September...

The second flush of rose blooms ~ always a welcome sight.

The repeat blooming roses will bloom again after being deadheaded

a job 

while time consuming...

is rewarding!

Yesterday I was super busy dusting, vacuuming, doing laundry.

These domestic chores need to be done regularly...

once accomplished are so satisfying.

I blitzed the bungalow and by noon I was pretty much knackered!

I stopped for a break and decided what I would cook for dinner.

The planning of meals is very much a priority here in The Humble Bungalow.

The view from our laundry room...

the patio plants and garden beyond.

I peek through the French door when I am folding laundry or ironing.

Natural beauty helps keep me grounded and sane.

The Covid upswing in numbers here in BC is rather unsettling.

We will have to keep our bubbles small moving into the cooler weather.

How will we manage to be social when it gets cold?

Sales of outdoor heaters and marquis tents might be in demand.

I plan to walk regularly with a couple of friends.

Thankfully

I have a long down coat which will keep me cozy.

We enjoyed a tasty lunch on our boat last week...

so simple and full of flavour.

Bagels cream cheese, lox, capers and red onion slices.

Have you been busy making meals?

Are you baking bread?

I've been cooking regularly since early March.

The number of times we have been out for a meal on a patio are few.

Happy Hour with friends outside have been our safe social dates.

Our dinner...

Chili and baking powder biscuits.

(I haven't baked biscuits in years)

Martha's recipe from the Goward House Cooking Club.

Sadly we are not able to meet up due to Covid right now.

Harvest this morning.

Fresh tomatoes from the greenhouse.

Yellow beans from the raised bed.

I blanched the beans for 3 minutes then plunged them into ice water until they were cool.

Dried them with kitchen towels

 packed them in Ziploc bags ready for the freezer.

Almost finished Akin by Emma Donoghue...

I am enjoying the story.

Emma is a very creative and gifted writer.

She's Canadian.

What are you reading?

How are you keeping your spirits up while in isolation and staying safe?

Have you been inspired to be creative?

New crafts, projects, redecorating?

Hope that you are being careful and staying safe.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Snippets, tidbits and good books...

Holdays are such a gift...
time to relax, cocoon and embrace the good things in life.

We sleep well here at the cottage.
There is a gentle calm pulsing throughout our days...

As we spend a lot of time outside in the fresh air...
dining al fresco, walking, swimming, reading.

These slow days contribute to our well being and we are usually in bed asleep just after 9pm...
we wake and watch the light as it brightens and moves across The Salish Sea.

The bark of the arbutus trees are peeling which reveals a limey green layer under the rich amber colour...these are a feature in our views as we have several of these lovely trees growing at the edge of the sea.

Birds flitter about, gather and sing...
they seem to be drawn to the limbs of these trees.

I read this engaging mystery novel in a day...

a real page turner set on The French Riviera.

You might enjoy it!

The old stove died a few days ago and the general manager was able to order a new one and have it delivered to our small island in a day!

This is quite remarkable and we were very happy as we have no local access to shops and the ferry service is limited.

Local Sea Star Vineyards make excellent award winning wines.

Their Encore is a rich full bodied red wine...

perfect with a BBQ steak, baked potatoes and green beans.

Things break...

My Fit Bit battery died and I went online to get a replacement and was surprised to learn they are not available!

OH NO!

You are meant to purchase a new FitBit...

well that was a shock, 

so I have decided not to replace it.

My husband says I should buy an IWatch but I am reluctant...

I am wearing one of the vintage sterling bangles that I have in my collection...

this one a sweet gift from our darling daughter Jennifer.

Campus Queen from 1968

Fresh halibut, steamed broccoli and wild rice with sauteed mushrooms.

Yummy Halibut

To cook the halibut I dip it in flour, salt and pepper

saute in a wee bit of oil and butter

cook until skin is somewhat brown and fish is white and flaky

squeeze the juice from a fresh lemon overtop and add a tablespoon of capers.

Easy and so flavourful

Enjoy!

Read this gem yesterday.

A real binge read..

could not put it down

  I am considering re-reading all of the Jane Austin classics.

Am heading to the bookstore today as I have read all the books that I brought for our holiday.

Hope that you are staying safe.

Our Covid case numbers have increased here over the past few weeks.

