The second flush of rose blooms ~ always a welcome sight.
The repeat blooming roses will bloom again after being deadheaded
a job
while time consuming...
is rewarding!
Yesterday I was super busy dusting, vacuuming, doing laundry.
These domestic chores need to be done regularly...
once accomplished are so satisfying.
I blitzed the bungalow and by noon I was pretty much knackered!
I stopped for a break and decided what I would cook for dinner.
The planning of meals is very much a priority here in The Humble Bungalow.
The view from our laundry room...
the patio plants and garden beyond.
I peek through the French door when I am folding laundry or ironing.
Natural beauty helps keep me grounded and sane.
The Covid upswing in numbers here in BC is rather unsettling.
We will have to keep our bubbles small moving into the cooler weather.
How will we manage to be social when it gets cold?
Sales of outdoor heaters and marquis tents might be in demand.
I plan to walk regularly with a couple of friends.
Thankfully
I have a long down coat which will keep me cozy.
We enjoyed a tasty lunch on our boat last week...
so simple and full of flavour.
Bagels cream cheese, lox, capers and red onion slices.
Have you been busy making meals?
Are you baking bread?
I've been cooking regularly since early March.
The number of times we have been out for a meal on a patio are few.
Happy Hour with friends outside have been our safe social dates.
Our dinner...
Chili and baking powder biscuits.
(I haven't baked biscuits in years)
Martha's recipe from the Goward House Cooking Club.
Sadly we are not able to meet up due to Covid right now.
Harvest this morning.
Fresh tomatoes from the greenhouse.
Yellow beans from the raised bed.
I blanched the beans for 3 minutes then plunged them into ice water until they were cool.
Dried them with kitchen towels
packed them in Ziploc bags ready for the freezer.
Almost finished Akin by Emma Donoghue...
I am enjoying the story.
Emma is a very creative and gifted writer.
She's Canadian.
What are you reading?
How are you keeping your spirits up while in isolation and staying safe?
Have you been inspired to be creative?
New crafts, projects, redecorating?
Hope that you are being careful and staying safe.
Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.
~ Be Well and Be Kind ~
19 comments:
I cooked a lot in the beginning of quarantine, but slacked off after a few months. Now I am back in school and meal planning will be essential. I am reading Madeline Miller's first book, The Song of Achilles. I hope your week is off to a good beginning. Hugs!
Mmmm, yellow beans! I never see them in stores, only green beans. Not sure why, perhaps they don’t keep as long?
I just finished reading Where the Crawdads Sing, and it was so engaging. A sit on the couch for hours type of read! Now that hockey is back on the TV for Mr. D, I am doing more reading.
Up on the north coast it has been nothing but rain all summer, so I am really enjoying all your garden photos, and feeling a bit envious; ok, more than a bit! Veggies look great, and your roses are always beautiful.
What an absolutely beautiful rose! We have not been out for a meal since March, although we have takeaway fish and chips occasionally. I enjoy seeing your lovely meals, especially your own garden produce. Because I am home more, sadly unable legally to do many of my usual pursuits, I am cooking more, and we make Saturday night a date night at home, dress up a bit, watch a concert together, and make a special meal. I am reading 'The Silver Swan: in search of Doris Duke' by Sallie Bingham. Always enjoy a cracking biography of an extraordinary life.
My roses bloom through October.......I would imagine yours do TOO?
I have been spending my DOWN TIME in THAT NEW CLOSET......Making progress.I am reading two books at once!Don't ask me the titles!!
Both were gifts...........I had the most delicious sandwich yesterday a Turkey with everything on Gluten free bread!SMALLEST SANDWICH EVER but it was GOOD they had cucumbers and pickles tucked in!!!
XX
My week is ticking along nicely! A little bit of variety...reading, cleaning, walking, cooking, and planning a family birthday dinner.
Meal planning ahead while working is a stress reliever. I used to double recipes and freeze half for another meal.
Take care.
Yellow beans are available at farm stands and local markets. The grocery stores don’t seem to carry them. Your summer sounds like a wet one...ours has mostly been dry and sunny. The rains will hit with a force here soon...that will be our weather for many months here in the PNW.
Oh gosh fish and chips!!! I would love some. I packed up all my bridge stuff and sadly have stored it out of sight. I miss playing so much.
