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Monday, June 30, 2008

Vacation Week

Maggie, Butch and I are going to take a few rare days to vacation during “America’s Birthday” and on our way to “Atlanta in July”.

Style.com did a wonderful story on “Staycations” that includes our very own Florence, Alabama.

A reminder for us all to appreciate what we have in our own backyard... enjoy!

Posted at 10:02 am
Saturday, June 28, 2008

Weeds - Part 2

Blair's post - "Weeds" - seems especially fitting after reading this article by Tom Christopher for The New York Times Magazine:

Can Weeds Help Solve the Climate Crisis?

From the article:


There are countless definitions of weeds, ranging from the hardheaded one necessarily observed by farmers, that a weed is any plant that interferes with profit, to the aesthetic (a popular gardener’s definition of a weed is “a plant out of place”), to Ralph Waldo Emerson’s sanctimonious assertion that a weed is “a plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.”


Photo: Richard Barnes for The New York Times
Posted at 6:36 am
Friday, June 27, 2008

Rinne Allen

I received the most lovely pack of 3 x 5 photographs from Rinne in the mail a few months back. The photos were like a photo album from the last three years of my life and included our old offices, my daughter at three weeks old, and my grown son. But the loveliest of all was this picture of Butch’s installation:

Birds of a feather will fly together.

I have this photo pinned above my desk to remind me each and every day that we are here to fly.

See more from Rinne:

And all of her work for Hable Construction:
Posted at 10:04 am
Monday, June 23, 2008

Midsummer Night's Eve

Blair just sent me the email below. I replied to her that "this IS a post."

 

 

Enjoy Midsummer Night's Eve... breathe... look at life and enjoy the moment...
 
 
From Blair:

 
Below, I copied the transcript from Garrison Keillor's Writer's Almanac (NPR). Tonight, to celebrate, I'm going to poach catfish in paper sacks (the method borrowed from Martha Foose's new book). However, I'm going to relax the catfish in honey-sweetened sweet tea with lots of lemon and rosemary. If the recipe fails, I'll make a plan BEE for celebration and skip naked through the morning's dew. That's supposed to make me fertile (don't really want that) and younger (will take that). Anyway, enjoy the transcript. I thought of you when I read it!
I'll have an entry for you soon. Back to painting!

 


Bee sweet,
Blair

Tonight is Midsummer Night's Eve, also called St. John's Eve. St. John is the patron saint of beekeepers. It's a time when the hives are full of honey. The full moon that occurs this month was called the Mead Moon, because honey was fermented to make mead. That's where the word "honeymoon" comes from. Midsummer dew was said to have special healing powers. Women washed their faces in it to make themselves beautiful and young. They skipped naked through the dew to make themselves more fertile. It's a time for lovers. An old Swedish proverb says, "Midsummer Night is not long but it sets many cradles rocking." Midsummer Eve is also known as Herb Evening. Legend says that this is the best night for gathering magical herbs. Supposedly, a special plant flowers only on this night, and the person who picks it can understand the language of the trees. Flowers were placed under a pillow with the hope of important dreams about future lovers. Shakespeare set his play A Midsummer Night's Dream on this night. It tells the story of two young couples who wander into a magical forest outside Athens. In the play, Shakespeare wrote, "The course of true love never did run smooth."

 

 

 

 
Posted at 5:34 pm
Labels:
Stories & Tales
Monday, June 23, 2008

Ceremony

I am obsessed with ceremony these days: rites of passage, moments to reflect, moments to celebrate and moments to join inspire me. I occupy my mind with details, images and processes.

Imagine my delight when Angie Mosier told me the story of cooking a wedding cake in New York City for Ted Lee (of Lee Bros. fame) and artist E.V. Day.

The story of Angie flying a cake to New York and icing in a friend’s kitchen inspired me to look at E.V.’s work more closely. On her website I laughed at finding a most beautiful celebration of ceremony:

E.V. Day Bride Flight, 2006

Posted at 5:54 am
Sunday, June 22, 2008

The Giant Pool of Money

This American Life is one of my all-time favorite programs. I subscribe to the podcast from iTunes that I can enjoy it any time I get the chance to listen for an hour. It is free of charge, inspiring and automatically loads to my library each week.

Their episode “The Giant Pool of Money” is hands-down one of the best programs ever done (and there have been many, many, many exceptional programs – "The Ghost of Bobby Dunbar" being another one of my favorite favorites.)

