Cheerio, I'm off for a few days...

Cheerio,

I am off for a few days with Mother
and leaving Mr. HB and Pepper in care of the Bungalow.

We will be SHOPPING
south of the border!

the writing is in the sand...

things are looking up...

Any thoughts on where I might be headed?

Mother is so keen that she has been packed and ready all week!

Mr. HB is excited about the Hockey Play Offs

I do not think as excited as

I have been excited about the Royal Wedding...

wasn't it amazing?

There was such a buzz at work about the ceremony

the attention to detail

the crowds of well wishers who camped out days in advance

the

uplifting feeling that people feel when there is something good in the news.

I cannot help but think of those devastating tornadoes

and Japan will always be in my thoughts...

Go Canucks Go!

Can you imagine dining at Buckingham Palace?

What would you wear and what would you say if you met the Royals?

What would you choose as a wedding gift?

I think I'd send something made by our BC First Nations peoples

Sterling Salad Servers perhaps...

or a pair of Cowichan Valley sweaters....

as seen here at the

UBC Museum of Anthropology

More Friday Flowers...

Spring has Sprung!

Bungalow Garden 

Native Lilies

Look at these bracts...

I never planted this plant it just pops up willy nilly all over the garden.

This Euphorbia is in dire need of thinning out

I do love the lime shade of green.

Grasses are drought tolerant and we have water restrictions 

so I have been trying to plant things that are hardy

not so water dependent.

I quite like the colour of this grass.

I LOVE my roses 

and they LOVE water!

View from the Park

A sea of Blue Camas

Apologies for his post

 it is a rather hastily put together and rather a scrambled one.

I will cross the Sea to the South

and see you later...

I hope the sun is shining down on your patch.

Have a delicious weekend!

Friday flowers...roses and royal wedding images....

Hello
a very quick post wedding post.

Have a Fabulous Friday...
everythings coming up roses

Love is in the air...
I can still hear
the sound of church bells ringing and
images of the Royal Wedding will stay with me for a long time...

I thought Kate looked amazing, her dress was stunning.
Looking lovely

The hats are spectacular, love the pomp and the magnificance of it all.
Swooning from here.

I must be a romantic because I wept when I saw them exchanging their vows.

Hostess

Locks and walks...and wedding talk.

Sunny skies are overhead and its a great time for a walk.
I used to walk in athletic shoes or as they call them in the UK
trainers...
I have opted for a different style of walking shoe.

Josef Siebel

makes a great shoe

excellent support and superior comfort

long wearing and not too dowdy.

These are several years old.

Josef Siebel

recent purchase

Privo by Clarks

shoes today

I've been to the salon and had my locks coloured

no more high and low lights

just my natural colour minus the grey tinsel.

I got the nod of approval from Mr. HB which made my day!

It's a bit of a shock looking in the mirror now

even at the best of times!

I am working hard at acceptance

and not taking every new wrinkle or crease as a personal insult

the sagging and creasing is part of aging

and aging is what we have to accept

and move on...

with grace

Life is too short to be too focused on ones self

it feels so much healthier to look beyond

and seek out opportunities to help others.

Are you going to watch the Royal Wedding?

I am definitely going to tape it

 and watch it later

as it starts here at 2 am

and I do love to get a full nights sleep!

I might be wearing this...

in honour of Princess Diana...

a woman whose life was cut far too short.

Will you be watching and if so, what will you wear?

Shall we Dansk to a Symphony in Blue?

I found this vintage Dansk Paella pan in a local shop.

The shape and form were so attractive that even though I have never made Paella I decided that I could use it for a baking and serving dish.

I can visualize it filled with pasta and sauce, wine steamed clams, a hearty stew or a curry.

The shape is smooth 

and the enamel is in perfect condition.

In 1974 Avocado Green and Harvest Gold were the popular colors 

for appliances and kitchen decor.

Our wedding gifts were in Avocado Green

none of them exist today 

almost 37 years later!

We had a Blue themed kitchen for many years

with a whistling Copco kettle and baking dishes

and

Wedgewood Midwinter Stonehenge crockery in Blue.

In a recent post 

I showcased the current white Maxwell Williams 

white goes with everything!

