Saturday's roses.....

The winds have blown in full and forceful,
the seas are cresting with white caps and waves....
it's a blustery warm wind that howls
and we have 4 cruise ships in our port today...

I've been shopping for a super special little Miss.
Isla is her name and her hair is that glorious shade of red of her Scottish ancestors.
She is turning 2 soon and there is a party planned, food, festivities, family and friends.

I had a very helpful Mummy,
a "Yummy Mummy" in fact that steered me in the right direction.

size 4

wee shoes

who does not love to buy when someone else gets a new pair of shoes at the same time?

WIN WIN!

love the glam and glitter!

Oh and we found some great stuff at the toy shop on The Avenue.

Hope she has fun with what we chose.

Gosh it's a busy day here in The Humble Bungalow...

laundry

shopping

and 

weeding the garden.

I had to prune an errant branch that was dangling low and threatening to break off.

apricot and a fruity scent

can we agree on frothy?

she has a very sweet intoxicating nectar.

(if only I could remember her name!)

I am going to meet a new kitten tomorrow

a companion for Pepper

we like to rescue kittens.

This kitten is 9 weeks old and sounds like a sweet fellow.

Fingers crossed he is a keeper.

We've already chosen a name.....

stay tuned 

I may be introducing a new feline soon!

Hope that the sun is shining down on your patch!

Saturday morning...

I woke up early only to discover that I am coming down with a cold.....
but it's not a pity party here in The Humble Bungalow.
I jumped into the shower and let the hot water run and steam my sinuses
the kettle was put on
and tea was poured by Mr. HB.

I am sipping my second cup of tea...
planning to do a few necessary errands...
we are almost out of tissues and the fridge needs restocking.

Saturday morning and the weekend is about to begin.

The vegetable seeds were planted last weekend.

In the right raised bed are sweet peas

in the left we planted peas

yellow beets, swiss chard, zucchini

clematis is in back to lure the bees.

Fortunately we have a garden full of mason bees

 a heavy clay based soil that cracks 

and a shingle house

which provide many crevices for these bees to live has turned out to be a bonus.

These Mason bees have been in our garden since we moved in 30 years ago.

the lilies are thriving

 native camas in the park

a sea of blues

I ordered some black pants from Lands End and bought the large 

but when I put them on I was swimming in them!

I have re ordered the medium and hope that they fit better.

I wonder if perhaps the walking and mindful eating is paying off?

(one can hope!)

Pepper loves to sleep on our bed and she sleeps on my side at night.

My legs get cramped sometimes trying to accommodate her furry form.

When the bed is made she sleeps on my side too!

If I snuggle under the duvet this afternoon I am sure she'll be at my side.

This weekend will be a slow paced one so that I can rest up and get rid of this cold.

I am seeking comfort in the simple things

a warm mug of tea

cozy socks

a scarf

a soft sweater

some magazines to lose myself in

a novel

(The Post Mistress)

a blanket to wrap myself up in 

and

perhaps my Steiff bear will join me in bed...

I think I'll skip my walk.

I may buy a bar of really good chocolate

I have not had any chocolate for what seems like months

but in fact may be weeks.

(I'll allow myself one or two squares at the most)

Tell me all the exciting things that you'll be doing this weekend 

as I 'll be living vicariously through your adventures!

Be Well.

XO

Let there be light....

The weekend was sunny and there was a feeling of lightness in the air.
Lawn mowers, people laughing, children playing, sounds heard while I got outside and busied myself in the garden.
The birds were singing non stop and I saw a pretty little yellow bird which I believe is a Common Yellowthroat.
The sunshine went a long way to perking up the spirit...

My muscles are sore and I am weary.
It's a good feeling that one earns and owns
knowing it's the reminder of a hard days work.

The light inside the bungalow was simply too bright to ignore.

the cross and olive crystal cake stand

came to life

 sparkled

and 

reflected it's rays on the walls

it's the little things that make our daily round worthwhile

if I get too busy I often forget to pay attention

slowing down does have it's benefits

simple white vessel

a newly found vintage piece

light and shadow

play upon it's sleek finish

Pepper slept most of the day on our bed 

a south exposure means it's one of the sunniest rooms in the Bungalow.

It was a busy weekend and the time flew by...

Friday we dined at our favourite Italian restaurant with my sister and her husband and our daughter J

Saturday saw us hosting a BBQ 

with our lovely DIL, son and that super special little Miss Isla

grand daughter extraordinaire

Sunday was an at home day of domestics 

and gardening for me.

