Royalty amongst other things...

The young royal family Kate, William, George and Charlotte are here in Victoria for the week and they are staying at Government House.
Government House is on Rockland Avenue just a few blocks north of The Humble Bungalow.
Government House has a tea room where Mother and I go to in the summertime and where we sit on the patio to have lunch and share a pot of tea.
I love to walk through the rose gardens and smell the beautiful roses...
the gardens are tended by an army of volunteers and it looks splendid.

The gates are closed for security this week while the Royals are in residence...
our SIL is busy working on the tour providing audio tech support.

I did not take the following picture but wanted to share it with you...
it is a wee bit fuzzy and I think it must have been taken with a zoom lens.

Kate looked radiant in her Royal Blue dress and exquisite hat.

She wore sapphire (I have been advised that they are actually tanzanite) and diamond earrings with her lovely sapphire engagement ring.

On her dress she pinned a diamond studded Maple Leaf borrowed 

from HRH Queen Elizabeth.

It was a gift from Canada to honour Queen Elizabeth (another error on my part, they were given to the Queen Mother) on one of her visits to Canada.

I apologize for these errors as I took the information from the local news reporter who obviously had not done her homework...

we have amended the info thanks to reader and royal watcher Patricia!

Helicopters are in the sky in our neighbourhood

hovering above the motorcade.  

Security is serious business and there are strict protocols in place.

One of our orchids is flowering and the rest are dormant...

We have settled into a slower pace 

as Fall nudges its way into The Humble Bungalow...

the garden will be put to bed in the next few weeks and then I plan to pull out my knitting.

I made a lettuce soup.

Have you ever heard of lettuce soup?

I had a tub of lettuce that was almost wilted and knew that we would never eat it all by its best before date so I looked online and found a recipe.

So quick and easy and really low in Weight Watcher points!

Cook a diced onion in a wee bit of oil until soft.

Add 6 cups of veggie stock and 1 cup of diced potato

simmer for about 20 minutes until potato is cooked.

Add 6-8 cups of mixed salad greens and cook a few more minutes.

Season with salt, pepper, and 1 or 2 tbsps. of a good curry powder (to taste)

Use the immersion blender and process until no lumps remain.

Serve hot topped with a dollop of yogurt if you desire.

I wore my collection of bangles out to lunch last week.

Darling daughter, Savvy son and Mr. HB met for a family lunch.

Talk about one for the memory books...we cannot remember the last time we went out just the four of us!

Mr. HB and I enjoyed a recent date night.

We went out for dinner and a movie...

we saw the new Bridget Jones film and I laughed out loud so much that I had tears rolling down my face.

It is a light comedy and a "feel good" film.

Darling daughter and I went to Aritzia and perused their new stock.

I love their lines of clothing as they are very classic, simple and are suitable for the young and the old.

I purchased a simple off white Wilfred top that is very soft and cozy.

It has a low V neck which is perfect for featuring pearls or a scarf.

I will layer this when the weather gets cooler under my black leather vest or a sweater or jacket.

Darling daughter purchased a fabulous pair of jeans by Citizens of Humanity.

She referred to them as"mom jeans" and we laughed because I was wearing my NYDJ.

(Not Your Daughters' Jeans)

Coincidentally we both had our leather "moto" jackets on with our jeans and tops.

This is the second time in a few weeks where I have found myself dressed in the same style outfit as my companion when out and about!

Today and I have a few chores on my list which will keep me busy

and I am trying to decide what to cook for dinner tonight.

When the weather gets cooler I like to make a cozy meal of roasted veggies and possibly cook a roast of beef.

I need to go for my walk and I may just pop into the grocery store on my way home and see what inspires me...

Keep cozy people.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Blooms and walking the walk.

My week has been quite quiet so far...
domestics seem to have worked their way up on my list of things to do.

At the very top of my list is walking.

I need to make it a priority or it does not happen 

too many other things can get in the way. 

After my morning shower I dress in my walking clothes so that I am ready to go.

Sunscreen, sunglasses

House keys and my Iphone in a small hands free cross body bag.

