. While a side of potatoes is comforting we want to shift into salad mode right? Isn’t it about time? This simplified version of an Everyday Food favorite…Potatoes Vinaigrette…is the perfect simplequietmodern transition salad. Young Yukon Gold potatoes, celery and the simplest Dijon vinaigrette will get you there in no time. Served at room temperature on a cooler day or chilled when the temperatures start to rise and you’ll find that this might just be your new Summer “go to”.
I’ve done a simple adaptation on the original recipe below by using either new white potatoes or small Yukon Gold, as much celery and celery leaves as I like…and I like alot. My vinaigrette uses only Dijon mustard, general-use olive oil and apple cider vinegar… because that is what I always have in the pantry. http://www.marthastewart.com/315005/potatoes-vinaigrette
Now, That’s A Shed
May 1, 2014
OK…I don’t need a shed, but I’d like a shed. More specifically, this shed. It falls right into my simplequietmodern sensibilities. Maximum awe accomplished with three humble materials… wood, galvanized steel and polycarbonate sheet. And, it was pre-fabricated and assembled on site. Thanks to the minds at Hufft Projects design collective mine is running wild with the possibilities. While I might not use it to store riding machinery or heavy equipment, I could certainly put it to great use as a studio, gallery, gym, or chapel…a place to create, host, retreat, rock, nap, meditate, hide out or… simply hang out.
photos via:http://hufft.com/residential/the-shed/
It’s no wonder…
April 20, 2014
that they were once more valuable than property or gold. What man could even come close to producing anything near the tulip? Some simple…some exquisitely complex, each holds a special delicate beauty that is unrivaled. While white is typically my first choice, after months of gray all Winter long I am opting for a bit of color this Easter. And, lucky me…this bunch of parrots just seemed to evoke the very feeling I was looking for. The eggs? How about let’s leave ’em white?
Heads it’s black…
April 6, 2014
tails it’s white. You might have to flip a coin to make this decision. After fifty plus years as an icon of modern interior furnishings, the Saarinen table is now available for outdoor use. As the white top/white base configuration of the 1957 original has been my all time favorite, I can’t see changing things up now…or can I ?
photos via http://hivemodern.com/pages/product7267/eero-saarinen-outdoor-dining-table-knoll
Finally.
April 3, 2014
And not minute too soon. The emergence of the first blooms of the season. Witch Hazel…with it’s blossoms like little confetti ribbons unfurled to greet us. Thank you. It was worth the wait.
No Witch Hazel sightings? Then maybe a trip out for an armload of Forsythia, French Pussywillow, Bear Grass and Tulips will hold ya.
Black Fences
March 31, 2014
If “good fences make good neighbors” * what would Robert Frost have written about black fences? Chic neighbors? There is no denying the sophisticated good looks of these black fences or how they elevate the green elements around them to a new level entirely. Picture them running down a property with their long horzontal lines… can you see the forced perspective? Even the simple picket has more appeal when given a modern facelift of a beefier profile and black finish. With an injection of a little drama like this you might even be able to skip using color at all in your garden this year. Just a thought.
photos via http://www.gardenista.com/posts/trend-alert-black-fences
* “Mending Wall” by Robert Frost
Smells Like Fun
March 28, 2014
Commodity Goods… they got it right. From their refreshing collection of fragrances for men and women they offer the perfect sampling options at the best possible price. What a great way to try a little Whiskey or Cloth ( or any of the twenty offerings ) without the lengthy commitment. I worked my way through their men’s “fitting kit” and ended up where I started…with Moss, my simplequietmodern favorite. Cane and Book came in close seconds, but it was the unique freshness of Moss that had me hooked… like the first warm, clear spring day with moss greening in the yard and the last of the ice melting away. I’m waiting for that day to appear. Until it does? I’ll be happy with a spritz of this.
Moss bottle photo via: https://www.commoditygoods.com/
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