Branching Out
July 2, 2012
What a simplequietmodern way to display a good handful of Rhoadsidiana ~grasses, wildflowers, seed pods~ picked on a relaxing walk around the lake. You are week-ending in the country aren’t you? Modeled from an actual tree limb by ceramist extraordinaire PaulaValentim ,Tree Branch maintains the shape, texture and detail of the real thing. Produced in porcelain clay, this vessel is glazed on the inside to hold water, yet is quietly matte in its exterior finish. Just like arranging flowers in one of your glass cylinder vases (you must have one by now), putting this to great use could not be simpler. Give all of your selected material a fresh cut, fill the container with clear clean water and drop in…letting everything arrange itself. Done.
Red White and Blueberry
June 30, 2012
Well, that would have been a more appropriate plan for the 4th of July, but I really love blueberries and nectarines. It’s my favorite of the ” crisp” desserts. It’s simple. I love blueberries. I love nectarines.I love them together. OK, then it got a little confusing when I ran into something called a Peacharine~ 1/2 peach 1/2 nectarine. How bad could that be? As it happens, they are fantastic! They almost tasted more “peachy” than most of the peaches I’ve had in recent years with a rich vibrant flavor and as juicy as you’d love them to be. So… that was the new plan, substituting the nectarines with peacharines in my Nectarine Blueberry Crisp. This is simple, simple, simple and there will be nothing left but an empty baking dish. Add this to your 4th menu and let me know if you get any complaints other than you needed to have made two.
Ready…set…
June 17, 2012
summer! Yard cleaned and planted? Check. Furniture pulled out of storage? Check. Grill in working order? Check. Good. Now that all of the outdoor spring chores are done and you have set up the appropriate areas for outdoor dining, entertaining and relaxing take a good look around. Scope it out. Your spot…to read, plan a menu, have a drink or have a nap. We wait for this all winter, now…enjoy.The sights, the sounds, the tastes…summer.
Would I…
June 9, 2012
like this book as a Father’s Day gift? You bet! It’s no secret that I love trees, logs, branches, stumps, bark. If it’s part of a tree…give it to me. Even my cocktail table is a giant slice of raw, fallen tree. And, I’ve been known to use sections of logs as side tables or stools. If I framed some unfinished birch plywood whorls to hang instead of art no one would be surprised. That said, this hardcover volume of woodcut relief prints by Bryan Nash Gill, simply titled Woodcut, is right up my aesthetic. For the modern naturalist or natural modernist on your list, this could be just to ticket.
In case you missed it…
June 5, 2012
my friend Marshall has captured yesterday’s full Strawberry Moon. I love some moonlight, but it is so bright in my yard it seemed nearer to daylight. Just simple. Just quiet. 
Just…beautiful.
2 steps back…
May 29, 2012
to get you to where you have already been. As I look at this table I can’t help wondering why I am drawn to it’s simple planked design. I then realize that I have used this solution before, in the juxtaposition of three raw pine boards fabricated into a tabletop for a classic Corbusier dining table base. The spaces between the boards were as an important a statement as the unfinished quality of the boards themselves. As seen here, they create an illusion of greater length. There is nothing like a great big table surface…to gather with family and friends or sit down alone to pay a few bills. 
How great would this be here with the C 24’s? https://simplequietmodern.wordpress.com/2012/01/11/c-24/
For starters,
May 26, 2012
I kept this Quinoa salad simple. Feta , tomatoes, Italian parsley and Quinoa tossed with a simple vinaigrette of lemon juice and olive oil with a touch of garlic. Salt and pepper to taste and you’re done. A simple, satisfying lunch or a great side for any summer supper. Then I started thinking of ” add ins”…garbanzos, Persian cucumbers? Maybe oil packed tuna or some grilled chicken? Dill? Basil? This basic recipe will allow you plenty of variations for an entire summer of good eats that are good for ya. 
Nothing easier,really.
May 25, 2012
There is nothing easier for a spring or summer dessert than this. Three ingredients…count them, three…and, really no prep. A trip to the farmer’s market for the strawberries and a reach into the pantry for some brown sugar and sour cream. Plate ’em up, dip and done.
Honor the fallen
May 24, 2012
this Memorial Day by acting responsibly and respectfully as you celebrate this weekend.
Jeans…White T Shirt…
May 21, 2012
and this cap. The perfect summer uniform. Nothing to think about…bad hair days covered. And, you can whip one of these up in a couple of days…just in time for Memorial Day weekend. 
http://nuttyirishmanknits.blogspot.com/2011/11/graham.html
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