Luxury is in the simple things...

Luxury for me is in the simple things.
Triple milled soap, beeswax candles, body lotion, high thread count cotton sheets, a down duvet, linen tea towels, fresh herbs, flowers inside the bungalow, fluffy white towels and hot water for bathing everyday.

Pure linen tea towels

a Bungalow staple.

My tastes are really very simple.
I do have a passion for fashion and the price of so many luxe lines are really beyond my reach.
After all one can only carry one bag at a time!

The desire to acquire is waning...
I feel that this is because I am feeling more at ease with the choice of lifestyle that I live.
I do not need to compete with anyone.
It is very freeing for me coming to this conclusion and it has taken me many years to get to this place.

Getting off the spending treadmill and consuming less feels appropriate for me right now.

My minimalist wardrobe is working for me.
Getting dressed is much simpler as there are fewer items to choose from and the pieces that remain are the ones that fit well and make me feel comfortable and confident.

Food is an area where I need to be more mindful...
I have a tendency to over eat as I love to cook and love the tastes!

If I approach eating with that same philosophy that I applied to my clothing
"less is more"
I might be able to embrace the concept more readily!
I read constantly about Chic French femmes staying slim by eating mindfully and walking daily.

Fresh homemade Batard

oil and balsamic vinegar

I am working on improving my eating habits....
Eating slowly and savouring each morsel, putting the utensils down between bites.
New habits take a few weeks to enact,
so I will persevere and see.

Rome wasn't built in a Day!

I have been very inspired by Adrienne at Rich Life on a Budget
I think that you might be too...go over and say hi, please tell her I sent you!

Breaking bad habits is done one step at a time
baby steps, that's where I am at.
Putting one foot in front of the other
a work in process....

Fresh Heirloom tomatoes and basil are a match made in heaven!

I love a bit of salt, pepper, and balsamic drizzled over top.

A simple salad that is pure luxury.

What says luxury to you?

Wildlife...

One of the things we enjoy living close to the ocean here in the pacific Northwest is the wildlife.
Birds, porpoise, seals and whales are sighted frequently.
Often though our cameras are not in hand...but when they are it's an opportunity to capture the image and share.
It is always a delight when wildlife is sighted and somehow feels like a gift,
as if Mother Nature herself was saying "surprise"!

This little seal popped his head up and looked at me before diving down to feed on some fish.

Two swans swam by...

They seemed quite eager and friendly

I think they were hoping for food.

When I was a child 

I was at the edge of a pond in a park and one rushed up to me and bit me.

I still feel a sense of unease when I see them and keep a safe distance away.

we fed them some bread

and then they swam off into the sunset.

There is not much going on here...

as you can see by my post.

there is

plenty of reading 

relaxing and good food.

al fresco lunch

my girlfriend calls this a "picky plate"

little bits of this n' that

easy peasy

Pepper's actioning some serious napping!

 What are you doing these days?

Shoe buddies...

Summer is a time for walking barefoot in the sand
or wearing sandals
showing off pretty polished toes.

putting our best feet forward

here 3 generations of our family

are all wearing sandals

and baring our toes.

Do you have a favourite pair?

I know I do!

Our darling grand daughter Isla is almost walking!

She has been teetering and taking a few tentative steps 

before she realizes that she is accomplishing this feat all by herself

and then she promptly sits down.

Speaking of toes, she likes to stand on her toes

like a wee ballerina

it is so cute to watch her arching her feet

wee little pink toes that are kissably perfect.

Conversation slows when she is around

we all watch and marvel 

with her every move

it is enough 

just to be in her presence 

she brings such joy 

to our family

in our Humble Bungalow.

 I discovered a great shoe assortment at the children's shop on the Avenue.

It was quite an adventure

there's so much to choose from

everything from

Bolch ballet flats

soft leather Mary Janes

 Keds

Nikes 

even Hunter Boots !

all manner of styles, colours, and designs...

When my children were young there were only a few standard styles

Buster Brown made a sturdy and reliable leather shoe for girls

 Mary Jane's

and 

they also made a shoe that was considered a boot

 for boys.

We bought new shoes every six months back then as their little feet grew so fast

my MIL took us shoe shopping

she didn't have many shoes herself but took great pleasure in buying shoes for her grand kids.

bronzed baby shoes

these were their first shoes

son's on top

daughter's below 

a cute bell on hers

As I perused the selections 

I found myself picking up various pairs and studying their construction

touching the soft leather

and

getting excited at the thought of Isla wearing them.

I am hoping that one day I will be shoe shopping

with Isla

maybe she'll love shoes as much as I do.

