April stuff...and really it is not for the faint of heart...

 Greetings from The Humble Bungalow....

April is here and the world is not the same as before...the world feels like it is in a spin! Do you feel it too?

How are you coping? Are you feeling relaxed?

I am surprised by the news everyday...

My word is always "SURREAL"

Do you feel that way too?

I recently read this darling and most charming book by Chloe Dalton.

Loved reading her book and I felt like I was right beside her...

she wrote this during Covid and it really resonates with me.

I am still trying to cull my closet and am not buying a lot of new things...

I bought a new bra today.

Needs Must!

They do not last forever...

I found a great linen dress at a local consignment shop....

Grizas, which is a very popular brand.

Their clothes are all made from linen in the EU...

Will be a great summer dress for many things...

beach walks, dinners out, coffees at cafes, lunches...

I met my husband's cousin's for lunch at The Parliamentary Dining Room

at the Legislature here in Victoria.

Food and service was amazing...

I am doing a deep deep Spring Clean...a cull!

Hoped that our granddaughter might want these Mother of Pearl pieces...

the answer was NO Thank you Grammy!

I hope to gift them to friends...

perhaps with home baked scones and jam!

Ina Garten's Crunchy 

Mustard Chicken...

So Good!

Lemon Orzo...

Butchart Gardens...

great to have an annual pass.

We can walk there any day and be surprised by the flowers.

So many daffodils..

Frilly and frothy...

A POP of COLOUR...

MELLOW YELLOW

Read all of Erica Bauermeister's books...

this one was really good.

I got a new battery in my ages old ESQ watch...

it still works!

My next project is a cashmere scarf...

are you knitting ?

Yarn Citizen 

I am going to have to learn how to knit a bobble...

Perhaps you crochet?

Paint?

Dabble in Crafts?

Cook?

I am thinking of hibernating...

knitting and reading on rotation

are you staying safe and keeping well?

I have also thought of pulling out my acrylic paints...

painting is such a fun hobby.

What are you doing?

What is new with YOU?

Thank You for just popping by...

Hugs

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~ 

Mid March Musings...

 

Thank you all for the Birthday wishes...

The goal I have set for myself is welcoming with gratitude

wholeheartedly

embracing the 70's with a focus on exploring new and different experiences.

Life is full of surprises, simple JOYS

 but there is always a hint of the unknown...

Things that can derail or challenge us...

we are living in a very surreal time.

Having said that, 

there are many lovely pops of beauty in the day

one needs to be mindful and stop to look.

Yoga is teaching me many good habits...

take time to stop 

notice

slow down 

be mindful

aware

and

breathe

The house smells so good on bread baking days...

Look at that eyebrow...

I use the sourdough recipe on the Alexandra Cooks website.

I love the routine of making this bread.

A wonderful meditative habit that offers rewards.

Do you make sourdough bread?

I attended a workshop on Ikebana when we were on Pender at the cottage.

It is such an interesting discipline...

there is so much beauty in these spartan carefully arranged designs.

These Kenzan frogs are necessary to hold the twigs, branches and flowers in place.

I bought mine from Susanne Osmond's shop "Gardener's Kit" here in Victoria.

My first attempt at Ikebana...

lots of room for improvement but the process is fun!

Learning something new and fresh, feels very energizing...

have you taken a course or started a new hobby?

We have oodles of tete a tetes blooming in The Humble Bungalow Garden.

Just love these bright wee blooms...they are hard to resist.

My husband planted a few dozen in the boulevard 

where we have a wildflower "meadow" growing.

Some came inside...

popped them in the thrifted vintage elephant vase.

Bold yellow pops of colour...

It's almost like the elephant has something to trumpet about :-))

My late SIL collected elephants...

She told me to always buy an elephant with its' trunk in the upward position...

apparently it means good luck!

Chester seeks out the sunshine...

he loves to sit and snooze in the warmth of the sun.

(I can relate)

When I was making the bed I put the coverlet on the dining room table 

he jumped up and got cozy.

Both cats sleep on our bed during the day.

We had a casual dinner here on Sunday and I served some tortilla chips and hummus with our cocktails.

This delicious hummus is sold at The Root Cellar in the Cook Street Village...

dill pickle flavour and YUM it's darn good.

Beans are handy to have on hand...they are so versatile and high in fibre.

