Riotous Roses in The Humble bungalow Garden...Home Sweet Home!

Fragrant mauve phlox, a volunteer plant in our garden.

Roses on the arbour...

Constance Spry and Paul's Lemon Pillar climbing Roses intertwined together

a marriage that gets better every year.

I've got loads of deadheading to do...

and I plan to pick a bouquet to bring indoors.

We have been away on a road trip to Cranbrook BC this past week 

to meet up with family for a celebration of life.

It was a great opportunity to enjoy the beautiful scenery of BC...

we rarely travel long distances by car

as we usually fire up the Sea Ray and head out on The Salish Sea...

or catch the ferry to our cottage.

We are home,

the cats are happy

they have been tended by a  house and cat sitter

and 

we are nestled into our comfy sofas.

Happy to be HOME!

Hope you have enjoyed seeing the garden roses...

they keep us busy but they do provide us with an amazing display....

and their fragrance is intoxicating.

People stop and sniff the blooms out front when they walk by our bungalow!

 ~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

A Passion for Gardening...a peek inside our back garden.

Gardening is a passion of mine...

I've been pottering about in the dirt 

planting and growing things 

since I was a little girl.

Now that I am in my 60's I find my muscles get tired after several hours.

I used to be able to garden for hours on end...

Ah! 

Those were the "giddy days" 

when my escape from the stresses of work 

was simple

 get into my gardening clothes and totally lose myself in the garden.

Last year we hired a gardener to do the lions share of the work

 I am still very involved just not so much hands on...

I do so love the creative process...

finding pots, plants and placing them in the garden.

Hand watering allows me to evaluate what looks good, 

what may need some TLC 

what changes that I might consider making...

Flowers over grasses

as the blooms elevate the ordinary...

variegated foliage 

lime green

whites

mixed with

black plants

are my preferred shades

On Pender I noticed many bright and cheerful flowers in bloom.

Pretty purple blooms absolutely POP when juxtaposed with the grey of the rocks.

A few more pieces of beach glass to add to the jar 

from a beach near Port Washington.

I found a lovely urn at Renaissance Studio Antiques on Pender Island.

It was a beast to move...

it took two people to wrangle it into my Volvo

and another two people to unload it once I returned home!

Popped a hosta plant into the urn...

behind the urn are planted several mop head hydrangeas in a creamy shade.

They get quite tall and bloom for most of the summer then dry into a tan shade

which look very sculptural and add interest in the Fall months.

At the opposite end of the patio are a mix of hostas and black mondo grasses.

We purchased tomato plants for the greenhouse

and 

a rather wonderful rusty coloured metal orb.

Claire Austin David Austin white roses with a boxwood edging.

Raised Asparagus bed

roses and hydrangeas in the middle

pots with Hellebores and Black Mondo Grass on the exposed aggregate pavers.

Hosta in the urn!

Variegated Iris, Hostas, Black Mondo grass and bluebells

beneath the fragrant pink 

Montana Ruebens clematis

Some new plants...

which I will pop into pots early this week when the rain stops.

These two characters Chester and Pepper follow me around the house 

like a couple of dogs.

They are great company too...

Chester wants to come out and help in the garden...

There will be lots more to see once the weather warms up and the plants start blooming.

The Humble Bungalow Garden is at its peak in May and June. 

Hope you enjoyed this wee garden tour.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Spring Fling ~ a gossamer floral scarf and The Humble Bungalow Garden

It is officially Springtime in Victoria!

Ah...a long awaited breath of fresh air...
and there are beautiful flowers in our midst.

I went to the Avenue to run some errands today and I spied this gorgeous gossamer soft floral scarf and knew immediately that it was just the thing I needed to inject a wee bit of Spring into my wardrobe.

When I wear this scarf 

I will feel the energy that Spring Flowers can impart...

The sunny shades of yellow and orange cannot help but cheer us...

Such delicate and intricate details in this Hellebore

I do love Hellebores in the Humble Bungalow Garden 

 (there is always room for more)

Over the past weekend my husband dug up and reworked 

an area near our asparagus bed.

The ideas for the design were mine but he made it happen.

He dug up our rhubarb and garlic bed and lay exposed aggregate pavers.

We went to the garden center and chose some new pots and found three healthy hellebores to plant inside them.

We have ordered a few Mondo Grass plants...

Now we need to buy a few smaller black pots in which to plant them.

Here is the view from above...

rains are forecast for the next few days so the new plants will get plenty of water.

I was laid up in bed for a few days with Vertigo and have a middle ear infection.

The doctor prescribed antibiotics and I am currently staying away from the pool.

(I think that the germs must have come from the Recreation Center.)

The cats have been marvelous and keeping me company.

I've sipped many many cups of tea

and 

dined on healthy salads and soups.

The Woman in Cabin 10 was a true page turner...

I read it in one day.

I can highly recommend it...

hope that you like it too.

Thank you for all your comments on the previous post...

I enjoyed reading them and there were quite a few good ideas.

Take care and Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Birthday #63, the anniversary of Mother's demise...same day as it happens...

I had a rocky start to my birthday on March the 3rd...

coffee and cats were involved.

One of the cats knocked over the cactus in the bathroom and ripped all the leaves off of the plant...

it was Mom's cactus.

It is now in the compost.

The other cat "messed" 

on the carpet downstairs 

so I had to haul out the cleaner and wash the rug.

