Saturday, July 9, 2016

The view from here...


The view from here..

The Humble Bungalow Garden
Hydrangeas in front of the freshly painted exterior of our heritage home.



Since taking this picture Mr. HB has hung up our heritage plaque, 
house numbers, mailbox and the porch furniture is back in place.


The view from here...
the back deck door and steps.


Our first sweet pea bouquet cut from the garden.


I love sweet peas...
their form, colours and scent are all exquisite.

I wonder if anyone makes a sweet pea perfume?

The view from here...
walking snippets


Hollyhock up close and personal
growing on a street just off Dallas Road.


The water was calm, 
not a breath of wind 
the clouds hung like a puffy white curtain overhead.


Two handsome bucks were leisurely munching on the seaward side of Ross Bay Cemetery oblivious to the passing cars...


I stopped and watched them from just across the street.
They were more interested in lunch than taking any notice of me!


More signage along my regular walking route...


The view from here...

We enjoyed dinner out last evening with our friends at the Flying Otter on the Inner Harbour in Victoria.
This is where the local seaplanes take off...
There are the traditional Victoria hanging baskets on the dock.

On Fridays The Flying Otter offer a 2 for one appetizer special 
which I plan to order next time I go...
my BFF had the Tuna Tataki and the crab cakes and they looked amazing!

The view from here...


I started reading a new book by author Elin Hilderbrand.
Her writing style is very engaging and I have a feeling that I am going to want to read her other novels after I finish this one...
they are all set in or near Nantucket.


Our darling daughter and her fiancee are set to elope this weekend and I am feeling very emotional as my " first born ~ baby girl" is getting married.

She and her fiancee will be taking a ferry to a beautiful Gulf Island 
where they have an intimate ceremony arranged to take place in a natural setting.

~ Wedding flowers need to be assembled ~ 

after I pick them from the garden...
I hope my tears do not fog up my glasses too much.

I feel Happiness and Joy for them both...
I am certain that it is
the heart tugging mother's love
that is responsible for my mood.

I will show the bouquet and boutonniere on my next blog post.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

31 comments:

2ndheartmom said...

Must know the where and what of that cup with the book please! :)

Unknown said...

Enjoy the nuptials and all that goes with! The arrangements in place for 'their day' sound absolutely lovely and I'm sure it will be all that and more. I'm so pleased the elopement includes special people like you. Cherish the moments and if you cry that's absolutely OK! How wonderful to be supplying the flowers for the bouquet - I'm envious of the beautiful roses from your garden. Be happy, Be well.

Julie said...

Wishing the newlyweds a wonderful event. Yours will be tears of happiness.

Anonymous said...

I love your photo's and views. The railway board reminds me of a little story. My father was "missing in action" for 18 months in WW2. He was "found" on the railway station in - so I was told - Victoria. He always wanted to live in your corner of the world but alas it was never to be. And so my interest in your photo's - a hint of a corner of the world I may have grown up in had not fate taken a different direction.

Best wishes to you and yours and the elopement.

Patricia said...

Wishing you a wonderful wedding event, an emotional time for every mother!
I love sweetpeas too, and used to wear 'Joy' by Patou perfume which always reminded me of sweetpeas. Your house looks wonderful with its fresh new colours, very elegant indeed.

Madame Là-bas said...

So much happiness with a wedding! Your freshly painted house looks great. Happy elopement.

Sandra Sallin said...

Such happy moments. Congratulations to all.

Pondside said...

The Humble Bungalow is looking very smart! Isn't it wonderful, what a coat of paint will do for an old gal?!
All the best to your Dear Daughter and to you too, as you embrace a new family member.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

The bowl is from Emma Bridgewater in the UK...there is a shop in Victoria called Knightsbridge Gift Shop on the corner of Langley and Fort Streets that sells a few of her patterns...my husband purchased a few of her pieces for me for Christmas as he knows how much I love her things.
This pattern is called Black Toast and Marmalade.
You can order from her online websites as she has one in the US and the other in the UK.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Elaine...our daughter and her fiancee are having their intimate service without family and friends in attendance. It is something that they feel very strongly about and we totally respect their decision.
We are pleased that they are having a professional photographer capture all the images and we will be able to choose some photos to frame to cherish in our home...