The orthopedic surgeon advised me to swing my arms when I walk.

These beautiful grapes are growing on the boulevard just down the street.

I am surprised that the birds have not been munching on them.

Hydrangeas are still putting on a spectacular display...

more blooms are on their way.

There is a second flush of flowers on the Romneya coulteri...

also known as "the fried egg plant."

I have been busy deadheading the roses and sweeping the porch.

Garden chores never feel finished but thankfully the rewards continue to delight and encourage me until the dreary rains of the winter set in...

Streaky windows, messy cupboards and too many things in my bureau drawers have side tracked me
from relaxing and sitting down
and devouring reading my book.

Why do I succumb to that nagging voice in my head?
I think it was my upbringing...
Work before pleasure.

The story line is quite different from what I usually read 

but I read and enjoyed Garth Steins' book "The Art of Racing in the Rain"

 So when I spied this in our wee library on the Common across the street

I grabbed it...

The wee library is getting a lot of use and the turnover of books is quite amazing.

Many of these small neighbourhood lending libraries are popping up.

There is a website and maps showing where they are located...

ours is on the map!

Hope all is well with you.

The Royal Family are going to be sleeping just a few blocks from Our Humble Bungalow for the next week!

I hope that they love our city as much as we do!

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Home Keeping in The Humble Bungalow

Home keeping is very much a top priority here in The Humble Bungalow.
Keeping house is an ongoing job...no one else notices unless you neglect to keep things neat and tidy!

I have been emailing with a reader and we have been chatting about home keeping and exchanging tips on how we stay motivated and on top of the jobs required to keep the dirt and grime at bay.

I thought that this topic might be of interest to other readers so I quickly cobbled together this post...I hope you'll enjoy it.

Home keeping encompasses many aspects in the domestic arena...
laundry, ironing, dusting, vacuuming and tidying up keeping the clutter under control and out from under foot.

We have the luxury of having hired help every week.
In the two hours dusting, vacuuming, and cleaning of the bathrooms is accomplished.
This helps to keep our home looking spic and span and I take care of the rest.

When I see a mess it creates unwanted stress so I have a daily routine that takes very little time...
I make the bed right after I get up...
fluff the pillows and shake and smooth the duvet.

After showering and having my morning cafe creme
I will empty the dishwasher, put on a load of laundry and do some ironing.

I wander from room to room to look for anything that needs to be put away...
a pair of shoes by the front door, a sweater that hangs on the back of a chair, a magazine or mail that needs to be filed or recycled.

I will opt for one or two chores of a bigger nature if I have the energy...
polishing some silver, cleaning out a few drawers, mending, washing windows, wiping out the fridge, filing receipts etc.

I try to do all the cleaning jobs in the mornings and leave time in the afternoon to meet up with friends, go for a walk, run errands, or grocery shop.

Our kitchen is small and I prefer to see the counters 

not a jumble of appliances cluttering up the space.

Countertops and the sink and stove are wiped clean several times a day.

I keep a bottle of Method cleaner and a microfibre cloth tucked away in the cupboard by the sink.

(I am a messy cook!)

Dish soap, hand soap, lotion and scrubbers are kept on a tray beside the sink.

Dishes are white and I have mixed antique ironstone with new pieces.

Having glass cupboard doors makes one feel the need to keep the dishes tidy.

We keep a basket by the stairs where we put our recycling and take it down to the bins once or twice a day if it is full.

Storage is an issue in a small home so we try not to accumulate too much stuff.

Our main bathroom has a built in medicine chest but no other storage so we improvised by adding an arts and crafts wood shelf to store the towels.

The bathroom sink needs wiping daily 

which I do after putting on my make up and brushing my teeth.

The laundry room...

I spend a lot of time down stairs 

 it is so nice to have a clean and bright place to do my work. 

I have a small ironing board that fits on top of this counter for small things like linen napkins and dish towels.

The big ironing board is stored in a closet and I use it for shirts and sheets.

The handy drying rack is used a lot for delicate things like lingerie.