I like the idea of being known as 

The Shoe Grammy.

It sounds better than being 

The Bag Grammy!

although 

having said that

I'll be whatever she wants me to be.

Grammys aim to please!

Crabbing...hunting and gathering food and flowers.

Queen Anne's Lace...

I love this frothy bloom

and to some it might be regarded as a weed.

I have captured it's beauty for you to see with my camera.

ship board flowers

and a lovely vintage tray 

a thoughtful gift from my BFF

With that Black Bear on the loose 

I am walking around in circles!

I am reminded of a quote that was something like... 

everywhere I go there I am!

Which is so true...

you can walk away from many a situation but the thoughts and memories will stay with you

there is no escaping that fact

(unless you develop amnesia or dementia)

Gosh what a thought.

I am writing without direction, just typing away madly in the heat of the day.

There is a lot to see right here on the ocean

and plenty of distractions...

I stop to look outside the window and see gulls flying

flags flapping

the water shimmering

and I feel gratitude

contentment

and 

serenity.

Can you see Mr. HB sitting aft reading?

I hope that he won't mind seeing himself here when he turns on his laptop!

He devours historical fiction

and 

happily sits in the sunshine on a warm summer afternoon

doing what he loves best.

In front of one of the houseboats 

there is an elaborate garden

 a maze of coloured pots in various sizes 

driftwood

shells

buddhas

ropes

floats

flowers

haphazardly arranged with an artistic flair....

(depending on your taste it might be a nightmare)

Succulents

are such hardy drought tolerant garden plants...

they grow fast in all manner of conditions 

caring very little if they are in pots or in the soil

and are the most amazing acrobats in their growth patterns.

Fresh caught cooked crab

our simple lunch on the weekend

and

some rather wilted dahlias

(which have been tossed out and replaced with Queen Anne's Lace)

Pink Himalayan Salt in a self grinder

(which is fun to use)

Mr. HB is  great at catching crab!

He catches it

I cook and clean it...

(I am a happy galley slave)

Did I mention that the galley is small?

It has a converted ice box

two propane burners

a small sink and a minimal countertop.

Two crabs cooked and cleaned

Pearl Island Crab Cakes

Formed and ready to be chilled for a few hours

then sauteed carefully

We had a cob of fresh corn for a starter

before devouring these tasty cakes...

served with freshly grated ginger and soya infused mayonnaise

I could only eat three

so there's one for the breakfast omelette tomorrow!

Pepper hunkered down in the heat of the day.

Adrienne asked how she is doing...

she naps a lot when it's hot and sleeps on my bunk beside me at night

wakes very early for food and plays with her toy mice while waiting for us to get up!

I hope this sunshine sticks around for awhile

I am enjoying the warmth and it finally feels like summer has arrived.

Oh Oh!

the weather forecast is calling for thunder and lightning...

we better batten down the hatches.

Star gazing...

In an effort to put the recent world events in perspective I must have a heart to heart with myself.
I can so easily get overwrought with worry about the state of affairs over which I have no control.
I read Dr. Andrew Weil's book many years ago and he suggests having a no news week.
We are so connected by radio, newspapers and the internet.
Facebook, Twitter and Blogger all link us in the social media.

In an effort to relax I am putting negative events out of my mind for awhile and focusing on the NOW.
The reality that is here at this moment in time...
not thinking ahead,
nor looking back,
just being,
feeling,
savoring,
 and
focusing on what is before me.

Cowichan Bay Sweater 

hand knit by Arlene

a First Nations woman 

who spins and dies her yarns 

before knitting tribal patterns 

that have been passed down through the generations.

Cuddling with Pepper

pets help us with stress

unconditional love is what they offer.

No make up on

a

bare faced

greeting

honestly

a

humble hostess

not putting on airs

just 

sharing a simple moment in time

and 

encouraging you to be who you really are 

thank you for stopping by as I 

share my innermost thoughts and insights

here

Hostess

XO

A sign of the times...

Cruising aboard our classic Chris Craft  is a great way to enjoy the quiet life.
The ocean tides lull one to sleep and relaxation is a sure thing.
With plenty of time for reflection and book reading one does need to make the effort to move the body. Daily swimming, kayaking are weather dependent so walking is my favourite option.
I like to walk on the beach and explore the areas surrounding the marinas and marine parks.

I was not expecting to have my walks curtailed because of this...

I thought it might be safer to explore the docks and gardens of the local houseboats.

I'd be scared stiff to encounter a large black bear.

A sunny planting

I am particularly fond of this foliage

nature looks like she has been painting the leaves.

Any chance that Johnny Depp is about?

