The Sunflower Knows

sun·flow·er

The sunflower smiles, the sunflower knows.
Unashamed she sheds her clothes.

The sunflower smooth's the restless sky
and lovingly she warms the ground, on which you lie.

The sunflower knows, the sunflower’s wise.
She sees the doubts within your eyes
and so she takes her sunflower time.

Tells the moon to wait and the sun to linger.
Twists the world around her sunflower finger.
Lets you see the wonder of it all.

If you’ve learned your lesson well
there’s little more for her to tell.

One last caress, its time to dress, for fall.

My Sunflower bouquet sits happily on a wooden pedestal in my entryway. Displayed in a coffee press ~ Some flowers still fresh and ringed with halos of red and yellow flame-like petals ~ Others going to seed and beautifully beginning to droop. All searching to face the life-giving rays of the sun under a portrait of my Great-Grandfather Collier.

From young seedlings to stately stalks, Sunflowers continue to give. After all the petals & seeds have dropped, their beautiful, dark & handsome heads take a final bow.

 

It’s easy to see why people love them so much!

 Hope you caught my play with the lyrics of the classic tune ~ The Summer Knows. I hope you could hear Barbara Streisand singing as you read ~ I also hope you're looking forward to a really wonderful weekend.

Click my readers to read more about my favorite Sunflowers grown during the lazy days of summer.

Heirlooms

The rhythms of becoming an heirloom are rough for some & smooth for others. I thought of this when I picked these heirloom tomatoes at the farmer’s market. When I arrived home, I felt that they deserved a nice rest in the soft lap of my grandmother’s bowl.

We spent our last summer evening appreciating much ~ along with a few heirlooms. As I was sitting in the cool grass with Granny’s bowl in my lap I was reminded of the cycles of life, of the rightness of change, loss & rebirth.

For the first time, I used my Great Grandmother’s paring knife that my cousin Kris sent to me. In her note she said ~ Grandmother Collier peeled a ‘million’ peaches for preserves and for pickling with this paring knife. She always liked a very sharp knife. The best part though ~ the soft and comfortable handle.

Isn’t it amazing how memories can unfold? Thank you Kris ~ I love it & you too!

Hope you’re all having a great weekend!

High Hopes!

A quick note from the Bluegrass ~

As we begin to wrap up the summer, I realized I hadn't shared photos from one of my favorite equestrian events, the High Hope Steeplechase!

To clarify, a Steeplechase is a distance race for Thoroughbred horses across ditches & over fences. Originating in Ireland in the 18th century, its roots were in the fox-hunting field, and occasionally horsemen would match up their horses for races over long distances to landmarks such as church steeples.  

At High Hope, the official with the flag signals the start of each race & spectators tailgate along the gorgeous cross country course at the Kentucky Horse Park.

American steeplechasing is unique because its races support the local community. The competition is fierce yet friendly. High Hope Steeplechase charitable efforts support the Kentucky Horse Park Charitable Foundation and CKRH Riding for Hope.

High Hope is a full day of family fun for equestrian & dog lovers alike.

After the thoroughbreds race, it's time for the stick pony races.

Again, the competition is fierce yet friendly.

And the winner is….

Where there are horses, there are hounds.

 Lot's of them! In fact, there was a parade!

 The annual Parade of the Woodford Hounds.

In the end, Huntsman Glen Westmoreland and I had a good laugh & his hounds were slobbering all over me!

I was in heaven!

Just another beautiful day in the Bluegrass!

Learn more…

Artisan Gardner

 Warm weather brings an irresistible urge to dine outdoors & an appetite for seasonal menus calls for dishes made with fresh ingredients.

"Seasonal" can also apply to schedules that may find you running or relaxing. Either way, uncomplicated meals made at home with simple ingredients are smart & healthy and offer the perfect opportunity to sit down together and give thanks.

 Artisan Gardner is a nod to Laura Gardner ~ a friend & fabulous cook! There is a liveliness in Laura's cooking. Partly due to her genuine love of preparing good food & her seasoned career in the culinary & hospitality industry, but mainly it's her generosity and ease in which she entertains.

A casual invitation to dinner at the Gardner's fills us with joyful anticipation! We just know it's going to be good ~ and it's definitely a collaboration. Her mouth-watering menus are always earthy & regional and Mr. Gardner's wine pairings beautifully complement the meal & elevate the evening. They are quite a team in the kitchen & in real life!

You may be wondering why all the beet photos. Well ~ It's because they're in season and because Grilled Beet & Goat Cheese Pizza was on the menu! Since Laura prefers to cook off-book & I'm a visual gal, I grabbed my iPhone and started snapping away!

