Abundance of roses, and clothes that Spark Joy!

 

We have a full garden with an abundance of roses.

I consider myself an avid rosarian....

desiring more roses in an already full garden is rather greedy.

My husband mentioned that our olive tree might have died during the icy cold snap.

He mentioned I could always buy a rose to fill the space where the tree was planted!

What a great idea!!!

I have always been smitten by shoes with bows.

I own a pair of Ferragamo black patent shoes with bows.

Years ago I had purple suede flats with velvet bows...I wore them out!

They were my "Happy Shoes" I felt so joyful when I wore them.

A few years after the demise of the purple shoes 

I found a pair of black patent flats with black velvet bows.

Mom had a similar pair...

they were such a great mood lifter.

We smiled at each other knowingly when we were together 

wearing our patent bow toed shoes.

So when I was in Twice As Nice consignment looking for a wool winter coat

(which I didn't find)

I spied these shoes by Browns...

tried them on and HAD to have them.

My current "daytime" winter wardrobe.

Athletic wear is stored in the bureau

evening and dressy clothes are in the Hobby Room closet.

I have been adding a few thrifted finds lately...

Gap casual sweater.

Thrifted

Will be worn with my denim and white denim jeans.

A sequin top!!!!

Thrifted

$2.00

The volunteers at the thrift shop were literally doing a "Happy Dance" 

when I approached the cash desk...

asking how much it was?

They said $2.00 and I was so stunned that I gave them $5 and told them to put the extra money toward their new building fund!

I am definitely going to wear this top and perhaps it will be daytime.

It is a JOYFUL top.

Do you think it will SPARK JOY?

I love how we can shift our moods with clothing...

wearing brighter colours on a dark dreary day.

Adding accessories that elevate a plain outfit or dress.

Finding inexpensive and vintage pieces in the thrift shops that are cheap and cheerful.

One needn't go into debt to have fun with fashion.

Happy Hunting in the Thrifts!

An abundance of Sea Glass...

one day's haul after my beach walk.

Saw two fat seals lying on a floating log...

a familiar face and a shaggy dog

a wee chat with a neighbour.

Gulls, Ravens and a majestic Eagle calling...

Fresh Air, a gentle breeze, and I feel rejuvenated.

Jar of sea glass...

probably my 10th jar.

(I must go downstairs to count them, they are in the window sill of the Hobby Room)

~ Sunshine and Blue Skies ~

BLISS

Farm Fresh Free Range Eggs

a lovely gift from Becky.

They look like jewels such pretty colours.

Taste great too!

Finished this fabulous book by Anthony Horowitz.

Need to read some more of his books...have read a couple and they are so well written and are wonderful murder mysteries.

What are you reading?

Thank you for popping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

Until next time...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Week of wild weather...

Beeswax candles glowing...

adding ambiance on a frigid cold day.

Very snowy here these past few days...

not a lot of accumulation in The Humble Bungalow Garden.

Other areas of Victoria have a LOT more!

Schools were closed, traffic was snarled, buses got stuck.

Mr HB and I stayed home.

I read books, played word games on the computer, 

knit a few rows on The Sophie Scarf,

decluttered and cooked.

Chester seems unfazed by the snow.

He is an indoor cat so he isn't really affected by the weather.

He has been taking advantage of having Mr. HB home...he's snoozing on his lap!

Chester asleep on the cat blanket.

I make soup for many of our lunches.

This spice was in a French Country Home subscription box.

It is made by Compagnie Francaise...

peppers, turmeric, oregano, thyme, curcumin, paprika, sage, basil, tamarind, onion, cinnamon.

The Christmas Cactus is still in bloom!

I bought this orange cactus recently...I love the bright shade of orange.

Here I am just before my Aqua Fit class....

no make up, just lipstick.

My decades old Burberry scarf, Columbia Puffer coat and a hand knit gift hat.

The Sally Hansen Insta Dri nail polish matches one of the stripes!!

Post swim relaxation.

Reading an interesting book by Lesley Crewe called Amazing Grace.

I have not read her books before but I am really enjoying this one.

What are you reading?

The weekly sourdough boule baking is still very much part of my routine.

I keep the sourdough starter active stored in the fridge.

The recipe I use I found online at Alexandra Bakes.

