Humble Bungalow Home and Garden...

It has been a frenzy of activity here these past few days...as we have had a crew of painters here scraping and prepping the exterior of our Humble Bungalow in preparation for paint.
The cats have been running around to the windows and watching the men on their ladders...the noisy sanders have been loud and I was on deck to provide refreshments (cookies) as a self proclaimed Hostess I do have a reputation to live up to!

Oops someone left a cedar shingle on the patio!

Today all is quiet and I can hear myself think...the dish washer is going through its cycles but I can still hear the birdsong outside my window and it is music to my ears!

This pretty purple plant is in a neighbours garden and the bees just love it.

When I walked by I could hear the buzzing and watched as perhaps 50 bees gathered pollen.

Further down the block these beautiful artichokes are growing right beside the sidewalk.

I'm tempted to ask for a sample...

Artichokes have such interesting and intricate details.

Our Humble Bungalow Garden is a riot of colour and the roses are in full bloom.

Our roses are really putting on a spectacular show.

They love the warm weather and the sunshine.

This pink rose is the climber Madame Gregoire Staechelin.

Joesph's Coat of Many Colours

The blooms are bright orange when they first open and then they get tinges of yellow on the edges of the petals as they fully open up.

Iceberg is a reliable and hardy climbing rose which rewards us with many pure white flowers.

The cats do not usually nap in the same place but we caught them in the act and I had to take a picture because I think they looked quite cozy. They are sleeping on top of our vintage English Pram!

You still have a day to bid on the Hermes scarf and Pyrrha necklace if you are interested...

all the details are in the previous post.

Well that's about it for now...

I must get out for my walk as it is a beautiful sunny morning.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

On going Maintenance...

How do you handle maintenance of home and self?
Do you write lists, schedule appointments, keep a journal?
Or wait until it is almost too late?

The on going maintenance of home and garden can be expensive...
and our modest arts and crafts bungalow is in dire need of some TLC.
Our bungalow is looking really shabby...I am embarrassed
as the paint is peeling and it is looking rather pathetic.

Exterior house painting is our current project...
the scraping and prepping required would take many many hours up on a ladder and neither myself nor Mr. HB have the inclination or stamina to do this job so we are hiring a company that we know will do a good job.

One cannot let things go too far or things would start to deteriorate...
it is after all, a slippery slope
besides she is looking her age...a ripe old 104!

As we age, new challenges arise...

aches, pains, stiffness in the joints
sleep issues crop up
our skin changes
waistlines disappear and our youthful figures blur
our hair turns grey
necks get saggy
skin wrinkles: laugh lines are pronounced
the skin on our hands becomes crepe-y

All these challenges are a normal part of aging...
we can attempt to ignore them or become obsessive.

This wee poppies freshness and beauty are fading...

the wrinkled petals are turning brown in the sun

past their prime

but still lovely.

These lilacs did not last long in the vase...

in 2 days they wilted and turned brown.

There must be a trick to keep them looking fresh...

I cut up into the stems and plunged them into cold water all the way up to the flowers

but that did not seem to keep them from fading...

This toiletry tray holds a few of my favourite things...

scents, and a few of the "tools" that I regularly use.

I love a quality brush when I apply powder, shadow and blush.

Aveda and Jane Iredale make great brushes and with care and maintenance they last for years.

I wash mine frequently in Aveda Shampure shampoo and let them air dry.

I use these two products once a week and give myself a facial 

which takes about 5 minutes.

Then I moisturize with the Eminence coconut lotion 

 my skin feels fresh and looks and feels softer.

I slather this oil on my legs after shaving.

Before I go for my walks I use it on my feet and I think it helps my heels from cracking.

It also smells lovely!

Each morning and evening I wash my face with Eminence Coconut scented Monoi Age Corrective Exfoliating cleanser

apply a few drops of the Neroli Age Corrective Eye Serum 

and apply Coconut Age Corrective Moisturizer.

I don't think it really matters too much what brand of products that we use.

They could be drugstore or heath food store lines.

Many people are fans of regular olive or coconut oil.

Whatever you use I think the main thing is to remove your make up and to keep you skin moisturized.

Always use Sunscreen!

It has been added to many formula's and is easy to use.

I like the Eminence sunscreen with the built in brush.

I brush and floss my teeth at least twice a day.

This Sonic Care toothbrush has improved my gum health in 4 short months.

The dental hygienist was amazed!

She said if I kept this up for the next 20 years my gums would not deteriorate!

I love the idea of having healthy gums

as I read somewhere that gum disease is linked to heart problems.

Keep active

find something that you love to do and immerse yourself in it.

There are many things that we can do to maintain our appearance and stay healthy...

I have just touched on a few...

this post just scratched the surface of a very large topic.

Please feel free to chime in with your own hints and thoughts...

we are all in this journey together.

Embrace beauty in all it's forms...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

France, French Food and Friends...

This month is the anniversary of my trip to Paris and the SW of France...
While recalling the details of my trip...I cannot help but smile.
I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to visit Paris.
It was a dream come true.

I looked at all the France travel snapshots that I have on my lap top...
and they brought tears of joy to my eyes.

The love locks now removed as they were causing the railings to break.

Notre Dame

Saint Germain Des Pres is where I stayed and it was a lovely neighbourhood for walking,

 shops, boutiques, cafes, bistros, boulangeries and markets.