Good in soups, homemade hummus and chili and a star in healthy "bowls."

I might try making my own dill pickle hummus...

The sunshine has been so welcome...

the downside is that it shows how dirty the windows are after the storms of winter.

It also draws my attention to the dust bunnies and floors that need washing!

There is never a shortage of jobs to do here in this old house!!

Once these jobs are done, standing back and admiring the results always feels good.

Taking a break with a cup of green tea between these tasks makes it less onerous.

Lately I've been drinking a lot of green tea...

I read about the health benefits and thought I needed to get on that bandwagon.

Spring Cleaning is happening...

soon it will be time to swap out the winter clothes for the summer ones...

am looking forward to wearing linen and cotton.

Putting on a straw sunhat and sunglasses...

perhaps I am rushing things and should be living in the moment :-))

How are you keeping?

What is new?

Am feeling hungry so will close and make a salad and some avocado toast for lunch.

Until next time...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Entering my 70's...food, flowers and dare I say the T word?

 

Well it has been quite the week of celebrating...

lots of lunches, coffees, and dinners out.

I think that 70 is a very big number but I do feel grateful to still be here.

Zambri's was our first stop in the recent birthday dinners...

it is probably our favourite restaurant and we have been going there for 25 years.

We remember fondly their teeny tiny spot where they got their start...

the food is amazing, service perfect and the atmosphere is vibrant.

I started with a Ceasar Salad...

Followed by the Fresh Fish entree...

Our favourite dessert the passion fruit Panna Cotta.

This time it came with a candle...

at least there were not 70 candles!!!

My husband surprised me with these lovely freshwater pearl earrings.

We don't usually exchange gifts anymore,

 so I was curious and wondered what was in the wrapped box.

These are fun and can be worn with almost every outfit.

A new "classic" and I have worn them almost everyday since my birthday.

I love how they glow...such a pretty nacre.

Spring is making its way to Victoria in fine fashion...

the flowers are harbingers of the season.

Hellebores are often the first to bloom...

early January we see them sometimes 

even before the snowdrops.

This chartreuse Hellebore was a very thoughtful gift from my long time friends.

Thank you

XO

New from Lululemon...

Yoga mat carry strap, Yoga pants.

From the Ajna Studio a spiky ball for "rolling" my feet.

Helps wake up the feet and gives a massage as well.

The feet are more "in tune" to stability when one rolls their feet daily!

Since going back to Yoga I have noticed my stability is much better, 

my hip pain has decreased, I am sleeping better and I feel stronger.

The fall that I had, 

with the black eye and concussion 

were the instigators in returning to this practice.

I am grateful to my instructors and feel that I am heading on the right path.

Tulips were on sale at Peppers so I grabbed 4 bunches...

they add a pop of colour on these rainy days.

I attended a workshop 

in the studio of Pender Island Jewellery designer Charlene Hall.

She guided us through the steps required to create our own necklace.

Many steps are necessary, and new skills are learned.

Pearls of course!

Stars and a heart...which, in a happy "accident" became a "beating heart!"

I made the necklace a little longer so 

that I can opt to wear this with my Akoya strand of pearls...

this is my "no make up" rainy day workshop vibe.

How are you coping with the events that are unfolding in the world?

Here in Canada we are facing the "T" word

TARIFFS

an economic war that is being set in motion by the US President.

Our countries have always been friendly and we have family and friends living there.

If the tariffs go ahead both our countries will suffer.

It is definitely a very strange and surreal time...

Canadians are being encouraged to buy local, or made in Canada products.

Which is really what I try to do everyday.

I love the Farmers Markets and local women owned businesses...

I try to support them as much as possible.

The relationship that develops over time and it feels very genuine 

it reminds me of the way people shop in France.

Not everything I use is made in Canada...like my new washer and dryer.

My skincare line by Pamela Anderson's Sonsie company.

Prescription Medications...

and so much more.

It is raining cats and dogs here this morning...daylight saving time is here.

I've been up had my cups of coffee eaten some sourdough toast with cherry jam.

Think I will make a pot of chicken soup...

lay down on my Yoga mat and enjoy a quiet practice 

listening to the the raindrops as they fall...

70 is starting off with a BANG...

I've decided to seek out and participate in new and different activities...

the pendant workshop is the first of these explorations.

