Post Op ~ Pearls, Books and Blooms

 

~ Star Magnolia ~

This beauty is out front of The Humble Bungalow and is currently in BLOOM.

The sheer elegance...of pure white flowers.

I love a crisp white flower.

I am doing well post op into week 6 now...

walking more steps but still at a slowish pace.

The hip muscles are getting a workout!

I can tell because I need to pop a Tylenol

after a day of walks....

even these frequent short ones that the physiotherapist has recommended.

I am a rule follower and I am pushing ahead trying to be mindful of my capability.

Oh but the urge to go farther is so tempting...

that being said if I overdo I am not doing myself any favours.

I drove the car to meet a friend for coffee today and it felt so amazing!

~ FREEDOM ~

I've been reading a LOT...

I've read many books in the past 5 weeks.

I've just finished Mrs. Van Gogh...very interesting and well written.

Tartufo was a fun romp set in Italy, comical, it could be made into a film.

Lady Tremaine is up next...a Reese's Book Club Pick.

A Cinderella story told by the wicked stepmother's perspective.

I've been paying attention to my hands...

they've been quite dry so I've been slathering on the hand cream.

Wearing my Akoya Pearls...

always want to add a bit of polish to my plain white Tee and grey cashmere sweater.

They positively GLOW.

Mr. HB took me for a drive to the Beacon Drive In...

I had a soft ice cream cone.

The first one in about 5 YEARS!!!!

So Yummy.

Why did I wait SO LONG to have a cone?

I guarantee I'll be going more often to enjoy this wee treat.

I pulled out my paints...

made some Mud Pie Paintings.

Easter Colours Perhaps?

I feel like a kid in kindergarten when I paint...

no judgement just let the brush flow.

Healing over these past few weeks has made me realize what a lot I have to be thankful for...and feeling so much gratitude as I wake up every day.

The return to more normal activities is wonderful.

I am not taking anything for granted.

 Tea Time is a TREAT!

So many choices...

What blend to brew?

My friend Michelle gave me a tin of Harney and Sons Earl Grey which is so GOOD!

The tea is full bodied and in wee silk gossamer bags.

I feel very posh when I sip it.

I've been using mugs because I have a cane in one hand and I daren't juggle 

a cup and saucer just yet, but can imagine how lovely it will be to sip this POSH tea out of one of my fine china cups and saucers.

(lah dee dah)

Sun is shining and I've got to go for my afternoon walk...

(doctor's orders)

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

Hope that your week is off to a great start.

Until next time...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

July Joys ~ Roses, ( a surprise recipe) books and time at Quarterdeck Cottage.

 

The Lavender is ready to harvest...

I snipped a few stems off the plant and made some fragrant sachets.

This job takes a while to do...

patience is required to remove the buds and so I brew a big pot of tea

sit myself in a comfy chair on the front porch and get stuck in.

I love the scent of lavender and the sachets are useful in the drawers...

where I store lingerie, sweaters and nightgowns.

I found these wee gauze bags at the local Dollar Store.

I reuse them from year to year.

Yellow rose at the back is Climbing Graham Thomas...

the pink one closest is Strawberry Hill.

These two are out back by the greenhouse and the work area...

both are happy and have oodles of blooms and they are both very fragrant.

Strawberry Hill has deep cups with frilly petals.

Here's a closer look at Graham Thomas...

bold yellow blooms.

I love to look at the cheerful lush display when I am out in the garden working.

It feels like these jobs are so worth it,

a reward for our efforts when we get these rather stunning displays.

This lovely iris bloom is only one of many on the plant...

it is a newer plant in The Humble Bungalow Garden.

Another bright colour and the wee yellow stripe in the middle of the petals 

makes for a wonderful bold contrast.

Iced Latte...

a refreshing choice for a hot afternoon by the pool.

I loved this fun and fantastical book by Jess Kidd.

Her books are new to me, and they are a wee bit different than my usual books.

They are FUN and the mystery gets solved in the end...

a wild ride to get to the past page but ever so entertaining.