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

It is an exciting time for them...as they start their lives together as a married couple.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Thank you for sharing your story...it must have been terrifying being "missing in action" we owe so much to the veterans for their service.
Happy to hear that you enjoy the images and perhaps one day you will be able to visit Victoria in person.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

I am going to have to find a shop that sells Joy so that I can test the fragrance for myself. Isn't it surprising how a few coats of paint can totally freshen up an old home? It is worth every dollar!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

They are off today on the ferry...and the sun is shining!!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Thank you Sandra...I was not too sure that I would have enough roses left to make up the bouquet as the rose season started much earlier than usual...as it turns out I need not have worried.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

We love our daughter's choice in a husband and life partner!
He is very good to her and they are a lovely couple...it fills my heart up just knowing that they are moving forward as husband and wife...sharing their lives and future together.

Anonymous said...

I love your photos of "the view from here". The one of clouds I especially like. In Britain, Gavin Pretor-Pinney founded the Cloud Appreciation Society. He has given a TED talk, found online, called "Cloudy with a Chance of Joy". It's only ten minutes long and gives some amazing cloud photos along with the talk.

I've taken the name of the book and will seek it out on my next library visit.

All the best to the family and to the new bride and groom. I had to smile when you mentioned elope. That's what my mother told me to do. She didn't mind no fuss and bother. But we went ahead and had a lovely church wedding anyway!

Glad the sun is shining there.
Honey Bee

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Thank you Honey Bee for the information about the Ted talk on clouds...will see if I can find it online. "To each their own"...my husband and I had a big church wedding and I loved all the attention to detail...from the dress to the church bells ringing, the confetti, the reception and receiving line...and here we are today. This July 20th it will be our 43rd year as a married couple!
Hope you enjoy the book.

Jeannine said...

Congratulations to the newlyweds. It is heartwarming the respect you have for their decision to elope. They have to do what is right for them and I am sure they are grateful that you are there with them in spirit. Your home looks fabulous with the new paint. So spruced up. Thanks for sharing it.

Karen said...

The humble bungalow is looking very special. Sometimes we fret the cost of maintenance but when the job is done we know the money is well spent.
Congratulations to your daughter and new husband I think eloping is a lovely idea.
I just love the hanging baskets it is lovely that there is so much pride taken where you live.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

I watched that TED talk and it was really fun! Thank you again!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

I/we embrace and encourage our children in their decisions...I /we raised them to be free thinkers and I/we are not in a position to make choices on their behalf...so why would I/we interfere?
The bungalow is looking rather dapper and I am pleased...thank you for noticing!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Oh yes the "high cost of maintenance!" But we, as stewards of these heritage homes, have very little choice...we MUST maintain them or they fall into rack and ruin.
The City of Victoria hang these beautiful baskets on all the streets in the downtown core...they are a tradition and one that makes our streets look much more attractive.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations! You must be a very proud mother@
The humble bungalow looks great! And the flowers....
I am reading "The Swans of the Fifth Avenue" and find it very educational.
Thank you
Dottoressa

Julie said...

I came add that your humble bungalow looks perfect. If I were walking down a street, this is the type of house and garden I'd walk past slowly to admire.

Jeannine said...

I have a couple friends who have interfered in one way or another - either with the wedding, making their displeasure known regarding what the couple plans or else requiring command performances, as I call them - holidays are a certain way and on a certain day and the adult children must be there. I don't agree with their approach to their adult children. You are very wise, Leslie, and thank you for sharing your wisdom with your readers.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Oh indeed I am....proud and pleased and happy for our daughter and her husband!
The novel Swans of New York is really an interesting peek into the lives of wealthy women from that era...I liked the book too.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

There are hundreds maybe thousands of heritage homes in our city and some are estates with large manicured gardens...others like ours, are small humble homes that are being restored and maintained by dedicated owners...we have heritage walking tours by The Victoria Heritage Foundation... if you ever visit Victoria you might find them of interest.

beyondbeige said...

Demeter has a sweetpea fragrance. Let me know if you like it.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Oh I will see if I can find it, thank you.

Unknown said...

Great minds must think alike, Leslie! My daughter and her fiancé are having a personal, private wedding with just the two of them and a photographer next month. They will sail to a private island off the coast of Maine where they will be married and enjoy a lobster bake prepared for just the two of them. I couldn't be happier with their choice of a wedding! (Full disclosure: I loathe weddings and do anything I can to get out of attending them! Thank you, thoughtful daughter!!!)