Wednesday, September 6, 2017

The Views from Here...

We have been away on the boat over the Labour Day Weekend and Mr. HB has returned home and I am at Quarter Deck Cottage with my sister.


Our cozy cottage has a lovely view over the Salish Sea towards Vancouver Island you can see part of Salt Spring Island on the right in this snapshot.

There is a smokey haze over the region due to forest fires in BC and Washington State...the sun looks like a big red fireball.


Binoculars are placed on the table so that we are ready to grab them.
Boats, eagles, seals and Orcas are frequent "visitors" off the deck in the distance.

Reading on the deck is punctuated by the passing of the boats...
from large yachts to the tiny crafts that ply the waterway
they capture our attention.

We cannot sit all day so we venture out walking.


We make time to explore the country roads.

This Old Manse is located in the historic Hope Bay area of the island.
There are some lovely heritage homes in this small bay.
At the end there is a small dock, an art gallery, a restaurant and a real estate office.
We spied a chocolate shop undergoing renovations and will soon be open for business!


Sheep farming seems to be a popular vocation on the island.
We hear the sheep as we walk and this curious fellow came to greet us through the fence.

Farm stands and fresh egg stands pop up along the roads.
This morning at Raven Rock there was a large offering of fresh veggies.
I could not resist the large oak leaf lettuce and the basket of cherry tomatoes.
Then the posy of cheerful dahlias just begged to be bought!


I've already planned my meals revolving around fresh eggs and the produce.

The no alcohol regime has become routine and I am not missing it at all.
Thought that I would but the "faux wines" are keeping me satisfied.

There is no scale here at the cottage to accurately monitor my weight 
but my clothes are feeling looser which is encouraging...
the daily laps in the pool and the walks are definitely helping.

 I am way behind reading all the blogs that I follow
holidaying at the cottage is not really conducive to computer time.
Will try to catch up over the course of the week.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.
XO

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

22 comments:

Cindy Olson said...

Hi Leslie! I'm a regular reader and a very infrequent commenter. I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your lovely posts and photos and that I really appreciate your consistency as a blogger. Thank you!

Unknown said...

The islands are so beautiful....you have a perfect spot.
Ali

Anonymous said...

I love the photos of the Quarter Deck Cottage! I am a little jealous, but thankful that you share the photos; I gaze at them for a "mini" vacation.

You are doing really well on your food choices if your clothes are feeling looser, great job!

Susan B said...

It sounds like a lovely and relaxing time, enjoy! Those dahlias are stunning.

Sheila said...

The sun is so weird, isn't it? I'm looking at it now and it's bright red. I hope the forest fires let up soon!

That lettuce looks delicious. Judging one's weight by the fit of clothes is actually a good way to track how well you're doing. I wear non-stretchy pants around the house to make sure I'm conscious of not overindulging. Good for you, L!

Susan said...

All of this is so delightful.

Kristien62 said...

As I have noted before, you live in a beautiful part of the world.

Madame Là-bas said...

Your produce and dahlias look lovely! I'm glad that the no alcohol regime is working. Your time at the Quarterdeck sounds idyllic!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Cindy I have been so preoccupied with the summer jobs in the garden and holidaying that I feel that I have been neglecting the blog and posting less so your comment is most appreciated!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

As you know only too well Ali we do live in paradise!
I plan to come for a thrift shop browse towards the end of September and would love to see you...perhaps we can have a bowl of soup and catch up if you are not in Provence!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

The cottage is a wonderful place for a quiet getaway, I am very grateful and have my husband to thank.

I am crossing my fingers that the scale will reflect all my activities and better choices....I still plan to rejoin WW when I get home.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Thank you Sue, I do not grow dahlias and often think that I should...they are such pretty garden flowers and make for a lovely bouquet. Oodles of the market stands have them available right now and they are not very expensive.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

The moon was bright red last night too!
I tend to wear stretchy pants when I am relaxing...my walking and Yoga gear are very "forgiving" I need to adopt some of your habits!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

There are so many beautiful places in the world...I love reading blogs from afar so that I can see other areas on the globe.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

The cottage is quiet...people here seem to be very respectful of other residents. I have met only friendly swimmers and walkers in the complex so far!

Carol B. said...

Enjoy your holiday. I do agree, you live in the most beautiful part of the world!

Lorrie said...

The view from your cottage is a lovely one, and one that always provides something interesting. Glad your regime is working - it's tough to cut back.

Rosie said...

As I've mentioned before, Quarterdeck seems to be perfectly situated with idyllic views. You seem to have experienced some very special moments with your family during the last few months. I've been exploring Strasbourg during the last few days and although I've visited before I've experienced some new areas which make me feel I'm walking around a new city! Some areas have the same ambience as Le Marais in Paris which made me realise how much you'd love it ...
Take care ...
Rosie
ps My daughters wedding in France turned out to be perfect in every way ...even the sun shone!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Carol I am grateful and we are very fortunate to be able to enjoy the beauty that surrounds us.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Reducing the amount of food and choosing better things to eat is not much fun when you first start but it does get easier...the trick is to keep it up and that is where I got off track. I just hope that this time it will be different...

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Great to hear that the wedding was a success and hope that the newlyweds are happily off on their honeymoon.
I have read about Strasbourg...right now I am dreaming about the small quant villages of Provence...research may spur me on to plan a trip.

Rosie said...

Villages in Provence ... definitely a lovely dream :) They arrived home yesterday, having spent a wonderful honeymoon along the Amalfi Coast.Today they're receiving lots of love and attention from their cat who's obviously really missed them!
Hope you're having a good weekend Leslie.
Rosie