I also hang my tees and tops and yoga pants and find that they last longer when not subjected to the heat of the dryer.

I recommend that you read Fiona Ferris's book Thirty Chic Days 

for more hints and tips on home keeping and cultivating a rich and joyful life.

Isn't this a gorgeous flower?

It was swarming with bees and I had to step into the bed and stand on the dirt to capture this image...

I am going to take a blogging break.

I don't plan to be off line too long but I need some time to consider some new topics as I feel like my post are becoming a bit redundant.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

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 ~

Weekend wrapped up... back in the Humble Bungalow.

After a particularly hectic week Mr. HB and I stole away on our boat and tied up at the dock at Otter Bay Marina on Pender Island.
We were in dire need of some "down time" and find that boating is the perfect remedy for what ails us...
Otter Bay is well maintained and features two pools, cottage rentals, a small store and a cafe. You can rent, kayaks, paddle boards, and scooters...if you want to do more than just relax!

~ OOTD ~

DKNY boyfriend jeans

Sperry Topsiders Espadrilles

Striped Tee

Straw Hat

Sunglasses

Canada Day was spent relaxing, reading, swimming and knitting.

Later in the day the Pender Island Pipe and Drum Band marched down the dock, bagpipers in kilts and full regalia.

Despite the heat they put on quite the show.

You can watch a video of a portion of the performance on my Instagram page.

The rocky shoreline had some interesting details...

Pretty flowers in planters along the docks brightened up the Marina.

Drought tolerant plants were chosen as the Gulf Islands have a limited water supply...we all need to be mindful of our water usage as there are drought conditions all over the province of BC and in many of the US states.

Both Mr. HB and I sleep better on our boat.

It could be the fresh air

or that our bunk is super cozy

and

  there is that gentle rocking motion of the boat as it bobs upon the ocean

which swiftly lulls us into dreamland...

The laundry is on...thankfully the LG machines are doing all the dirty work which frees me up to type a blog post while dinner is simmering on the stove.

Tomato Sauce for Spaghetti

Fresh basil from the greenhouse...garlic clove chopped.

Simmering and it smells so wonderful.

 ~ Tomato Sauce ~

Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil

add

2 1/2 pounds chopped tomatoes

1 diced onion

cook until softened.

Add in rest of ingredients:

small can of tomato paste

(fill the can with water and pour in)

1/2 tsp. dried red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. sugar

2 tbsp. minced fresh basil

1/2 small carrot grated

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1 clove garlic chopped fine

salt and pepper to taste

Simmer for 45 minutes.

Boil pasta and cook until al dente and serve with a salad.

Time for me to fold some laundry so I must sign off...

Hope you had a great weekend.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog!

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

OOTD domestic style and some good news.

Is there Glamour in the way that you dress to attend to the everyday domestics?

I do not run around in high heeled pink Marabou mules and a kimono over top of a silk chemise...
while that does sound quite luxe it is far from my reality!

OOTD

Domestics Style

The most important piece is my linen apron

Bon Appetit by Now Designs

(it keeps what I am wearing clean)

White Eddie Bauer shirt

Skinny NYDJ

JCREW Venus Flytrap necklace

slippers

I have been washing windows, clearing the clutter and sorting out some junky drawers.

The laundry is swishing away in the LG machines.

Have I ever mentioned that I LOVE doing laundry?

Ironing used to be a chore until I started ironing by the window

gazing out to the garden beyond 

where I can see the birds and admire the green grass and the flowers.

Some people iron in front of the TV but I never turn the TV on in the daytime.

I do like a great BBC or PBS series 

or something like Last Tango in Halifax or Happy Valley on Netflix 

but that is about all I watch.

The gorgeous Easter bouquet has been front and centre.

I kept it away from the cats when I was not at home as a reader kindly mentioned that the lilies were toxic to cats.

The stamens in the flowers stain anything that they come in contact with so do use caution.

I found this out many years ago and sadly my tablecloth was a goner.

Quite by accident I happened upon these vibrant autumnal leaves 

still clinging to a vine in the blazing afternoon sunshine.