By that time I was REALLY ready for my morning coffee...

the espresso machine had other ideas!

It was not working.

My husband kindly offered to go out and buy me a latte...

bless his heart.

But after three tries, and a few cuss words

(I do not usually swear)

 I was able to make a cup.

I sat in my chair in the living room and thought about Mom.

I recalled the events of her last day with great detail...

I relived the feelings that I felt on that day.

A few salty tears rolled down my cheeks

 I spoke with friends on the telephone.

I wasn't sure 

if I would be able to go out of the house...

But I managed to pull myself together.

 leisurely showered 

got dressed.

On the agenda

shopping and lunch with my husband.

After lunch 

we went to Black Goat Cashmere on Government Street 

where I tried on a few sweaters...

In the dressing room...stripes are the theme.

OOTD

Saint James Top

Black Calvin Klein skinny ponte knit pants.

(see the black goats on the curtain)

My husband bought me the most luxurious cashmere sweater

it is really a jacket...

the cost of which,

 was, well, a wee bit more than I thought

let's just say that it is an investment piece and will be a workhorse in my wardrobe...

like so many other classics it will never date.

I am so happy with it and I know I will wear it often.

Flowers wired from our dear friends in France.

Here's the sweater...

thick cashmere and oh SO SO SOFT!

The silhouette is loose and the coat has a "swing style."

I wore it to the grocery store when the temperature was 6 degrees and was so very cozy and warm!

You can button up the collar or leave it open...its like a built in scarf!

This is going to be my "go to" sweater for the foreseeable future...

I have mom's grey cashmere waterfall sweater and the black V neck cashmere that I received from my husband for Christmas...

I do not own any other sweaters.

Chester likes playing in the bag.

Fast forward...

Besides writing this post 

I managed to wash the love seat slipcovers

 the bathroom towels

iron the linen

meet a friend for lunch

take mom's income tax stuff to the accountant 

(for the last time)

buy a roller ball of lavender essential oil for better sleep

(I swear by this stuff now...)

buy a big ball of Bernat cotton yarn that I will knit into dishcloths

run and empty the dishwasher

make a salad to go with our dinner

read a few chapters in my current book.

So enough about my day...

how are you doing and what is new?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Roses and the quest for the perfect scent...remembering Mom.

Humble Bungalow Garden Roses

Pepper seems to enjoy their fragrance.

Samples of rose fragrances sent from the Vancouver Nordstrom store.

The list of rose scented samples that I am testing and there are more suggested by readers of the blog.

Chester enjoying the box that held the samples.

William Shakespeare and Jude the Obscure 

David Austin roses from the Humble Bungalow Garden.

If I could bottle these scents I would.

I had a weepy day yesterday.

It was a combination of things...

the noise from the construction next door.

Power tools and the jack hammering of the road out in front of our bungalow 

I was thinking a lot about MOM and how much I miss having her around.

I have been frequenting some of our favourite spots:

The Willows tea room

W&J Wilson

The Esplanade

Nar bistro

Matticks Farm

Adrienne's Tea Garden

Barbara's Boutique in Sidney

This just brings it closer to home that she's gone and so I had a wee bit of a meltdown.

Fortunately my husband understood and he listened while I talked and wept.

There will be more days like this of that I am sure...

 I'll let the feelings flow along with the tears.

How's your week going?

Thanks for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

OOTD, flowers, "serviettes vs. napkins"...

Surprise delivery of flowers from a friend...

a lovely and thoughtful gesture of kindness.

beautiful blooming buds 

such beauty 

soft delicate blush pink roses

sunlight on the floor

reflections

of the blinds

OOTD:

Northern Reflections crisp white shirt

NYDJ skinny jeans

Ferragamo flats

 Mr. HB took the photo...

it's a silly one

Delete?

Publish?

I am not a professional model and do not take myself too seriously...

so the pictures stay.

What is so funny you may ask?

Mr. HB was snapping photos so fast I could not keep up with him.

Stop now, please...

Crisp Fresh linen from Belgium

an extra large tea towel

that may be used as a tablecloth 

on our small arts and crafts 

kitchen table.

I noticed the pretty native lilies are blooming in the park.

Today I've been busy washing the bedding and catching up on the ironing. 

It is pouring rain outside and there is a chill in the air.

In the previous post 

several comments were made about the inappropriate use of the words 

"serviettes" and "napkins."

I use both...

We use paper "serviettes" as well as linen "napkins."

What about you?

ser·vi·ette

ˌsərvēˈet/Submit

nounBRITISHCANADIAN

plural noun: serviettes

a table napkin

nap·kin

ˈnapkən/

noun

1.

a square piece of cloth or paper used at a meal to wipe the fingers or lips and to protect garments, or to serve food on.

synonyms: table napkin, dinner napkin, cocktail napkin, serviette; More

2.

NORTH AMERICAN

another term for sanitary napkin.

What are your thoughts?

Tea is served in a variety of vessels here in The Humble Bungalow...

Emma Bridgewater mugs...

Fine bone china cups and saucers...

this one is my favourite as it is a wide deep bowl with a bright bold pattern. 

Speaking of favourite things...

My "go to casual fave" outfit.

Jeans, a white shirt or Tee

sterling bangles and pearls.

Chester found the one sunny spot for his nap.

Must close for now as I am making a new recipe for a comforting soup.

It is a curried sweet potato carrot and red lentil soup.

Vegetarian and perfect for a cold day like today.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow.

XO