Mr HB and I play crib at the cottage...

he wins almost ALL THE TIME!

~ Beach walks and Sea Glass ~

The weather was lovely when we were at Quarterdeck Cottage...

sunny and warm, pools were open and water was perfect.

I need a new swimsuit...and I am going to go shopping these next few weeks.

My older black suit is 4 or 5 years old and is definitely needing to be retired!!

Canada Day...July 1st

Beaver Chairs at Roseland Park.

Knitting on the Miriam Sweater 

using the vintage Baycrest Aran Yarn. 

(darling daughter found at a local thrift shop)

Loved Jess Kidd's other book and saw this at the Pender Island Bookshop...

read it in 2 days...such a wild romp and lovely quirky characters.

Climbing Royal Sunset Rose 

a bowlful of petals...

Made some rosewater face spray...

easy and a lovely way to use up petals.

Roses are definitely my muse...

love them in the garden, love them in bouquets.

Do you grow roses?

I've had a molar crack and half of it fell apart...

I think I actually ate it :-((

I thought my burger had a crunchy bite, then I realized that my tooth was rough!

So I am booked in to see my dentist...

a crown perhaps?

Oh well at 70 one must expect these things...

We are watching Outrageous on Britbox...

it is about the Mitford sisters.

I read the book years ago and the series is staying very close to the book.

The scenes are lush and the locations and houses are fabulous.

I adore the fashions and am eager to watch each and every episode.

Are you watching a great period drama?

The trailer for Downton Abbey is out...it's a MUST SEE for me.

How about you?

Now to this next book...

another grand story is unfolding and turns out it is a real page turner.

Well that's about it for now...

lots to do here in The Humble Bungalow Garden.

Playing Catch up after our time away...

Thank you for popping by and checking out my little blog...

until next time.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Summertime ~ Snippets from The Humble Bungalow Garden.

 

Greetings...

It has been a while since I posted.

I have been busy trying to keep up with the jobs here in the garden.

The HOT weather has affected our ability to keep the plants watered and healthy.

Thankfully the Hydrangeas are Still Blooming...

despite the intense heat.

This hydrangea is planted out front

We received it from my husband's firm in 2007 when my father passed away...

It has thinned out a bit this year and I am rather concerned that it is not happy.

We had a rather harsh winter, a warm spell, then a really icy cold snap.

Lots of our plants perished.

Mostly grasses and tender perennials 

but despite our best efforts there are still blank spots scattered about the garden.

Lots of work required...and many visits to the garden centres!!

The Lavender is having a riotous growth pattern this season.

Bees buzzing on the flowers all throughout the day.

You can hear them all busily working when you stand close by the plants!

Last summer I made lavender sachets and I plan to make some more soon.

I need to dedicate several hours to remove the buds from the stems then pop them into gauze bags.

We LOVE Poppies!

My husband saves the seeds and plants them early every Spring.

Bees love them too...

The flowers are a work of art...

Thank you Mother Nature :-))

We were invited to an afternoon visit the garden of some new friends.

We "met" each other on Instagram.

Both of us are retired and are passionate gardeners!

We share a love of plants and growing things...

plus we have other people we both know in common.

I wanted to take a big bouquet of roses but the heat has wilted the many rose blooms.

Their petals are dropping as soon as I pick them.

I took a wee posy of lavender and some magazines with us.

The tour of the garden was an amazing experience...

water features gurgling, many areas to sit and enjoy the views.

Covered dining space, vegetable beds, poly tunnels, a greenhouse, a sun filled deck at the back of the home with loungers and tables.

Each space was designed beautifully with an artistic eye focusing on the details.

I found it incredibly inspiring and came away with many ideas!

We sat and chatted...

savoured the glorious space 

sipped cool beverages and nibbled on these delicious treats...

chocolate covered cherries and pistachio bites.

Look at the lovely floral presentation on the plate!

On my beach walk I collected a few shells and a piece of driftwood.