Walking has taken me out of my neighbourhood

finding myself sauntering along the streets of Oak Bay 

gazing at the well tended yards 

looking for some real life garden inspiration.

We have a few beds that need some interesting plants and pots.

The tulips are putting on quite a show this Spring.

Mass planting of bulbs really do have an impact.

The deer have not eaten these...

and this patch is a block from our Humble Bungalow 

where the deer have munched ours down to the soil!

We were informed at the Garden Centre that Deer do not like Hellebores.

We popped this one in a pot out front and we will see if that is true.

There is some encouraging news...

actually it is really really GOOD NEWS!

The predicted 4-5 month long wait for that ultrasound was been reduced to a 3 month wait...

then I thought about it and wondered

why not ask to be put on the list for a priority appointment and take a cancellation.

I am retired and have a flexible schedule 

plus we live close to the office where they do the tests...

and wonders never cease

they called me!

By the end of the week I will have my test and next week I meet with the specialist.

So we are in the queue and will see what is next.

In the book front I finally finished reading The Luminaries.

It took me ages as it was 822 pages and very detailed and had a convoluted storyline.

And now for something completely different!

The Love Market from our wee library box across the street looked interesting...

It is written by an English born author, Carol Mason who now resides in BC.

The book jacket suggests it is chick lit...

will give it a whirl.

Thank you for stopping by, now I must get back to work.

There are some dishes to wash and the laundry needs to go into the dryer.

Cheerio,

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

February Joys

February has come in so fast I almost did not even notice it's arrival...
the thing that surprised me was that I was about to open one of the jars of yogurt in the fridge
(and thought to myself that I had purchased these awhile back...)
lo and behold the last two jars in the fridge were beyond their best before dates!

I used to think that stale dated foods kept in the fridge only happened to the elderly...
Welcome to the world of the advanced age Hostess
the first symptom is forgetting what day it is...

Retirement has had that effect on me...
I know the days of the week but not necessarily the actual date.

Pink Cyclamen

seen on my walk

a burst of colour

these flowers are so tiny 

that I had to bend down to my toes to capture their beauty.

I have actioned a fridge clean out and chucked out the older condiments 

read all the dates on all the jars

wiped out the drawers

and freshened up all the surfaces.

Dani P Mop Philosopher did this last week.

I thank her for inspiring me to get on with this job.

(we both buy the same type of yogurt made in Quebec and are fans of Bonne Maman jam)

( we both reuse the jars)

I organized my "work station" at the sink.

Polished stones make a great base for the soap.

It sits above the moisture which allows it to dry out and so it lasts longer.

Emma Bridgewater tray and bowl are re purposed for this arrangement.

I like to keep my "tools" close at hand.

I am not loyal to any one dish soap and seem to flit around like a butterfly

looking for the one with the prettiest container, the nicest scent and the best performer.

Are you loyal to a brand?

What makes it special?

Having an organized work area is worth the little bit of time and effort.

It is the "little things" that make a big difference.

Two of the books that I ordered from Ivy's on The Avenue arrived.

Style Forever was my first read...I enjoy and follow Alyson Walsh's blog

She has some great pointers about dressing and Fashion

after reading her book I felt like going shopping.

(which I did!)

The other evening after dinner

I lit my favourite Diptyque candle to set the mood.

Time to relax.

Dessert was a bowl of cafe au lait and Garance Dore's new book.

I love this book.

She looks so much like my former French Teacher...in fact they could be sisters.

I am not quite finished her book but know it will be a keeper and one that I will read again.

The black Hellebores from the Vancouver Van Dusen Garden shop are blooming 

in The Humble Bungalow Garden.

The plant has grown and soon seedlings will pop up and I will pot up some in the greenhouse to share with friends and neighbours.

Snowdrops are putting on their show.

Snowdrops are so elegant with their wee bonnets of white.

 Spring is coming...

February can feel like a long month as we wait for the arrival of Spring.

It feels like Spring is early and that February is going by fast.

I bid you adieu from The Humble Bungalow...

until next time when 

I will share with you some fashion focused posts.

Be Well and Be Kind.