Saturday, January 20, 2018

Focusing on Calm

Are you aware and take note of the beauty that crosses your path every day?

Focusing on a bright spot of colour or something beautiful from Nature...
can elevate a flagging spirit and change the way we see our world.

Each morning I sit quietly sipping my cafe creme and consciously count my blessings.
I embrace the "attitude of gratitude" and it helps me set the tone for my day...


A bouquet that I gave to a special someone!


This wee yellow flower was blooming on the side of the Esplanade
at Willows Beach where I have been taking my daily walks.
The day was grey, cold and gloomy but this wee pop of yellow 
acted like a lightbulb
 radiating cheer and warmth.


The sun has been trying to come out...
three cheers for trying!

I've noticed that people who walk this route smile a lot when they pass...
generally 
much more friendly than the serious joggers and runners on my local route.


Sending you some sunny yellow cheer...



Chicken piccata
a comforting dinner on a cold blustery night.

Here is a link to a similar recipe on Epicurious.



A hot cup of tea...






Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.


Take care



~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

36 comments:

La Vie Quotidienne said...

Counting your blessing is a beautiful way to start the day, finding beauty in unexpected places is a wonderful bonus. Have a super weekend!

Anonymous said...

Thank you very much for these beautiful pictures. The seaside ones, with sun or without, resonate with me particularly. What a mastery of photography.
Have a nice Sunday

Taste of France said...

"Attitude of gratitude" is a good phrase.
We have so much to be grateful for.

Anonymous said...

Hello Hostess,
I admire your focus on the small slices of beauty in your day...whether at home or in nature. So much to enrich us if we are willing to stop and notice. You have perfected that skill and I find it inspiring. Thank you for such beautiful photographs and ,so often, simple but deep words to accompany them. I always feel refreshed after visiting here.
I hope you are feeling less burdened emotionally than you were a few weeks ago.
A.in London

Madame Là-bas said...

I noticed pussywillows on my walk. Your bright yellow flower is especially bright these grey days.Noticing these things do send pleasant sensations through our bodies.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for your lovely post. It is wonderful for mountain-living me to visit the ocean through your beautiful photos.
I play a game with myself while driving to work, and taught my daughter to do so on her seemingly long bus ride to school, to find three "new" things in the scenery. I see deer tracks in the snow or a nest in the bare tree branches. She used to enjoy the antics of some goats on a gentleman's farm or the mist over the stream that paralleled the road. At college, she would enjoy the patterns of the ice between the pathway bricks or name the fat squirrels on campus. There is so much beauty in the world and it only takes a moment to see it. The recipe looks wonderful. I will have to look it up as we are eating out of the freezer this month! Carol in VT

Lorrie said...

Gratitude is a powerful attitude adjustment. As is noticing beauty. I hope you weathered the wind storm well. It was really blowing out there. (Still is) Tea is being drunk by the gallons.

Polly said...

I'm inclined to retreat inside myself in January, but I do appreciate the beauty of a sunny morning when I take the dogs out - even if it is cold. And I'm always looking for signs of Spring.

La Contessa said...

DINNER LOOKS DELICIOUS!I am making MIMI's chicken tonight with the ROOT VEGGIES she had on her last Blog Post in DEC.Do you FOLLOW MIMI THORINSON?Her blog is called MANAGER............my guess is YES YOU DO!Beautiful photos by the ICELANDIC Husband!Loads of children and DOGS in the middle of MEDOC in FRANCE!She is doing an ITALIAN cookbook NEXT!
YOU are SO GOOD to walk.......I need TOO.Do NOT like the idea of driving somewhere to walk........so I do not do it!I know bad ME!
What is that YELLOW FLOWER you first came upon.......looks like a PRIMROSE sort of!!??
XX

lizzie said...

I always love reading your blog. You take such fabulous photos and inspire me often

Jeannine said...

Thanks you for those bright spots of color. I bought a yellow primrose at Aldi for my bright spot. Your wise words are always welcome. Your chicken piccata looks delicious!