This classic bookshop is popular with tourists and has been in business for many years.

My love for Paris is very much alive and while a future trip is not in the works

 I want to read a few books that are set in Paris.

"Armchair travel" can transport you if you use your imagination...

Looking for books and novels that are set in Paris online has been fun and I and have complied a substantial list.

Many are available at our local library and a handful are in stock at my favourite book shop, 

Ivy's on Oak Bay Avenue.

Auvillar France

this wee house is where our friends John and Cheryl live.

They are moving to France on a permanent basis and we went to Vancouver to say our goodbyes...

Cheryl is a very talented artist.

She had a sale and sold most of her paintings and all her supplies from her studio.

They have sold their boat, car and are selling or giving away most of their things.

This week they are finishing up the packing and will be flying off to France.

We snapped up one of Cheryl's paintings as soon as we heard that she was having a sale.

We will miss them dearly.

The weather was sunny and hot while we were in Vancouver.

We walked for many hours exploring the city.

I had a "bee in my bonnet"

looking for a sunshine yellow printed silk scarf 

to wear with my new navy and white polka dotted trench coat.

(and my sunny yellow walking shoes)

Shopping for a scarf proved difficult as the shops are not showing much yellow.

I might have found one at Hermes 

but thought I would be patient 

and look in the consignment and thrift shops for a vintage one.

Candles were an easy fix.

Holt Renfrew keep these lovely scented Diptyque candles stocked on their shelves.

Laduree opened on Robson and there are line ups out the door!

Macarons are a sweet indulgence and now that they are readily available 

one has no excuse not to enjoy them on a regular basis...

a wee bit of Paris has come to Canada!

We dined at Vij's at their new location on Cambie.

Vikram Vij was on hand to greet us and we savoured a delicious meal.

The Bistro Wagon Rouge is the tiny little French restaurant where we enjoyed a flavourful feast.

The bistro is very popular and they do not take reservations 

so they send their diners down the street to a distillery called The Odd Society 

to have a cocktail until the table is ready.

We spent the weekend walking, shopping and eating with our friends.

My current novel...almost finished.

My Paris Book List

The Hotel on the Place Vendome

Tilar J. Mazzeo

Lessons in French

Hilary Reyl

Books, Baguettes and BedBugs

Jeremy Mercer

I'll See You in Paris

Michelle Gable

A Moveable Feast

Ernest Hemingway

My Paris Dream

Kate Betts

Bonjour Tristesse

Francoise Sagan

Madame Bovary

Gustave Flaubert

The Flaneur

Edmund White

The Dud Avocado

Elaine Dundy

The Only Street in Paris: Rue de Martyrs

Elaine Scilini

I have read so many books on Paris but there are lots still to discover.

I have a favour to ask...

if you have read a book that is set in Paris that you would recommend  

please mention it by sending me an email or by writing a comment.

Merci Beaucoup

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Seeing Red ~ could this be the fortune cookie prediction?

Red has been popping up on my radar lately...

It's been a star performer in the Humble Bungalow Garden for years...

I plant red geraniums every Spring and place them in a zinc container on the front porch.

They are planted in black pottery planters in the back yard and on the sun deck.

My fortune cookie suggested something new is on the horizon.

While I don't put a lot of stock into fortune messages I did consider what it might mean...

I perused Home Sense and this shiny red Chantal kettle caught my eye.

Could the fortune be "Project Red?"

I like the pop of red.

It goes with the Le Coq towel I purchased in the south of France.

We don't have many red things here in the bungalow.

Except

The guest room's red theme is because I fell in love with this Toile de Jouy bed linen.

It was quite expensive at the time but I didn't care...I was still working and earning good money.

Hence the red pop of colour with the pillow and red hand knitted shawl on the wicker table.

I'm not a "decorator" so I am cautious with home decor items...

I subscribe to restraint over clutter.

Bedside table in the guest room.

Clock, Kleenex, a book and two antique vessels ready for fresh flowers and chocolates.

I place several bottles of Perrier on the table as well.

I want our guests to feel comfortable and welcome.

There's an extra wool throw on the luggage stand at the foot of the bed.

Look at the adorable feet on the Herend piece!

The crude staple repair on this antique bowl persuaded me to buy it.

Pink Roses or peonies are pretty pairing with this cute vase.

Oops this turned out a wee bit blurry...it's hand painted 

made by Herend,  a Hungarian Company.

"The Art of Being a Woman

a simple guide to everyday love and laughter."

by Veronique Vienne

Original watercolour painting found at a community fund raiser on Thetis Island several years ago...

I wonder what that new "fortune predicted project" might be.

 ~ I am waiting ~

I must close for now as

my sister and I are going to take Mother out for a walk and a browse in the shops.

Perhaps there's a pair of red shoes in my future!

“Book your life choices in advance the same way you would book flights, car rentals, hotels, and excursions. Figure out early on in your career whether you intend to be financially independent or marry a rich man, join the ranks of the professional elite or be the stay-at- home type, postpone having children or find part-time employment. Then fasten your seat belt and sit tight as you watch your trajectory veer off course.” 

~ Veronique Vienne ~

The Art of Being a Woman: A Simple Guide to Everyday Love and Laughter

Hope your week is off to a great start.