Cottage life...weathering the storm.

Quarter Deck Cottage

a relaxed and casual getaway

that we enjoy for a week every month 

and two consecutive weeks in the summer.

This little piece of paradise has been a much needed tonic...

a place to dream and live simply 

among the beauty of Nature

 The Salish Sea at our doorstep.

The rains have been torrential this past weekend.

We were soaked right through our raincoats after an hour walk.

On the mainland there have been floods and roads were washed out...

When we arrive on the island

the first stop 

(after we unpack and set up the cottage with our personal bits and bobs)

is the local flower shop.

I choose some flowers for our week at the cottage.

The owner and I are on a first name basis now and she tells me what we have missed while we were off island...

Power outages, wind storms, ferry cancellations, trees blown down blocking the roads...

We shop for our food at the local market and usually do this each day.

It gives us an opportunity to mingle with the locals and deciding on the spur of the moment what we will have for our dinner based on what is fresh feels right.

Living in "holiday mode" encourages a spontaneity...

where we relax over our morning coffee

stare out at the views beyond

taking in the various sights

 ferry and boats

marine life and birds.

We awoke to sunshine this morning and what a glorious sight after 4 days of rain.

The cottage is bathed in warm sunlight and there is a shift in my mood.

I feel a surge of energy...

I have vacuumed, done the laundry, run the dishwasher and am now sipping a mug of tea as I sit here at the dining table typing on my laptop.

Taking time to look out upon the rippled sea and beyond...

A beautiful day awaits...

slowly

there is no need to rush

a gentle walk

a nourishing meal

knitting

reading

gazing out to the Salish Sea

content with the simple routines

of cottage life

it is in the quiet moments 

that we are able to restore, restock, and renew.

"Joy in looking and comprehending is nature's most beautiful gift. "

~ Albert Einstein ~

"There are moments when all anxiety and stated toil are becalmed in the infinite leisure and repose of nature. "

 ~ Henry David Thoreau ~

Slow down this week and observe the beauty that surrounds you.

When I walk in Nature I always find something beautiful that surprises me...

even on the darkest of days

I may have to look a little bit farther or a wee bit longer 

 if I persevere 

I am not disappointed and for those gifts I am grateful.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Cozying up at Quarter Deck Cottage

With all the chaos is going on in our world these days I decided that a quiet post was in order...

Quarter Deck Cottage...
a cozy place where there is ample opportunity for reflection...
time for daily walks exploring the local beaches and country roads
a place to quietly sit and read our books
watch the ferries pass by
and to cocoon and relax.

A welcome respite in these troubled times...

Salish Sea shimmering in the sunshine.

Autumn foliage

Quarter Deck Cottage

Welcome Bay

a beach walk not far from historic Hope Bay on Pender Island.

Someone has been busy making a driftwood shelter.

The view from the living room of the cottage.

Ferries come and go and we watch as they pass by on The Salish Sea.

This larger ferry in the distance is one of several that carry cars and passengers from Swartz Bay To Tsawwassen on the lower mainland.

The smaller ferries service the Gulf Islands of

Pender, Mayne and Galiano.

It is Cozy inside the cottage...

a gas fireplace and in floor heating really make a difference 

as there is an autumnal chill in the evening.

Arbutus trees are now shedding their bark...

A pod of orcas swam by this morning...

there must have been a dozen of them.

It was difficult trying to capture a picture of their fins

you can just glimpse a small tip of one fin in this snapshot.

Sunset last night watched from the deck outside...

Life takes on a gentler rhythm at the cottage.

Grateful for this place of peace.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Cottage Life...the views from Quarter Deck Cottage

Roses from The Humble Bungalow.

Cheers!

Cottage holidays are new to us and we are both enjoying the slow pace.

We eat simple meals, walk, swim, explore the island and read our books.

The Saturday Farmer's Market is super popular...

Wonderful fresh produce from Raven Rock Farm and there is a stall run by a French baker who makes delicious pain au chocolat and breads.

Another stall is run by a meat pie chef who is also involved in catering local events.

There are stalls with crafts, jewelry, pottery, leather goods, teas, jams, and more...

There is a line up before the 9:30 start with eager shoppers and their array of beautiful baskets.

The view from our deck of the Arbutus trees and The Salish Sea.

Lunchtime and salad makings from the market. 

(I didn't eat the bread!)

A glass of rose from the local Sea Star Winery.

Keeping cool on the deck with the gentle ocean breeze.

The candle holders are a vintage modernist design by Timo Sarpaneva 

glass fish floats and a yellow David Austin Graham Thomas rose

atop an IKEA tray on the cottage dining table.

Pink sunsets

Arbutus tree with the peeling bark seen on one of our walks.

Toes poolside...

OPI Do You Sea What I Sea?

My current goal is to swim 20 laps every day.

Pretty red and white flowered planter 

brought from home to encourage the hummingbirds to visit.

They are attracted to red and a few visit the red geraniums on the front porch of the cottage.

Dinner salad

New book which is totally engaging...

but I must sign off for now as we are expecting the family to arrive and I have a list of things to get done.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow.

or rather The Quarter Deck Cottage!

Before I sign off I

Thought that you might find this amusing...

saw this at the Pender Island Golf Course on my walk.

Hope you have a weekend filled with good things.

The Quarter Deck Cottage on the edge of The Salish Sea

Mr. HB and I recently purchased a quarter share in a cottage on the water.
Pender Island is one of the smaller islands in The Salish Sea. The cost is modest and we do not need to do any maintenance ourselves so when we are able to use it we can sit back, relax and enjoy the place.

Mr. HB knows that I like to beach comb for heart shaped rocks and while we were at the dock waiting for the ferry he found a vendor selling various rocks 

he inquired, if by chance, she had any heart shaped rocks...

and she did so he surprised me with this one.

XO

Roses picked from The Humble Bungalow Garden made the trip to the cottage.

Arranged and popped into an icy modernist vase 

perfectly scenting the cottage and kitchen.

We brought a few things to personalize the cottage when we have our time here.

There is a locker that we will store the items when we are not in residence.

I found this fish sculpture in an antique shop in Victoria. 

It is originally from the Cayman Islands.

This book was really good.

Deck chairs just waiting for us!

Bubbly to celebrate our first day here...

served in our new Emma Bridgewater etched FIZZ flutes.

Umbrella and cushions found at the Hardware store on the Island.

Books to read while relaxing on the deck.

 The binoculars are MUST to get a closer look at the whales and boats passing by...

Sunhat, sunscreen and sunglasses.

The oar I found in a shop on Fort Street on Antique Row.

I painted and distressed it for the cottage.

Here is the view looking across Otter Bay from Roesland Park.

We walked almost 8 km to visit the Pender island museum only to find out that it was closed! 

Besides we needed to stretch our legs and get some exercise after reading so much!

We sat for a wee bit in the red chairs installed by Parks Canada and took in the glorious views.

These Beaver brand chairs have been placed in the Parks across Canada in honour of our 150th anniversary.

Roes Bay

I swam almost everyday in this pool...

and as our week drew to a close I felt that we had made a good choice to invest in the cottage and resort for our future.

We will look forward to having our family and grandchildren stay here at the cottage making memorable memories.

I hope you enjoyed the wee tour of The Quarter Deck Cottage.

Hostess

XO