Newlyweds and Nesting: Elizabeth Anne Designs Living: A Food, Lifestyle, and Craft Blog » Outdoor Life

Outdoor Living Inspiration

Hasel — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 13:00:30 +0000

When we first moved into our home, the backyard was a disaster. Weeds five feet tall, an awkward flowerbed, half dead plants, etc. It isn’t a huge yard, but it was such a mess that we never used it or enjoyed being out there. Living in Las Vegas, we can use the patio almost year round. This year we finally decided to do something about it. We kept the existing patio cover and concrete floor, but hired a landscaper to remove all of the old rocks, concrete barriers, and plants and start from scratch. The yard looks a million times better!

Now it is time to decorate and bring more container plants into the patio area. We have a table and chairs, but want an area for lounging and relaxing, and need to do it on the cheap. The weather is warming up quickly, so it is time to get the ball rolling! I have been on the hunt for ideas and wanted to share some outdoor living inspiration with you.

{images via Pottery Barn}

I love the look of the all-weather wicker Palmetto collection in black from Pottery Barn shown above (photos 1-3) and the Portsmouth collection (photo 4), but unfortunately I don’t love the price. Since we won’t be in this house forever (thank you, Air Force), I don’t want to commit to something this pricy when I don’t know if it will fit with future homes. Either way, Pottery Barn’s outdoor styling is incredibly inspirational and somewhat doable. The black wicker mixed with rusted, brown metal pieces would be something I might be able to recreate. The abundance of multicolored pillows could easily be reproduced – I can afford the pillows! :)

{images via Style at Home, photographer Michael Graydon}

This space is fantastic and is a great example of bringing the indoor decor outside. The candles mounted on the trellis and the fountain add another dimension.

{image via House & Home, photographer Donna Griffith}

{images via House & Home, photographer Brandon Barre}

The spaces shown above show the divided spaces I am looking for – one area for dining and another for lounging and relaxing. Now let’s see if I can bring some of this inspiration to life on a smaller budget. Do you have any plans to re-haul your outdoor living spaces before summer officially hits? Or is your patio summer ready? If so, do you have any recommendations for fabulous, but not outrageously priced patio furniture?

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Posted in: Decor, Outdoor Life

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One year in…

Rachel — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 14:00:14 +0000

{Image via Author’s Personal Collection}

This time last year I was writing about how we had moved from London to Somerset to live in the countryside. How we had bought our first car and rented a sweet little country cottage. It doesn’t seem that long ago, but a whole 12 months have passed by and spring is on it’s way once again. Coupled with, once again, being on the search for a new car and a new (rented) house. Add to that a hen party to plan for my sister and a baby shower to plan for my sister-in-law as well as a full time job for me in Somerset (and husband in London), things are pretty busy.

Still, a year in and I’ve learnt a bit about living in the countryside. From the basics such as weather appropriate coat and boots (I have a tweed coat which is waterproof and warm but isn’t a raincoat with all important decent pockets and Timberland boots which look good but have proper treads to cope with our road which is actually a country lane) and carrying a torch, to the importance of getting to know neighbours and becoming part of the community, I feel a lot more at home here than I ever did in London.

If you’re going to live in the countryside, you have to be organised. The shops do close at 5.30pm in the weekdays and most of the village shops are only open on Saturday mornings. There is one place you can buy milk up til 10pm every day of the week but only if they haven’t run out. It is a 45 minute drive to the nearest clothing shops or cinema – outings are less spontaneous than they were in London. Oil and wood run out. In London, the worst that would happen was that you would get a large bill. Here, if you run out of oil you don’t have any heating or hot water. You might be able to get a next day delivery but more likely than not, you won’t. (Did I mention that none of the village gets gas?)

A car is pretty essential. We’ve been making it work this week without one, but it’s hard. The buses are infrequent and inconveniently spaced. The last one back to the village leaves at 5.30pm. Taxis are expensive but it pays to get to know the company in the village. Just make sure you don’t run out of fuel – petrol stations up on the moor are few and far between and such that there are, are extremely expensive. And closed, outside of normal hours.

Cottages are cold. Pyjamas are essential (I recommend Hush‘s by the way. Warm but still attractive) as are slippers/alpaca socks/Ugg boots. A slightly different wardrobe too, than a city one. I wear a lot of black to work but outside, black looks extremely harsh. I wear a lot more grey than I did before. More muted I guess. I haven’t worn my sequinned vintage 80s roller girl top down here, or my sequinned leggings. There is less call for going out shoes too, or at least for me. I save those for my trips back to London.

