Tea from Paris....and a new book which sounds so exciting!

Red flowering currant in our neighbours garden...

the hummingbirds love it!

Versailles Rose Tea

with

rose petals, grapefruit and sunflowers

The label is in French but I can provide you with a "rough" translation...

It is with a lot of love that I made this tea

the passion to do what I love 

and the love of a woman 

who is still waiting...

I am happy.

English Royal Chelsea cup and saucer

probably my favourite of the bunch.

A new mystery written by Jessica Fellowes...

she wrote all the companion books to the Downton Abbey series.

She is also the niece of Lord Julian Fellowes who wrote the Downton Abbey series.

I just finished reading Six, the book about the Mitford sisters

 and lo and behold this new book pops up on the shelf at the book sellers...

I grabbed the last copy!

 Also a new "can" to help me keep all the container plants well watered.

I like to have one on the front porch and one in the back so that I don't need to lug a heavy can throughout the garden and strain my back or arms.

My frozen shoulder has been slowly improving...

I am optimistic that it is in the thawing stage.

Tea time is over 

the flowers are in bloom and I am embracing the possibility of change.

Perhaps a trip?

Or maybe a new class or a course?

Feeling like I need to kick things up a notch...

What plans are you making?

Hope that your week is ticking along nicely...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Shopping with a nod to Mom...

The damp cold rainy weather has kept me indoors more than usual...

I have gone for shorter walks and took a page out of Mother's book!
Going shopping when inclement weather prevails...
Mom was a super shopper...she could have taught lessons on how to shop!
Mother absolutely loved fashion and clothing , she found such joy wearing and accessorizing her beautiful clothes. She was well turned out until the last couple of weeks before she passed away...and then she only wore her PJ's and bathrobe.

Mom had 4 full closets when she died... many classics and some quite trendy pieces...unfortunately we were not the same size...
I have kept her grey cashmere waterfall sweater and a black wool wrap...
they are so cozy and remind me of her when I wear them.

I've brewed up numerous pots of tea

layered on the extra warm cashmere and wool sweaters and shawls.

(thanks to mom I have two of her coziest)

My hands feel the chill so its nice to warm them with a cup of something hot.

Something soothing and tasty with zero calories!

I am mindful of my WW points and the slimming is slower than last time.

My Chelsea boots are away at the cobbler getting some new heels

so I have been wearing my favourite red shoes...

the pop of red makes me feel happy.

A few red things in the Humble Bungalow kitchen...

"Walking in the shops" has been productive...

(of course mom knew this!)

AND

I found a new coat.

I'd gone into Aritzia to look at their Wilfred Free tops 

as they make a nice basic which fits and has a great shape...

with a silhouette that skims and in a knit fabric that can be casual or dressy

a U hem detail which looks good un-tucked.

I already have one in black.

They were out of my size so I ordered one in a neutral soft light grey shade that I will layer with my white jeans and pants.

While I was in the shop I noticed the Babaton line of lightweight coats...

in a light soft fabric, with almost a Tencel feel.

They were far too long on me and I did not want to pay extra to take one to the seamstress to have it drastically shortened.

I found a similar coat at The Bay by Vero Moda

a deconstructed trench coat in a very light and soft fabric.

It was marked down and I got it for a great price.

Have you noticed how many straw and wicker bags are showing up in the magazines this Spring?

I've got a straw tote bag but it is too large for everyday use...

it's more of a market tote 

one that I use when going to the farmers market or to the beach.

Never fear...

Etsy has oodles of vintage straw and wicker bags...

I spent about an hour looking online and then this one popped up 

I could not resist!

The bag is by Ann Taylor

look at that pop of red!

It will work with my denim skirt and jeans

my red ballet flats

 it has just that little extra oomph which I think will perk up my basics quite nicely.

I am eager to see this and hope that the delivery is speedy.

I found this distressed looking Tee at The Bay this week too...

it looks like nothing (well maybe like a dish rag) on the hanger

 it is much better on!

I will wear this with my white jeans

 layered with my denim shirt

underneath a long white and grey linen top

Maybe even pair it with my black ponte knit pants.

Its going to get a LOT of wear.

