Gratitude...

The attitude of gratitude has been a huge influence on how I view life.

It has helped me gain perspective

feel joy

and taught me to be content.

Our bungalow has been a "gift" in so many ways.

We have embarked on many projects over the years to improve and maintain 

the interior and exterior in the historic arts and crafts style.

I had to learn to be patient as all the projects took time and money.

Time and patience have afforded me the opportunity to weed out and prioritize what is most important and helped me to figure out what I really wanted to focus on next.

I have been lusting after linen bedding for several years...

linen as you may already know is not an inexpensive undertaking.

I saved up for several months to purchase sheets and a duvet cover with shams.

When I found these at Lands" End on sale at 20% off I quickly placed my order.

We plan to redo our bedroom and build in a closet with drawers and doors.

The room is small and we plan to use wainscotting and paint the walls white.

The floor is dark fir and the bed and side tables are dark oak.

Blue and mocha will fit right in...

We slept on the linen bedding this week and I can say that I am so happy with the comfort and coziness of the sheets and they will just get softer with every washing.

Chester and Pepper are enjoying playing in the boxes...

I leave them in the kitchen on the floor for a few days as they love them so much.

How is your week going?

Are you following along with the new eating regime?

Have you been walking every day?

My leg muscles are a wee bit sore after amping up the pace on my walks.

  The scale is not rapidly reflecting my new habits but I am not discouraged

as it is going in the right direction!

Try not to be obsessive about weighing every day.

I know the temptation is there...

when you do step on the scale do it at the same time every day

and try to wear the same clothes so you get an accurate reading.

( you may want to weigh in wearing only your "birthday suit")

Remember to drink lots of water.

Hope that you have some fun activities planned for the weekend.

~ 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 ~

Thanksgiving...October Oranges.

Thanksgiving is fast approaching and with that in mind,
 there are a few autumnal features in our Humble Bungalow.

Small simple additions are creeping in...
orange mini pumpkins.
Given that I prefer natural seasonal touches to those made in factories
it's relatively inexpensive and easy.

A dried allium bloom from the garden is housed under a glass dome

on top an arts and crafts copper tray

hand hammered copper arts and crafts Roycroft "Princess" candle sticks

Objibwa First Nations tamarack duck decoys

Canada's Thanksgiving is on Monday, a month before the US celebrates their Thanksgiving.

We are hosting dinner here in Our Humble Bungalow

So I'm looking through my cookbooks

and planning ahead.

Some dishes are prepared in advance so that I can enjoy visiting with our guests.

I like to set the table early

lay the tablecloth and linen napkins

arrange the silver

the glasses and plates.

I'll be wearing my linen apron and "fussing in the kitchen" for most of the day.

I'm looking forward to dinner with our family.

We all live in the same city, which makes it easy to gather together often and share a family meal.

Giving Thanks

being 

Grateful

honouring family

celebrating

in a humble and simple way

with a home cooked meal

served with love

remembering thanksgiving feasts from the past

carving out and creating future

memories 

for the elders 

and the wee ones.

I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!