Internet shopping has become my best friend. Literally everything (almost) that you could want, you can buy online and they will deliver. Although not to the house. No courier company can ever find it, despite it having a postcode and them having satnav. Still, clothes, books, shoes, shampoo, toiletries and even 2 coffee cups have been delivered to me over the reception desk at work.

What it lacks in shopping though it more than makes up for it when you can walk out of the front door, down the lane, to the beach. Or turn the other way, up the bridle path and up onto the moor. When you can watch birds in the garden, birds of prey over ancient woodland just metres from the garden, when you see deer on your drive home and often follow a badger or rabbits up the road from the village. When the air is clean and fresh and has a slight taint of salt to the taste and rain to the feel. When you lie in bed and all you can hear is the river running in the garden, and the dawn chorus sounds in the morning. The brightness of the stars and being aware of the cycle of the moon – I know when it’s a full moon because I don’t need a torch to get from the car to the front gate and I can see dimly in the bedroom once the lights have been turned off.

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Posted in: Life, Outdoor Life

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Somerset in Winter

Rachel — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 13:00:17 +0000

Winter in Somerset is beautiful. We are in the South-West of England so we have a more temperate climate than, say, Scotland, or the East coast of England. Palm trees grow down here. The sun seems to shine the most gorgeous shade of amber and the light is very bright but warm. The skies are very blue by day and filled with the most brightest of twinkliest stars by night.

We have been to local late night shopping evenings (the purpose of which seems to be to gather the village to drink mulled wine, listen to carols, to watch stilt walkers and to peruse the darling little village shops which include a butcher, a cheese shop, a lovely florist and the teeniest of shops with low beamed ceilings and an open log fire, where you can buy simple silk night wear, silver and gemstone jewellery and hand made beeswax candles.

We have been to a carol service; listened to little ones give readings and many little ones sing tradition carols. “Away in a Manger”; “Little Donkey”.

We have been walking. Up on the moor; along the beach. Wrapped up warm in cashmere scarves and tweed coats and shiny new Timberland boots (which both look good and have ‘proper’ treads.

We have become more used to living in the countryside. Bought grit and salt for our road for the ice. New tyres for the car.

And a tree. Did I mention the tree? An itty bitty little tree which was grown down the road and fits perfectly in his new home on top of a filing cabinet, dressed in vintage baubles.

{all photos by me, using hipstamatic app for Iphone}

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Posted in: Beautiful Things, Life, Outdoor Life

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Early autumn in Somerset

Rachel — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 13:00:30 +0000

Our first year in Somerset marches on. It does not hang around for me to savour summer but pushes relentlessly on. September. October. Autumn. It is as if a page has flipped; the light is undertoned with amber in the sunshine and a strangely peaceful steely grey when it is not. Leaves are falling, the rain is no longer the laughing rain of a summer storm but more forceful. A taste of what is to come. The fronts scud off the sea, the sky seems bigger, emptier. The tourists have faded fast. The roads are full of pheasants not cars. Term has begun and those that are left are the hardy walkers and campers with their boots and rucksacks and plastic-backed maps. The season is ending and the village events have started. Carnivals, art weeks, apple days, a celebration of the bounty of summer and a collective urge to celebrate as the nights draw in.

I stood upon a gate, stretching up to pluck blackberries off the top of the bush. The rain of the morning gradually receeding over the moor and a warm sunshine broke through the clouds. A buzzard wheeled overhead, it’s cry just audible over the sound of the rushing water. When my bowl was full I climbed off the gate. Crossed the tiny lane and went back over our bridge into our garden. I did the same last week with a couple of kilos from the same bush. That day, I went into the garden, picked some early eating apples from the tree, went to the kitchen and made pie. I think the flour I used travelled the furthest. Tree to table in two hours.

In London the seasons came and went, marked not by weather but by fashion. Here, the change is daily; the flowers that grow in the lanes which mark my journey to work, the colour of the heather on the moor, the movement of the sheep, the clouds which pass over. The size of the pheasants littering the roads. I miss London and fashion so much I dream of frantically shopping like my life depends on it. And yet, there is something compelling about being here.

I then used the blackberries to make blackberry and apple cobbler, a traditional English pudding served with custard.

