A Comforting Cottage Pie, Luxurious French Linen...and thoughts about happiness.

It's BC Day today and the weekend has flown by...

Mr. HB has been working hard at his office and I have been pottering about in the garden.
I took advantage of a sunny Saturday afternoon and decided I deserved a wee break .
My excuse was to do a bit of browsing and shopping.

There are several of my favourite shops located in the Oak Bay area of our city so I took off in the car and leisurely strolled along the Avenue. Poking into shops and saying hello to the merchants...
when you shop at the same stores on a regular basis you get to know the owners and they become more than just "shopkeepers."
I do not always buy things from them, I go in to see how they are doing and I ask after their families.

The French Touch carries a variety of vintage and antique pieces.

They have classes every month on painting using Anne Sloan Paints.

I adore their stock of lovely vintage linens imported from France.

A dozen of these pretty tea towels were priced separately so I purchased one.

Often the linens are sold as a set... tablecloths and matching sets of napkins or sheets.

Many are embroidered with monogrammed initials.

This one is interesting but I have no idea what it signifies or where in France it came from...

Lovely liquid soap in fragrant "Figue" from Marseilles...

which takes me back to my trip this past Spring to Paris and the South of France.

After I got home I spent some time browsing Bunny Williams' Garden Book while sipping a restorative cup of Mariage Freres Paris Tea.

Bunny's book is a wonderful guide for gardeners...and I LOVE perusing garden books.

There is so much inspiration to be found within the book.

I have her other books and am thinking that this one might need to be added to my bookshelf.

A little while later I got busy in the kitchen.

I donned my well worn soft linen apron (of course!) and made a comforting Cottage Pie.

Recipe for Cottage Pie

Saute 

1 large diced onion and 1 pound mushrooms sliced

2 peeled and chopped carrots

4 stalks of celery diced

gently cook until vegetables are no longer crisp.

Brown 1 pound of ground chicken until cooked.

add 1 cup chicken stock

(I use a tablespoon of "Better than Bouillon" chicken dissolved in boiling water.)

add in 1 cup of frozen peas

Salt and pepper ~ to taste

Place in ovenproof dish.

Boil peeled potatoes until soft 

drain and mash adding a bit of butter and milk.

Cover the cottage pie with soft mashed potatoes and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes.

Simple and tasty.

While the cottage pie was baking in the oven 

I picked some alliums and popped them in a vase 

and placed them on the front porch...

I love a day when some domestic work is accomplished in The Humble Bungalow 

and then some time remains for creative pursuits.

It's the truly "the little things"

not the acquisition of luxury goods

that put a smile on my face.

I drive an old Volvo

 wear the same clothes many times.

There's really nothing fancy going on here...

Since returning from France

I've rediscovered the Joy of gardening 

working quietly

next to

the buzzing bees 

the butterflies

amid

the birdsong.

I travelled to Paris last Spring on a trip that I'd dreamed about for years.

It was so exciting and everything was fresh and new.

I felt truly alive...

like I'd been revitalized and injected with a new energy and spirit.

Upon my return ~ and after a period of contemplation 

I've come to the realization 

that what I really "need" to be content and satisfied

is all here in the city where I live with my family and friends

inside these walls 

and outside 

in the garden 

of my own home...

"The Humble Bungalow"

I look forward to future trips but have come to the realization that I am happy leading a quiet life.

It need not be anything remarkable

nothing worthy of the news.

Living a Simple Life suits me just fine.

Thank you for stopping by...

LBD ~ Linen Black Dress

Keeping cool has been a personal challenge in this hot summer weather.
We are not accustomed to unrelenting high temperatures here in Victoria and like many people I am learning the hard way how to modify and adapt my routine and habits in accordance with the changing climate.

The roses in The Humble Bungalow Garden are totally loving this summer sunshine and they are putting on a spectacular and repeated display of blooms.
A few David Austin Roses in the front yard have proven to be a delicious snack for our local deer :-(

Roses are rather high maintenance in the heat as they are "thirsty plants"...
I've decided that I am in that "same category" when it comes to maintaining my "cool."

Gardening in the sunshine is certainly thirsty work for this Hostess.
I've been mindful and hydrating while I work sipping sparkling Perrier when I am out in the garden.

A little later in the evening after a hard days work in the garden Mr. HB made me a Gimlet.
Do you know what goes into a Gimlet? I didn't.
Roses Lime Cordial, gin and a slice of lime.
It was delicious...

Our lower level of The Humble Bungalow is cool...

( we turn off the in floor heat for the summer)

I love looking out our French door to the patio when I am ironing or doing the laundry.

Sometimes I take a mug of tea or a cold drink downstairs and gaze out at the garden.

I plan a lot of changes when I sit on the bench.

Amalfi shoes

on the cool tile.

When I am not mucking about in the Humble Bungalow Garden...
(wearing my standard uniform of black Yoga pants and a Tee shirt)
I get cleaned up and change into something a bit nicer...

Lately have been wearing a cool loose black linen dress that was made in Italy.
I purchased it from Mercedes Lane, a shop in the Cook Street Village.
I proudly wear my natural linen dress with wrinkles!

It's a "sack dress" with slouchy pockets but the thing is so darn cool that I grab it more often than any other garment in my closet...the women that I met in the South of France wore Italian linen dresses too and they have very HOT weather there.

I wear a sunhat, sunscreen and sunglasses.

~ ~ ~ 

The Humble Bungalow Garden is undergoing a transformation this summer.

It's long overdue...

with marauding and hungry deer and the recent drought I figure it's as good a time as any.

 I will be posting some updates soon.

A lone Allium stands amid a bed of Lily of the Valley...

these dry beautifully and make an interesting feature in a simple glass vessel.

Thanks for stopping by...

Hostess

Bungalow snapshots and details...

My writing desk

Alliums grown in the backyard dried, on display.

Note the bottom left corner of Jane Powell's book!

I have moved  the alliums to the dining room and placed the Van Briggle Bunny and bowl on the ledge...Mrs. Plant's photo can be seen through the pillars.

                                  
Jane Powell came to our humble bungalow and photographed some details of the interior several years ago. She lives in Oakland California and is restoring her arts and crafts home. Her restoration philosophy is pure, honest, and true to the historic details of the period.

San Francisco artistic license article.

The heritage movement has many supporters and they are a group of diverse personalities that are passionate about their cause. In my experience, they are creative and flamboyant with academic art history roots.

A small portion of our arts and crafts book collection on the Stickley bookcase.

Have you restored or renovated a home?

Have you overseen the process as a contractor or are you hands on?

Do you have any advice or hints when living in a home during the construction?

What were the biggest challenges and would you do it again?

Interested in opinions as I am contemplating a bedroom redecorating project in the next few months....