I'd love to catch a glimpse of him!

This industrious honey bee is collecting pollen on this allium alba.

I followed an interesting walkabout 

dotted with metal sculptures...

someone has been very crafty and creative recycling all this metal.

Have a Happy Friday

it's the gateway to the weekend.

What are your plans fro the weekend?

My husband and I are belatedly celebrating our 37th wedding anniversary 

(July 20th)

with dinner out 

which just happens to be at a restaurant with a water view

and while it might be onboard our boat

it's not!

The domestics just got more glamourous!

Domestics in this old bungalow are never done.
Which makes it often difficult to sit and relax
particularly when I spy
dust bunnies and cat hair gathering on the dark wood flooring...
If it were a dull grey day I would not notice but they are
illuminated by the warm afternoon sunshine...

Our cleaning gal has been on leave and I am not keeping up her standards.
I now see dirt where I have never seen it before.
I had no idea that we were so messy and I consider myself organized...

I honestly do miss her weekly visits.
The good news is that she is coming back very soon!

I decided that I needed to do a more thorough job 

that meant buying some newer 

fresher and better tools...

 Oh! look at the lover-ly prep inspired label 

 Boston Warehouse has glamourous products

the gloves have polka dot frilly edging

prints and flowers 

in a rainbow of colour

I could have bought the entire stock of gizmos

and revamped my dull utilitarian cleaning cupboard

it could stand to be made over!

Broom in black and white!

(Pepper approves)

She "helps me" sweep...

which takes much longer

I do appreciate her "being on the job"

I replaced my worn out scrubber

with this new one

it's in a happy lime green colour.

Let's dress up domestics a bit!

I wonder what Elizabeth Taylor would say about these...

do you think she ever pushed a vacuum

or 

scrubbed pots?

Remember to wear your gloves when doing heavy work

your hands will thank you for the protection.

Speaking of protection...

 it's a good time to discuss SPF

we need to save our skin from the sun's harmful rays

 chemicals cannot be good 

baked by the intense heat of the sun

so it is a safe solution 

that I seek...

and have found

Organic Mineral Sunscreen

SPF 30

recommended by a girlfriend

whose

 complexion is looking radiant these days

I think this might be part of her secret!

Break time is over...

I am off to massage the tub with a micro fiber cloth...

Weekend recap...

Summer weekends in the rain onboard the Chris Craft is a time for cocooning with a great book a mug of tea and a cozy blanket.

Vintage 1957 Constellation

 original for the most part

compact 

and 

snug.

Our weekend getaway

I like to think of it as our floating waterfront cottage!

The stresses of the city leave the minute we step aboard.

Life on the boat is easy.

Domestics are quickly finished

meals are simple and tasty

and 

slumber comes swiftly after all the fresh air.

I love the hum of this lifestyle

and could easily fall into a routine of quiet 

 days 

where the only clock is an inner timepiece

dictating meal times based on hunger

and bedtimes based on fatigue.

I am halfway through Cool Water

which is set in the prairie town of Juliet, Sask. 

Dianne weaves an interesting story of eccentric characters whose lives are intertwined

with such deft skill that you are pulled into the town life 

and feel like you are sitting amongst them watching from the front porch swing!

Pepper is at ease

she has settled in quite nicely now that the noisy motors have stopped!

Bobbing on the calm ocean she has found many spots to snooze.

She has been brave enough to come up on the back deck and explore

we need to keep our eyes on her as she is fascinated by the water

and we really do not want her to jump in and go for a swim!

Twinkling crystal encrusted Lily Blues

and a sparkling rippled sea.

A floral bouquet painted for the sole purpose to remind me of my garden

(one of my early works)

when the garden bouquet wilts 

I still have these...

The rain has stopped for now

and there has been some sunshine

there are grey clouds gathering

I plan to finish my book and start in on another.

I enjoyed Isabel's novel A Vintage Affair 

I am looking forward to this one.

My wardrobe for the boat is very minimal and practicality not fashion sets the tone.

If I were to give my nautical attire a theme it would be active wear.

It all fits into a medium size sturdy Lands End tote.

Lands End tank tops

one in in navy and one pink 

both with white polka dots

white Joe tank tops

quick dry pants for kayaking

a waterproof anorak cream with grey accents

 that folds into a pocket size 

a Lululemon hoodie in grey and cream

Buffalo grey cargo pants

shorts

a fleece jacket by Royal Robbins

a grey and white jersey dress

2 bathing suits

one black with white polka dots

one black and white print

flip flops

Sperry deck shoes

nightie and warm socks.

I need to close for now and catch up on some blog reading...

before I get back to my book!