Life's little luxuries...

Diamonds, pearls and cashmere are definitely luxuries.

Luxuries worth saving up for but they are not the only luxuries that I love.

Luxuries...

what do you think of when you hear the word luxury?

Online dictionary meanings as found...

noun

"the state of great comfort and extravagant living"

adjective

"luxurious or of the nature of a luxury"

Luxury List

Having time to persue the things in life that bring us Joy

time to savour the richness of everyday living.

Spending quality time with family and friends.

good books

scented soaps and candles

fresh air

flowers

treating yourself to a manicure and pedicure

enjoying a coffee at a cafe

lunch out with friends

a long soak in the bathtub

a picnic in the park or at the beach

watching a classic film

trying a new perfume

finding the perfect little black dress

a fresh bouquet of flowers

There are so many things that we can embrace which elevate our days.

My latest luxury item will be delivered today and I am quite excited!

An apron made from Orkney Linen from Rough Linen

Watch the video of Tricia's story here.

I wear aprons in the garden and when I am cooking.

I am a messy cook!

I ordered the petite apron in charcoal.

Here is the corner of The Humble Bungalow Garden where I sit and take tea.

It is a calm space...

where I listen to the sounds of the birds and bees as they flitter about the flowers.

How are you faring these days?

Are you embracing this quiet time or are you missing the busyness?

Time to fill?

What are you doing to fill up your days?

Homekeeping tasks

garden beds to weed

roses to deadhead

there are a variety of jobs around our home and garden that need attention.

 I never really get caught up

the list is long

I make time in between jobs to rest

take tea

arrange a bouquet of garden roses

read a book.

I am grateful for the many activities that present themselves each day.

Thank you for popping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Enchanted April....Dare I dream?

A few weeks ago I posted a pork tenderloin roast recipe and I have another one in my repertoire...
This one has an asian tangy taste and while I LOVE it Mr. HB is not as enamoured with the flavours...not sure why, but we all have our favourites.

So here it is if you would like to try it...

cook and baste the tenderloin about an hour at 350 degrees.

If you try it and like it please leave me a  comment.

My favourite bridge player Meg at the club has had a serious fall...

she is 94 and she broke both her hip and her arm

her mind is a sharp as a tack and we are missing her so much.

She is in rehab and we are planning to go to the hospital

and play some cards as soon as she is able.

I am hoping that she will recover from her injuries.

Her bidding and advice on bridge is so valuable...

she has been playing bridge since she was a teenager 

she encourages us when we are bidding our hands and nudges us to bid game.

I always wear my wedding rings...

one notices hands when seated at the bridge table.

My hands have been dry of late and so I have made a point to keep the hand lotion by the sink to remind myself to use it.

This vintage art deco diamond does not get as much wear as it should.

I don't own a lot of jewelry...

unlike darling daughter, 

who has oodles and oodles of the stuff!

She works hard to find the most amazing pieces...

AND 

she has a full time job!

I have very few pieces of "costume" jewelry and opt for real gemstones.

Sterling silver bangles, pearls, vintage, ethnic, and modern artisan jewelry.

One need not break the budget when choosing a new piece,

 there are so many gorgeous jewels on Etsy and Ebay and in antique shops.

At my age I wonder if I should acquire more gems or save for holidays abroad?

Recently I met up with a friend for lunch.

 We both LOVE France and have fond memories of our trips to Paris 

we got to talking in between bites of our salads

and mentioned that we should arrange to have our own 

"Enchanted April" 

 perhaps Provence would be our destination...

Can you imagine a group of women sharing a home in Provence?

Savouring the countryside for a month?

I can!

 I am dreaming about this possibility.

So with that in mind I am off to find more local French language classes...

BTW

if you know of anyone who has a home to rent in Provence or has rented one that they enjoyed please email me bungalowhostess@gmail.com

merci beaucoup!

 ~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

What I packed for 18 days living out of a tote bag....and a weight loss series.

Summertime holidays cruising on our Sea Ray
are simple, easy and streamlined.
We avoid any drama or stress.

Living in small quarters means that we both must live out of our large Lands' End canvas tote bags.
I take another small tote bag with my toiletries and books.

