Week of wild weather...

Beeswax candles glowing...

adding ambiance on a frigid cold day.

Very snowy here these past few days...

not a lot of accumulation in The Humble Bungalow Garden.

Other areas of Victoria have a LOT more!

Schools were closed, traffic was snarled, buses got stuck.

Mr HB and I stayed home.

I read books, played word games on the computer, 

knit a few rows on The Sophie Scarf,

decluttered and cooked.

Chester seems unfazed by the snow.

He is an indoor cat so he isn't really affected by the weather.

He has been taking advantage of having Mr. HB home...he's snoozing on his lap!

Chester asleep on the cat blanket.

I make soup for many of our lunches.

This spice was in a French Country Home subscription box.

It is made by Compagnie Francaise...

peppers, turmeric, oregano, thyme, curcumin, paprika, sage, basil, tamarind, onion, cinnamon.

The Christmas Cactus is still in bloom!

I bought this orange cactus recently...I love the bright shade of orange.

Here I am just before my Aqua Fit class....

no make up, just lipstick.

My decades old Burberry scarf, Columbia Puffer coat and a hand knit gift hat.

The Sally Hansen Insta Dri nail polish matches one of the stripes!!

Post swim relaxation.

Reading an interesting book by Lesley Crewe called Amazing Grace.

I have not read her books before but I am really enjoying this one.

What are you reading?

The weekly sourdough boule baking is still very much part of my routine.

I keep the sourdough starter active stored in the fridge.

The recipe I use I found online at Alexandra Bakes.

Cooking, baking, cleaning all these things happen here in The Humble Bungalow.

I accomplish a lot everyday but I intersperse the jobs with rest and tea.

I've been wearing these pink gloves to wash the dishes.

They are help my manicure last longer!

What is the weather like where you live?

We aren't used to snow so any amount can mess with the commutes of workers.

It makes getting around much more difficult...especially when the buses are stuck!

Tomorrow the forecast is for warmer temperatures and rain.

I think the snow will melt quite quickly and we will all resume our normal activities.

I plan to get out for some groceries and perhaps peruse a thrift shop or two.

Have you found any treasures recently in the shops?

I go into shops with an open mind and look at all the stock...

if I go in with a certain item in mind I find that I feel stress.

You never know what is waiting in the thrift and charity shops!

~ Happy Thrifting ~ 

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

August Snippets...keeping cool, culling, a favourite scarf, hydrangeas and a fabulous book

Culling is happening here in The Humble Bungalow...

no closet, cupboard, or cranny is safe!

I've given away a LOT of things that we never use and have been donating

various items of clothing and this week I attacked the scarf drawer with gusto!

The Hermes scarves are safely tucked away in their iconic orange boxes.

There are a few scarves left to do the work of many...

one of the scarves that was never in jeopardy

is this linen multi toned scarf.

~ long whisper soft lightweight linen ~

a lovely scarf to wear as a wrap

or wrapped several times around my neck.

~ great drape with an interesting texture ~

The scarves that were culled made their way to the local WIN shop

a charity that assists Women In Need (WIN)

~ OOTD ~

My Uniform

Rough Linen Apron

Akoya Pearls

black Yoga pants

white Eileen Fisher linen top

I've been busy trying to get on top of the cleaning here...

the windows ended up being streaky and I reached out on Instagram for tips.

Several great tips and ideas were forthcoming...

I headed out for a microfibre window cleaning cloth (bought 3) and a squeegee...

windows are now sparkling clean!

Annabelle Hydrangeas

big frothy blooms.

Hope that you are doing well and enjoying the last few weeks of summer.

We are finding the heat a wee bit too HOT!

Every afternoon I find a cool spot to sit and sip some tea or lemonade

inevitably a book finds it way into my hands!

Am enjoying this book SO MUCH!

I read his first book The Rules of Civility many years ago and loved it.

His newest, The Lincoln Highway, is on my TBR stack.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Cleaner Greener Cleaners...a new beginning, and they are less expensive!

 

Spring 

a time of new beginnings...

