Organic Veggie Babies

As you can see, there's a fresh tomato sauce in my future!

I haven't done a post about this year's vegetable and perennial garden.  Well, actually I haven't done a post about much over the last couple of months because I've been too damn busy!  But, regardless of my lack of communication, the garden has had a pretty good year so far.  Starting with a bumper crop of asparagus in March and now with a variety of peppers, beans and especially tomatoes we've had fresh organic vegetables all spring and summer.

C started tomatoes from seeds this year.  Which was something we thought would be beyond anything we were capable of managing.  We assumed tomato seedlings would need tender love and care, much attention and nutrition - sort of like a child.  Which means we would not be capable of growing tomatoes from seed!  But, surprisingly the seeds came up and survived in spite of their neglectful parents.  Actually, C was a pretty good tomato parent and as a result of his paternal plant instinct we now have boat loads of tomatoes. 

Empty Entrance Halls

These first two pics are of my entrance hall.  I've mentioned a hundred times (and have done a couple of posts over the past 2 years) one day I'm going to turn it into a design master piece.  But, for now and probably the foreseeable future it will stay the minimalist empty space it is!  However, just to prove I do think about it here are a couple of ideas.

I've been collecting these images for awhile and now that I re-look at them, I realize the majority lean in the minimalist direction.   Maybe I'm on the right track to begin with.  Great!  One more thing I can check off the list.

For now anyway...

HGTV Green Home

I’ve been so busy lately not only have I fallen behind on my blog postings (which you probably have noticed) but I also had no idea that the HGTV Green Home give-away-thing-2012 is actually a home near where we live. The house is located in Serenbe in the Chattahoochee Hills area south of Atlanta. I like Serenbe. In fact, I know a few people who live there and I am pretty familiar with the area. Google it if you’re interested. It’s an interesting concept town based on community and agriculture…with a big emphasis on aesthetics. But, this post isn’t about Serenbe, it’s about styling.

I watched the show last night. 

OK…here’s the deal. I like the actual house…for the most part. Of course I would - its modern farm house based on southern vernacular. 

But here's my issue…and I know HGTV is a ‘decorating’ network so they have to do what they do…but please…I couldn’t see the house for all the shit inside. Talk about over styled, over decorated and over accessorized!  These photos are from the actual HGTV site and they appear slightly cleaned up from what aired on the network.  But there's still too much going on here.

Now, of course I’m going to enter the sweepstakes and totally plan on winning. And, as soon as I do I will have a yard sale…which is probably against the Serenbe rules, but what the hell. Half of that mess has to go. Why does southern inspired architecture have to be decorated with lamps made of plows, tables made of old barn doors and the like. I assume television shows need a theme and I know it's the 'green' home.

It's actually a very sophisticated house and would really be nice done in beautiful muted neutral tones and tailored furniture.  A little darker, more sexy and less gimmicks.  Think Bobby McAlpine meets modern.

Below is the room the show referred to as a relaxing hide-away. 
And, I have a hard time relaxing in burnt orange rooms. 

Am I mistaken but isn’t a noose type rope which hangs from a loft a bit odd and creepy in a kid's room!  That's just wrong on so many levels!

This is the master bedroom.  I hate everything about it.  And like the rest of the house there's far too much furniture.

If you win (I mean when I win) included in the package is this SUV.  It's ugly so I'd sell it too.  But, not before I use it to haul off all the shit.

HGTV call this the Georgia Room.  Its connected to the house and on two sides opens to the outdoor decks.  In fact several of the rooms open to the exterior.  Which is great, but for those of us who actual live here if you open those doors between June and September you'll be mauled by mosquitoes and other flying teeth.

And, where's the pool?  I'm glad there's plenty of accessories and decor I can sell at my yard sale...that will help fund my pool.

And to make matters worse, Jamie Durie hosted the show with some blond, but I don't know who she was.  In my book Jamie is right up there with Daniel Craig and I can't believe he was so close and I didn’t know it…so close yet so far.

Porches

There’s nothing better than a southern porch.  Enough said!