Anonymous said...

The wind has been really wild recently. The waves must have been breaking across Dallas Rd. We actually rechecked our insurance because of all of our skylights and the rather large trees that are around us. When the sun does venture out we do realize that we live in one of the most beautiful parts of the world. It is still lovely when it’s cloudy though.
Ali

Patricia said...

Those pink gerberas are a real tonic, so uplifting, and I love the serenity of your beach pictures. Have a good week.

KSL said...

I make chicken piccata often - I love the lemony flavor. I do the same with fish (like sole) as well. Beautiful photos and they are calming.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for another wonderful post. Flowers are always uplifting for me. And that dinner - yum yum!
Suz from Vancouver

Anonymous said...

I love how you find beauty everywhere you look🌸
I know I can always find calmness and joy in your posts!

Andrea

Wendy said...

Do you, by chance, have any Sarcococca in your garden? It is an evergreen box plant. It has inconspicuous little white flowers in the early spring (starting January) that emit a heavenly fragrance. I cut a few sprigs yesterday for a vase, and today my house is filled with the scent of hope that spring actually will, eventually, arrive!

Anonymous said...

Having some problems in one's life could make one easily forget all the blessings
Counting your blessings is very inspirative.
Counting blessings returns balance in my life as well
Your posts are soothing and full of everyday beauty.
Pink in beautiful gerbera and yellow flower-so beautiful
Take care
Dottoressa

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

The unexpected pops of colour and beauty in unusual places are the most inspiring...

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Nature and seascapes make capturing images quite effortless...my IPhone is always with me on my walks too which make it convenient.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Indeed we do :-))

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Inviting beauty into our daily lives is an essential part of appreciating the simple joys that can be found almost anywhere.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Mother used to have a vase with pussy willows in her main bathroom...I have been perusing Selina Lake's books and she is an advocate fro bringing nature indoors...fern fronds, cones, shells, pussy willows branches...its a simple way of adding beauty to our homes.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

I love the idea of that game while you drive!
It is not unlike the gratitude journal that Oprah spoke about...write down 5 things that you are grateful for each day...

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Lots of tea drinking happening here too and there is another wind storm today! Far too gusty to walk near the ocean right now but hope to get out later!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Cocooning is a cozy way to recharge ones "batteries" when I worked in the school I used to have an occasional PJ day where I would keep cozy, sip tea, read and relax! It was quite a treat! Spring is really not that far off....I saw snowdrops today!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Mimi has such a beautiful blog! Her husband is a gifted photographer and she a talented cook...I love her cookbook!
I am driving to a different area for my walks as I was not doing so well on my usual route and so I was NOT walking as often and I NEED to walk everyday. It is about a 10 minute drive...and lovely scenery....and Mother and I walked there often too, not as far but I am reminded of her when I walk.
Not sure what the flower is...a daisy of sorts would be my guess.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Thank you Lizzie...hope that you are doing well.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

The chicken recipe is really delicious...I highly recommend it!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

There is another windstorm this morning and its blustery...my planter on the front porch just blew over...Dallas Road was almost under water! The Esplanade in Oak Bay was littered with huge logs that had been tossed about like matchsticks!
Hope it dies down soon so I can venture out...

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

The Gerbera daisies are so pretty...I like their form and in a big bunch they make quite a lovely display.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

I must try that recipe and use fish instead of the chicken...I think that is a fabulous idea! Thank you!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Have you noticed all the colourful primulas at the markets this month?
I must try and find a basket or planter and plant some up...hope you are staying cozy in this wind.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

My posts usually have a calm tone...not always...but I try to make an effort to share the beauty spotted outdoors and snippets of scenery on my walks.
Happy to know that you appreciated this post!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Hi Wendy...no I do not have that plant in my garden...fragrant flowers grown in the garden are so lovely...there are snowdrops blooming now which are so sweet.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Counting ones blessings can be a powerful attitude adjuster!
Even in times of stress, recognizing ones blessings is an important reminder that the present is not all dark and there is hope for the future...