On the cusp of the Hospice Teeny Tiny Garden Tour....

 Dear Readers....

I have been totally immersed in preparing our Humble Bungalow Garden for the Annual Hospice Teeny Tiny Garden Tour...that is why I have not been posting.

It is for a good cause...

My husband and I have been devoting most of our waking hours to get ready for this upcoming garden tour. This is our first experience with a Garden Tour and we are doing it in memory of my beloved mom. She spent her last days in our local Hospice and the staff were amazing...kind and considerate and so supportive of all of us.

We heard that 650 tickets were sold!!!

I plan to give away one of my "mud pie" paintings...no need to donate but if you are on the tour please feel free to pop in a toonie...and enter the draw.

Good Luck !

I am feeling rather knackered tonight so will just add some photos...

Constance Spry Rose

Climbing Rose Graham Thomas

A struggling Limelight Hydrangea planted in a pot...

fingers crossed it gets better!

Green grass and a huge Hosta!!

Candlestick Primulas...

In the "new bed" last year we dug up and planted a new bed...

10 feet by 4 feet...

I dug it up when I had my broken ankle.

Dedicated gardeners might be able to relate..

NEEDS MUST :-))

Two chairs to sit in which I think we need to sit in soon...

I'd like a cold icy Gin and Tonic...

maybe on Monday

(after the tour?)

Back patio near the basement door...lots happening here...

so much more than meets the eye!

Lewissia

Red Geraniums

the hummingbirds love these.

They have been buzzing by us each day that we have been working in the garden.

Perhaps they are cheering us on?

So many roses here in The Humble Bungalow!

We counted 30 at one time but we recently lost a few so perhaps we have 25 now?

Sunday is the day...

Big green glass Italian bottle...hidden among the plants.

Do you think people will see it?

The potting table...

my "work" area.

Roses growing above the raised beds...

Don't poke your eye out when gardening...

pop a pot on top of the bamboo stake.

Clematis atop of the pride of London ground cover...

coral bells and to the left a day lily.

If you purchased tickets for this worthy event

and are coming to The Humble Bungalow Garden

PLEASE say hello...

I would like to meet you ALL!

My MOM would be so excited if she were still here...

Thank you to all the dedicated nurses and doctors who help us everyday.

Best to all of you and thank you for stopping by to read my post.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Mother's Day Post and a wee bit of shopping...

Happy Mother's Day!

Hope that you are having a good one...

Whether you are celebrating with your family

perhaps remembering and honouring your precious memories of your Mom

or sharing this special day with other women...

Cheers to all of the great women in our lives who helped us.

Who mentored us in our careers...

inspired and cheered us on

and 

continue to be beacons of light.

We were at the cottage last week...

the weather was great!

It was a mixed bag of activities and meals were quite simple.

Knitting, reading, beach combing, thrifting, visiting with friends.

I am surprised that we didn't even get in one game of crib!!

Found more sea glass and a vintage boat "block" at the thrift shop.

I like the distressed look of the block with its peeling paint...and a wee bit of rust.

Summer feels like it is on the way.

My trusty vintage Eddie Bauer sunhat...going into its 3rd decade 

(Thank you Patricia !) 

Found feathers add to the age and charm...

Hosted a Happy Hour on the Deck...

We sat outside until the winds picked up and practically blew us indoors!!

I bought a new sweater by the French Company Saint James...

it was on sale locally at W&J Wilson's.

I have a Breton striped top and a Black sweater by the same company.

The quality of their clothing is absolutely top notch.

Periwinkle Blue Cashmere Cardigan...

reminds me of the shutters in Provence.

Will be a workhorse in my wardrobe....

Paired well with my Akoya Pearls and a simple white Tee.

Wore it with my wide legged black rayon pants.

Black Vessi slip on shoes.

In other news :

Won the Mother's Day draw at a la mode Consignment in Oak Bay!!!

Will be picking up my gift when they open on Tuesday.

Thank you Alexa :-))

If you live in Victoria and shop in Oak Bay don't miss this gem of a shop...

We are so fortunate here in Victoria to have a variety of great second hand and consignment shops...so many great ones. I LOVE shopping in this shop!

My other faves are :

Twice is Nice

House of Savoy

Well I have my first cold since Covid hit the planet...

So I am feeling a wee bit foggy in the brain.

Will close for now as

I need to pop the kettle on and make some honey and lemon.

Hope that you are feeling good and keeping your spirits up.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Silk scarves ~ a pop of colour and a wander about in several gardens...

 

~ Playfair Park ~

The native Camas is in bloom...

there are shooting stars, buttercups, and chocolate lilies.

Camas 

Prolific Pink Rhododendron 

There are many other azaleas and a perennial garden in the Park.

Many families were enjoying the idyllic space...

children were playing in the playground, a birthday party was underway 

and a family were having a picnic.

My friend Michelle and I had a picnic Friday in the Government House Garden.

The sun shone, the views were spectacular and the birds serenaded us...

The gardens are vast and many flowers are native to the site 

growing in the Garry Oak Meadow.

A large group of volunteers tend these gardens.

If you live in Victoria you most likely know of this gem,

 but if you are visiting our fair city try to include this on your visit.

It is a beautiful greenspace...

Humble Bungalow Front Porch 

our fresh new red geraniums are planted in pots and planters.

Tea break mid afternoon...

grabbed my new book We All Live Here

by acclaimed author JoJo Moyes.