Some Blue is creeping back into 

The Humble Bungalow

"what comes around goes around"

Grape Hyacinths

Seattle Music Experience

Frank Gehry designed structure

a symphony in blue

(too big for the Bungalow!)

Salt from Guernsey

hand scooped by salters

French sea salt is a Humble Bungalow staple

Blue sealer jars

 Suburban Princess

this display is for you!

Hydrangea

Postcard from Jeanne

Thank you

lovely blues...sent from across the sea

Harumi Ota 

a very talented porcelain artist created two bowls that caught my fancy a few years ago which I purchased and admire

here

and 

here

While I am embracing blues...

I cannot conceive of reintroducing Avocado Greens

except in the form of tasty and heathy avocados!

Does anyone have a Paella recipe that I must try?

Thank you for stopping by...

Family Photos...Memories and A Mighty Leaf

It's been a hectic weekend,
I am feeling weary but very satisfied by what a small and mighty group can accomplish.
We have not completed the job and it will require a few more days on the job but at a less frantic pace.

The most fun I had was going through boxes and boxes of family photographs.
Many were of people that I didn't know and unfortunately there were no names or dates identifying them, so they got recycled.

Mr. HB's Family

in front of their home in the mid 1950's

Mr. HB looks so cute as a toddler!

Look at that daffodil bed, it must be Springtime.

Mr. HB must be about 10 years old here fishing in the BC Gulf Islands 

aboard the family's first boat

an Ed Monk designed wooden classic.

She is anchored in what was to become their favourite anchorage

an inlet near Prevost Island.

It's a lovely spot, 

protected and peaceful

we used to get fresh oysters off the rocks at low tide.

Mr. HB had a speed boat when we met and he was a fabulous skier

this inlet was the perfect place to practice his skills

and impress his girlfriend

(ME!)

We have also spent many lovely days anchored there aboard our Chris Craft Constellation.

Waking up at first light 

a mug of fresh brewed coffee in hand

and a quiet and calm surface

listening to the gulls

and 

waiting for the day to unfold

and then staying up after dark looking up at the stars

they are so much brighter without ambient light from the city.

There's nothing like a box of old photos to stir up the memories!

Mr. HB is snoozing on the sofa

and I have snuck off to my computer

to write a quick post

and have a cup of Tea

before turning in for the night.

I've recently discovered a new and tasty Herbal Tea

Mighty Leaf

White Orchard

 African Nectar is delicious too.

You might like to try some

a sampler pack is available which is a great way to find one that you might enjoy

I feel the need to digest the immense emotions that have surfaced

I am surprised by the intensity of this experience

and thoughts seem to flit in and out

memories...

of innocent times 

spent 

when one never considered mortality 

or illness 

or sorting out belongings that filled up a lifetime 

until now.

A cup of tea is the perfect drink to sip while pondering life and making plans...

in my Humble opinion I think perhaps tea is the "penultimate drink"

or maybe I am just a tea grammy!

What do you think?

Friday...Flowers and Family....and fun.

Happy Easter!

I would like to thank those of you who follow The Humble Bungalow Blog
and those of you who take the time to comment.
I know what busy lives we lead...
I am finding myself strapped for time
trying to juggle work, family, domestics and the garden.

Granted it's a holiday...
We are not taking the day or the weekend off
we are engaged in hard work.

Work that needs to be done
and we have lots of great helpers!

We are helping an elderly family member clean up their home and property.

Our family have given us so much over the years...
support
love
hugs
celebrations
trips to the California Desert
trips aboard a yacht
dinners
parties
anniversaries
birthdays
Christmas
Thanksgivings
and Easters

Which i am finding all
adds up to heart tugging
Memories...

I am wearing faded denim jeans, a white T shirt and my casual walking shoes.
Not a great look, but really who cares?

                                            I have my gloves ready!

Sadly the gloves are wearing out

and I need to go and find a new pair

luckily there are more where they came from

and they're as cheap as chips!

It seemed like a good idea at first

and then I said 

NOT!

the silk is too slippery

so I swiftly tied the scarf around my neck

much better!