I laundered some winter woolens

the Lands End cashmere sweater really washes well and holds it shape...

 the gross grain ribbon on the inside of the buttons and button holes is brilliant

no wavy edges 

I used the zippered mesh delicates washing bag in my washer 

with cold wash and cold rinse

my sweater is as new.

Mr. HB was working hard "down under"

painting the newly renovated bathroom, hall and laundry room!

Sometime soon I'll post some more images of the reno

just in case you are curious we are using Benjamin Moore's

 "Simply White"

Are you watching Julian Fellowes Titanic series?

Life above deck ~ below deck...

IMO it's not as good as Downton Abbey but we are watching just the same.

Good news...

Mad Men is back!

We do not sit glued to the tube 24/7 we PVR and watch when it's convenient.

Thank you all for those positive and encouraging comments about my friend's husband and his recent diagnosis

I've been online doing some research and so has she.

I sent her a floral garden planter and I think it perked up her spirits.

Take care

and

Be Well.

XO

Chemise please!

The weather has been positively beastly and grey and dull and I needed to seek out some comfort and colour.

I've been very frugal lately because we have the renovation underway and there really isn't anything I "need"
well there is one thing!
So I popped on my grey and black feline printed scarf (the one from my tying tutorial) and my grey duffel coat, over top of black boots, skinny jeans, white tank and my black cashmere sweater...it's no wonder I crave colour!

I was on a mission as our stove top kettle finally packed it in after many years of fine service.

I traipsed all over looking for a new kettle that was to my liking. I wanted something simple and durable yet with a bit of style as it sits on the stove top all the time. I looked at Le Creuset's, Staubs, Copco's and some really disappointing flimsy stainless steel models before giving up and resigning myself to finding one another day.

In the meantime I found some new towels on sale Hammam white Turkish towels and they are every bit as nice as the Abyss towels we currently have in The Humble Bungalow which are over 5 years old and starting to look their age. White never stays pure white forever....

Hammam bath sheet and towel

I have on order the face cloths and another bath sheet.

I'll decide if they'll be upstairs or downstairs towels later.

Quality~comfort

soft~supple~cotton~sateen

(this company also made our Hutterite down duvet)

a chemise if you please!

I have had one of these in the past and they are a delight to wear in the warmer days of summer.

It feels like nothing on but there is a wisp of coverage for modesty's sake.

this style has a wee hint of lace

Pepper thinks I brought home a toy for her to play with!

what's inside?

I spy with my little eye...

a furry tail!

Boo!

Remember that Red Huck

The twigs that I thought would bloom...

well they have sprouted leaves not flowers :(

On my way home from town I stopped off at the local Market for some food.

I also picked up my husband's shirts at the cleaners

and popped my head in the Hardware store...

and found the kettle that I needed!

Stainless steel Paderno

guaranteed for 25 years...

my husband's comment was "that kettle will see us out!"

Embracing frugality I made Osso Bucco with beef shanks and the next day I transformed the leftovers into 

Scotch Broth Soup!

simmering and scenting the kitchen

I wish you could taste this bowl of soup.

You'll just have to trust me that it is in fact delicious!

Mr. HB and I watched The Help on the weekend and I loved it.

The book was a good read.

I'd recommend it

 I mentioned it to Mother and she read it in a couple of days!

I hope that your week is off to a great start!

Out of the closet!

Clearing out the closet has been the chore keeping me busy these past few weeks.
Can you say RUTHLESS!
I said farewell to several bags of gently used and unwanted garments.
Clothes that felt like "albatrosses"  items that one hangs onto "just in case"
I feel a fresh new start and have empty hangers waiting...
for a very select new and needed garments.
With Spring just around the corner there will be a few things that I will need to replace, white tank tops and T shirts are always on the list.

I mentioned before how tiny our Arts and Craftsman Bungalow is and that storage is minimal at best.
Prepare yourself....

This is the lower portion of our bedroom closet

Mr. HB has the upper area.

This is my basic winter wardrobe.

Here are the longer winter items.

I have a small wardrobe downstairs which holds dresses and out of season clothes.

I am not kidding when I said that I have pared down...

feeling a bit more like Jennifer Scott's "Madame Chic."

Blogger Mette recently purchased a pair of jeans

 which got me thinking that I could use another pair.

I found a pair of Gap wide legged jeans at the consignment store

where I met and chatted with Sheila from Ephemera.

I'll wear these with heels...

 red shoes would be fun!

Jones of NY

sweater jacket

in shades of grey...

a thrift shop find this week.

Speaking of grey

Pepper's catching some ZZZ's

The weather has been dreary and grey

 so I have imported some lovely scent and colour to The Humble Bungalow

I'll plant these hyacinth bulbs in the garden when they are finished cheering things up inside.

