Love the "little things" ~ a recipe for contentment.

Reading home decor books, Instagram and magazines inspire me.

I often get frustrated and wonder how I can make our little bungalow look better.

  I actioned a quick and inexpensive DIY fix.

I purchased 3 black metal hooks 

(Mr. HB installed them for me)

I hung up my French Market basket

 gardening hat 

and

  watering can. 

As conscientious stewards 

of a Heritage home

we are required to honour the historic significance 

we do not stray too far from their original architectural design.

With one exception...

The laundry area is painted white 

the basement is dark with very little light 

with only a few small windows.

The bright white walls 

make it much more enjoyable to work in and it feels far less oppressive!

I like to do my ironing while gazing out to the garden.

Looking out and beyond at the foliage and flowers 

while ironing 

feels like a form of meditation.

A handy rolling cart in the space is used for towels.

I fold the laundry on the top of the counter

and

I have a small ironing board that I use for small jobs 

like our linen tea towels and napkins.

Domestic jobs are a necessity.

To make them a wee bit more enjoyable

I have "fluffed" my downstairs "workplace" adding a few accent pieces.

Vintage enamel tins, ceramics, bird sculptures, and trophies...

Work and chores need not be looked upon as "drudgery."

Attitude is key to making these everyday tasks pleasant.

Taking joy in the results of one's labour and effort is so important.

The feeling of accomplishment is felt...

as I stand back

admiring a stack of freshly laundered 

(scented with lavender soap)

neat and tidy crisply ironed tea towels.

It's the "little things" that make our days richer.

How do you add Joy in your daily duties?

Do you have a secret to share that you use to make your daily round feel richer?

On that note, 

I will close this post...

Thank you for taking the time to stop and visit The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Goodbye October, Hello November

Hello November!

Our October passed in a heartbeat...

how is it possible that it can rush by so fast?

Time feels like it slows down when we are at the cottage.

Perhaps we are too busy at home?

A simple floral bouquet elevates our modest and humble IKEA tray.

It is a wee but blurry but the vintage enamel dish 

is where I put my rings 

when I wash dishes...

the silver star holding down the napkins was a birthday gift from a dear friend.

I found this interesting paperweight at the thrift shop.

I have no idea if it is new or from the mid century moderne era.

All the sides are different... 

Reminds me of the style of jewelry created by Robert Larin or Guy Vidal.

Anyone recognize the artist or the era?

Ferries ply the water out front of Quarter Deck Cottage on The Salish Sea.

The views have a hypnotic effect...

the waves lull one

the sun warms

the fresh salty air refreshes.

Two deer lie in the sunshine below the deck.

Its absolutely still

so quiet

that we can hear ourselves breathing!

The Lilias Spalding Heritage Park on South Pender Island

 we explored this area after walking up a rather steep hill.

The views to the valley below were quite spectacular.

I regret not taking a picture now.

Crockery and old bottles

Mossy rocks

Comfort Food for dinner.

Best of Bridge Family Meat Loaf 

mashed potatoes and a bean salad.

Those sleepy deer woke up and munched a bunch of foliage

 then the one with antlers starting pushing the other one around...

they sauntered off along the cliff.

I am wondering if one of them is responsible for eating all my lovely chrysanthemums that were on the front porch!

Have you got plans for the weekend?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

A garden visit to Point Ellice House.

Victoria has oodles of gardens worth a visit...

Butchart Gardens,  Abkhazi Gardens, Royal Roads, 

and this historic garden home Point Ellice House which is off the beaten track.

It's fun exploring local sites and seeing the parts of Victoria that the "tourists" see.

 I chose a sunny Sunday to explore before perusing "the secret vintage shoppe."

Point Ellice House also offer a tasty afternoon tea which can be savoured while sitting in the verdant garden with heritage roses and plants.

The home and garden are not open every day so please check the website for times on the link above.

Frothy Native plant Ocean Spray

Yellow Phlomis

After the tour of the gardens I wandered into the secret vintage shoppe.

There were chintz pillows, linens, scarves, housewares, silver trays,  collectibles, wicker pieces, teacups, plants and more...

I purchased this charming white candle holder which will goes nicely with my vintage ironstone pieces like this simple white tray.

Hope that you enjoyed this scenic tour of one of our local heritage sites.

Do you go on an adventure as a tourist in your own hometown?

I needed a break from all the weeding and deadheading in the garden so this was a perfect escape!

What is new with you?

Thoughts on women...

Living in a 1913 heritage home has taught me a lot about acceptance.

The Humble Bungalow is over 100 years old

full of flaws and imperfections 

which 

we could amend and improve 

we have not.

One thing I regret in our efforts to improve the kitchen

 is that the floor re finishers sanded

the dipped worn area in front of the kitchen sink 

this is where several generations of women stood doing dishes...

