Friday, July 15, 2016

Seeking peace and perspective...in the Humble Bungalow Garden.

The late night news coverage of the violence in Nice, France was hard to watch.

is unsettling...
difficult to process....

I was worried for the safety of our friends who live in the South of France
so I sent off a couple of emails before retiring to bed.


When I woke up I went to the computer and read the emails from our friends confirming they are safe...

Sunshine shining through the freshly cleaned windows was a welcome gift.
The birds were chirping and the garden beckoned...


Coreopsis

I took my coffee outside and wandered in The Humble Bungalow Garden...
I am going to take you along too.


Limelight Hydrangea


Fisherman's Wand




Limelight Hydrangea blooms are quite large.


Calla Lily

The flowers and birdsong are calming...
I understand that
world events are beyond my control.
All I can do is control my own reactions to these events.


My current novel...
sitting quietly reading with a cuppa on the porch.


This lovely Hollyhock is blooming in a garden nearby...
The delicate crepe papery petals reminds me of our Romneya Coulteri.


Romneya Coulteri

I find solace when I am immersed in domestic routines 
like polishing silver,  
weeding the garden 
or 
cooking in the kitchen.

 ~ Stuffed Peppers ~

Two recipes popped up at the top of my google search for stuffed peppers
I added some other ingredients that I had on hand.


Halve the peppers and remove the seeds.
Cooked rice
add
sun dried tomatoes, corn, olives, basil, onions, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic 
Mix to blend in a bowl.


Stuff the peppers
top with tomato sauce and grated cheese.


Chill until time to bake.
Cover loosely with foil
Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes.
Enjoy

"Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. 
Without them humanity cannot survive."

~ Dalai Lama ~


Chester looking rather relaxed on the front table in the entry hall.
He uses the wicker chair behind him as his scratching post.
He is a naughty boy, but is so cute that he gets away with it!

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

14 comments:

Rosie said...

Chester looks so cute ...good to be able to take some comfort from pets and other simple things that help us to feel secure.
I was surrounded by families and small children...happy and excited, waiting to watch fireworks, when I heard the first news coming from Nice. So tragic ...these random episodes of terrorism are so hard to comprehend.
Rosie

Margie from Toronto said...

Very sad news - so glad that you are able to find peace and solace in your beautiful garden.

Madame Là-bas said...

That looks like a simple and healthy recipe for stuffed peppers. The deaths and injuries in Nice are so pointless and sad. We can only practise care for others and try to find peace in our own lives.

kristieinbc said...

We are living in very unsettled times. Our access to instant news via the Internet makes it very hard to maintain a sense of balance. You are wise to seek ways to restore that balance in your garden and daily routines. The stuffed pepper recipe looks wonderful. Thanks for sharing it!

MabonMoon said...

These disturbing events seem to be happening more often; so hard to comprehend anyone wanting to commit such violence. You are correct that we can only control our own reactions and find comfort and solace in the peace and beauty that surrounds us.

The stuffed peppers look yummy; your garden is glorious and Chester made me smile. Funny what our furry friends get away with, isn't it? Cheers, Violet.

Amy at Ms. Toody Goo Shoes said...

It's hard to cope when these horrific events keep happening every few weeks. Your garden is lovely and peaceful - a place to heal the mind, for sure. The Fisherman's Wand are spectacular - I've never seen them before.

Patricia said...

Your limelight hydrangeas always fascinate me, as I have never seen them in reality. They are a stunning colour. I love your calla lily too, and hope to get one for our garden. The serenity found in the garden is so important in these turbulent times. We are confronted with it constantly by the media, the tragic events around the world. It is making me a bit anxious about international travel as we are flying in the near future.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

It is difficult to come to terms with these tragic events...

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Gardening is such a wonderful hobby...it does not fix any problems but helps put things in perspective...at least it does for me.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

We had the peppers for dinner, I delivered a couple to Mom and then I ate them for lunch for several days after...
Your thoughts resonate with me too...kindness, caring and practising peace in our daily round...and reaching out to help others when we can.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

The news coverage often is too graphic for me...I must turn off the TV and find other activities to engage in.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Violet these peppers were delicious and they make an easy little lunch when there are leftovers!
Our cats get away with a LOT in our home!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

The dierama is an unusual plant and when it grows into a large clump it looks amazing! I hope it grows much bigger!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

I am sure that many people are thinking carefully about their travel destinations...hopefully with the increased security at airports and train stations travellers can relax a bit more...but I know what you mean...I had to put my fears aside when I went to France last year after the attacks.