Here in The Humble Bungalow there is a focus on Spring cleaning.

Time to remove the cobwebs of winter, wash floors and do a deeper clean.

Since Covid I have noticed an increase in the cost of all kinds of goods.

The grocery stores have raised prices on most foods due to increased costs in manufacturing, transportation and staffing.

Toilet paper is still being rationed to two packages per customer.

Cleaning products have almost doubled in cost.

So I decided to do some research and look into DIY cleaners.

I have found that many basic household items are perfect cleaners.

Baking soda, olive oil, salt, vegetable glycerine, white vinegar, castile soap.

Essential oils like lemon and "thieves" blends are powerful additions to increase cleaning power.

I ordered glass jars and spray tops and pumps from a local supplier here in Victoria.

I follow two Instagram accounts that are written by bloggers.

Sheri Silver 
and 

Annie Diamond

most_lovely_things

Both women are familiar with DIY cleaners and essential oils.

Sheri is sending me daily texts on Spring cleaning tips and a package of laundry scent booster.

I won a giveaway from Annie which is on its way...

Today Sheri told us about wool dryer balls and a recipe for scented spray.

I went out and purchased the dryer balls and the ingredients for the spray.

Sheri Silver's recipe for dryer ball spray is on her blog.

I'll be making soft scrub, dish soap, and a multi purpose cleaner.

Check out the cleaning DIY recipes on these women's Instagram feeds or do your own research online to find out more.

Let me know if you make any cleaners.

What you think about the ease of use and cost savings?

Hope that you are enjoying your week.

The spring flowers blooming in The Humble Bungalow Garden are so cheerful.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Spring weather and Spring cleaning

Nothing like a pop of yellow to brighten our days.

Spring is definitely helping to cheer us on as we move ahead into the warm weather.

More birds have returned and they are singing happy chirpy songs.

I wake to their serenade early in the morning.

It energizes me listening to their melodies.

We spent a few days at the cottage last weekend

 While we were there I picked up 3 used books and one new release at the bookstore.

All the books had been highly recommended by friends who are avid readers....

I do love a good book.

One of the joys of retirement is reading a chapter or two every day.

I have read several of Tana French's books and enjoyed them all.

Only 5 chapters into this book and it is so engaging...

I love how she captures the everyday elements with such an artistic eye.

The phalaenopsis orchids that live above our farmhouse sink 

in The Humble Bungalow Kitchen are back in bloom.

These beauties bloom every March and keep flowering well into summer time.

I water them once a week.

 They seem happy with the humidity of the steamy water that rises washing dishes.

I've started my Spring cleaning...

and am planning to make my own cleaners.

I'll post more on this soon.

In other news, we may be getting our vaccinations in April!

The US sent us a big shipment of Astra Zenica which will help fast track our program.

With all the new variants it is important that everyone get a shot asap.

Hope that you are staying well.

~Be Well and Be Kind ~

OOTD...

 

OOTD

Lord and Taylor Cashmere 

It is officially 

"sweater weather"

Stormy

Rain and gusty winds

power outages across the Island and The Gulf Islands

Tress and branches are down...

rain is hitting the windows sideways!

Timberland Boots

Vintage America Jeans

Dressing casually for comfort and warmth during the stormy weather.

I ran a bunch of errands...

had my annual mammogram.

Grocery shopping

Refill for our Method dish soap pump bottle

Joie silicone soft gentle scrubber

Bamboo brush scrubber for tough jobs

I use a vintage porcelain pudding bowl for these items beside our farmhouse sink.

Water drains away from the brushes as the bottom of the bowl has a raised pattern.

Super sponge cloths they last and last 

washable 

up to 300 times!

One towel replaces 15 rolls of paper towels

absorbs 20 times its weight in water

compostable

It surprises me how much better I feel when I get some new cleaning supplies.

Daily domestic chores are a big part of my routine.

Spending so much more time at home 

means that I cannot avoid seeing what needs to be done!

 ~ New Book ~

by Gill Paul 

She wrote a book that I recently read The Secret Wife

which I really enjoyed and highly recommend.