Last evening we met up with darling daughter and her husband 

to see their new place.

I found a vintage mint orange Catherine Holm kettle and an icy modernist piece of art glass as their housewarming gifts which were well received!

We took them out to dinner after at our favourite local eatery...Zambri's.

I ordered this succulent fish feature and I had a "Julia Child moment!"

Do you remember the movie Julie and Julia?

It is the scene where Julia is in Paris 

dining in a small cafe 

and tastes 

for the first time 

fish cooked in beurre blanc...

Oh my this dish was a little slice of heaven on earth.

I must try to make it at home.

I have kept this vintage avocado green Catherine Holm bowl in our kitchen cupboard for quite some time and I casually mentioned it to darling daughter and it seems that she would use it so it is off to a good home soon...

Before I close 

I want to share some of our very tall snowdrops...

Drenched with precipitation...

things are definitely greening up in the Humble Bungalow Garden!

Hope you are having a fabulous week...

and hey its already Friday!

I've got to get in some groceries and stock up on some cleaning supplies.

Maybe I will do some research on the beurre blanc recipe too.

Whats on your agenda for the weekend?

Have you been shopping for some Spring things?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Tuesday snippets.. from my wicker chair on the front porch.

Come and sit for a bit on The Humble Bungalow front porch and relax...

I washed the front porch yesterday and took some things away.

There is a tendency to put too many things on the porch creating chaos

making relaxation next to impossible!

The magnolia is in bloom

out of these fuzzy pods 

pure white flowers emerge

They are so elegant...

Coco Chanel loved her camellias

well I love Magnolias!

We have several magnolias growing in the back garden 

 they are a different varieties.

One of the items that I moved was this old tool box

and when I spied these cheery daffodils at the garden centre later in the day I knew exactly where I would place them!

A pop of yellow...

I'd forgotten how much my skin loves this pot of Divine cream by L'Occitane.

So much moisture is delivered by using a small amount.

I've ordered the full size jar and have a bonus Divine Youth oil coming with it...

 a 2 day Easter special 

 as they say "timing is everything"

 so with a click of the button it was done.

 I know that "Youth Oil" is not going to turn back time 

but if it helps my skin glow and look hydrated I am content.

Dinner last night was a one pan classic...

prime rib roast with veggies roasted right beside it.

No gravy but big flavours.

I am reading this book right now which is really very entertaining...

these Mitford Sisters are truly iconic women.

Looking back in history when England was at war

 it describes how these six sisters played various roles in society

each unique with their contributions

one more famous than the others.

The fascinating Deborah, 

The Duchess of Devonshire,

whose book I read a few years ago.

Thank you for stopping by...

I must sign off for now and get cracking on my walk.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Rainy Day Rhythm...

Cheap and cheerful

chrysanthemums

perk me up on a grey rainy day...

The power of flowers can elevate any decor...

a simple jam jar with daisies

a Baccarat crystal vase with roses

a single bloom in a flask

an orchid in a blue and white porcelain planter

depending on your budget

you can get as creative as you like when it comes to floral arrangements.

Vintage Verlys glass satin dish bowl

etched simply with pine cones

sits empty 

beside the window

catching the light

The grandchildren made this colourful Easter Wreath at Michael's.

We were meant to go to the workshop together but I had Vertigo and had to cancel...

it sounds like they had lots of fun.

Our sunsets have been quite stunning 

this week at Quarter Deck Cottage.

I love how sculptural the arbutus trees look set against the yellow skies.

One needn't go far to find beauty 

it is outside just beyond the front door...

all you have to do is open your eyes and look around.

It may surprise you to find that there are ordinary things 

which when studied 

on close inspection

look like works of art.

I never come home from a walk without seeing something quite lovely.

Perhaps that is why I love to walk so much...

not only do I feel restored and re-energized

there are snippets of Nature's handiwork at every turn.

I make it my goal to seek out the delights that Nature has provided...

A juicy red rose hip still clinging to the vine...

Queen Anne's Lace seed head boldly standing tall against the blue sky.

A reclaimed lifeboat

re purposed as a planter at the end of the road.

