Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Jumble Sale Table ~ Brooches, Yoga and some easy (Super Bowl) Recipes...


All is calm...


Sparkly Pink Puffer Fish...

Small enough to wear on a hat or beret.
Found at the local Market in a jumble sale table.



Marcasite Brooch
the sparkly "beads" are made from polished hematite
also from the jumble sale table.

Jumble sales are rather like a car boot or garage sale.
They are rather exciting...treasures can be found in these sales.
The items are not curated but heaped together in a jumble!
You may find a treasure.


Yoga is happening...
(albeit a solo practice)

I could benefit from a Zoom session from my instructors.
Our WiFi here is dodgy at best 
with many of the transmissions being pixelated.

So we can never depend on the reliability of the WiFi.


We sit near the window looking out across the Salish Sea 
while we read and where I knit...
many boats pass during the day and are all lit up at night.
The BC Ferries look like birthday cakes!


Local Fiadh Academy Aura Rose Quartz scent...
I use this on my wrists and neck.
It offers a calming fragrance which is lovely for my Yoga practice.

There are very few fragrances in my collection...
I've given up using heavy scents as so many people are allergic to them.


I read and enjoyed Geraldine Brooks recent book Horse...
so when I spied her Pulitzer Prize winning novel March I grabbed it.

Started it early this morning and I am already hooked...
I had to put it down for Yoga and then I met up with a friend for coffee.
I did a bit of shopping at Island Girl...
white Bamboo Yoga Top from Blue Sky.

Lovely chat with the new shop assistant...
saw some really cute Bueno white sneaker high tops...

Oh Dear could be trouble!!
If I dream of them tonight I will go back tomorrow...

What are you reading?


Do you enjoy a wee bit of chocolate?
I find these Ritter Sport bars from Germany quite delicious!
I do TRY to keep my habit under control...
BUT
Milk Chocolate and Hazelnuts are my favourite.

What are your favourite chocolates?


Did you watch the Super Bowl?

If you want a quick and easy Spread for crackers...
try this recipe.

Chutney Spread

2 ~ 8 ounce packages of Philly cream Cheese (room temp)
1/2 cup of mango chutney
1/2 cup of toasted chopped almonds
1 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. dry mustard

Mix together in a bowl
 Chill for several hours

Perfect added to a charcuterie board.
Nice with a whole wheat cracker.

We had Spicy Szechuan chicken wings (2 dozen) and an orzo pasta salad for dinner.

Easy Peasy Wings

Put the wings in a bag with about 1/2 cup of all purpose flour and shake.
Place wings on a parchment paper lined sheet pan for an hour at 350 degrees.
Then add a jar of Spicy Szechuan sauce and liberally cover the wings.
Bake at 350 for another 30 minutes until sticky.

Orzo Salad 

Cook about 2 cups of orzo until al dente, drain.
Add a jar of Naam miso sauce, 1 cup pitted kalamata olives, 1 cup frozen green  peas
Mix and chill in fridge.


Bateaux Mouches Scarf/Shawl...
using
Bamboo Rayon 
soft with oodles of drape.

Will be an ongoing project for a few more weeks...
depending on how much time I plan to sit and knit.
The work is meditative, as it is a simple repeating pattern.

Add a pot of tea, a cozy warm seat by the fire and it's my idea of idyllic.

Simple Joys 

There is a lot of stress and crazy things happening in our world.
Fasten your seat belt and find some quiet tasks to keep your hands and mind busy.

Try to breathe, stay calm, eat healthy food, and don't forget to hydrate.

Let me know how you are doing...
 
Actions that you can control help with negative feelings...

Use your energy to do something positive...
pick up litter, do a good deed, pay it forward
Go for a walk, run, meditate, read a good book, call a friend,
eat some chocolate.

Take Care of You :-))

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

25 comments:

Miss Merry said...

Your puffer fish is just adorable! What a great find!

Laura J said...

That bow brooch is lovely. Just the right amount of sparkle. You have such a good eye”. I’m reading the Cazalet Chronicles but trying to space out the volumes so it lasts longer! We have several amazing local chocolatiers that I am in danger of eating too much..I’m a very dark chocolate fan and one maker does dark chocolate covered candied orange rind as well as hazelnut bark…definitely alluring…stay warm and cosy.

Anonymous said...

Just wanted to say how much I enjoy your blog posts. I have been reading for quite a while now, and realized it's about time I told you that! Mary

beth b said...

