Finding my way...

Thank you so much for your supportive emails and comments on my previous post.

Many of you wrote about your personal tragedies and situations that are much more dire than what our family is going through and upon reflection this past week I have been able to regain my sense of perspective

coming to terms with my feelings of helplessness.

I've put my energies into action 

working on domestic chores

focusing on the jobs at hand.

It is not a cure all but it feels good to accomplish something that needs doing.

I am glad that my kitchen does not look like this one

but it CAN look rather messy if I do not stay on top of the cleaning.

Thank goodness for the auto clean program...

it makes the job so much easier.

I've been chiselling away at my "to do" list...

the feeling of accomplishment 

is a reward

when I am able to cross another job off the list.

Maintaining leather 

Coach bag, shoes and boots pays off as they look better and last longer.

 Fresh Shampoo

for  

my make up brushes once a month...

a simple routine that takes just a few minutes.

This wee orchid was a gift from a friend 

when Mom died on my birthday last March.

It is blooming again!

This orchid has a double row of blooms...

speaking of blooms our Amaryllis is absolutely stunning!

Each stem has four flowers!

There is another stem about to bloom.

We have never ever had an amaryllis like this one.

Low WW point lunch yesterday

after a busy day working in the Humble Bungalow.

Did you watch the Golden Globes last night?

Oprah's speech was so inspiring...

I watched it twice.

A stack of books await...

Speaking of inspiring.

I found this wonderful quote on Pinterest...

Hope that you find some comfort and joy in your week.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Meat Pie for the Mister

Lately on my WW regime I have been eating different food than my husband.
Mr. HB likes to have a hearty meal and I have been avoiding heavy meals, preferring to nibble on salads with a small amount of protein.

The reduced point plan has definitely been a success as I am closing in on my goal weight and have about 5 pounds to lose.
Last week, or rather the past 10 days I hit a plateau and the scale stayed at the same weight which I find rather discouraging, but I press on...

Encouraged by the results so far I continue to be mindful of what I eat and the portions that I put on the plate...if I have a larger lunch, I'll opt for a smaller dinner.

The meat pie recipe that I served Mr. HB follows...

Meat Pie

Brown 1-2 pounds ground and stewing beef in a small amount of oil.
Add 1 large onion and cook until soft.

Chop and dice:
3 carrots
3 ribs of celery
3 medium sized potatoes
1 parsnip
1 small turnip

Add to beef and onion mixture 1/4 cup flour,
blend to coat and cook for a few minutes then add 2 cups beef stock.
Season with salt, pepper, and thyme.

Add all the vegetables and simmer with the lid on until they are cooked.
Pop in a cup or 2 of frozen peas and put lid back on and let simmer while you make the pastry topping.

Pastry

In a bowl measure 1 1/2 cups of flour, 1/2 tsp salt then mix it together.
Cut in 1/2 cup cold butter with a pastry blender until butter is coarsely blended.

In a cup measure
beat 1 small egg with 1 tsp vinegar
add just enough ice water until it measures 1/3 cup.
Drizzle into flour and butter mixture and mix to form into a disc.
Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to chill.


Place stew mixture into an ovenproof dish.
Roll pastry put on a lightly floured board large enough to cover stew and leave a little bit overhanging the edge to crimp and seal it in.

Cut vents in top of pastry and bake at 400 degrees for about 35-40 minutes or just until pastry is golden brown.

Before baking

Dinner is served !

I highly recommend this wee Weight Watcher calculator.

It has simplified my shopping choices and makes it fast and easy to calculate the points of any products using the nutrition information on the package.

My favourite snack these days is a tart crisp freshly sliced apple 

served with 2 wedges of Laughing Cow cheese and 2 Wasa rye crisp crackers.

I will opt for this mid afternoon with a cup of tea and it keeps me satisfied until our dinner is served  around 7 o'clock.

How is your weekend going?

Anything fun and exciting to share?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

September is a great time to curate one's closet.

September is a time of change...

the summer season is slipping away
fall is in the air
fresh starts, new beginnings
and a burst of colour in the foliage of the trees.

A great time to start some projects,
take a class,
shop for accessories,
clean out the closet
declutter the pantry
get rid of expired medications
polish boots, shoes and handbags.

Take stock of what is hanging in the closet...
what clothes get worn, what clothes do not feel right when worn.
Time to "observe trends" that may be in the magazines, on blogs, in the shops.
Can you rework what you have in your closet?
How about pairing separates in a fresh new way?

Perhaps it is time for re-evaluating one's personal style
how our current lifestyle might affect the clothes that we keep
those that we may donate, consign or hand down...

What new things could thrill or inject energy to what we have and love?
Vintage pieces?
Classics?
Boho?
What "speaks" to your inner muse?

Can you kick it up a notch?
Is it a genuine representation of your personal style?
Does it feel real or do you feel like you are wearing a "costume."

Shop at the charity and consignment shops for a splash of colour,
find something a bit unusual...a scarf, a belt, a bag are great pieces that don't have to break the budget and are ways to add a punch of colour or texture or style.
Have fun!