I specifically asked them to leave it and work around it 

but that afternoon many years ago 

I came home from work only to discover a level freshly sanded floor

and felt sad...

I remember brewing a pot of tea and staring at that spot.

I may have even wept...I cannot say for sure, as it was so long ago.

I had to accept that change but I have never forgotten that worn out spot.

where bone weary women would have stood

looking out the same window

at the mighty oaks 

growing and stately standing 

on the rocks 

above The Humble Bungalow.

Our home has a history of women who were widowed 

were the major bread earners and were responsible 

to tend to the children and keep the home fires burning.

Wearing many hats must have been a challenge back in the 1930's and 40's...

perhaps even in the 1950's 

when many women "stayed at home" 

 life and times were simpler.

Staying at home was not a "free ride"...

the days were filled with hard work.

Women

mothers, grandmothers, daughters

whose job it was to keep the homes running

the family needed to be fed 

the soiled clothes washed

the house cleaned

 the garden planted and tilled.

Today 

I am thinking about, and honouring,

 these women 

who worked diligently and toiled even when fatigued

the same women who raised and  nurtured the children 

in this home 

over a hundred years before us...

 Women have influenced society 

while tending their homes and nurturing their children

taken a stand against and fought injustices

spoken out 

marched when there were issues that they felt strongly about

wrote letters 

fund raised

baked

got dressed up

put lipstick on

smiled in the face of adversity

and

made our world

a better place.

Any time women come together with a collective intention, it's a powerful thing. Whether it's sitting down making a quilt, in a kitchen preparing a meal, in a club reading the same book, or around the table playing cards, or planning a birthday party, when women come together with a collective intention, magic happens.  

~ Phylicia Rashad ~

In the light of recent political changes

women are rising up again...

we have a voice

let us unite and not be silent

nor complacent

harness the collective power

speak up and if need be, rally

if only for

the future of our children and grandchildren

 consider the possibilities

the risks

assess

and

act.

I raise up my voice—not so I can shout, 

but so that those without a voice can be heard...

we cannot succeed when half of us are held back.

~ Malala Yousafzai ~

I am not sure what will happen next...

We will do whatever needs to be done.

In the year of the rooster...

expect change

Rooster is almost the epitome of fidelity and punctuality. For ancestors who had no alarm clocks, the crowing was significant, as it could awaken people to get up and start to work. In Chinese culture, another symbolic meaning of chicken carries is exorcising evil spirits.

source

As you know my blog is not political...

these are just a few personal thoughts and observations

that have been percolating 

and 

I felt the need to write them down...

Please be kind and respect others...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

The Humble Bungalow kitchen...and cats.

So before we get too far into this post let me just say that our current kitchen is not the original 1913 arts and crafts design or layout.
The kitchen had been muddled many times,
years before we even set eyes on it and it was a disaster.

Mr HB took time thinking about the improvements and figuring out a workable design...with 3 doors in the space and a set of stairs it was tricky...

The room off to the left is our TV room where we have two love seats.

The stove and island are in front of the stairs that lead 

 to the laundry room, hobby room, Mr. HB's work area and guest room.

Shaw French country sink and pantry cupboard on the right.

Glass fronted cupboards for crockery...

and an open workspace are essential.

Above the sink ~ windowsill orchids...

White ironstone

  an assortment 

Sophie Conran Portmeirion, 

Emma Bridgewater 

and 

vintage china.

McCoy basket weave pot with my favourite wooden spoons and spatulas.

Two of these pots sit behind the stove with utensils at the ready.

I like using wooden spoons and they develop a patina over time.

The radio is on when I am in the kitchen...

I tune into the CBC most of the time.

The Kitchen Aid...

I keep it handy on top of the counter as I find it so useful.

Many of my other seldom used appliances are hidden out of the way.

My day starts with a cafe creme every morning.

A luxury that I acquired while visiting Paris and SW France.

 This De Longhi espresso machine is small and efficient.

The sink "work station" 

domestic life needs some organization.

Many hours every day are spent in the kitchen by choice as I love to cook.

So naturally it plays a prominent role in our home.

Working in a space that is pleasing to the eye...

with tools and equipment that help it function efficiently 

and a few extras make my job here easier.

A drawer full of tea towels and napkins...

There is not a lot of storage on our small bungalow so I try not to buy too many gadgets.

Keeping things to a minimum is simple and it saves money too.

My feline "companions" are here most of the time keeping me company.

Chester lying on the table...

Pepper drinking from the tap...

I apologize for any inconvenience but in light of the recent flurry of spam and unpleasant comments

 I have opted to moderate all blog comments.

 ~ Be Well and Be Kind ~