Cruising recap...The Long Weekend in May

The long weekend weather was given a favourable forecast so we took to the sea.

Snug and Cozy tied up at a little marina at Genoa Bay.

Mother's Day flowers made the trip.

Tasty Lime Margaritas on the deck of the cafe.

Floral lined lanes nearby made for some spectacular walks.

The bees were busy working in the hot sunshine.

Dinner plate sized tree peonies were in full bloom.

It was lovely to get away and relax in the peace and quiet.

Healthy meals, a comfy bunk, friends nearby, a good book.

Simple luxuries while aboard our small boat.

Feeling grateful and thankful as I write this post...

reflecting on all the good things in life.

I have some garden photos to share with you soon.

Until next time...

XO

France....Food and market memories...

Warm summer evenings are perfect for dining al fresco...
at home or in France.

Fresh harvest of home grown tomatoes and cucumbers...

 the flavours are truly incredible.

Eating freshly picked vegetables reminds me of my trip last year to France 

The markets are full of farm fresh produce and the display and array of food is so tantilizing, sumptuous and inviting. 

Shopping at the outdoor markets is a real pleasure

it is also a very social event.

One meets and greets the seller before embarking on a purchase.

Weekly Market day in Southwest France 

in the village of Valence-d'Agen on the Garonne river 

a town in the Midi Pyrenees 

across from the wee village of Auvillar where our good friends reside...

Cheeses that are rich and creamy ripe and tasty.

We arrived at the market early...

White asparagus is a delicacy here but in France it is quite common.

We are more accustomed to the green variety.

The radishes look so pretty...

we purchased a bundle and served them before our dinner.

We ate them raw dipped in delicious salty butter.

With our baskets filled with fruits, veggies, lamb and cheese...

we stopped at the bakery for a fresh brioche

then a last stop at wine merchants for a bottle of rose.

A glass of rose

 fresh grilled lamb 

fresh asparagus

salad

assorted cheeses

which we ate outside in the sunny courtyard

Ah! the memories of French food are as fresh and crisp as ever...

Our backyard is an oasis on this sunny evening in July.

Not a breath of wind and perfect for dining outdoors.

Grilled steak, boiled new potatoes, and fresh veggies 

(which I drizzled with a balsamic reduction)

The Humble Bungalow Garden is such a peaceful spot on a sunny day...

the front porch is shady and overlooks the hydrangeas out front.

The side area has a stone patio surrounded by roses and hostas and hydrangeas with two comfy chairs just waiting for someone to sit in them.

The back deck looks down on the green grass a perennial border and the new greenhouse.

This may not be located in France but nevertheless is a lovely spot to relax.

A place where one can read and sip a well deserved cup of tea.

I read Michelle's previous book and am eager to start this story...

I read so many books these days since I have retired and think it is such a luxury.

There are so many things that call to me...

flowers, books, fashion, friends, family, events, food, art, scents

life is full to the brim.

The Attitude of Gratitude still rings loud and clear...

And as I draw a close to this post I would be remiss not to show you the 

the lime light hydrangeas that are really looking spectacular this year.

And as a side post Mr. HB and I spent a day with the grand children this weekend 

we wandered along the chip trail near their home and discovered a vintage tractor on a side street...

If this tractor actually works 

I am certain that there would be several eager drivers in our midst!

How is your summer going?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Weekend wrapped up... back in the Humble Bungalow.

After a particularly hectic week Mr. HB and I stole away on our boat and tied up at the dock at Otter Bay Marina on Pender Island.
We were in dire need of some "down time" and find that boating is the perfect remedy for what ails us...
Otter Bay is well maintained and features two pools, cottage rentals, a small store and a cafe. You can rent, kayaks, paddle boards, and scooters...if you want to do more than just relax!

~ OOTD ~

DKNY boyfriend jeans

Sperry Topsiders Espadrilles

Striped Tee

Straw Hat

Sunglasses

Canada Day was spent relaxing, reading, swimming and knitting.

Later in the day the Pender Island Pipe and Drum Band marched down the dock, bagpipers in kilts and full regalia.

Despite the heat they put on quite the show.

You can watch a video of a portion of the performance on my Instagram page.

The rocky shoreline had some interesting details...

Pretty flowers in planters along the docks brightened up the Marina.

Drought tolerant plants were chosen as the Gulf Islands have a limited water supply...we all need to be mindful of our water usage as there are drought conditions all over the province of BC and in many of the US states.

Both Mr. HB and I sleep better on our boat.

It could be the fresh air

or that our bunk is super cozy

and

  there is that gentle rocking motion of the boat as it bobs upon the ocean

which swiftly lulls us into dreamland...

The laundry is on...thankfully the LG machines are doing all the dirty work which frees me up to type a blog post while dinner is simmering on the stove.

Tomato Sauce for Spaghetti

Fresh basil from the greenhouse...garlic clove chopped.

Simmering and it smells so wonderful.

 ~ Tomato Sauce ~

Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil

add

2 1/2 pounds chopped tomatoes

1 diced onion

cook until softened.

Add in rest of ingredients:

small can of tomato paste

(fill the can with water and pour in)

1/2 tsp. dried red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. sugar

2 tbsp. minced fresh basil

1/2 small carrot grated

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1 clove garlic chopped fine

salt and pepper to taste

Simmer for 45 minutes.

Boil pasta and cook until al dente and serve with a salad.

Time for me to fold some laundry so I must sign off...

Hope you had a great weekend.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog!

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Well Being...

Do you ever feel frazzled?