You can listen to their report about the “The Giant Pool” here:

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?episode=355,

purchase it from iTunes for a mere 95 cents,

or get the CD by making a donation to This American Life here:

https://secure2.convio.net/wbez/site/Donation2?2740.donation=form1&df_id=2740

I just made my donation and am looking forward to a new show each week (or at least when I get the time to listen).

Thanks go out to Ira and all the staff at WBEZ Chicago
Posted at 5:24 am
Saturday, June 21, 2008

The Hillary Lesson

I have debated for weeks as to whether I should post this, or not:

I am political, in my own small, grass-roots way and I do not want to become involved in grander (capital) POLITICS that I cannot have much direct influence upon. Don’t misunderstand me: I know that my voice can make a difference and has made a difference; this is why I fight to be heard each and every day. As Helen Keller so aptly wrote, “I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble.” I know that this is my role as grass-roots activist.

However, the more I think about it, the more I understand that this story is not about politics, not about a candidate, but about the future of our girls and their dreams. And, for this reason solely, it is worthy of our discussion and thought.

Here is the post:


I tore this article out of The New York Times Sunday Magazine back in May. It has been sitting on my desk since 5.18.08 and I keep coming back to it over and over again. It has been folded, unfolded, folded again, dog-eared and pinned to the tack board. You see, Peggy Orenstein so clearly describes my feeling as an American, a woman and a voter that I have just not been able to shake my feelings that something was just not right.



So, as my daughter grows, what will I tell her about my history as a woman, about running a business, about the path I have walked to become who I am today? What will I tell her about our past as a nation and about a time of change?



http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/18/magazine/18wwln-lede-t.html?ref=magazine



I asked my friend Sara what she thought about “The Hillary Lesson,” and here was her reply:



I read an article the other day - I will link to it - that just about sums it up. Even though I didn't plan to vote for Hillary, I could feel the misogyny all around, throughout the campaign.



Hell, Fox News has stooped to calling Michelle Obama 'Barak's Baby Momma.' Indeed.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-IrhRSwF9U&eurl=http://www.salon.com/mwt/broadsheet/feature/2008/05/27/sexism_sells/



http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080615/ts_alt_afp/usvotewivesrecipe_080615080232

Posted at 5:31 am
Thursday, June 19, 2008

Plum Jelly

Martha Fosse is coming to town today and I am very excited.

Book signing, cooking demonstration and dinner make for a "real" adult evening by anyone's standards.

She sent along this email, story and poem as a sampling of what we have to look forward to:

Hey gal! Thrilled about my return to the shoals… Thought you might like this poem by my high school English teacher Mrs. Bee Donnalley:

Plum Jelly

It's tricky
The making
Rather like children
One batch is never quite the same
as the one before
Did we stir too much with one?
Too much sugar?
Maybe a little extra tart to balance?
Was the Sure-Jelly too old?
The secret is to skim
quickly the top layer
Knowing the sweetness lies
beneath the surface
The tang mixing with the balm
And with some, it takes a bit longer
to set up

Don't miss Martha's book... great stories, great drinks, great food, great kids, great people:

Screen Doors and Sweet Tea

 

Posted at 6:53 am
Wednesday, June 18, 2008

ABC's

And in reference to actually being able to read…

The new favorite book at our house: ABC’s by Charley Harper

It is a stunningly beautiful book of alphabet and animals seen through the eyes of Charley Harper. We read it each day front to back, back to front and then front to back again.

I am inspired to make a pattern of lady bugs, clover, luck and more.

Posted at 9:12 am
Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Buttercream Frosting


This is shaping up to be the week for Children and Adults...

While in the doctor’s office, I picked up the May issue of Country Living Magazine to find this lovely piece about buttercream frosting:


This article and a spend-over with friends’ children inspired me to try out the recipe below which I received literally YEARS ago from a friend. I believe that this recipe originally came from Magnolia Bakery in New York City. I used my “Mother’s Day” mixer which made the batter smooth and the clean-up really easy.

The kids said after our cupcake extravaganza was over, “This is just like a party.” To which I replied, “This is a party.”

 

While my frosting did not spread to create the lovely formations shown in the Country Living piece, the cupcakes were delicious. Following the “Tips and Tools of the Trade” section of the article, I am buying a pastry bag this week.