The least expensive accessory that I purchased so far this season is a lipstick.

L'Oreal trio...

The new kid on the block is #315 True Red

It is the first red that I have purchased since I was in Paris.

It will be fun wearing this shade with my crisp white shirt and jeans.

I have a lot of black and grey garments and this pop of colour will brighten up my pale complexion.

I've received numerous compliments on the Rose 31 scent by Le Labo.

Layering products makes a fragrance last longer so I phoned Nordstrom and ordered the Rose 31 lotion yesterday.

Wearing a new scent and a red lipstick is giving me a psychological boost.

Have you found anything new and exciting for the new season?

Une Femme has some new lipstick shades 

coincidentally I was working on this post when I read her blog post!

Great minds think alike!

The WW regime is really paying off...

almost 10 pounds down.

I am not hungry and have been pleased with how my clothes are fitting.

More energy and better sleep patterns have been wonderful side effects.

My skin has started to glow...

I think it must be all the water that I am drinking 

plus the variety of colourful vegetables and fruits on the menu...

less red meat 

a bit of fish, lean free range chicken and organic eggs.

What are you reading right now?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

OOTD and random snippets from The Humble Bungalow

Our weekend harvest of home grown vegetables in Mr. HB's new wooden Trug.

The Trug looks very much "at home" with the wooden cutting boards.

Mr. HB tends to the veggies in the garden and grows tomatoes in his greenhouse.

The tomatoes are so tasty and sweet, 

nothing like those that you find in the grocery stores.

The potatoes were amazing too...we ate them for dinner last night.

Love being able to go outside and harvest some home grown veggies.

After much consideration and testing many samples I was finally able to chose a rose fragrance...the one that I opted for is Le Labo Rose 31.

It was a time consuming exercise testing all the samples.

Some were too sweet, some too strong,  and one made me break out in hives and I had a rash with a couple of other ones which was a surprise as I have never had a reaction to any perfume before.

Le Labo makes a "natural product" that is compounded fresh at the retailer 

 when one places the order.

Nordstrom's Fragrance Department in Vancouver were extremely helpful.

They sent me all the samples for free.

  I received the scent promptly after placing my order and a few samples of Le Labo Rose 31 lotion and shower gel were included.

The scent is subtle and can be worn by both women and men.

It is a subtle fragrance and layering the lotion with the eau de parfum makes it last longer.

Fall is in the air and our furnace came on this weekend when it rained.

We need the rain badly as there are forest fires still burning in our province

and the gardens are looking quite parched.

With the change of season comes the change of clothes from the out of season closet downstairs and swapping out the summer things in our bedroom closet.

Some pieces overlap and are worn all year long.

I do not have a huge list of things to replace.

(or a big budget)

 I did get rid of a pair of basic grey pants last Spring...

they had lost their shape and the seat pouched out making them look shabby...

 having worn them for 2 or 3 seasons they had served me well and owed me nothing.

I went out and did a wee bit of shopping this past Sunday 

after our family brunch 

and the beach play time with the grandchildren.

OOTD

NYDJ boyfriend jeans

Cupio tank top

OM3 jersey jacket

Jungla shoes

OOTD without the jacket.

Calvin Klein sturdy skinny knit pants

a wide elastic waistband with a slim line

no extra details to add bulk

smooth across the tummy

I like these very much!

Gap long sleeved top

a basic in a neutral shade that is very soft and will be cozy for Fall and Winter.

Great for layering under my vests.

Patterned Mod-O-Doc tunic top in black, grey and white that will be paired with the skinny knit pants.

All three items totalled $130

plus they can be worn with several other things already hanging in my closet.

Machine washable

 hang to dry 

which extends their life 

keeps them looking new as long as possible.

Still on my list for Fall and Winter are a new pair of black leather Chelsea boots.

I wore out my last pair...

which is not surprising 

because I must have worn them 5 days out of 7 for the past 2 years!

The weight loss regime continues...

I have lost 6.8 pounds in the past few weeks.

Eating lower WW point count food and not drinking wine

coupled with more exercise has finally paid off.

It's hard work and dedication that make the difference.

It is my hope that the losing will continue and that the scale will reflect my efforts.

The goal is to get back to my WW goal of 132 pounds which is at the top of the WW weight range for someone my height.

If I eventually weigh 135 I will be content...

132 would be amazing.

My heart goes out to the people affected by the recent wild weather events.

The devastating earthquake in Mexico and that powerful hurricane Irma. 

There are so many things that are beyond our control.

 Watching the news it is encouraging the way that people are helping each other get through these troubled times.

Hope that your week is off to a great start.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Sunday flowers...giving up alcohol on the blog today.

Remember these pink foxgloves?

The geraniums are still going strong but many of the garden flowers have faded away...summer is slowly but surely on its way out 

surprisingly the sunshine and warmth have not yet waned.

When we have finished working in the garden we are able to sit on the deck in our comfy chairs and survey all our hard work.

The garden has many plants that love the heat and perform well over the entire summer season...

others fade as soon as their blooms have wilted.

The lady's mantle is looking very straggly and needs to be drastically cut back.

