Showing posts with label chores. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chores. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 21, 2019

Love the "little things" ~ a recipe for contentment.


Reading home decor books, Instagram and magazines inspire me.
I often get frustrated and wonder how I can make our little bungalow look better.

  I actioned a quick and inexpensive DIY fix.

I purchased 3 black metal hooks 
(Mr. HB installed them for me)

I hung up my French Market basket
 gardening hat 
and
  watering can. 

As conscientious stewards 
of a Heritage home
we are required to honour the historic significance 
we do not stray too far from their original architectural design.

With one exception...
The laundry area is painted white 
the basement is dark with very little light 
with only a few small windows.

The bright white walls 
make it much more enjoyable to work in and it feels far less oppressive!


I like to do my ironing while gazing out to the garden.



Looking out and beyond at the foliage and flowers 
while ironing 
feels like a form of meditation.


A handy rolling cart in the space is used for towels.


I fold the laundry on the top of the counter
and
I have a small ironing board that I use for small jobs 
like our linen tea towels and napkins.

Domestic jobs are a necessity.
To make them a wee bit more enjoyable
I have "fluffed" my downstairs "workplace" adding a few accent pieces.
Vintage enamel tins, ceramics, bird sculptures, and trophies...

Work and chores need not be looked upon as "drudgery."

Attitude is key to making these everyday tasks pleasant.
Taking joy in the results of one's labour and effort is so important.

The feeling of accomplishment is felt...
as I stand back
admiring a stack of freshly laundered 
(scented with lavender soap)
neat and tidy crisply ironed tea towels.

It's the "little things" that make our days richer.

How do you add Joy in your daily duties?
Do you have a secret to share that you use to make your daily round feel richer?

On that note, 
I will close this post...

Thank you for taking the time to stop and visit The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Thursday, March 29, 2018

Rainy Day Rhythm...


Cheap and cheerful
chrysanthemums
perk me up on a grey rainy day...

The power of flowers can elevate any decor...

a simple jam jar with daisies

a Baccarat crystal vase with roses

a single bloom in a flask

an orchid in a blue and white porcelain planter

depending on your budget

you can get as creative as you like when it comes to floral arrangements.


Vintage Verlys glass satin dish bowl
etched simply with pine cones
sits empty 
beside the window
catching the light


The grandchildren made this colourful Easter Wreath at Michael's.

We were meant to go to the workshop together but I had Vertigo and had to cancel...
it sounds like they had lots of fun.


Our sunsets have been quite stunning 
this week at Quarter Deck Cottage.

I love how sculptural the arbutus trees look set against the yellow skies.

One needn't go far to find beauty 
it is outside just beyond the front door...
all you have to do is open your eyes and look around.

It may surprise you to find that there are ordinary things 
which when studied 
on close inspection
look like works of art.

I never come home from a walk without seeing something quite lovely.

Perhaps that is why I love to walk so much...
not only do I feel restored and re-energized
there are snippets of Nature's handiwork at every turn.

I make it my goal to seek out the delights that Nature has provided...


A juicy red rose hip still clinging to the vine...


Queen Anne's Lace seed head boldly standing tall against the blue sky.


A reclaimed lifeboat
re purposed as a planter at the end of the road.

The Riddle Family plant this boat with seasonal offerings...
The sign says 
"The Point...Of it All!"

A scarecrow and mums were on display for Fall
daffodils and tulips for Spring
 I am already curious what they will plant for Summer.

The rains have arrived after several sunny days so it's a day of domestic chores...
laundry and tidying.

A pot of tea now waits
 I will return to my books and knitting
after I hit the publish button on this post.



The Humble Dishcloth
(a knitting pattern that I return to time and again)

Size 6 or 7 (US) needles
Cotton yarn

Cast on 4 stitches
Row 1 - Knit 4 stitches
Row 2 -  Knit 2 Yarn over knit to end of row
Repeat Row 2 until you have 44 stitches
Row 3 - Knit 1 Knit 2 together, Yarn Over, Knit 2 together knit to end of row
Knit row 3 until you have 4 stitches left on the needles
Bind off.


so soothing to knit
useful to use
soft
makes a great Hostess Gift!