Cooking, baking, cleaning all these things happen here in The Humble Bungalow.

I accomplish a lot everyday but I intersperse the jobs with rest and tea.

I've been wearing these pink gloves to wash the dishes.

They are help my manicure last longer!

What is the weather like where you live?

We aren't used to snow so any amount can mess with the commutes of workers.

It makes getting around much more difficult...especially when the buses are stuck!

Tomorrow the forecast is for warmer temperatures and rain.

I think the snow will melt quite quickly and we will all resume our normal activities.

I plan to get out for some groceries and perhaps peruse a thrift shop or two.

Have you found any treasures recently in the shops?

I go into shops with an open mind and look at all the stock...

if I go in with a certain item in mind I find that I feel stress.

You never know what is waiting in the thrift and charity shops!

~ Happy Thrifting ~ 

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Wednesday late night post...

~ Antique Porcelain Bowl ~

I have had this antique bowl for many years.

I purchased it from a thrift shop.

I was drawn to its' "staples"

obviously an early repair.

I often wonder where this bowl came from?

Who owned it?

Why was it repaired and not just thrown away when it cracked?

If this bowl could tell its' history...

what might it be?

Looking at this bowl got me thinking...

so

I wrote this post on Instagram...

I've been busy this week...

dinner for the family, aqua fit classes, writing lists of things to do before Christmas.

Writing Christmas gift lists, buying cards and stamps.

I started polishing all the silverware.

Trays, candle sticks, the tea service, pedestals, bowls.

I still have a few pieces to do...

the champagne ice buckets, a baby rattle, some trophies.

I use Hagerty silver polish and Twinkle polish.

They both work well.

It is a time consuming job but is immediately rewarding.

The shine is like a smile.

I've been knitting and reading too...

I started this book Run by Anne Patchett.

I really enjoy her books, and after just one chapter I am already hooked!

I'll be sending Christmas cards out soon...

baking some shortbread cookies 

making my favourite spiced nuts which make nice hostess gifts, 

and of course the pork tourtieres.

~ Spiced Nuts ~

2 cups almonds

2 cups walnuts

2 cups pecans

1 1/3 cups sugar

2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp allspice

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp coriander

2 tsp ginger

2 egg  whites

3 tbsp water

Sprinkle nuts with sugar and spices.

Beat egg whites and water.

Mix into nuts and spice mixture and spread on a buttered baking sheet.

Bake at 275 degrees for 1 hour stir occasionally.

Cool

Place into glass containers for gifts.

Add a ribbon and some greenery and a dried orange slice.

Hope that you enjoy these nuts!

Well I'll close for now as it is past my bedtime...

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Thoughts on gardening....and a tasty pork tenderloin

Our neighbour gave us a pretty bouquet,

the cut flowers are from her new garden.

 A thank you for the fresh garden produce we shared with her.

Gardeners share...

We share seeds, plants, flowers, fruit and produce.

Gardeners collect ideas when visiting other gardens.

Cultivating a garden is an incredibly rewarding hobby.

There is a shared kinship in the gardening community...

If you've ever attended a garden club meeting 

or a garden show you will hear an abundance of chatter.

Gardeners are not at a loss for words where plants are concerned.

I've visited the local garden centres twice in one week looking for more Hostas.

We are going to be involved in a garden tour and I have some plans.

We are not sure if it will be June 2024 or June 2025.

In the meantime,

 I am looking for a water feature, some more black planters and pots.

We'll be putting the garden to bed as soon as the weather changes.

So these ideas will percolate and be revised and refined over the winter.

Romneya Coulteri Poppy

This plant likes to be grown in a rocky gravelly soil.

It doesn't transplant well.

I've tried digging it up and sharing it but the cuttings have never survived.

Our plant is not very large...

I've seen huge Romneya Coulteri plants thriving on my drive around town.

We are pleased that the Hollyhock from Ross Bay Villa has thrived.

I have tried growing Hollyhocks for many years 

but had always planted them in the soil which is heavy with clay.

The clay soil is great for roses but not all plants like to have "wet feet!"

The BIG Hosta to the left is Sum and Substance.

In the low bowl ~

Variegated grass, Hosta, Agapanthus and the silvery Centauria Chrome Fountain.