 

Cupcakes Supreme - makes about 2 dozen cupcakes

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.

In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended.

Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.

Cool for 15 minutes.

Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

Buttercream Icing

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
6 to 8 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.)

 

 
Posted at 1:38 am
Monday, June 16, 2008

Father's Day - from Blair

I love paint chips and the names of colors. I have lived in Cameo, Clementine, Venetian Glass, September Leaf, Cobalt, Aria Ivory, Spice Trader, Rain Mist, and Princess Passion rooms. My husband, John T, and I sleep in a Hickory bedroom trimmed with Sensitive White, and we prepare our family meals within our kitchen’s Walking Path and Butter walls.

For Father’s Day, I surprised John T by painting his study. The room used to be my art room, but we built a beautiful tin-sided studio outside, and that is where I paint now. Finally, John T has his own space in the house, but he was not fond of the feminine Lavender Lane I had painted my old art room.

Jess, our seven-year old son, showed no interest in helping me with the “new room” project, even though the transformation was supposed to be from him. He and I wanted a nice shade of green, but nothing too Golf Course or too Hunter. For a while we settled on Tree House, but we decided that Nature’s Abundance had more to offer.

The golden green walls match what we see from our summer windows—Camellia and Pecan leaves, ferns, ivy, and sunlit grass. John T is happy with his room, and he is filling the bookshelves.

Jess was happy to present his daddy with another gift, a woven rug that’s almost large enough to cover the paint-splattered floor that I couldn’t move out with my art table.

 

--Blair Hobbs

 
Posted at 1:48 pm
Monday, June 16, 2008

Reading This Week

I actually found some time over the weekend to sit down and read. Yes, it seemed rather shocking. Between digging potatoes, playing games, baking banana cake, laughing, loving and a slew of other things, I just sat down, picked up a book that has been on the shelf for some years and started to read.

In the chaos of life (and with the help of friends), I have recently been thinking a lot about the kind of business I want to have and run. What makes a good business? What are my goals? What are my goals as a business woman? What are my goals as a woman? Where does my personal life intersect with my business life? Where do we go from here?

It was a pleasure to sink into Paul Hawkins’ book Growing a Business.

With joy and laughter, I was reminded why I love being an entrepreneur.
 

 
Posted at 10:05 am
Sunday, June 8, 2008

Call for Illustrators

Alabama Chanin is seeking an illustrator for our upcoming book: Alabama Studio Style. The illustration style should closely follow the style set forth in Alabama Stitch Book.

Send resume and illustration examples by clicking here or by posting to:

Alabama Chanin
462 Lane Drive
Florence, Alabama 35630

Thanks!






Posted at 1:31 am
Saturday, June 7, 2008

Peterson Field Guides and Danelion Saute

Some days I fantasize that I am prepared to forage from our local woods to sustain my family. The blatant truth is that like most folk, I would most likely not know which plant would kill us or sustain us.

For that reason, I love these Peterson field guides. These two books have helped me start learning how to eat from my own backyard:

A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants by Virginia Marie Peterson and Roger Tory Peterson

A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs by James A. Duke, Steven Foster, and Roger Tory Peterson


Natalie's Dandelion Sauté

Dandelions grow rampant in our part of the south; but, Angie Mosier reminded me that when picking these greens to eat, we should be careful to pick from a yard that has not been treated with chemicals or fertilizers!

This recipe can be used to cook any type of greens, but because of the dandelion’s strong peppery taste, we like to mix it in with spinach or any other mild green.

Dandelion leaves
Spinach, kale or other mild green
Olive oil
Garlic
1/2 lemon
Sauté garlic in olive oil.

Add greens to your pan, allowing them to wilt.

Drizzle with juice from one-half lemon and sesame oil.

Sprinkle with roasted sesame seeds.

Eat.

Posted at 1:27 pm
Friday, June 6, 2008

Gardenias for Natalie

Bless Blair for sending this email just when I thought that there would be no reprieve in my week. We have a potted gardenia in our front garden bed and I have been struggling for one year to decide on its permanent spot. Blair’s post has inspired me to plant it right down by the road that everyone who passes our house on a June morning can revel in its glory.

