Showing posts with label blooms. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blooms. Show all posts

Sunday, March 17, 2024

Wardrobe Basics ~ A symphony in Black and White, a recipe and our Star Magnolia

 


Our Star Magnolia
is
blooming out front of The Humble Bungalow.

I love the elegant waxy white flowers.
They emerge from fuzzy cocoons...
if you look closely you can see one as it is about to pop.


The tree was planted many years ago and has grown quite slowly.
It is in the middle of a bed and makes a bold statement.


My linen skirt has an asymmetrical detail that makes it more interesting...
I like a flounce and it sways as I walk.

I can dress it up or wear it simply 
with a casual white top and my distressed denim jacket.
I actually wear it with my white "trainers" or tennis shoes and lacy white socks.

The length is longer on me so I don't feel I NEED to wear capri tights.
My legs are not at their best...they have scars and marks which I try to hide.
One cannot live to 69 and still have pristine unblemished skin.


This white blouse is a favourite of mine.
I love the texture and the fabric is pure white.
The shape is forgiving especially for my mid section 
which is where I now carry most of my weight.


Nice detail on the cuffs.


I wear this with black Eileen Fisher pants, and often with casual denim jeans.



The Big Baroque Pearls add an interesting touch.
I feel so much more "dressed up" with pearls.

Black and white wardrobe basics are so easy...
I can get dressed for almost any occasion and have a lot of mix and match options.

Recently I found a lovely Saint James black sweater which has a good structure.
I purchased it second hand for a fraction of the original price.
It is almost like a sweater jacket...
Saint James make lovely clothing...I visited one of their stores in Aix en Provence.


I have my sourdough boule baking in the oven as I write this blogpost.
The kitchen smells wonderful...

I just finished making Hamburger Soup.
It is a recipe that I have been making for many decades...
I used to make a big batch and freeze it in containers for my lunches when I worked in the schools.


We had a bowl for our lunch today with a couple of small pieces of sourdough toast.

I try to make soups once a week...
the soups is quick to heat up and works well on my aqua fit days.
I arrive home hungry and my husband has soup and toast ready when I get home.

Do you like to make soup?

Have you tried making sourdough bread?
I got my starter from a good friend and I have given batches of it to many people...
she has shared hers with many others as well!

We both use the recipes on Alexandra Bakes.

I have recently discovered Farmhouse on Boone and am enjoying Lisa Bass's site.
She lives on a large farm and has 8 children!


I wear a vintage rhinestone brooch on my wool beret and other hats.

Wearing vintage pins are a bit of a habit of mine. 
I don't seem to find many but I always look!!

Do you enjoy thrifting?

Thank you for popping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.
I appreciate your comments and invite you to share your thoughts.

Take care and until next time...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Wednesday, July 26, 2023

Holidaze in July...

 


Sunshine and Sweet Peas

Popped this posy into a thrifted English Ironstone Meakin sugar jar.
I LOVE finding interesting vessels that I can use for flowers.
If memory serves me I think this one was 35 cents!


We celebrated our 49th anniversary on July 20th...
no fanfare or big gathering just a quiet evening for two.


We ate some champagne truffles...
a surprise gift from friends.

Our closest friends had us over for a dinner on their lovely porch a few days before our actual anniversary and we felt very spoiled...


Those same friends will be celebrating their 50th next year so
maybe we'll have to do something exciting for our 50th?


We are enjoying some time at the cottage.


Have some special guests here to share the time with us.


I made a fresh loaf of sourdough bread...
this fun adventure in bread making is so satisfying!


We had a couple of days with rain 
which should help with the drought and the forest fires here in BC.


The deer obviously do not like to nibble these plants...
I think this might be Queen Anne's Lace?
Feel free to chime in if you know the name of this flower.


I believe this is Yarrow...
the bees love this flower and are usually busy buzzing atop these blooms.

I took the photo after dinner so they may have all gone back to their hive.


~ Hosta Flowers ~
In The Humble Bungalow Garden

This huge Hosta is called Sum and Substance.

We built a deer fence 
so that we can keep this safe from being nibbled to the ground!

Here at the Cottage...


I am taking a break to relax, restore and mend...

The last round of antibiotics are almost finished.

I've been going to bed earlier than usual and sleeping soundly.

Staying hydrated with cans of flavoured Bubly Brand Water.
~ Zero calories ~

While I am having LOTS of fun with the family and the three grandchildren...
I am also "pacing myself."

Reading Three by Valerie Perrin, knitting the Miriam sweater,
gazing out at The Salish Sea
taking time to reflect on all the good things in life and counting my many blessings.

Making time to be focused and calm is good for the soul.

Walking along the beach...
breathing in the fresh salty air
listening to the calls of the gulls and the songs of the eagles.


Picking up a few pieces of sea glass...

~ LIFE IS PRECIOUS ~
it is a gift
not to be wasted.

I feel Grateful everyday.

Hope that you are well and feeling positive.
Life can be a challenge as we know
it is a journey.

When we navigate the rough patches life teaches us more...
we can be resilient or we can be weak.