Wishing you all a Very Happy Weekend.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~


Monday, January 8, 2018

Finding my way...

Thank you so much for your supportive emails and comments on my previous post.
Many of you wrote about your personal tragedies and situations that are much more dire than what our family is going through and upon reflection this past week I have been able to regain my sense of perspective
coming to terms with my feelings of helplessness.

I've put my energies into action 
working on domestic chores
focusing on the jobs at hand.

It is not a cure all but it feels good to accomplish something that needs doing.


I am glad that my kitchen does not look like this one
but it CAN look rather messy if I do not stay on top of the cleaning.


Thank goodness for the auto clean program...
it makes the job so much easier.

I've been chiselling away at my "to do" list...
the feeling of accomplishment 
is a reward
when I am able to cross another job off the list.


Maintaining leather 
Coach bag, shoes and boots pays off as they look better and last longer.


 Fresh Shampoo
for  
my make up brushes once a month...
a simple routine that takes just a few minutes.


This wee orchid was a gift from a friend 
when Mom died on my birthday last March.
It is blooming again!


This orchid has a double row of blooms...
speaking of blooms our Amaryllis is absolutely stunning!


Each stem has four flowers!
There is another stem about to bloom.
We have never ever had an amaryllis like this one.


Low WW point lunch yesterday
after a busy day working in the Humble Bungalow.

Did you watch the Golden Globes last night?
Oprah's speech was so inspiring...
I watched it twice.


A stack of books await...


Speaking of inspiring.

I found this wonderful quote on Pinterest...

Hope that you find some comfort and joy in your week.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Home keeping...and then some pampering.

Some days it feels like I spend most of my time home keeping.
Cooking, tidying, cleaning, doing laundry, ironing, grocery shopping...

I like the results of a little elbow grease and everything looks so much better.
The Humble Bungalow is actually a nicer place to relax when the mess is less!


I have entire days where I get out and about to walk, play bridge and go out to meet friends for tea! Playing catch up can take its toll but if I put on some music and wear my fitness clothes (with a few pearls) and my trusty French Linen apron I find that I have way more energy to tackle the jobs that need attention.

Today I tended to my orchids...
I watered them, removed the wilted flowers and cut away some of the brown stems then tied up the new shoots to the stakes in the pots.


I wiped down the counter tops and cleaned out the fridge.
Polished the silver and cleaned out a few cupboards and drawers.
Did some laundry and ironing...
love the look of my linen tea towels all pressed and ready for service.


My hands got a little special treatment...
before putting on my cleaning gloves 
I applied a layer of this wonderful hand cream,
  moving about doing chores added extra warmth inside the gloves.
The cream worked its magic and it felt like a Spa Treatment!


With the fridge cleaned out the few bits of leftovers were turned into soup.

~ Leftover Soup ~

Cook and soften in a few tablespoons of oil
 a couple of onions
a diced carrot
2 -3 stalks of celery 
1 cubed pepper (I used a yellow one)
5 sliced mushrooms
cooked about 15 minutes then added

a piece of cooked steak (about 5 ounces) cut into small pieces
tetra pack of stock (beef or vegetable)
leftover broccoli
salt, pepper, thyme (to taste)
Simmer for a few hours so the flavour really blooms
add
a handful of dried noodles
cook until soft and serve or cool and freeze for a later date.


While the soup was simmering I took a wee break and gave myself a facial.


The aesthetician at the Spa mentioned that this was her favourite formula for her clients that have rosacea so I figured it was worth a try...
you mix the mask with a wee bit of water and leave it on 5-10 minutes
(while lying down with eyes closed relaxing and breathing deeply)
 then gently wipe it off with a warm face cloth.

I loved how soft and clean my skin felt after this mask.
I used the Eminence Coconut Age Defying cream after and did not put any make up on for the rest of the day.
except for
~ Mascara and lip gloss ~ 

My home day spent productively actioning domestics and focusing on my skin...

~ life feels better with a wee bit of pampering ~

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~