From Blair:

Hooray for Gardening week! As I was answering my morning email, I heard a mother stroll her jabbering baby down the street. The woman said, "Smell those gardenias! They're amazing!" So, I had to write this little something for the lady who planted them:


Mrs. Knight, the original owner of our 1940’s home, was known for her bread baking, bridge parties, chain smoking, and Gardenias. What remains of her, along the south side of the house, are her fragrant bushes. The sweet, thick aroma of the twirled-open buds is so dense that every walker, stroller, or jogger who crosses our block is bound to comment on the sugary breeze.

I especially love to watch the gardenias though our evening window. At night, in the dim streetlight’s cast beams, the blossoms look like paper stars clustered across the windowpanes.

I take no credit for these Gardenias. I do give them a little food, and after each bloom, I do cut them back so they won’t grow taller than the house. These flowers belong to Mrs. Knight, and every June, I clutch my breath until they gloriously return.


Illustration of gardenia thunbergia via Wikipedia by Edith Struben (1868-1936)
 



 
Posted at 10:00 am
Thursday, June 5, 2008

Roses Love Garlic

It has been a really busy week. I had intended to post every day about the wonder and beauty of our simple garden. Now it is Thursday and here you have the second post of the week. Perhaps there will be time to elaborate as the weekend approaches.

This is the first year that I really concentrated on companion planting. What seems a complicated subject matter to me is demystified by Louise Riotte in her two books:

Roses Love Garlic & Carrots Love Tomatoes

I love how my blooming garlic mingles with an old rose bush that was a part of my house the day I moved in. Maggie and I have enjoyed watching the garlic blooms pop their little ‘hats’ as the blossoms open from their little paper shell.

I have to admit that I have not been able to wait until the fall harvest and have been sampling our garlic since the stems emerged last autumn.

I recently came across an article with recipes for young garlic in a magazine which I simply cannot recall this morning. However, a simple Google search provides scores of young garlic recipes from Shrimp Stir Fry to soup.

And be sure to watch Garlic is as good as 10 Mothers by Les Blank.

Enjoy!



 



 

Posted at 6:39 am
Monday, June 2, 2008

This Week is Garden Week

I am inspired by my garden. These small beds that run around and behind my little house will feed my family this summer.

Thanks to our compost, we are pleasantly surprised by all of the volunteer tomato plants that have sprung up in every spot that we spread this luscious soil.

Maggie and I watch as flowers mingle with the rogue tomatoes, sunflowers and cantaloupes willy-nilly.

Our backyard composter and worm bin, the Biostack:

http://www.composters.com/compost-bins/bio-stack-bin_91_1.php

Posted at 5:57 am
Sunday, June 1, 2008

Falling For My Husband

We had more than one request for Blair's pea-themed love poem to her husband. She willingly plays along and makes me smile that big kind of smile that makes your ears hurt...

Falling For My Husband
by Blair Hobbs
 

Beanstalk skinny, I cared more about not eating
than stirring my dormant tastebuds.
Most flavors left me cold,
but peas, cooked to an institutional drab,
downright offended my fallow tongue.
In heaps, peas showed up on school cafeteria trays
and in my great aunt’s “Crowder Pleaser Salad,” a water-logged
mayonnaise and relish mishap she concocted
for her nursing home’s special occasions.

Alone, uncooked,
a pea was a stone
or the period at the end of a boring sentence.

My thin smile appealed to a man whose tongue was a meadow.
For courtship, I wore size zero silk dresses, high heels
and peony-pink lipstick. He took me
dancing and we twirled and shook.
We laughed and baptized ourselves with spilled Zinfandel.

He dined me and tried seducing my love-dumb senses
into surrendering to field pea risotto with white truffles,
Texas caviar, and blackberry-glazed quail
on a bed of pink-eyed pea salad.
Although I dismissed his razzle-dazzled legumes with a “yuck,”
he kissed me anyway. Little did I know
that those night-time words he whispered into the hull of my ear–
Whippoorwill, glory, snow, butterfly, sweet, and (later) zipper--
were all names of peas!

One noon, full of buttery sunlight,
this man offered me lunch, sage leaves and lady peas.
Perhaps brainwashed, I took the warm bowl.
Before I knew it, my mouth eased open
above the question mark of steam. I lifted the spoon,
chewed and felt the tender pearls dissolve
across my peppered tongue. First lips and throat,
then the whole rest of my body sighed awake.
 


Here is what Blair says today about her wedding picture:

This photo is of a LONG time ago. I think I'd gone up to a size 2 by the time of our wedding. My, how things have changed!

 

 

 

Posted at 10:49 am

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