I had a project in mind for the cottage.

I decided to paint the driftwood and glue some shells to it...

Maybe I went a wee bit overboard on the shells but I did have fun!

The results are rather rustic looking and have a folk art air.

In true 

Wabi Sabi 

Style

~ Marigold Tagates ~

Seeds saved from last years flowers.

Lots of these plants popping up around The Humble Bungalow Garden.

Each afternoon we stop work around 3:00 and sip some cool lemonade.

The front porch is a shady spot to sit and read our books.

Fabulous Book!!!

I read it in two days...

Could not put it down...love Paris and this story did not disappoint.

I am going to go and find some of her other books.

Can you see The Annabelle Hydrangeas just starting to bloom in the top left?

These Big Mop Head Blooms make quite a BOLD statement.

The Limelight hydrangeas are almost ready to pop...

Well I must close for now and hope that you are enjoying your day...

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Gardening, Roses, Walking, and changes to my Instagram

 

~ Constance Spry Rose ~

Blooming!

Welcome to The Humble Bungalow Garden

One of the 30 roses we grow in the garden.

 ~ Graham Thomas ~

 a fragrant repeat blooming climbing rose 

When purchasing a new rose I am VERY fussy...

they must be repeat bloomers, be fragrant, disease resistant and hardy.

Here is the newest rose...

found at The Demitasse in Oak Bay.

If you live in Victoria, 

The Demitasse serves coffee, snacks and casual meals.

They have a wonderful carefully curated garden centre attached to the cafe...

well worth the visit.

~ North Patio Area ~ 

The bistro set from Kay's Korner in the Cook Street Village Shop 

has been painted black...

I love black accent pieces in The Humble Bungalow Garden.

Now I need to invite some friends over for tea...or a glass of bubbly.

The new bed that I dug has been planted.

Foxgloves, nepetas, lupins, yarrow, candlestick primula, alliums, 

iris, and more...

they will grow taller and fill in the spaces.

In the Big pot we have a yellow flowering Solidago.

We purchased two new Adirondack chairs in black, of course!

Mr. HB made us a table using scrap wood he had leftover from another project.

He painted it black to match the chairs.

Thank you darling.

We have been SUPER busy in the garden...

time to take a break and sit in the chairs and sip a Cold beverage.

Have you tried Corona Zero alcohol yet?

OH MY GOODNESS

a thirst quencher without the buzz.

In other news...

I have had people ask me about my Instagram account and why I have gone private...

The simple answer is that I was inundated with so many strange accounts.

Not sure why all of a sudden I would have a deluge of these?

Have any of you experienced this issue?

Instagram sent me a message saying validate these accounts!

When I looked at them I noticed thousands of men following...

HOW STRANGE

My account is really rather pedestrian 

I post about food, fashion, gardening and life at 69 years old!

What do masses of men want with those topics?

I have nothing against men...but they all seem similar.

Doctors from the army

So for the time being I am opting for a private account...

maybe the trolls and the bots will forget about my Instagram :-))

If you want to follow you'll need a current active Instagram account and have something in your profile picture to identify yourself.

It might be asking a lot, but for safety reasons, 

 I am going to keep things secure.

I've been for a walk this afternoon!!!

My ankle is doing better.

Am feeling so grateful...it has been a very long 3 months.

I used my bamboo walking stick and walked along the compact sand near the shoreline.

Found a few pieces of sea glass and enjoyed watching the children frolic in the sand.

Oodles of people were sunbathing...

some of the young women's swimsuits were quite skimpy!

Reminds me of my teen years when we used baby oil instead of sunscreen 

and 

wore very tiny bikinis.

Love this wee blue ground cover...

(forget the name)

The flowers look like they are smiling.

So cheerful.

I must close for now as I have a sourdough boule ready to come out of the oven and dinner needs to get made.

I will post again soon...

I took 7 garments to the consignment shop last week...

(then I went shopping) 

Will be sharing some of the things that I bought so stay tuned.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

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 ~