Like fireflies out of season,
November 5, 2013
these Stargazer Lights from Terrain will illuminate the holidays magically. For use both inside and out, in lengths from 6 to 100 feet. The flexible copper wire can be wrapped around tree limbs, wound through evergreen garlands or simply gathered en masse inside a tall glass cylinder vase to great effect … their tiny sparks casting a warm inviting glow. Now where’s that list? Holiday lights…done.
Photos: Terrain
Jackpot!
October 21, 2013
Jaxon and I took a drive in the country instead of lunch today, heading for the spot where I annually gather a bag full of Osage oranges. An October ritual that provides me with my fix of chartreuse and my natural spider repellant. Upon arrival at our destination I found only one…but it was a beauty. So back to the office we go, pleased that our pleasant road trip was not a total loss. Then, less then a mile from where we started our little adventure I saw another on the gravel shoulder… I pulled over. When I bent to pick it up I spotted, nestled in the soft grasses of a ditch, over two dozen more, glowing from beneath the fading Rhoadsidiana. A great haul, a nice little midday break and some time with my bud…it seemed like old times.
“Consider the Daffodil…
October 18, 2013
…and while you’re doing that I’ll be over here looking through your stuff”* Seriously, if you want to see Daffodils in your world come Spring, the time to plant them is now. And to keep it simplequietmodern, forget the neat clusters in beds and borders and toss the bulbs by the handful across your lawn and plant them where they randomly fall. There they will naturalize into welcome drifts of the best yellow ever officially proclaiming the end of Winter.
*Jack Handy
Still Grillin’
October 12, 2013
I just can’t get enough Chimichurri sauce. And, like the Argentinians, I’ll take it on anything grilled, any time, and then some. This simple condiment of parsley, mint, and garlic will extend summer freshness well into fall. Most traditionally used on grilled meat of any kind like grilled sausages, a rib eye or lamb, why not try it spooned over some late summer heirloom tomatoes, oven roasted new potatoes or even alongside a simple quesadilla?
Nature Scatters…
October 6, 2013
…man gathers. And, in this case the man is artist/designer Riley McFerrin. From the shores near his home in the Pacific Northwest he gathers ocean washed limbs and sets forth to transform them into light fixtures of natural abstraction. Using pegs and tenons you would normally expect to see in fine furniture construction the result is like a floating three dimensional “sketch”. Modernist…yes. Naturalist…yes. And, impressively scaled at 24″ to 32 ” around, I can’t think of a better way to yank the outside in and shed some light wherever you might need it.
http://hinterlanddesign.com/collection/scattergather-pendant-light
Back to school…
September 3, 2013
back to work or just getting back to it. It’s September. Get up early…when everything is just quieter and the earliest morning sun seems to shed a new type of light on everything…and sneak off to your favorite corner to size up the coming season. A sort of meditation on your upcoming projects and projects still waiting to spring off the starting blocks. Whether they be an interior focus, some gardening attention, the tackling of a new skill set or honing an existing one, each can benefit from a few uninterrupted moments of relaxation and free thought. Before the activities and responsibilities of the day take over, pick your spot , take a deep cleansing breath and see what new inspiration surfaces. And don’t forget, we still have 3 weeks of Summer to enjoy before the chill of Fall is actually upon us.
Maybe Next Year
August 25, 2013
Getting the lawn crew on board might be the biggest challenge. The mowing of meandering paths of turf through “islands” of meadow might be just the ticket to 1) freshen up a stale yard 2) invite nature back in to your home environment 3) reduce emissions from petroleum fueled power equipment. It’s just a thought, but it seems much more modern than acres of turf that has been fertilized, weed killed, edged and plucked to within an inch of its natural life. A paradigm shift like this would do everyone a world of good on so many levels, from a tiny urban plot to sprawling suburban acres. I’m loving it.
http://www.danpearsonstudio.com/#/selected-works/private/oxfordshire/
Did someone say picnic?
August 22, 2013
It might have been me. That’s what immediately came to mind when I spotted these concrete tables and benches in a local park. I had never seen anything like them before… old, weathered, yet with a decidedly modern edge. Picture it…racing through the ” golden arches” in a ’65 Corvair convertible and stealing away to the park for a little lunch…a little sun. It’s still summer people, slow it down.
Simple salad…simple side
August 19, 2013
Green beans with pickled red onion…a perfect summer salad or side. 1) Blanch green beans , refresh in an ice bath and drain 2) Thinly slice red onion and steep in a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar 3) Strain pickled onion and toss with green beans, season with a pinch of salt and a grind of pepper. If you happen to have a few sprigs of dill, even better but not necessary. Serve them chilled or at room temperature. That’s it…done.
simplequietmodern 