Blackberry, apple & Almond Cobbler (Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall)

Peel core and slice 1 kilo Bramley Apples and place in a saucepan with 100g sugar and a small piece of butter with a couple of tablespoons of water. Heat gently until soft, cooking for 15 minutes at a gentle simmer until you have a smooth compote. Stir in 500g of blackberries and pile into a pie dish leaving a few centimetres spare at the top. THEN, , mix 100ml whole milk, slightly warmed, with 1 teaspoon lemon juice and set aside. In a food processor pulse 100g plain flour with one tablespoon baking powder and 75g butter until you have fine crumbs. Stir in 100g ground almonds and 50g caster sugar and mix into a soft dough. Heap the dough in generous spoonfulls onto the compote in the pie dish. Aim for 6-8 cobblers in total. Place in the centre of a moderate oven (180C) and bake for about 30 minutes until the cobblers are puffed and golden. Serve plain or with cream, custard* or ice-cream.

*Custard – Begin by splitting a vanilla pod lengthways and using the end of a teaspoon to scoop out the seeds. Then place the pod and the seeds in a small saucepan, along with the 275 ml double cream. Now place the pan over a gentle heat and heat it to just below simmering point.

While the cream is heating, whisk 3 egg yolks, 1 teaspoon cornflour and 25g caster sugar together in a medium bowl using a balloon whisk. Next remove the vanilla pod from the hot cream. Then, whisking the egg mixture all the time with one hand, gradually pour the hot cream into the bowl.

When it’s all in, immediately return the whole lot back to the saucepan using a rubber spatula. Now back it goes on to the same gentle heat as you continue whisking until the custard is thick and smooth, which will happen as soon as it reaches simmering point. If you do overheat it and it looks grainy, don’t worry, just transfer it to a jug or bowl and continue to whisk until it becomes smooth again.

—

(Cobblers from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s The River Cottage Year. Custard from Delia Smith’s Complete Cookery Course.

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Posted in: Cooking and Food, Outdoor Life

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End of Summer Grilling

ABC Dragoo — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 13:00:30 +0000

As Summer wraps up, my mind turns to cooking on the grill. What recipes should I try to squeeze in before the leaves fall to the ground and it’s too cold to go grill something up in the yard? Since I have been a Big City dweller for the entirety of my adult life, this is the first time that I have had access to cooking on a grill. What a Summer it has been!! And while I am still basically following my vegetarian diet that I started last December – I can’t help but look at these grilling recipes and say I am not tempted – don’t worry, I included some grilled vegetarian options below too!

Lemon-Garlic Lamb Kebabs with Feta Dipping Sauce and The Perfect Burger with All American Topping Combinations.

Pork Tenderloin with Soy, Ginger, and Lime with Sauteed Snap Peas with Scallions and Radishes – doesn’t that combination sound absolutely lovely? And for those who are going meatless, what about the Balsamic Portobello Burgers with Bell Pepper and Goat Cheese?

Or these West Coast Grilled Vegetable Pizzas and Tofu Kebabs with Cilantro?

I found all of these delicious recipes on Martha Stewart‘s website. And if you’re in the market to purchase a grill for next Summer, I wrote a post about selecting an an eco-friendly grill that you might like to check out.

What are you going to grill up before Summer is over?

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Posted in: Cooking and Food, Outdoor Life, Recipes

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My green perch, late June edition

Maggie — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 13:00:31 +0000

Since we last saw my urban garden, I had herbs and veggies coming in nicely. Since then, my plants have been growing like wildfire! It tickles me to no end to see all the green out there. So much so, in fact, that I expanded the garden with the help of my mom, who I like to call “The Plant Whisperer.” My mom oversaw the planting of loads of flowers and helped put together a few new pots. As the weather gets hotter and hotter on the sticky DC sidewalks, my little oasis in the sky is more of a respite than ever. Here’s what’s growing up on my District perch:

How are your June gardens looking? Send us links to your pretty pictures so we can all ooh and aah!

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Posted in: Eco Living, Outdoor Life

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Outside Spaces

Rachel — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 13:00:52 +0000

It all started with this image of an outdoor patio from this month’s Southern Living magazine:

Doesn’t this porch look like the perfect place to settle in with a cool drink on a warm summer day? I love love love the mirror and other accessories you normally only see inside homes! It got me thinking on how I could make my porch and backyard more inviting, and more like a place I’d like to “live” in.

Maybe you don’t have a patio like this? You can still create an “outdoor room” with your furniture arrangement:

Above, I love how the grass acts as a sort of rug.