These may look like twigs

but they are so much more...

these cuttings will be abloom with pink and red blossoms in a week or so.

Perusing this coffee table book has inspired me.

The architecturally designed homes featured inside are beautifully decorated 

in a rather rustic Pacific Northwest fashion.

Antiquities, books and massed collectibles add such richness to these amazing abodes.

Rather like those trusted true accessories that add interest to a minimalist basic wardrobe.

Do you have a walk in closet or a teeny space like mine?

Is your wardrobe style more

or less?

Pepper takes the stage...

By request Pepper will be making an appearance.
She has been pretty lazy sleeping on soft duvet covered beds both upstairs and downstairs in the guest bedroom.

I coaxed her to wake up with some cat treats and got the camera out and snapped her picture.
For every picture that you see here there were about 10 more of each pose and most were blurred as she doesn't hold a pose for long.

Here she is perched up on the granite counter by the stove

looking rather nonchalant.

Pepper is royalty here in The Humble Bungalow.

Do you think she has any idea of her power?

I wonder what she's thinking...

"here she goes again with that crazy camera"...

This look is not for the camera

it was the birds outside that caught her attention!

When she was first here in our home she refused to have her claws clipped.

Snarling, biting, wriggling out of the towel, scratching and hissing at us.

I worried that we'd lose an eye!

We ended up taking her to the vet so that the technician and the vet together could do the job.

I took her for many monthly visits before deciding to train her to allow me to do the job.

I gave her a treat then cut the claws on one paw,

another treat and another paw,

same again twice more and we're finished.

Pepper does love her food

and she loves to chase her catnip mice.

She chirrups when she's happy and it's the sweetest sound ever!

She does not like water unless it is fresh from the tap...

"She who must be obeyed."

Pepper often sleeps on top of the duvet of our bed with us asleep underneath.

Part Bengal, part Egyptian Mau, part Alley cat she does not like to be left alone.

She follows me around the house when I clean or water the plants.

If I am sitting at the computer, more often than not, she is snuggled up right beside me keeping me warm.

Pepper is cheeky and sneaky and does rule the roost.

(can you tell?)

She has taken to jumping way up to the top of the cabinets

 snoozing and surveying what goes on below.

What a spoiled Puss!

I have toyed with the idea of getting another cat to keep her company...

but I have a sneaky feeling that she might not like sharing us with another feline.

It's been a cold and stormy day

 there's a sweet geranium blooming on the windowsill

cheering up the grey gloom that lies beyond the pane.

If the sun is not shining 

I find my own way to add cheer to the day

and that usual means having some fresh flowers close by.

What makes your life a little sunnier?

Dinner is cooking in the oven, 

Pepper's asleep, 

The Vancouver Canucks are on the TV and Mr. HB is happy.

What's not to love?

Silver and porcelain...a happy coupling.

Harumi Ota is the clever artist that created this divine bowl.
His work in porcelain makes me swoon.
His use of the traditional blue and white touch on perfection.

This bowl has been used for many salads and pasta dishes.

It sits in the middle of the Humble Bungalow dining room table.

Inside sit a pair of silver salad servers made in Vancouver, BC

by the Acme Company.

They look very simplistic in form and design

but there was something that caught my fancy when I purchased these a few years ago.

 Harumi Ota bowl

this one is shallow and a great vessel for fruit.

It looks lovely with a colourful tomato basil and goat cheese salad too.

Pepper was a kitten about a year ago when she came 

to take up residence in The Humble Bungalow

I remember she could curl up in the larger bowl and have a snooze!

Using lovely things adds so much richness to everyday life.

Do you have something that you love to use everyday?

Does it make you happy each time that you set eyes on it?

(that's why I do not hide the Harumi Ota bowls in a cupboard)

The winner is......

What's in the bag?

The name of one follower who will be receiving a copy of Shoe String Chic.

 I wrote the names of those who were participating in the giveaway on strips of paper...

with a little help from Pepper

I popped them into the bag.

I hope that you can read sideways as I forgot to rotate the image before uploading it!

Congratulations Lorrie please email your mailing address and I'll send you the book.

Thank you to all who participated.

Pepper could have picked the winning name 

she seemed very keen on this event but now that it's over she seems a bit blase.

Monday has brought with it gale force winds and rain...

  Hunkered down here in The Humble Bungalow

dressed casually in grey yoga pants and a hoodie

domestics are on the agenda

and not a chic thought to be found.

  Real life can't be all glamour now can it?