After last week with chaos of the plumbing problems
I was edgy and feeling overwhelmed.
So I decided to take some "down time" on the weekend for my well being.

Time to slow down,
to stop multi tasking,
take a day or two and have a change of pace and a rest from the regular routine.

Instead of hopping in the shower,  getting dressed and putting on my make up first thing in the morning I sat quietly with my coffee creme
and lazed about wearing my PJ's and robe.

~ Be Well ~

Time to sleep in and indulge in a little downtime
it feels so luxurious...
Giving oneself the permission to take a day off of the domestics is so simple and restorative, yet it is not in my nature, and it could and should be!

My daily walks offer time for peace, quiet and reflection.

Fresh air and exercise are free.

I opt to walk on a scenic route that provides opportunities for me to capture beauty on my IPhone and then I share them on Instagram and here on the blog.

For that I am grateful...

Re-energizing strategies...

"Stop and smell the roses"

 pick a bouquet and arrange them in a vase and enjoy them indoors.

Mariage Freres Paris Tea, 

in a pretty china cup

is the classic elixir that soothes...

an inspiring book that fuels the desire to feather one's surroundings.

Using simple pieces, editing, rearranging collections for a fresh new look.

Finding things in Nature...

using them in the home

pure white feathers

pine and fir cones

beach stones

fern fronds

leaves

shells

I'm embarking on a new project

"fluffing" and "feathering" my hobby room.

I took down my easel and put away my paints as I have not been using them and they take up so much space that I was not taking advantage of the space.

I am collecting a few bits and bobs that I love...

objects that bring me Joy

items that exude

a sense of calm and serenity.

It is a slow process and one not to force or rush.

Listening and looking...

experiencing the feelings a piece can evoke.

This never happens when I am busy or in a hurry.

Slowing down seems to help engage the creative side of my brain.

David Austin's Ballerina rose 

 soft shades of pink and cream 

looks like it could be featured in an issue of Victoria magazine.

I used to buy every issue of Victoria magazine...

Very few magazines have been purchased since I retired...

with the exception of Town and Country and Country Living UK

When I worked in the school I bought oodles of mags and would pour over them while savouring a chocolate bar and sipping tea.

Magazines were an escape from the stresses of work and trying to "do it all."

Home keeping, domestics, parenting, gardening, cooking, shopping etc...

Since retiring I have a looser schedule with fewer demands...

so it should be easy to take a day off here and there,

perhaps by setting unreasonable standards 

or

expecting a lot from myself and others is setting me up for failure.

Is striving for perfection the root of the problem?

See what happens when one has a few days to reflect on things!

I binge watched the newest season of Grace and Frankie On Netflix.

Love that series...

Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin

Sam Waterston and Martin Sheen

and a crazy story line come together to make for a very entertaining show.

I had not considered TV viewing as down time 

but if it makes me laugh and I love the characters

and it feels like an indulgence

I consider it 

 "mental snack food!" 

This blog often masquerades as an online journal...

but by now you've probably already figured that out! 

Hope that your week is off to a great start...

thank you for stopping by the Humble Bungalow.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Victoria Day Long Weekend...aboard ship!

This past weekend was a long weekend so we took to the sea...

Our "humble" boat is a 27 foot 1996 Sea Ray Sundancer.

We can cruise fast or slow depending on the weather and our mood.

I always take flowers from the Humble Bungalow Garden.

My all time favourite David Austin Rose is Jude the Obscure.

I know it is not fair choosing just one rose but I cannot help myself...

as Jude is sheer perfection in a rose

Fragrance, form, and colour all exceptional.

I use silverware on the boat.

It might strike you as odd but there is a reason that we have this on board.

When I went shopping to outfit the boat with the few necessities that we needed I was trying to keep the costs down...

when one buys a boat it is usually a tad expensive so I tried to cut corners elsewhere...

I ventured into the big box stores looking for stainless sets and the ones I liked were around $100 a set.

I saw this one in the antique shop for less than half that and it is vintage WMF from Germany...I only need to polish it twice a year to keep it looking good.

I pack my tote bag full of books and magazines 

there is plenty of time to relax and read.

We eat simple meals.

I have a one burner stovetop, microwave and BBQ.

Our small fridge prevents us from bringing too much food!

I eat oatmeal with a wee bit of honey for breakfast and Mr. HB prefers V8 juice and a bagel.

Dinners and lunches revolve around salad and some type of protein...

maybe a few new baby potatoes with butter and fresh mint.

"Snacks" are often naughty...

chips and popcorn...

 chocolates.

We try to walk or swim everyday.

I read Motherland by Maria Hummel.

It is a well written story about the hardships that women and their families had to live through during the Second World War. 

It held my interest right from the very first page...

I highly recommend it.

I am a magnet for mosquitoes so I need to wear these bracelets!

Here is the beautiful morning view at Poets Cove Resort on Pender Island.

The roses in the morning sunshine.

We went for a hike in the forest.

It was cool in the shade and there was a lot of buzzing so I was glad that I wore my mosquito bracelet!

The rocky shoreline is mostly sandstone.

The weather was much better than we had anticipated...

blue skies and sunshine and very little wind.

My favourite kind of weather for cruising!

This is the view the last morning 

before we packed up and came home.

Today I am doing laundry...and the skies are grey and the weather cool.

I am so grateful that we had such nice weather for our getaway.

Our house and cat sitter made the weekend possible and I am so thankful.

I am still trying to figure out why my blog will not appear on the Feed as soon as I publish it and I have contacted Blogger but have not heard anything yet.

I am using smaller images on this post to see if that is what is the delay...

so please bear with me as I work on sorting out this issue.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~