It is alarming and we continue to keep our "bubble" small.

We wear our masks when we are out in the shops.

Hand washing and sanitizer are used constantly.

Feeling so thankful for the fresh air and sunshine.

The ability to be out safely in nature

soaking in all of the beauty that surrounds us

is soothing during these uncertain times.

Stay Safe.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

OOTD...spa time and lunch out.

Welcome to The Humble Bungalow Blog.

Blogger has introduced a new interface which is proving to be quite quirky.
If it continues to be problematic I will give up and post only on Instagram.

Vintage Coach bag and Maui Jim prescription sunglasses

Summertime Basics

Chaus of New York Polka dot top.

I found this at Marshalls and it is a comfy loose longer length top that I can wear with my casual black Yoga pants or dressy Eileen Fisher skinny black pants.

I have done very little shopping since Covid arrived.
When I do shop I wear a mask.

Except for a new pair of black Yoga pants and a blue pair of linen trousers by Ellen Tracey both sourced at Marshalls. I have only ventured into Toys R Us to buy birthday gifts for the grandchildren.

Our cases of Covid are up a bit more here in BC and both my husband and I remain very vigilant in our efforts to stay safe. Our ages put us at a higher risk and I have had pneumonia 3 times, the last bout kept me bedridden for 6 weeks so I daren't take any chances.

                       Pepper, our elder cat,
                       loves to find a ray of sunshine and have a nap.

My sister and I went to the Spa last week at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel.

We were celebrating her 60th birthday.

It was a beautiful sunny day and we really enjoyed soaking in the mineral pool.

We enjoyed lunch at Faro the new pizza spot in the hotel.

Sized for sharing

I met a long time reader Rosemarie for lunch last week.

She and I exchanged gifts.

Rosemarie is a vivacious and kind woman who sends me cheery emails.

She sends me sunflower seeds at the anniversary of my Mom's passing...

she has also sent me tea, earrings, and more recently some polka dot socks!

My current book stack...

Just finished The Guest List by Lisa Foley, an Agatha Christie type of mystery.

I never guessed who the murderer was, with so many twists and turns.

Well that about wraps up this post...

I hope Blogger can give us a tutorial on the new format.

It is difficult trying to figure it out withour much help!

Stay Safe

and 

Please 

Wear your Mask

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Summer snippets 2020...

My neighbour's garden has some rare and unusual plants.

Artistic touches are evident throughout her garden. 

Her choice of colourful flowers make a bold statement and are often dramatic.

Our poppies are still putting on a spectacular show.

I am saving the seeds for next years blooms.

My neighbour across the street and I were out chatting and watched a doe

as she grabbed one of the seed pods and swallowed it right before our eyes!

The urban deer are a hot topic of conversation among the gardeneres at this end of the block...

(5 deer reside in the back yard of a home nearby)

Mom and her fawns are enjoying our front garden "salad bar" so much this year!

No amount of Bobex is stopping their munching.

A dear friend and I went out to an antique store last week.

We wore our masks and perused the shop

before we decided on purchasing these Canadian vintage sap buckets.

We both thought of creative ways that we could use them...

ice buckets, flower vases, planters, 

My friend is planning to use them to collect sap from her Elm tree.

John Paul II Rose

reblooming after getting planted in The Humble Bungalow Garden.

He shares the bed with Crocosmia Lucifer...

I wonder how they are getting along?

Dierama aka Angel's Fishing Wand

 in my neighbour's garden...ours has not yet bloomed.

Bought some new buckets and shovels for the sandy beach at Sidney Spit.

Hope we have some sunny days when we are there with the grandchildren.

We plan to build some sandcastles...

A friend dropped off some books the other evening.

I had run out of books to read.

To me that is a very dire situation...

I purchased The Library at the Edge of the World by Felicity Hayes-McCoy

it is a delightful book ~ a perfect beach read.

Am excited to read these other titles. 

They should keep me entertained for the next month or so.

Jude the Obscure with Lady's Mantle

Love the form and fragrance of this beautiful David Austin Rose.

Hubby and I are celebrating our 46th anniversary.

We were married young and were high school sweethearts.

So we have actually been together as a couple for 50 years!

Our friends treated us to a lovely dinner on their porch the other evening.

Look at the rhubarb pie!