Inside The Humble Bungalow the orchids have taken a beating...

something has crept in...

an unwelcome insect or pest

that has affected several of the older plants...

I had to throw them into the compost.

Fear not, 

I will be on the look out for a sale and find a few replacements.

They do add loads of cheer to the windowsill above the Humble Bungalow farmhouse kitchen sink.

The rose scent hunt for "the one" is still ongoing...

I have eliminated quite a few on the quest to find one or two that I love.

I will report back when I have completed my testing.

Love a pop of colour in the garden...

these chairs are perched on the railing of a porch on Denman Island

placed next to a jumble of blue flowers.

Delphiniums and bees.

Clematis

gardening is a green thumbs' way of painting!

After trying and failing to lose 10 pounds several times

I am back counting my points and have quit drinking all alcohol 

in an effort to get back to my goal weight.

The liver plays a significant role in burning fat so cutting out anything that impedes this progress is worth it.

I've been sipping non-alcoholic wines 

which are 1 or 2 WW points per 8 oz. glass.

After sampling several varieties ~ red, white and bubbly...

I have found a couple that taste great, and I have opted for the 1 point wines.

The plan is to return to weight watchers in September...

in the meantime 

I am back counting my points, making sensible food choices

and walking briskly every day.

Putting my "best foot forward" 

as I did it before

 I CAN do it again.

I have lusted after the red Ferragamo Varina's for many years 

IF I can find a pair this Fall 

providing I get back to my WW goal weight 

that is going to be my reward.

Nothing like a red shoe to make one feel cheerful.

There's a lot to do in the garden so I must hasten away and get busy.

Have you seen The Gardener's Cottage newly designed blog?

Janet has been one of the first bloggers that I discovered and I think she's just delightful and her new blog is wonderful.

Pop over and take a look.

Until next time...

Be well and Be Kind.

XO

Veggie Freekeh salad...Weight Watcher style.

Have you ever eaten Freekeh?

Freekeh are roasted green wheat grains that are high in fibre...triple that of brown rice.
The grains are also a good source of potassium and iron.
Once the grains are cooked they taste rather nutty and are a great base for a vegetarian salad.

My fridge had several small containers of leftover veggies that were just waiting to be transformed into something tasty and so I made a big batch of Freekeh salad to use for my lunches.

Here is the recipe for fridge clean out 

Veggie Freekeh salad "Hostess Style."

Chopped squash

cubed beets, 

a handful of shredded carrots, 

6 diced sun dried tomatoes

chopped cilantro

(I use kitchen shears to do this messy job!)

1/2 a small diced onion 

salt and pepper to taste

Feta cheese adds a lovely flavour 

but as I am watching my WW points I left that ingredient out.

3 WW points for half a cup of this salad.

I ate a full cup for a total of 6 WW points.

This stays with me and helps keep me satisfied until dinner time.

Breakfast was yogurt and fruit for 2 points 

which leaves me 18 points for dinner which will include a glass or two of wine.

I am trying very hard to shift the scale without feeling miserable.

You know how that goes...if one feels deprived that sabotages the whole regime.

Thankfully WW knows that and allows for the occasional treat.

Tomorrow I may add a dollop of this salad to my hummus wrap.

The sun is shining and the bees are buzzing and the birds are chirping.

Artichoke flower in bloom in the neighbours garden down the street.

I am off for my walk so I'll say goodbye for now.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

XO

Weight Watchers...and watching out the window.

Our kitchen window looks out toward the neighbours yard.
My laptop sits atop a quarter sawn oak trestle arts and crafts table so when emailing or blogging I can observe the work going on next door.

Here's a low Weight Watcher point breakfast that I ate a few days ago.

Low fat cottage cheese and fresh fruit.

I have been unable to focus on my WW since Mother passed away but now I need to get back on track.

It is proving to be more of a challenge this time...

I am trying to be disciplined but think I am in trouble and I may need to go back to the meetings as they really helped me before.

Coffee first thing in the morning is my only "real" caffeine of the day.

The rest of the time I opt for decaf beverages or I have trouble sleeping at night.

Dinner one boneless skinless chicken thigh, 

curried quinoa and brown rice

salad with 1 Tbsp. of low point yogurt dressing.

Our views from the kitchen window are changing daily and dramatically...

This used to be a demolition site...just a big hole.

Things are taking shape as the building is being erected.

A basement and main are being framed here...

And here is the view a couple of days later

There will be two new homes on this site.

Breakfast this morning was a symphony in red and white.

I have not seen any movement on the scale so far but I am not discouraged.

My pants feel looser so that's a good sign.

We are celebrating Canada's 150th birthday tomorrow on July 1st

there are a lot of people expected to attend the events on the lawn of the legislative buildings at the Inner Harbour.

I plan to avoid the crowds as I do not like getting jostled or stepped on and because I am so short I can never really see what's going on!

Mr. HB hung the flag up and we are hoping to watch the fireworks

from our neighbourhood.

Happy Canada Day!

Hope you have a lovely weekend.

I'll be back on the blog in a few days...