Strawberry Season

Strawberry Season | Hannah & Husband

Ladies & gentlemen, it’s officially that time of year. Some would argue it’s just as magical as the first crisp wind of autumn or the first snow of winter: Strawberry Season.

Strawberry Season | Hannah & Husband

Yesterday, our first CSA basket of the season really delivered. 3 containers of these bright red beauties! Every year at this time, I think back to the Spring I learned to make strawberry jam. There’s something almost sacred in the practice. So today, a little haiku…

Ripe, red strawberries
On the counter just waiting
for sugar and fate. 

Click here to get our strawberry jam recipe!

It pairs perfectly with this cornbread too.

Crunchy Snack

As of this week, it is officially foodie season at our house. Locally grown veggies are popping up in all the stores, the farmers’ markets kicked off last weekend, and Monday begins our CSA. */cue cheers & applause/* So today I thought I’d share a new favorite crunchy snack with you.

Crunchy Snack | Hannah & Husband

Husband first had this in Brooklyn with the in-laws and I also recently found it in a couple cookbooks (including my absolute fav). I know it seems too simple, but it is just the right thing to munch on as you grill (like we did last night) or to satisfy a salty craving. We were joking that it’s sort of like eating popcorn but it’s so much more satisfying.

Vintage butter dishes + the recipe for a crunchy snack | Hannah & Husband

All you’ll need:

1 pad each of unsalted butter
about 1/2 tsp good sea salt
radishes

Crunchy Snack | Hannah & Husband

That’s it! Put a little bit of butter on your radish and dip it in just a touch of the salt. Bon appétit!

More Vegetable Recipes:

How to Roast Vegetables (2 Ways) 

Clean Out the Fridge Recipe (for Butternut Squash Soup)

 

Spring-ify Your Ride

Every year, at about this time, I spring-ify our car. In the winter, most people will make sure the ice-scraper is in the door and maybe add a blanket and some kitty litter if they’re up north. (A trick I learned from That 70s Show–not something we have to teach our young ‘uns in the South.) But in April, I like to be sure we’re prepared for all of our favorite warm weather activities. So here is a little guide to help you Spring-ify your ride.

Spring-ify Your Ride | Hannah & Husband

 

1. Umbrella. April showers bring May flowers. (This particular cuteness is Cath Kidston.)

2. Guide books. Regardless of where you are, you can find a guide book with short little walks or hikes around your area. We picked the one pictured above up at a thrift store last week. If you aren’t lucky enough to live in a national park, perhaps consider exploring your area. My friend the Madcap Heiress has been exploring her work neighborhood (Midtown East in NYC) this week and sharing what she finds on Instagram.

3. Sunnies. Obvi. (I just got these lovelies from Boden.)

4. Recycled Sari Bags. My mom bought me my first sari bag, and I am now a devotee. They are *ah-mazing!* Made from beautiful recycled saris, these bags are surprisingly strong and fold up into themselves. The small pouch is so easy to throw in your purse. Then, when you see a farm stand on the side of the road, you can stop and fill up your own shopping bag! The best part? The ones I’ve seen are fair trade and made by coops of women in India so you’re also supporting business women around the world!

5. A pretty quilt. You never know when you’ll want to have an impromptu picnic. In the words of the scouts: Always Be Prepared. I’ve tried wool blankets and those fancy roll-up picnic blankets with the waterproof bottom, but I always go back to our trusty old quilts. They’re just so soft and easy to shake off.

6. A little cash. The odds are that cute a-frame ice cream shop that’s on your way to the mountains has neither a credit card machine nor a Square.

7. Shoes you can get dirty. Throw in a pair of old tennies or invest in a nice pair of outdoors-y shoes. This pair of Keens will probably be my next purchase because they’re equally suitable for walking in the woods or through a river.

Weekending

Weekending | Hannah & Husband

I’m currently missing our weekend view (seen above) from the hammock. This weekend, we got away to the mountains. It was blissful. The trees are in full bloom. The birds’ chorus was both beautiful and incessant. And, hopefully, the river is starting to warm up a bit–we saw a few kayaks out but weren’t game enough to jump in ourselves. Soon.

 

Springtime is soooo here!

springtime-lisa-douglas-hannahandhusband

Springtime is the season of rebirth, new projects, and, naturally, a little chaos. Springtime is soooo here! We are in the middle of launching a new project at work, Husband and I are working hard on a new project that we’ll share on the blog this summer, and I’m so tired of being indoors, I could burst. So today, I thought I would share some of the bookmarks that have been building up since I skipped the TGIF! post last week. So… here are some fun things from around the interwebs to distract you from the Wednesday slump. Enjoy!

