Friday, July 26, 2024

50 Year Anniversary Getaway...

 


We celebrated our 50th Wedding  Anniversary on July 20th.
We thought about going on another cruise to Alaska but decided on Point No Point.

Point No Point Resort is a quiet place for a getaway.

They have numerous small log cabins and a couple of houses to rent.
The resort was started in 1952 and is almost completely offline...
No cell coverage and there is now wifi in the area by the office.
A former "pay phone" outside the office is FREE for local calls to Sooke.

We holidayed here every year until we purchased the quarter share in the cottage.
Many memories of relaxing getaways and amazing meals were brought back!


The restaurant serves fabulous food and is currently open Thursday through Monday.


We arrived prior to the 4:30 check in so we took advantage of the Happy Hour
 

A bowl full of baby clams in a delicious broth and a glass of wine.
Expansive and scenic ocean views from our table next to the window.


Cozy one room cabin, rustic style furnishings and a hot tub on the deck.


Wood burning fireplace, a small kitchen area, and a full bathroom.


Views to Washington State


Tide went way out in the early mornings...sandy beach waiting for beach combing!



The Beach House has a covered area with a fire pit 
perfect for roasting marshmallows or Smores.


Lovely secluded cove 


My walking stick and the Red Chairs :-))


Some of the Sea Glass that I found on the beaches.


Stellar's Jay landing on the railing of the deck...a foggy morning.


The fog was cool and so I decided to make soup for lunch.
I did not expect to be making soup and had to improvise!

~ Smoked Salmon Chowder ~
Saute: 1 large peeled and cubed carrot, 
2 diced peeled potatoes in butter
( I had no oil)
Add 2 cups of water
1 cup small pieces of candied smoked salmon
simmer until veggies are soft
then add 1 cup creamo

Salt and Pepper to taste.

It was surprisingly good!


Holiday and Beach themed books are on my radar....


Limelight Hydrangeas are in full Bloom!
A Welcome Home Surprise


Patio views in The Humble Bungalow Garden.


Our daughter gave us a gift package to take with us to Point No Point.
Inside were some tasty treats and a lovely linen tea towel,
a vintage heart shaped candle holder
and
this vintage paper weight.

I had mentioned that I really liked it when she posted it on her Instagram.
She set it aside and gave it to us!


A good friend gave us wine.
another couple gave us a gift card for the local garden centre.
Our long time friends
hosted an al fresco dinner 
and 
gave us a lavender wand
and 
a small blue and white dish decorated with fish.
 
Today...
We are busy in the garden...
as we have lots to catch up on since we were away.


~ Gertrude Jekyll Rose ~

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.
I'll be back here on the blog in a week or so...
Hope that you are enjoying your week.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Sunday, July 14, 2024

Summertime ~ Snippets from The Humble Bungalow Garden.

 


Greetings...
It has been a while since I posted.

I have been busy trying to keep up with the jobs here in the garden.
The HOT weather has affected our ability to keep the plants watered and healthy.

Thankfully the Hydrangeas are Still Blooming...
despite the intense heat.


This hydrangea is planted out front
We received it from my husband's firm in 2007 when my father passed away...

It has thinned out a bit this year and I am rather concerned that it is not happy.
We had a rather harsh winter, a warm spell, then a really icy cold snap.
Lots of our plants perished.

Mostly grasses and tender perennials 
but despite our best efforts there are still blank spots scattered about the garden.
Lots of work required...and many visits to the garden centres!!


The Lavender is having a riotous growth pattern this season.

Bees buzzing on the flowers all throughout the day.
You can hear them all busily working when you stand close by the plants!

Last summer I made lavender sachets and I plan to make some more soon.
I need to dedicate several hours to remove the buds from the stems then pop them into gauze bags.


We LOVE Poppies!
My husband saves the seeds and plants them early every Spring.
Bees love them too...


The flowers are a work of art...

Thank you Mother Nature :-))


We were invited to an afternoon visit the garden of some new friends.
We "met" each other on Instagram.
Both of us are retired and are passionate gardeners!

We share a love of plants and growing things...
plus we have other people we both know in common.

I wanted to take a big bouquet of roses but the heat has wilted the many rose blooms.
Their petals are dropping as soon as I pick them.

I took a wee posy of lavender and some magazines with us.


The tour of the garden was an amazing experience...
water features gurgling, many areas to sit and enjoy the views.
Covered dining space, vegetable beds, poly tunnels, a greenhouse, a sun filled deck at the back of the home with loungers and tables.

Each space was designed beautifully with an artistic eye focusing on the details.
I found it incredibly inspiring and came away with many ideas!

We sat and chatted...
savoured the glorious space 
sipped cool beverages and nibbled on these delicious treats...
chocolate covered cherries and pistachio bites.

Look at the lovely floral presentation on the plate!


On my beach walk I collected a few shells and a piece of driftwood.
I had a project in mind for the cottage.

I decided to paint the driftwood and glue some shells to it...


Maybe I went a wee bit overboard on the shells but I did have fun!
The results are rather rustic looking and have a folk art air.

In true 
Wabi Sabi 
Style


~ Marigold Tagates ~

Seeds saved from last years flowers.
Lots of these plants popping up around The Humble Bungalow Garden.

Each afternoon we stop work around 3:00 and sip some cool lemonade.
The front porch is a shady spot to sit and read our books.


Fabulous Book!!!

I read it in two days...
Could not put it down...love Paris and this story did not disappoint.

I am going to go and find some of her other books.


Can you see The Annabelle Hydrangeas just starting to bloom in the top left?
These Big Mop Head Blooms make quite a BOLD statement.

The Limelight hydrangeas are almost ready to pop...

Well I must close for now and hope that you are enjoying your day...
Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~