It is a personal choice that we make...
we can rely on others or find strength within ourselves.
Or a little bit of both...

How do you handle adversity?


~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Wednesday, June 7, 2023

June 7th ~ Lots to chat about so I have written an early blogpost


This soft Merona Tencel dress was hanging in the Thrift Shop
just waiting for me!
I couldn't buy it fast enough...
I felt like the woman in that IKEA advert that says Start The Car!!!

Target carried the brand when they had a store here in Victoria 
a few years ago, which BTW I loved.
Frankly I was VERY disappointed when they closed the store.

It reminded me of The Monoprix in France...
a little bit of everything and food too!

So I have worn this dress 6 times since purchasing it...
I pair it with white capri leggings and my blue suede sandals
or Blue Converse Sneakers.

The fabric is dreamy...SO SOFT!
It reminds me of a well worn favourite but without the wear and tear or holes.

I wore it in the garden while deadheading the roses 
(with pearls and my chartreuse green linen apron)
 my husband said "That is the perfect dress for the garden!"

It is rare that he comments on my attire, so I was both pleased AND surprised.

I LOVE getting a bargain at a thrift shop.
Of course I had to purge a few items this past week...
I don't like to have the closet too crowded.

Our Bungalow is so very short on storage 
so I am mindful of accumulating too much STUFF.
I really dislike CLUTTER but I do love to collect...
it is a fine line that I walk.

This week I picked up a plant pot and a lone floral china teacup 
left for free at the side of the road...
I have a wee bit of a problem passing up FREE stuff!


Himalayan Blue Poppies blooming at Government House.
These are very difficult to grow, you can buy seeds at Butchart Gardens.

This grouping of poppies look very happy and healthy.

Walking at Government House is even nicer now that their tearoom is open.
The exotic plants make for an educational saunter and there are plant sales as well.

I recently met up with a long time reader Sue K Blaney, 
I brought her back to The Humble Bungalow Garden for a quick peek
then up to Government House for a walkabout.

She and her husband were on a tour visiting Victoria and Vancouver.

We had a few hours to walk, admire the gardens, and enjoy the spectacular views across to the Olympic Peninsula and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Afterwards
 We went to the Demitasse Garden Center and Cafe for a coffee 
because the tearoom was closed.


Peonies are in their heyday right now at the Gardens.
The bees just love these flowers.


We had some former clients of my husband's here for a garden tour and a happy hour.
I picked a few of our fragrant David Austin Roses 
placed them on the table in the sunshine then brought them inside where they promptly wilted but they still look gorgeous.


Fragrant Climbing Royal Sunset Roses
popped into my wee vintage Elephant and Urn Vase.
I've had this small vessel for about 20 years...I paid 35 cents for it.

I've shared it here before and we talked about how it is good luck for the elephant trunk to be raised upwards.


Sourdough Starter is coming in handy for other baking projects these days.
I regularly bake the boule, but now I am baking scones and biscuits.

I found two great recipes online and they have been well received 
so now I can add them to my regular repertoire!


Ignore this tidbit of news if you want but I've got a UTI...
am on antibiotics and it's the second one in weeks.
Perhaps the first one didn't get completely cleared up?

I am trying to increase my daily quotient of water.
I have friends who are plagued with these infections and suffer a LOT!
Truly, I haven't had anything like this, in many many years.
My sympathies to those of you who struggle with them...
I hope this is not the start of a new health issue.

The Aquafit classes continue to be a source of pure JOY.
I do miss my long walks but I am getting used to getting wet in the pool!
This week a woman complimented me on my bathing suit...
another one of my bargain finds at the local Marshalls Store.
Miraclesuit.

We are constantly in motion in the pool and the lively music helps me keep the beat.
My arms are getting a great workout too using the foam dumbbells in the pool.

I must look very serious as I have to focus so much on the instructor.
Other women in the class know what to expect and I am sure 
that in time I will as well.



Current Book Stack...

I started reading Richard Osman's The Man Who Died Twice...
told my husband about the book and he's keen to read the series too...
He zipped out to the bookshop and bought the two other books.
He's reading the first one now, The Thursday Murder Club.
The third is The Bullet That Missed and there is another one due out very soon!

When I was on Pender at Talisman Books 
the owner asked if she could help me find anything...
we got chatting and exchanged our tastes in books.

She recommended The Outlander and Ridgerunner by Gil Adamson
her book club read them and she (they) loved them so much.
I chose The Mayfair Bookshop on a whim.

What are you reading?


Golden Celebration Rose

Well I have rambled on about enough stuff for now...
don't want to bore you.

Please let me know how things are going with you.
I am enjoying the refreshing dialogue that we are having on the blog.
It keeps things interesting.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Sunday, August 7, 2022

August ~ Hydrangea Season and a wee chat...


Candles with a woody fragrance add ambiance to our arts and crafts bungalow.
I love to sit and read or knit 
 a candle glowing and the scent wafting about in the air.


Our Annabelle Hydrangeas are putting on a spectacular show!
 The Humble Bungalow Garden is looking quite lovely this summer.