Such an engaging story...

SO GOOD

I read it late into the night :-))

Auriculas are blooming...

These darling plants are so prolific...

I love the varieties and am keen to grow more.

Our garden is getting a big tidy up 

in readiness for the Hospice fundraising Teeny Tiny Garden Tour this June.

Wee corner of the laundry room...

I spend a lot of time doing laundry and love that I have a view 

out to The Humble Bungalow Garden.

I have been wearing silk scarves to add a pop of colour to my basic classic black and white wardrobe...

I gently washed this vintage Hermes silk scarf in my Aveda shampoo...

Vintage Hermes Scarf from my daughter Jennifer.

This scarf was purchased from the Hermes shop in Vancouver many years ago...

I chose the black and white H pattern 

as it was a good choice with my simple black and white wardrobe.

Do you wear scarves?

Many people think that the scarves are difficult to style...

they can be be a versatile and creative accessory.

I once owned a box of scarf tying cards from Hermes...

the clerk gave the cards to me when we bought one of my scarves...

Last August I thrifted a silk scarf in White Rock...

not all scarves are expensive.

They seem to be quite easy to find in second hand

and thrift shops.

Picture from the Archives...

Last August...

(Before the Fringe Trim)

A

Simple Scarf Tie

I've got to close now as I need to prepare dinner....

a stuffed pork tenderloin, lemon orzo and steamed carrots.

Hope that you are keeping well and are embracing Simple Joys.

With so much uncertainty we all must try to keep our spirits up...

Smile, listen to music, read a good book, get out for a walk in Nature

 keep in touch with friends and family.

Do something FUN everyday!

Thank you for popping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Almost Easter...

The Erythronium Lilies are in bloom...

Easter is almost here.

Are you celebrating with an Easter dinner with friends or family?

The lily plants have been multiplying since we planted them 

over a decade or so ago...

I love their delicate form and nodding heads.

We have some Native white Fawn lilies but they are slow to multiply.

Dried Annabelle hydrangeas are still hanging out in the dining room.

Picked them last year when they were in full bloom.

They've faded but they still perk up the dark corner here in The Humble Bungalow.

The hallway was bathed in morning sunlight and I had to capture the moment.

A different view of the Hall and Dining Room 

to the right is the small living room.

I've been washing the inside windows...

we hired a local company do the outside a week ago.

I cannot reach the high small panes as my step stool is too low 

 I do not like working on step ladders!

It feels too wobbly and risky to be 5 feet off the ground.

Not sure if we will just live with them slightly hazy?

Perhaps hire that same company to come inside next time, 

in the fall perhaps?

Do you wash all your windows?

Spring cleaning is rewarding once the tasks have been done...

I find now at 70, that I procrastinate.

I do keep the house "tidy" and try to keep "clutter" under control.

How do you feel about housework?

Dust and cat hair are always with us...

with 2 cats and an old home we seem to be constantly vacuuming and dusting.

When we were at the Cottage I treated myself to a bunch of yellow roses...

too bad that greenhouse roses from the florist are not fragrant.

They lasted the entire week...glowed bright and bold such a sunny shade.

I changed the water daily and recut them twice,

 first when I got to the cottage

then again halfway through the week.

On the yellow theme I purchase a new cookbook!

I follow Julius Roberts on Instagram...he is a farmer and a chef.

The picture from his book spoke to me!!!

I knew that this simple recipe would be amazing...

So flavourful...

I learned how to spatchcock a chicken too.

The fragrance from the pan was unbelievably rich.

Served it with mashed potatoes and some steamed fresh asparagus.

We had enough for two meals and then I used the carcass for soup.

Keeping things fresh and interesting is very much on my radar.

A new Ikebana presentation was advertised...

Happily my friend and I attended.

Such a simple idea to find things in nature and make them into beautiful art.

The black container is so interesting...

a curly twiggy branch

 reeds, a pink rhododendron and some feathery foliage.

Leafy branches, red rhododendron blooms and a twiggy branch on the table.

Gerbera daisies, flowing curvy branches and some Pieris in a shallow dish.

The presenter has taken 120 lessons.

 She has learned all the rules and principles of the practise and has graduated to the "freeform" stage of Ikebana.

She suggested that we look for interesting vases and bowls at the local thrift shops.

The Kenzens are available online.

 We are fortunate to have a local shop here in town that sells them...

Gardener's Kit.

I bought 4 small ones and a large round one.

It's fun to learn new things and explore creative pursuits and hobbies.

What are you learning?

A new skill, or a foreign language?

Pottery, Sewing, A Craft?

The weather has been sunny and warm these past few days.

My skin is sensitive and I have rosacea 

so I ordered some Eminence sunscreen from a Canadian website.

They have reformulated their powdered sunscreen...

I like how easy it is to use and it is buildable.

There is a built in brush.

We've got a Federal election here in Canada and we vote soon...

it is a very important election what with new trade war and the tariffs.

I hope we can build a stronger Canada, one that will not result in a recession.

We've got many issues that need fixing...

our medical system needs more doctors and nurses

there are too many people that are homeless

 lots of families are struggling financially.

~ PLEASE VOTE ~

Well I have to get some dinner ready now.

On the menu tonight...

Tossed green salad, gnocchi with cheese and bacon, Maple BBQ chicken thighs.

Thank you for taking time to pop in and read my blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~