Hope that you are staying safe, 

are wearing your mask when you cannot self distance...

our active Covid cases on Vancouver Island 

have increased since Phase 3 has been enacted.

It is quite unsettling hearing the double digit daily cases in BC.

We need to keep our bubbles "small"

and as Dr. Bonnie Henry reminds us

"more faces in bigger spaces."

Fresh air, blue skies, sunshine, birdsong and buzzing bees

just some of the 

JOYS 

of Summer.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog!

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Humble Bungalow July 2020

Greetings from The Humble Bungalow...

Our days continue to be quiet ones
as we seek out pleasant distractions in every nook and cranny.

Taking tea in a favourite spot in The Humble Bungalow Garden.

Tending to the many potted plants on the patio gives me great pleasure.

Hand watering gives me an opportunity to spot weeds and do some advance planning when removing spent plants.

A fragrant bouquet of sweet peas are a lovely treat on a sunny day 

after working long hours in the garden.

Our garden is host to many creatures...

European Wall Lizards

Butterflies

Bees and various other pollinators

Owls

Snails

Raccoons

Deer

Squirrels

Birds

Mama Raccoon as she descends from the next door neighbour's Arbutus Tree.

She was rading the crows nest!

The crows were cawing like mad and making a big fuss.

I snapped a couple of photos but Mama was growling at me so I thought I better sneak back inside before she got any closer.

A quick and lazy dinner that was tasty is just what I needed after a busy day.

Prawns sauteed in butter and garlic with an assortment of deli salads.

Marigold and Helen sweet felted mice made by https://www.williewoolly.com/

were reunited for a fun playtime with our darling granddaughter Isla.

If you haven't yet seen Robyn's felted creations 

do yourself a favour and treat yourself to a visit.

Isla made the swing!

We savoured our tea and had some girl time.

The antique porcelain tea set was my husband's great grandmother's.

Vintage enamelware in The Hunble Bungalow laundry room.

I love the battered look of these pieces and seek them out.

I've not really been to the "shops" much...

the garden centres are outdoors so I feel very comfortable shopping.

Thrift shops have not really been on my radar 

although I dearly miss perusing the aisles for treasures.

I do venture into Kay's Korner in the Cook Street Village when on my walks.

Karin is welcoming and has all the right safety protocols in place.

The wee jug on the left is from her shop...a recent Covid purchase.

Today I am on a mission to buy black mondo grass.

 I plan to plant them in big pot in our front garden.

 The deer do not fancy munching them and there is a bare patch that needs something to fill it.

As we navigate these strange times...

We must continue to be mindful of others respecting their choices

and not being judgemental.

Hope that you are well and staying safe.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Roses on repeat...

I am finding it a challenge to write my blog during Covid.
There's not a lot of excitement here in The Humble Bungalow.

We are maintaining our small bubble of people to stay safe and not entertaining much...we have our closest couple over for social distancing happy hours in the garden but that is about it. We have not been "out" for a meal but have done take out about 4 times since early March.

I managed to get an appointment with my hairdresser...
the first one since mid December!

It feels so much better!

Voyage d' Hermes Arlesienne by L'Occitane and Figue Amour by Bastide.

I've been wearing perfume every day and pearls most days 

even if I am wearing jeans and a simple Tee shirt.

These "little things" help to keep me focused on the "positive."

Dressing up occasionally 

but mostly wearing casual walking and gardening attire.

I've tried harder to keep my FitBit steps up.

My weight is up 7 pounds.

 My doctor reduced my daily Thyroid medication last Fall.

He said that I would really have to amp up my activity 

and/or 

drastically cut calories...to avoid gaining weight!

I am not happy about the number on the scale

but I will not perserverate on it right now...

I need comfort and less stress during the pandemic.

As we are constantly bombarded with grim news I turn off the TV and radio...

self preservation is a must.

I turn to the garden...

so inspired by the beauty of our glorious roses.

Graham Thomas

Claire Austin

Constance Spry

Jude the Obscure

Paul's Lemon Pillar

Taking Tea 

a daily ritual ~ so soothing.

Have you read this wonderful publication by Sharon Santoni and her team?

My French Country Home magazine is filled with beautiful homes, gardens, recipes from France. You can use this link to the website.

I also enjoy the subscription boxes

they are such a luxury.

Go here to order the August box.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~