Some years are better than others for certain plants...
 I think it is a very much a stellar hydrangea season.

They do love water so we need to keep the soil moist...


Look at the size of this bloom...
a HUGE mophead almost threatening to break the branch
with its weight.


The Sea Glass haul that nearly wasn't...


I fell on the uneven rocky shore not too far from the Humble Bungalow.
My instinct was to put out my hand to save my face from hitting the ground
when I fell...

My poor wrist took the brunt of the tumble and I sprained it.

It swoll up pretty quickly so I zipped off to the local pharmacy
a tube of Voltaren
 (which is an analgesic and an anti inflammatory)
a right hand wrist brace
a week later
yellow bruising remains but fortunately the wrist is feeling MUCH better!


The sweet peas are still blooming so we have bouquets in the bathroom.
Such a delightful fragrance!

Did you know that sweet peas must be picked regularly 
to keep them from going to seed?


I am looking forward to getting back to my knitting project...
I haven't snapped a picture of the progress that I made until my mishap.

Am working on the yoke of the Miriam sweater.

It will be lovely to wear this in the fall and winter.
I have so few sweaters...
the cooler fall weather will be here before we know it and I will want to be cozy.

I've been staying pretty close to home as my husband is up on ladders sanding and painting the pergola above the sundeck.

He's not accustomed to this kind of work, but since he retired, he has taken on various projects that I would usually hire people to fix.


I posted this quote on my Instagram...
so worthy of reposting here on the blog.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

It is really unfortunate that your comments are not forthcoming...
I have tried to fix this on my end but alas it is beyond my scope.

I do hope that you will continue to stop by and read my blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Monday, May 30, 2022

Beautiful Blooms ~ The Humble Bungalow ~ Butchart Gardens and a Seafood Chowder


These lovely blooms are Lewisia Cotyledon
we grow them in pots and pop them in the perennial border
where there may be a gap in the plantings.

They are available in a variety of colours and are very sturdy plants.


Alliums are wonderful
 they are tall and narrow and can be planted in between other plants 
they offer an interesting pop of colour.

The bees LOVE these blooms.


Madame Gregoire Staechelin
a climbing rose 
in The Humble Bungalow Garden.

Our roses are behind this year due to the cooler unseasonable weather.
May usually is a riot of roses on the garden.

Alas, we will need to be patient,
and
 wait for warm sunshine to encourage the blooms.


Last week a friend and I walked at Butchart Gardens.

The azaleas are out in a full flush of flower
this apricot shade was so fragrant!



The Himalayan Blue Poppies are exquisite.
I have grown these from seed but they are very difficult to keep year after year.

These are blooming in the Japanese section of the gardens.



Their petals look so delicate and thin
like crepe paper.


This yellow azalea was fragrant and sweet
their bright colours look quite stunning
a much needed pop of colour on a cloudy day.

It's a cloudy day here this morning and it feels cool.
I've made a fish chowder for our lunch today.

Fish Chowder

Saute: 1 diced onion, two chopped carrots and 2 stalks of diced celery
cook until soft.

Add to the pot 1 piece of whitefish chopped into bite sized pieces
I also added some clam juice (1/2 cup)
two chopped up crab cakes that I had in the freezer.

I simmered the ingredients until they were cooked through 
added 1/2 cup of cream
salt and pepper to taste and a tsp of dill 

Serve with cracker, toast, or a soft bun.

Enjoy!

Hope that your week is off to a great start.

Thank you for popping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Tuesday, March 8, 2022

Mellow Yellow...

 


Pops of Colour
Yellow

With all that is going on globally...

I am seeking cheer in my daily round.
As hard as the news is to hear we need to be informed.


I don't consider myself a "news junkie."
Limiting the amount of negative news is something I consciously do.
Being sensitive, I need to be mindful of the amount I can process.


While at the garden centre I purchased 10 pots of tete a tete daffodils.
These wee plants will brighten up the border out front of the Humble Bungalow.
At the cashier there was a donation notice...
I added an amount to be sent to Ukraine.

These small acts of kindness 
where we all participate 
can help to make a difference.


Chester seems to be feeling better...
he's gained a few more ounces and is more energetic.
He loves a warm spot of sunshine to lie in and enjoys a nap on a lap.


I've got a very tall stack of books to be read.
Daisy Jones and The Six is my next book.

I've not been reading as much as I usually do...
walking and domestic chores and de-cluttering are keeping me busy!


Seen on my walk...


My new Columbia coat (which I shared on a recent post) is really warm and so cozy.

The pile lining in the hood helps keep my neck warm.
The silver mesh "Omni Tech" lining reflects the heat and keeps me from being cold.

Walking quietly in Nature helps to keep me calm and grounded...
there are small surprises that pop up on my radar when I walk.

A former co-worker who walked regularly
focusing on thoughts that "bubbled up"
 called it "mindful meditation."

The "first" 5 pounds are lost...
now working on the next 5.

Little by little...one day at a time.


Hope that you are finding some peace and solace in everyday simple Joys.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~