What are you reading?

Have you been watching any good shows on Netflix ?

We discovered The Duchess, a quirky British series which we are enjoying.

Also an older series, After Life written, directed and starring Ricky Gervais.

(Dark subject matter but quite brilliant and funny.) 

Doing it Ourselves, a French castle renovation by a British family is on You Tube.

I welcome your suggestions...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Cocooning....

Cocooning in The Humble Bungalow

We have been listening to the daily press conferences on the Covid-19 virus.

People have been asked to take "shelter" in their homes

 work remotely from home if possible.

Schools are closed indefinitely.

Recreations centres, libraries, and shops are closed or only open a few hours.

Grocery stores and pharmacies are open but many shelves are bare.

Restaurants and coffee shops are offering "take out" only.

Who knows how long we will need to cocoon in our homes and practise social distancing?

Our cupboards, closets and drawers have never looked tidier.

I've been baking, cooking and looking through my cookbooks for new recipes.

Tackling tedious jobs that I usually put on the back burner.

Each morning I linger longer over my coffee...

while I catch up on the news and social media.

I've been reading more than usual.

Rosemarie, a dear reader from Vancouver

sent me some sunflower seeds to sow...

she has sent me a packet each year in memory of my Mom.

Rosemarie is a generous, kind and thoughtful woman.

I hope to meet up with her at some point when we get through this pandemic.

The primulas are putting on their annual cheery display.

They bloom from February until May and then I plant them out in the garden.

Geraniums will replace these pretty plants from May through until September.

I've been embracing the opportunity to get out for my daily walk.

It is a chance to enjoy fresh air, absorb some Vitamin D and get some exercise.

With sunny days and natural beauty at every turn it is not a hardship.

Wee pops of colour elevate my daily round.

Cheerful anemone

such a pretty shade of blue

almost purple.

How are you managing during this health crisis?

Are you enjoying slowing down?

Have you been cocooning and creative?

Please chime in and share how you are spending your days.

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Stay safe.

Wash your Hands and avoid touching your face.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Many hands....

(my parade float with horses)

We had the great pleasure of entertaining the 3 darling grands 

on Saturday this past weekend.

As the rain would not abate we spent the day indoors.

We dumped the bin full of Lego on the dining room table and began to use our imagination and get busy creating...

Mira and I collaborated on a castle with a small but very tall flower "garden"

Isla made a mansion with a rooftop garden.

Henry made a police car with a very secure looking jail.

After we cleaned up 

Grammy made dinner and set the table.

While dinner was cooking in the oven the grands played with play doh at the kitchen table.

Today I am spending time cleaning up the kitchen and bathroom.

I can easily procrastinate but the earlier I commit to getting a job done 

the better chance that I will be successful...

Playtime for Grammy will come after I finish!

My kitchen "work station"

Playtex gloves and a lavender scented cleaner by Method.

Great for grime and dirty jobs.

I use this in the bathroom on the sink, toilet and claw foot tub.

It is great on counter tops and walls...

a great laundry stain remover 

I spray it on the spot and gentle use a small brush to remove the stain.

Method doesn't know that I am a fan of their products or that I am writing about their cleaner on the blog.

Simply sharing a very helpful product with you in case you are interested...

it makes my job here a lot easier and it may help you too!

With all that is happening right now in our world 

I cling to routines and rituals for comfort.

Do you?

How are you coping in light of the recent events?

“When tea becomes ritual, 

it takes its place at the heart 

of our ability to see greatness 

in small things. 

Where is beauty to be found? 

In great things that, 

like everything else, 

are doomed to die, 

or in small things 

that aspire to nothing, 

yet know how to set a jewel of infinity in a single moment?”

~ Muriel Barbery ~

 The Elegance of the Hedgehog

I read recently

 "Knitting is the new Yoga."

That's how I feel when I am knitting...

peace, comfort and serenity 

in the simple act of moving my hands

making something out of yarn.

Let's light a candle, pop the kettle on for tea and pick up our knitting.

Take care

until next time...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~