It's a bookish post today...

Our lending library had it's official opening last night...
it was a team effort getting this project off the ground but one that is well worth the effort.

I was asked to cut the ribbon...

and when the doors opened we stuffed the shelves with books.

It's going to be a fun spot to browse for books.

(I think I'll bring my mug of tea over and regularly peruse the titles.)

We celebrated with some appetizers in The Common.

The Common is a spare lot on our street.

There are benches, a table and some swings for the children to play on.

Dinner was served in our Humble Bungalow for the planning group.

Hydrangeas were picked for the table.

We served dinner buffet style and people sat wherever they wanted...

~ The menu ~

Dolmades

Assorted Cheeses and grapes on a platter

Stuffed devilled eggs

Salad

Lasagna

Buns

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Coconut and Chocolate Ice Cream

~ ~ ~

On my reading list are the following books...

I'm taking them on our boat when we go cruising later in the week.

I read Tigers in Red Weather and enjoyed it so I thought I'd take a chance and read her new book.

Ivy's Books on Oak Bay Avenue have a French themed book display...

Heidi was responsible for me buying these two books!

This book was suggested by Madame La-Bas.

My walking partner recommended this book.

Sharon Santoni's new book.

You may know her blog My French Country Home.

I brewed a pot of tea and spent an entire afternoon savouring and reading.

Sharon's friends are a wonderful and very accomplished group of women.

I felt like I was transported back to France...

The pictures are amazing...

and the French chateaus and apartments are enchanting and lavishly decorated.

So much style and creativity is found within this lush book...

If you like to read about French Chic Femmes and their lifestyles

 I think you'd love it.

Anyways that's about it for now...

I'm off for a big walk in the rain now.

I hope this moisture will douse some of the wildfires burning in our province.

THe Humble Bungalow Garden desperately needs a makeover!

Our Humble Bungalow Garden has been foremost on my mind of late...
it's been giving me some unwelcome moments of total frustration...
don't like feeling this way.
I'm overwhelmed and feel rather helpless...
need some expert advice.

I'm considering (and Mr. HB is listening to my concerns) a complete redesign of the yard.
The garden has become far too "high maintenance" and I have been spending many many hours in the hot sun trying to get on top of it to no avail.

I LOVE my roses and plan to keep them. I want and need to find other plants that will look good and not demand too much of my energy and yet still look stylish.
(Mr. HB wants for us to be happy and content in the garden)

We had some friends over for lunch today to discuss this very topic and I am enthusiastic that we might have some help in the future.

The garden needs a plan...
I've pottered about for years with no grand scheme and the beds have evolved in a willy nilly fashion...and while they look pretty, there is a slapdash feel to the whole space.
Too many curves, plants that have "taken over" and a lawn that is filled with buttercups, dog violets and clover.

We invited a couple of friends who have glorious and beautiful gardens 

 a professional gardener 

to walk with us through our garden

and give us some ideas...

Lunch needed to be quick as our guests had a tight timeline.

We drank tea and ate assorted "tea type" sandwiches.

(triangle sandwiches with the crusts cut off)

We served cherry tomatoes, carrot sticks and olives on the side...

Dessert was home made lemon loaf and clusters of red grapes.

We bantered about some ideas and my friend will plot out some plans

his gardener will give us the names of a few professionals that might be able to assist us in our quest.

David Austen Jude the Obscure Rose

The Humble Bungalow bathroom

Mr. HB designed the remodel of this wee space years ago.

This room is so well planned and it makes me very happy too.

Good design is SO important, in the house AND in the garden.

You can see how small the room dimensions are here as the claw foot tub nearly hits the two walls!

Mr. HB had some great tile patterns in mind...

he showed me several options and we agreed on this one.

We opted for a modern pedestal sink

and a pair of new period style lights from Water Glass Studios.

A lovely original painting on vintage linen of French country side 

a gift from our dear friend and talented artist, Cheryl Fortier.

(In the reflection you might notice all my silver bangles)

There is no storage other than a medicine cabinet in the bathroom.

 We re-purposed an oak arts and crafts bookcase to use for the towels.

Hope you have enjoyed this peek 

"Inside the Humble Bungalow."

Hooray Hooray!

we got a smattering of rain this afternoon.

 A welcome gift as we are experiencing a very dry summer here.

I hope it will help with the forest fire situation.

Our garden certainly needs the extra moisture...

the roses and hydrangeas are "needy and greedy"when it comes to water.

In other exciting news...

a group of neighbours have agreed to join me in building a small neighbourhood library box.

We plan to donate books to share 

We have a glass fronted cabinet which we will paint and build a roof overtop.

We will attach some posts and erect it.

It's one of a number of neighbourhood libraries in our city.

This video is very inspiring...

Take care,

Hostess