Here is the result with recipe & instructions below. 

Grilled Beet & Goat Cheese Pizza

{Ingredients}

Serves 4

4 medium-sized Beets with greens

Dough 

{White or Wheat ~ Fresh or Packaged}

Corn Meal

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Goat Cheese

Provolone Cheese

Dried Figs

Sea Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper

{Directions}  

Wash beets & greens. Remove greens & set aside.

Peel beets with a paring knife or vegetable peeler. 

Slice to medium thickness using a mandolin.

{be smart & use the guard}

Toss with S&P and 2 tsp. olive oil.

Chop greens.

Toss with S&P and 2 tsp. olive oil.

Let dough rest at room temp and then separate into sections for individual pizzas. Gently press the dough into rustic shapes.

Let the dough rest again as it will bounce back a little. Prepare a sheet pan sprinkled with cornmeal to prevent dough from sticking.

Place pizzas on pan & prepare cheeses.

Grill the beets over medium-high heat, flipping & rotating until they start to spot or blister. 

Over medium-high heat, place individual pizzas on the grill for approximately 4 minutes or until the underside becomes golden brown and easily releases from grill.

After a minute, you can lift an edge and peek underneath. You want a slight char around the edge, which adds a lot of flavor!

 Flip the dough back onto a pan with cornmeal so uncooked side is facing down.

Spread the top grilled side of dough generously with goat cheese.

Layer with the fresh chopped greens & grilled beets.

Top with dried figs.

Top with provolone cheese.

Place pizzas back on the grill for another 4 minutes to brown underside of the dough. Cover with a lid during this time to allow the cheese to melt.

Best when served hot off the grill!

These were quite filling so a sliced heirloom tomato with fresh basil & sea salt would be a great side & as always, a selection from J. Lohr Vineyards is the perfect compliment to any meal prepared by Artisan Gardner!

I hope you're looking forward to a great summer weekend! Get your grill fired up, dial up your favorite music, gather together and enjoy some chewy, crispy & smoky Grilled Beet & Goat Cheese Pizza!

Remember - cooking at home is not about perfection. It's about cooking what you like, how you like and for who you like.

Bon appetite! 

Bespoke Cabanas & Boutique Tents

 This is the season for soirées!

 In Lexington, they begin in Spring and don't slow down till the end of summer. It's during this time when we find ourselves running & jumping at Keeneland, Rolex, the Triple Crown, High Hope Steeplechase & on the Polo fields as well!

Also on the calendar are dinner parties & birthday parties, weddings & graduations, bourbon tastings & barbeques!

Whatever the occasion, outdoor entertaining is one of the hallmarks of summer that I love, be it a rooftop garden, an elegantly manicured patio or sprawling lawn.

The sun shines bright on our old Kentucky home & the sky tends to open up on a moments notice. Wanting to avoid being drenched by occasional rain, we find ourselves seeking stylish shelter!

The best person to seek stylish shelter with is Anne Girault at Boutique Tents! Anne can renew your vision & your faith when it comes to entertaining in the great outdoors.

Whether you're hosting a fundraiser that calls for seating five hundred ~

Or cocktails at six ~

Boutique Tents has a beautiful array of bespoke cabanas, boutique tents, and timeless umbrellas that will complement your own personal style!

Anne has been immersed in the oeuvre of tents for nearly a decade. Her creations are inspired by her love of fashion, travel, motifs in nature, textiles, architecture, and interior design & it shows!

A valance with three layers of color, texture, and motion and the hand-painted pattern on the interior roof are fine examples of the innate sense of craft and workmanship that transforms these tents & cabanas into exquisite environments.

  Her designs are so richly detailed. I love the classic style and touch of whimsy!

Perhaps you would prefer that weekend guests slip out of their wet suits outdoors as well.

Boutique Tents has got them covered!

And a beautiful bespoke umbrella is guaranteed to add character to your inner sanctuary and provide a charming place to plan your next soiree ~ quick before the summer ends!

Here's a sneak peek of a new parasol prototype & custom cocktail umbrellas for a wedding. At Boutique Tents the planning never ends!

 

  Boutique Tents offers more than couture party cabanas, tents & scalloped cocktail umbrellas... on their website you'll also find custom fabric valances, beautifully hand-painted aisle rugs and banners!

I was so pleased to discover Anne Girault and her gorgeous Boutique Tents!

We became social on Instagram & she is so nice!

Be it a summer soiree or relaxing with the Sunday paper, I love to be outdoors and enjoying my surroundings, doesn't everyone?

Thank you, Anne!

All images here are the property of Boutique Tents unless credited by photographer or designer and are used with permission.