OOTD's fall into the category "comfy casual."

I wore the grey baroque pearls that darling daughter gave me every day.

Storage is at a premium on our 27 foot Sea Ray Sun Dancer so we pack light.

What I packed in my large canvas Lands' End tote bag:

Two bathing suits ~ Lands' End

serape black ~ white seashell and starfish print 

(also used as a shawl with the bamboo dress)

two bras 

6 pairs of knickers

(I washed these and hung them discreetly inside the boat head to dry)

6 pairs of bamboo sox to wear with my walking shoes

2 linen tank tops ~ one in a light grey shade and the other a lime green

striped blue and white nautical Tee

Adidas skort in a black knit 

(I do not like wearing shorts)

two pairs of black yoga style skinny knit cropped pants

DKNY faded denim boyfriend jeans

Banana Republic ~ faded blue chambray shirt that doubles as a jacket

Gelco bright yellow warm puffy jacket 

yellow rain slicker 

(always keep it on the boat)

Columbia lightweight walking jacket black "Omni-Heat" technology

Saucony walking shoes

Clark flip flops

Sperry deck shoes ~ espadrilles

for dinner and lunches out I wore:

Click ~ white linen short cropped wider capri style pants 

Royal Robbins ~ white long cotton top with a V neck and an asymmetrical line

Gilmore ~ black bamboo dress

black cardigan style jacket with a 3/4 length sleeve

Waterproof Tommy Hilfiger watch.

I leave my silver bangles at home as they are a safety risk.

I wear my wedding rings and two pairs of diamond studs in my ears.

Hand washing is quick and easy.

A few pieces of the laundry hung on the rails of our boat

in the hot sunshine and most things were dry within an hour.

Dressing in appropriate clothing for boating safety and ease of movement is necessary as there are situations that require that I climb around on deck and hop off with ropes to tie up when we arrive at the dock.

I insist on neat and tidy outfits that work together in a similar colour palette.

This casual nautical wardrobe is not unlike what I wear in my day to day life here in The Humble Bungalow.

Classic black and white were the colours that made up this holiday wardrobe.

I could have used a second bamboo dress in another colour as it was the coolest item I wore on the hottest days...

I will check out the sales and see if I can find another one!

Stay tuned for a new series...

I am going to focus on losing 8 ~10 pounds...

The Weight Watcher's weight range for my age and height is 132 ~134 pounds.

(I am currently weighing in at 142)

I am not trying to lose weight for unrealistic "vanity" reasons...

I want my clothes to fit better as they are currently tight 

and ensure that my blood pressure stays in the healthy range.

Besides I worked diligently for 2 years to shed 30 pounds...

if I let myself slide 

I will be back in the unhealthy obese range...

my doctor will be admonishing me as he doles out his advice

plus I will feel disappointed in myself.

I am embarking on upping my walking and counting my WW points,

tracking what I eat and how I move every day.

I may even write down how I feel and when and if I get hungry between meals.

Perhaps we can do it together and share tips and encourage each other along the way.

Enjoy your weekend!

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Collecting diamonds, one heart at a time, creating a family heirloom.

I am a gal who likes sparkle and diamonds are up at the top of my list. Pearls are likely second on that list and then it all goes awry...sapphire blue, emerald green, ruby red, the mind boggles.

I am a collector, so naturally I collect. It doesn't have to be things that are bought, it can be "found items."

I have colored beach glass that I have found and put into a sealer jar. I have found "bits and bobs" in my garden when digging, a rusty jack knife, marbles, a child's ring. I have some shells, some rocks, huge conifer cones, a brick from Sidney Island.

I also collect diamond hearts, or hearts with diamonds. I have them on a bracelet and am making my own memory piece to bequeath, a modern day heirloom of sorts.

I wear this bracelet with my channel set diamond hoops or my simple diamond studs.

I have a pink and yellow gold pave set diamond heart that can be added to any of my pearl necklaces. I particularly like this as I feel somewhat whimsical wearing it.

You may have seen me!

My nose is usually pressed near the glass case in an antique shop looking out for my newest vintage heart! I am serious about creating a family heirloom one heart at a time.