To the left of that planter is a pot of Black Mondo Grass.

I have a crush on the Mondo Grass and have it growing all over the Humble Bungalow Garden!

David Austin Rose Jude the Obscure.

It has been flowering for months...

it is a repeat bloomer.

The roses have not been as prolific as usual and I am thinking it is the drought.

We've had lots of sunshine which they love and we have watered 

carefully by hand but I suppose it has just not been enough.

There is a bumper crop of tomatoes, both beefsteak and cherry types.

Lots of zucchini, lettuce and cucumbers.

The apple trees are loaded with fruit...

in a few weeks they will be ready for picking.

The garden keeps my husband VERY BUSY!

He's taken over a lot of the jobs and seems to be enjoying his time outdoors.

Do you have a garden?

Or do you garden with a deck or patio of Pots and planters?

We are very fortunate to live in an area where there are lots of gardens.

People are quite passionate about gardening here in Victoria.

It used to be known as The City Of Gardens.

I want to share a recipe that I got from a friend...

it is an easy and very tasty marinated pork tenderloin.

~ PORK TENDERLOIN ~

Marinate a pork tenderloin in the following:

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup soya (I use Braggs)

1 clove minced garlic

3 tbsp. honey dijon mustard

salt and pepper

I mix the marinade in a ziploc bag then add the tenderloin.

Put in the fridge for about 4 hours.

Heat the BBQ and grill the tenderloin

 (baste with marinade) 

cook until it is no longer pink inside.

This cooks quite quickly so keep an eye on it!

Let it rest for a few minutes then slice on the diagonal.

I have served it with boiled baby new potatoes and a fresh green salad.

~ Bon Appetit ~

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

I'm planning a visit to Butchart Gardens soon to see what they are growing.

Until next time...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Holidaze in July...

 

Sunshine and Sweet Peas

Popped this posy into a thrifted English Ironstone Meakin sugar jar.

I LOVE finding interesting vessels that I can use for flowers.

If memory serves me I think this one was 35 cents!

We celebrated our 49th anniversary on July 20th...

no fanfare or big gathering just a quiet evening for two.

We ate some champagne truffles...

a surprise gift from friends.

Our closest friends had us over for a dinner on their lovely porch a few days before our actual anniversary and we felt very spoiled...

Those same friends will be celebrating their 50th next year so

maybe we'll have to do something exciting for our 50th?

We are enjoying some time at the cottage.

Have some special guests here to share the time with us.

I made a fresh loaf of sourdough bread...

this fun adventure in bread making is so satisfying!

We had a couple of days with rain 

which should help with the drought and the forest fires here in BC.

The deer obviously do not like to nibble these plants...

I think this might be Queen Anne's Lace?

Feel free to chime in if you know the name of this flower.

I believe this is Yarrow...

the bees love this flower and are usually busy buzzing atop these blooms.

I took the photo after dinner so they may have all gone back to their hive.

~ Hosta Flowers ~

In The Humble Bungalow Garden

This huge Hosta is called Sum and Substance.

We built a deer fence 

so that we can keep this safe from being nibbled to the ground!

Here at the Cottage...

I am taking a break to relax, restore and mend...

The last round of antibiotics are almost finished.

I've been going to bed earlier than usual and sleeping soundly.

Staying hydrated with cans of flavoured Bubly Brand Water.

~ Zero calories ~

While I am having LOTS of fun with the family and the three grandchildren...

I am also "pacing myself."

Reading Three by Valerie Perrin, knitting the Miriam sweater,

gazing out at The Salish Sea

taking time to reflect on all the good things in life and counting my many blessings.

Making time to be focused and calm is good for the soul.

Walking along the beach...

breathing in the fresh salty air

listening to the calls of the gulls and the songs of the eagles.

Picking up a few pieces of sea glass...

~ LIFE IS PRECIOUS ~

it is a gift

not to be wasted.

I feel Grateful everyday.

Hope that you are well and feeling positive.

Life can be a challenge as we know

it is a journey.

When we navigate the rough patches life teaches us more...

we can be resilient or we can be weak.

It is a personal choice that we make...

we can rely on others or find strength within ourselves.

Or a little bit of both...

How do you handle adversity?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~