This gravel was poured in over a never-used portion of driveway in this family’s back yard. Containers lined around the edges provide a moveable and re-arrangeable garden.

Even if you don’t have a lot of space, container gardens are easy to grow and maintain. I love the look of boxwoods in containers:

They can act as a sort of wall, giving you more privacy once they’re larger:

Here, they used fiberglass planters over the doorways and windows. With their trailing plants and vines, I think they are really very pretty.

Gardens can also be whimsical and fun! After all, if you don’t like how something looks, you can always cut it back, or replant it somewhere else. This bike tied up on the wall with it’s flower basket is about as whimsical as it gets!

And remember, if all else fails, you can’t really go wrong with a geometric arrangement:

I hope these images have given you a little inspiration – I know they did for me! Do you have any big plans for your patio and garden this year?

*all images from Southern Living

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Posted in: Outdoor Life

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Urban garden update

Maggie — Fri, 21 May 2010 13:00:18 +0000

After the fantastic advice you all gave me on urban gardening, I thought it only fair to report back on my progress. I’ve devoted one side of our patio to my slightly-greener-than-before thumb, and have had a ball trotting out there to snip fresh herbs while I’m cooking. Here’s how it looks from afar:

What you see here in the inedible category are four types of dahlias, a gardenia bush, and two decorative shrubs (I cannot wait to start smelling gardenias and oohing and aahing over colorful dahlia petals!). In the edible category, I’ve planted a slew of things that suit my taste buds: basil, chives, parsley, dill, shallots, mint, sage, oregano, thyme, mesclun, and arugula. But what’s that fantastic black planter in the back, you ask? Why, it’s my very own Ikea hack! This brilliant idea is fully credited to my mom, who saw our old Ikea tv stand lying around (it’s too wide for our current tv nook) and decided that flipped on its side with a little construction to support it, it’d make the perfect planter. As always, she was right! Let’s take a closer look so you can see the former tv stand bones:

The old electronics dividers work perfectly as plant dividers. Holes were drilled into the bottom for drainage and a decorative fence was attached to the back (thanks Dad and T!). We raised it to help with drainage and nestled it right into the back corner, where along with those trees it helps prevent our most adventurous kitty from invading the neighbors’ territory. Here are closeups of a few of the plants, along with fantastic vintage silverware markers from Etsy seller Monkeys Always Look.

That’s the latest from my urban perch. I’ll do my next garden update when I have tomatoes planted (I’m late because they intimidate me) and pretty flowers in bloom. (By the way, I hope you all have peonies on your tables right now – they’re in season, readily available, and thus ultra-affordable for the only time of the year right now! My place smells heavenly.)

How are your urban patio gardens coming along?

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Posted in: Outdoor Life

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Tropical Flowers of Nicaragua

Rebekah — Wed, 12 May 2010 13:00:31 +0000

Just in case you were sitting at your computer this morning saying “Hm, I wonder what kind of flowers grow on a volcano.” Here’s your answer. Nicaragua is this amazing lush gardening heaven. Everyone (even those living in metal shacks) has some sort of flower or tree growing in their patio. As a result, I have dozens of images of the various plants. I only know the name of two blooms. If you know the others, please leave it in the comments!

Hibiscus, known as Jamaica here. They dry the blooms and make tea out of it. It’s delicious!

Hydrangeas. Only found on higher elevations here.

Image credited to Rebekah Burder.

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Posted in: Outdoor Life

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West Country Blossom

Rachel — Wed, 05 May 2010 18:00:50 +0000

Suddenly, the countryside has come alive with blossom. I took these in our garden last weekend after a rather rainy day where we drove over the moors and down to the beach before retiring to home for tea, biscuits and a relaxing evening spent reading and blogging and sitting cosily in the kitchen with my husband.

The verges and hedges are full of greeness, wild flowers and new shoots. The whole place has been carpeted with soft green verdent grass. Birds are nesting and the air has a new found warmth to it. Flocks of dandilions appeared as if from nowhere. Exmoor really is beautiful.

Next weekend we plan to go foraging and see what we can find in the countryside that we can eat. There are vast banks of wild garlic and we intend to make wild garlic pesto to eat with baked fish. I also want to try cooking with nettles. Last year we made elderflower cordial from the elderflower blossoms in our garden. Now we have moved we don’t have elderflower in the garden so we will have to try and find one somewhere else.

—

{All photos from author’s personal collection}

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Posted in: Beautiful Things, Outdoor Life

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