A Knitting/Yoga retreat on Salt Spring Island is in the works...

Maybe I will sleep in the yurt?

There are SO many ideas and opportunities for FUN...

choosing which ones to embrace and participate in is the challenge!

What new things are you doing?

Have you started a new Hobby? Or adopted a new Habit? 

Perhaps it is trying a new recipe, learning a new language, or planning a trip.

We are never to old to try something NEW.

To wear a new style, to take a course, to redecorate a space.

Even in the simple days we have choices...

to light a candle, to add some perfume, to buy some flowers,

 to plant some seeds and watch them grow.

Life is always an adventure...

there are UPS and DOWNS and we need to be prepared for the ride.

Put your Helmet on, and Fasten your seatbelts!

But remember...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Hostess Hasty Notes...

 

Bateaux Mouches Scarf knit in a grey yarn by Drops.

Alpaca and Silk

It is super soft with a nice drape...

very cozy and warm for these colder days.

Mornings this week have been very icy...

A delightful week of Yoga

Yoga for Osteoporosis

Yoga for Balance

Yoga For Hips

Scraping the ice off the car before heading off to Yoga Class. 

I am focused on the new classes 

which are improving my hip alignment and strengthening the muscles that support the hip.

Training me to be in balance 

with a goal of stability and the ability to avoid future falls.

All of this is taking up time and energy and are an investment in my health.

My flexibility is not what it was prior to COVID.

My goal is to

get back as much flexibility as possible.

My instructor says it takes time.

Do you practice Yoga?

\

Marshalls dressing room selfie...

I LOVE denim!

 So when I spied this soft cozy fleecy knit denim blue shirt...

I pounced and have been wearing it on rotation these past few weeks.

I am loving this new Sonsie skincare.

The redness from my rosacea has completely calmed down.

If you want to try it please use the 15% discount code...

https://www.sonsieskin.com/LESLIE65651

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to shoot me an email.

Joanne from Steveston came to Victoria for a few days.

We got together for an afternoon of fun.

Shopped thrift and consignment shops 

visited the Vic West Market on Catherine Street

before we had lunch at The Snug in The Oak Bay Beach Hotel.

The Market has a very European Vibe...

lots of interesting food items and the displays are works of art!

Am knitting another Bateaux Mouches Scarf/Shawl

Using Bamboo Yarn in white for Summer.

Feels lovely in the hand...soft and light.

Soup for lunch at Pure Vanilla...

red lentil with a spicy tang.

New LG Washer and Dryer Set

Our former set were 

15 years old and the washer ground to a halt on Saturday.

I had to rinse the entire load in the bathtub 

before wringing the clothes by hand to dry!

Our laundry room is bright and cheerful...

I can look out onto the Humble Bungalow Garden while working downstairs.

There are some rustic touches in the minimalist decor.

Simple

but so important!

There are Joys in clean clothes and freshly ironed cottons.

I spend a LOT of time doing laundry!

Another sourdough Boule has baked...

"Alexandra Cooks" basic sourdough recipe is my favourite.

After making bread for several years now I can do it with my eyes closed :-))

The flavour is amazing and the bread is easy to make.

Do you bake your own bread?

White Orchid

Do you shop local?

Think we need to help these shops stay open and keep their business thriving.

So many small businesses are struggling to survive and many are already shut down.

Buying Power is in our hands

(and wallets)

we have choices

 through our decisions of 

who we buy from...

where we spend our money

If we

consciously

 support companies run and owned by women.

We are empowering them to continue...

Just like the

Cordova Candle Company who are local and make lovely scented soy candles.

I light mine every morning while I sip my coffee and read my socials.

What are your favourite local shops?

Are you a repeat customer?

Do you know the women behind the business?

Speaking of Socials...

several friends have quit Facebook

others are taking a 3 week break from all online platforms.

Are you considering leaving any of your social memberships?

We have the power to make changes...

it is up to each of us to decide what is right.

What is new with you?

Are you worried about the state of the world?

Have you, like me, had to limit your exposure to the news?

I do not go down rabbit holes...

I act locally...making changes where I can see the results of those efforts.

I bake, I knit, I drink tea, I read, I walk, I go to Yoga, I live an honest and simple life.

~ STAY SAFE ~

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Thank you for popping by The Humble Bungalow Blog

Hostess

XO