Oh that book sounds really interesting! I know a bit about Doris Duke. I loved the book on Bunny Mellon. Truly two amazing women!
Our roses usually bloom through the next couple of months. Not as large a flush as the first ones of the season but they provide us with colour. A small but satisfying sandwich 🥪 with crunchy cucumber and pickles sounds like a treat!
Have fun in your new closet!
There’s some software out there you can use to play with your regular group. A friend has been for the last few months. Maybe try that?
Laura Thank you fit your suggestion I do know about the online bridge but it’s the “social aspect” that I am missing. We would chat in between hands and had a mid afternoon tea break which was quite lively and delightful. It would keep my bridge skills fresh though so I may need to try it out.
You inspired me to look up Emma Donoghue's book, and I've put it on my TBR list. Thanks -- I read Room and Wonder, but this latest wasn't on my radar yet. Currently working through a stack of holds that the Vancouver Public Library had for me when they opened a few weeks ago -- reading Melissa Harrison's novel At Hawthorn Time (she writes so beautifully about nature). Your home and garden look like such a tranquil, nurturing place to wait out this pandemmic.
I love yellow beans! I've been changing some of my balcony planters to fall colours. I've set aside a potting/resting plant area so that some plants can be overwintered. It's all an experiment to find a balance between annuals and perennials and vegetables on a small balcony.
That's odd -- I left a comment earlier, but it seems to have been lost. Just wanted to say thank you for bringing my attention to Akin. I loved Room and Wonder was also good, so I'll put Akin on my TBR list. Working my way through all the holds I've been able to pick up at Vancouver Public Library since it reopened. Currently reading Melissa Harrison's novel At Hawthorn Time -- she writes so beautifully about nature.
Your flower pictures are always so gorgeous! I went to the Toronto Botanical Gardens this past Monday and it was so relaxing - no bikes, no joggers & no dogs allowed - and I was really astonished at how many different flowers were still in bloom. It has been a very hot summer but enough rain to keep everything lush and green.
I met another friend this morning for a walk and to get my hair cut - she came along for a consultation - and we were saying how we will have to just keep walking no matter the weather as it is our main form of socializing at the moment!
I have been to a very few patios but I'm not ready to move indoors as yet and no one that I know is ready to do that either so it is going to be tough once the cooler weather sets in. I hope that you're right and that some of them decide to bring in heaters and perhaps a tent style covering. If they do I'll be more willing to risk the weather than to go inside to a restaurant.
I haven't done as much cooking over the past couple of months due to the heat but I have been restocking my pantry in anticipation of cooking and baking once again by the end of Sept. I've got about 6 different types of flour, lots of butter & shortening, dried fruit & nuts plus lots of other baking odds & ends so I'm ready! I have one or two friends who are very cautious so we are considering visiting each other's homes during the colder weather for the occasional meal and visit but not until we can't visit outdoors anymore.
I bought Mary Berg's cookbook today and I've been reading a lot of J.D. Robb mysteries lately - mindless but fun and at least they keep me interested - still having a bit of trouble with my concentration. I did read the latest from Ian Hamilton (part of his Ave Lee/Uncle series) and I'm waiting for the latest Cormorant Strike book from R. Galbraith due soon (actually J.K. Rowling).
It will be an interesting Fall/Winter.
Our library in Oak Bay has reopened and I am so thrilled! They even have an hour for seniors! Am going to go one day this week and grab a few titles.
Your garden on the deck, biking and walks must help you through this pandemic. Nature is such a tonic in these unsettling times.
Today we harvested the Kentucky beans. I put up two large bags in the freezer. If we keep harvesting this much from our small garden I am going to look into buying a small freezer!
I think this is your original comment. I have the moderation turned on to avoid spam comments!
Margie it sounds like you are having a wonderful September so far! Getting to see the hairdresser after months being closed is a luxury! Hope you enjoyed the pampering! Like you I am reading voraciously.
Making decent meals and freezing our homegrown veggies for the fall and winter are keeping me busy.
Take care!
Your photograph pf the beautiful apricot/coral rose is wonderful. It looks like it is glowing from within. You should consider having that photo enlarged to frame and hang on the wall.
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