Greetings from a neighbor to your south. There is a lot of stress and craziness these days. I'm limiting my "news" time and trying not become overwhelmed by all of it. I just finished reading Elizabeth Strout's "Tell Me Everything" and it was exactly the escape I needed. Unfortunately the weather has been either too cold or too icy/snowy for my outdoor walks lately so I'm spending my indoor time reading, cooking, listening to music. I noticed our daffodils are poking out ... a sure sign that Spring will return. I so enjoy your posts!!!

beth b said...

Oh I forgot to mention how much I love the sparkly pufferfish!!!

Sheila said...

Marcasite is hematite, not pyrite (that's fool's gold). Hematite used to be known as Alaska Black Diamond! Your puffer fish brooch is amazing! I would have snapped it up.

I'm reading "Ninth Street Women" about the female artists of the 1930s-50s NYC. It's very well-written and is eerily parallel to so much going on in our current world.

Polly said...

The sparkly pufferfish is fun! My current read is “It Ends With Us” not very interesting, it might get better. It’s a book club choice. I like the sound of Horse. I like Ritter chocolate, my favourite is Tony's Chocolonely. I like your last paragraph, I try to keep positive.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Miss Merry...I can see this puffer fish on my beret or my distressed faded denim jacket...actually it will work on a lot of things!!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Dark chocolate and orange or ginger is very good as are the hazelnuts...so tempting. The Cazalet Chronicles are a classic. Good that you are savouring the stories.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Hi Mary...good to know that you are enjoying the posts. Take care.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Elizabeth Strout is a very insightful writer...she has a real gift.
It is cold here too...ice still is thick in the shady parts of the roads. Quite treacherous for walking. The daffs are up here but not blooming yet...snowdrops are all blooming as are the hardy hellebores. Stay cozy :-))

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

It's a sweet little sparkler...

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Oh thank you...I will amend my post accordingly...not sure how I mixed those two up but your keen eye has helped!!
Substack seems to be the new Blogger...sounds like quite a few are migrating over there. Have fun.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Book Clubs are good for getting readers to read different genres...hopefully the book will pick up the pace and hold your interest. I had coffee with a friend yesterday and she gave me a nibble of the Ritter Sport peppermint chocolate...it was yummy too...they make great treats.

Anonymous said...

Hello Leslie from No. California on a cold rainy morning. Your posts are always a favorite, especially in these unstable times. I volunteer at a resale shop and find so many wonderful items to wear or for the home. I always seeing what you find. Thank you for sharing your lovely life with us.
Valentine’s Day here, sending ❤️
JoanS

Patricia said...

Yes, there definitely is a lot of stress and craziness in our world, and Australia is no exception. Since the Pandemic, nothing seems to be the same. We take time out to enjoy the simple pleasures. I too love the pink puffer fish brooch. What a find! The Salish Sea is always a treat to see, especially with the snow capped mountains behind. Love those. I am reading The Dutch House by Ann Patchett, enjoying my Book Club which is pushing me into reading more, and different types of books and authors. Great post.

Maria said...

I am reading "Tell Me Everything" for book club. I love how Strout uses characters from her previous novels (Olive Kitterridge) in this story!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Hi Joan...Hope you had a great Valentine's Day!
I think being a volunteer at a charity shop is a fine job!!! It would be fun and there would be lots of interesting things...my issue would be learning how to not take everything home with me!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Patricia...I really loved The Dutch House...I like all of Ann Patchett's books. I've never been in a book club and so many of my friends are in clubs...the bonus would be to as you say, read books that might nor normally be on your radar!
Enjoy those sweet unexpected JOYS in your days!
XO

Anonymous said...

Hello Hostess, my dr wants me to take infusions, once a year of of re-caste for osteoporosis. I couldn’t find your post regarding what you were taking. Could you refresh please. Thank you, KM

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

KM, The injections that I get semi annually are called Prolia and they are for my osteoporosis. Hope that helps!

Debi in Amery WI said...

I can no longer get your instagram. I have clicked on "follow" and did that again today. I also couldn't access your gmail. I've been following you for ages, so I don't know why this is happening. I am also unable to find Adrienne Shubin's instagram - can you still access it?

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

My Instagram is now private and you need to have an account on Instagram and request to follow. This is because I was getting too many "weird" possibly BOT accounts following me...I follow Adrienne on IG maybe her account is private now too?

Michelle said...

I really enjoy Geraldine Brooks stories. My first one was People of The Book, and just recently Year of Wonders, so the rest of her books are on my 'to read' list. Love the brooch finds, so fun to lift a plain jacket or hat.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Michelle, I have to read People of The Book...I do like a wee bit of sparkle and at jumble sale prices it is a guilt free purchase :-))