The Riddle Family plant this boat with seasonal offerings...

The sign says 

"The Point...Of it All!"

A scarecrow and mums were on display for Fall

daffodils and tulips for Spring

 I am already curious what they will plant for Summer.

The rains have arrived after several sunny days so it's a day of domestic chores...

laundry and tidying.

A pot of tea now waits

 I will return to my books and knitting

after I hit the publish button on this post.

The Humble Dishcloth

(a knitting pattern that I return to time and again)

Size 6 or 7 (US) needles

Cotton yarn

Cast on 4 stitches

Row 1 - Knit 4 stitches

Row 2 -  Knit 2 Yarn over knit to end of row

Repeat Row 2 until you have 44 stitches

Row 3 - Knit 1 Knit 2 together, Yarn Over, Knit 2 together knit to end of row

Knit row 3 until you have 4 stitches left on the needles

Bind off.

so soothing to knit

useful to use

soft

makes a great Hostess Gift!

Wishing you all a Very Happy Weekend.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Life in the slow lane....

Quarter Deck Cottage 

a new tablecloth

 a bouquet of cheery yellow flowers

in an icy Modernist Finnish vase

These unusual daffodils...

were for sale in the Hardware store where we purchased the new tablecloth.

 $3 a bunch 

 only two small bunches left 

 to fill our vase we would have needed about 10 bunches

so we headed to the flower shop instead

and found the chrysanthemums

The vintage sealer jar is home to our growing collection of beach glass.

It is my goal to fill this jar and then find another vintage jar 

and keep on collecting...

Am reading this book about a young woman with Alzheimer's disease

I am in the first few chapters and enjoying it so far...

In between reading our books

we walk

we walk along narrow roads in the woods

we walk facing traffic

sometimes there are a few cars that pass us

other times 

there are none.

Eagles soar above 

ravens call

the wind rushes through the trees 

clouds float by

I can hear my breath speed up as we climb the hills

and 

on the downhill slope it feels like I have a surge of energy!

Grimmer Bay near Port Washington on Pender Island

Boat house and the public beach access

drawing in the sand...

Beach combing on a sunny Saturday afternoon.

Such a lovely spot for a walk and a meander about looking for beach glass.

Mr. HB outdid himself and found a piece of amethyst beach glass.

I picked up the shell and the other two pieces of glass.

I think this might be my first piece of amethyst glass...

Hope that you are enjoying your weekend and thank you for taking the time to pop by and visit The Humble Bungalow Blog.

Until next time...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Spring Fling ~ a gossamer floral scarf and The Humble Bungalow Garden

It is officially Springtime in Victoria!

Ah...a long awaited breath of fresh air...
and there are beautiful flowers in our midst.

I went to the Avenue to run some errands today and I spied this gorgeous gossamer soft floral scarf and knew immediately that it was just the thing I needed to inject a wee bit of Spring into my wardrobe.

When I wear this scarf 

I will feel the energy that Spring Flowers can impart...

The sunny shades of yellow and orange cannot help but cheer us...

Such delicate and intricate details in this Hellebore

I do love Hellebores in the Humble Bungalow Garden 

 (there is always room for more)

Over the past weekend my husband dug up and reworked 

an area near our asparagus bed.

The ideas for the design were mine but he made it happen.

He dug up our rhubarb and garlic bed and lay exposed aggregate pavers.

We went to the garden center and chose some new pots and found three healthy hellebores to plant inside them.

We have ordered a few Mondo Grass plants...

Now we need to buy a few smaller black pots in which to plant them.

Here is the view from above...

rains are forecast for the next few days so the new plants will get plenty of water.

I was laid up in bed for a few days with Vertigo and have a middle ear infection.

The doctor prescribed antibiotics and I am currently staying away from the pool.

(I think that the germs must have come from the Recreation Center.)

The cats have been marvelous and keeping me company.

I've sipped many many cups of tea

and 

dined on healthy salads and soups.

The Woman in Cabin 10 was a true page turner...

I read it in one day.

I can highly recommend it...

hope that you like it too.

Thank you for all your comments on the previous post...

I enjoyed reading them and there were quite a few good ideas.

Take care and Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~