Am I crazy to want to add some colour and style to my work duds?

Is it me

 or 

do you love the sound of those two words?

"Work Duds"

On the drive home 

today

I had a "moment"

it caught me off guard

and 

I felt my throat become taut and tight.

Where did that come from?

Perhaps

sorting and handling everyday household items used for years

going though personal papers

discovering the cards and drawings that my children had sent over 20 years ago...

which they saved

has affected me greatly...

and I wonder 

if this is how my children will feel....

when they are in this situation.

Clutter is not a problem

 in The Humble Bungalow

but it's early days!

(I am kidding, I am so on it!)

There's something so cheerful about flowers in the home

and yellow is ticking all the boxes for me today

a little bit of sunshine goes a long way.

Easter Egg Hunts and Chocolates

will need to wait for next year.

We are Family...

and a little bit of Fun!

A "Golden Moment"

I hope that you have a smile on your face!

Hugs 

Hostess

Fashion, Maye Musk, and our lovely daughter's newest jewels...

Magazines are a great source of ideas and are easy to pick up and put down.
In the spirit of Thrift I have limited myself to two subscriptions...
Town and Country and Fashion magazine.

Country Living UK is purchased monthly at a local booksellers.

Magazines find their way to the table in the staff room at work so I can get my fill of In Style, Vogue and numerous other fashion magazines.

I am very impressed with Fashion Magazine...
"Canada's No. 1 Fashion and Beauty Mag"

I read the articles instead of just skimming through and checking out the pictures.
This was my last issue and I have just renewed for another year...
a great value too.

The classic style is what I aspire to...

here they showcase a few things that I love

a man size watch

white shirt

jeans

Hermes scarf

red flats

big sunglasses

a sturdy handbag/tote

striped Tee

a simple dress

and a bold piece of jewelry

and

isn't Audrey lovely?

There's a spread called "White Noise"

and the white fashions are modeled by stunning

femme d'un certain age

(62 going on 63)

Maye Musk 

She looks fabulous with her shiny silver hair and glossy red lips...

it's obvious that she takes care of herself

and after perusing her site I can see that she is an amazing gal.

Lovely daughter who celebrated her 32nd this week

spent some time shopping 

and her trained eye

picked out a couple of real bargains

It helps that she has great eyesight

I would have missed what she zeroed in on...

hallmarks

Victorian 

9 carat chain

and 

turquoise and seed pearl pendant

Such a sweet piece

under $10.00

Sterling silver

cultured pearl pin

 14 carat gold stamen tips 

$5.00

Lovely daughter is very lucky when it comes to finding treasures

her art history background helps

as does her knowledge of jewelry styles.

Years of watching The Antique Roadshow

perusing reference books

a keen eye 

 a desire to acquire

and 

the love of the hunt

all work together

in her favour

she takes great delight 

in wearing her treasured finds.

If you go to thrift or charity shops,  

garage sales

or 

car boot sales

what has been your best find?

Humble Bungalow China

We have everyday and entertaining china here in the Humble Bungalow.

I opened the glass fronted cupboard doors so that you might see the everyday basics

The white set is Maxwell Williams

The platter on left is vintage English Ironstone

the one on the right is Meissen

Vintage Franciscan Ware in "Sprout"

and a random collection of mugs

Emma Bridgewater, Dunoon, and some vintage Hornsea.

Sandwich and tea cake plate and cup

a gift from Mother when she downsized to her condo

Such a handy set for an afternoon tea

I have other bone china cups and saucers in the dining room cupboards

The entertaining china...

Royal Albert Lavender Rose

as chosen for us by Mr HB's mother and her cousin

back in 1974

Platters teapots and a punch bowl

hiding behind closed doors waiting...

 for a party

Family events, celebrations, buffets, pot lucks, and holidays

all see this china make an entrance

I have only ever broken one piece

unfortunately 

it was a large platter 

which to replace was over $200

White china is so versatile

styles can be mixed and matched

I am finding the white everyday pieces to be such a great basic

and they have made their way into the dining room more often than the entertaining china has recently!

Do you have a set for everyday and special occasions?

Or do you have one set for both?

What colour/pattern/style do you prefer?