Friday's AIGA benefit with art from Knoxville area kids, Beth Meadows, and Will Gay | Hannah & Husband

The art across the top is by local children, bottom left: Beth Meadows, bottom right: Will Gay

 

It is only appropriate that after a week of encouraging you to buy art, we bought some on Friday! Our local chapter of the AIGA held a benefit to support local school art programs and had a silent auction for art that the kids had made as well as other (grown-up) artists. We bought the piece above by Will Gay. I’ve admired his work for awhile. Will is Creative Director at Disney’s Yellow Shoes, and this particular print is from the 2012 Festival of Masters at Downtown Disney.

Dr. Loretta Jackson-Hayes, professor of chemistry at Rhodes College, wrote an article for The Washington Post called We don’t need more STEM majors. We need more STEM majors with liberal arts training. It is fantastic!

In January, Iris Apfel discussed her work with Deborah Needleman. With all the buzz about her new documentary (and Albert Maysles’ last), I thought it was worth posting.

Spring Spread | Hannah & Husband

 

Springtime is the season for southern spreads! I whipped up some hummus and pimento cheese last weekend. We are hooked on these crackers, and I swear by Rebecca Gordon’s Pimento Cheese recipe.

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Spring Playlist

Spring Playlist | Hannah & Husband

Good morning! There’s nothing that helps a Wednesday morning like some tunes, right? Here’s the Spring playlist I’ve been spinning this week. Enjoy!

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Getting Ants Off Peonies

Get the Ants Off Your Peonies | Hannah & Husband

True Story: The first Mother’s Day lunch in our new house, I’d set a beautiful table and was so excited to add a bouquet of fresh-cut peonies from the backyard to the centerpiece. Then, about halfway through the salad course, we noticed a mass exodus of ants from the flowers that were scattering all across the table. Trust me, sharing your luncheon with ants is not nearly as adorable as cartoons would lead you to believe!

Get the Ants Off Your Peonies | Hannah & Husband

As it turns out, ants are attracted to a sweet juice found in those round peony buds right before they open. So if you’re going to bring the flowers inside, remember to get the ants out of the center first! Here’s how…

Get the Ants Off Your Peonies | Hannah & HusbandGet the Ants Off Your Peonies | Hannah & Husband

Fill a large bowl with water and plunge the flowers in bud first. Soak the flowers for about 5 minutes. This will force the ants out.

Get the Ants Off Your Peonies | Hannah & Husband

After 5 minutes, just give the flowers a gentle shake and flick off any ants you see. Then, they’re ready to display.

A Few Snaps from Our Weekend

This weekend, Springtime was in full force here in Easts Tennessee. We spent Friday night and Saturday downtown for the Rhythm & Blooms Festival. The weather was a bit iffy, but armed with Bean boots, coffee, good music, and better friends we had a lovely time.

Rhythm 'n' Blooms Knoxville | Hannah & Husband

Rhythm 'n' Blooms Knoxville | Hannah & Husband

Coffee at Old City Java

Rhythm 'n' Blooms Knoxville | Hannah & Husband

On a recommendation from a friend we saw John & Jacob at The Pilot Light. They were fantastic!

 

Rhythm 'n' Blooms Knoxville | Hannah & Husband

Alley art in the Old City

 

Rhythm 'n' Blooms Knoxville | Hannah & Husband

Coffee & tunes at Remedy Coffee

 

 

Rhythm 'n' Blooms Knoxville | Hannah & Husband

My new favorite uniform: stolen shirt from Husband, Y’all sweatshirt (the softest ever), and pearls (of course).

 

Rhythm 'n' Blooms Knoxville | Hannah & Husband

Another coffee stop at Old City Java.

 

Rhythm 'n' Blooms Knoxville | Hannah & Husband

Our favorite act of the weekend (& the reason we bought the passes in the first place): Shovels & Rope.

Rhythm 'n' Blooms Knoxville | Hannah & Husband

Our own local stars The Lonetones. Our friend Cecilia is the cellist on the right.

Rhythm 'n' Blooms Knoxville | Hannah & Husband

Ben Sollee performing late Saturday night at a rad new venue: The Standard.

 

 

Weekend-ing Tunes

Happy first weekend of Spring, y’all! I often say that people who feel like their life isn’t glamorous enough just don’t have the right soundtrack. So I thought I’d share what we’ll be listening to this weekend. Enjoy!