I heart summer holidays...

Isla was given the opportunity to choose three marbles when we went to the Antique Store on Pender Island.

This large blue one, another in green and a smaller blue one which she gave to her brother Henry.

Milada Huk from Renaissance Studios on Pender Island designs and makes jewellery using Swarovsky crystals.

This necklace caught Isla's eye...

it is called Fairy Garden.

Grammy was delighted when she saw how Isla swooned when she spied this piece so we bought it!

Grampa found this stone heart on Hamilton Beach near Port Browning.

Isla took it home.

Beach treasures!

In dire need of a pedicure after a week at the cottage.

Days filled with swimming, hop scotch, beach combing, games, boating,

and other fun activities.

I posted this picture on my Instagram page...

"when your breakfast matches the book cover" 

it makes for an easy photo opportunity!

A parting gift from the family...

Two thrift shop finds from the Nu-To -You shop.

Tennesmed desigend Swedish pewter pendant 

Danish bird pin.

This Summer the weather has been fabulous...

sunny and warm

actually 

HOT!

Thank you for popping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

We are on holidays so my blog posts may be sporadic!

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Summer sunshine in the Humble Bungalow Garden

Sunny yellow California poppies peeking out from under the Hostas.

These wee flowers pop up around the garden as they self sow like many poppies.

Their cheerful flowers add extra oomph to the greenery.

Romneya Coulteri

a poppy also know as the fried egg plant!

I think of the art of Georgia O'Keefe when this plant blooms...

crisp and crepe like white petals 

adorned 

with the bold pop of yellow

are a brilliant contrast

that make for a wonderful showy bloom.

The petals are delicate almost like a tissue...

Daisies are so cheerful...

not growing in our garden 

they always look pretty in the summertime

they look very "at home" popped into a simple mason jar and set upon a table.

Pendulous flowers of the Himalayan Honeysuckle

The hummingbirds love this flowering plant!

Yellow roses

Jude the Obscure and William Shakespeare Rose bouquet.

Two hard working products that I love...

the gelee is especially good for gardener's hands

I use the Baume on my heels which keeps them soft and supple.

Abraham Darby a gorgeous David Austin rose

a lovely fragrance and frothy blooms.

How is your summer shaping up?

Thank you for popping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

"Getting my Happy On"

There are times when life tests us...
particularly when unexpected things occur
those things that are beyond our control...

I remind myself that "control is an illusion"...
the only things in life that one can control
are the reactions to the events themselves.

When these life events threaten to derail my day and drag me down
I need to dig deeper to cultivate and embrace the beauty that surrounds,
which in turn,
infuses positivity
encourages grace
which improves my outlook and ultimately is a mood changer.

Consciously choosing to focus on kindness, love, empathy, compassion
are the attitudes that I opt for when things go sideways.
I tend to focus on these things...

First and foremost....embracing the attitude of gratitude
followed by, but not necessarily in order...

arranging flowers
working in the garden
reading an inspiring book
chatting with a good friend
painting or a similar creative pursuit
going for a walk along the seafront
knitting
taking tea...using a lovely bone china teacup and loose tea
cooking a new recipe
yoga
soaking in the tub in some scented bath salts
watching a classic "chick flick"
tidying up an area of our home
tidying up a drawer or closet
doing something for someone who needs help
writing ( a blog post) or writing in a journal
cooking a pot of soup
beach combing
browsing in a book shop
thrift shopping
donating to charity
volunteering

There are many positive nurturing habits to cultivate...
what are your favourites?

"Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, 
something to love, and something to hope for. "

~ Joseph Addison ~

Summertime BBQ's with best friends and family

sharing a simple meal

fresh produce and food of the season

sipping a crisp cool glass of Rose

dining outdoors in the hot sunshine

listening to the laughter 

of

the children playing in the garden

filling up my heart

with

JOY.

Hope that your week is full of bright moments.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Some summer reads...

Summer Reads...

Loved this murder mystery by Jessica Fellowes.

She's the niece of Julian Fellowes from Downton Abbey and Gosford Park.

I've also read Julian's novels

Past Imperfect, Snobs and Belgravia  

Ami McKay writes wonderful books

I read her previous two novels

The Virgin Cure and The Birth House

This novel was very rich in atmosphere and painted a wonderful picture of what it might be like to be a "witch" in an era when witchcraft

 the unknown and unseen world were being explored.

 Ami transported me into the fascinating world of Gilded Age in New York 

set in the late 1800's...

I've promised this book to mabon moon a reader who lives in Victoria.

I hope she will enjoy it as much as I did.

My current book The Seagull by Ann Cleeves

fresh from the local library...

suggested by the well read Madame La-Bas 

writer of the blog New Year New Dreams.

It's a well crafted mystery and a real page turner!

The most recent book from our local library 

This novel is set in a lovely little village in Provence

the characters are rich and the story evolves slowly over the years.

I've just started reading 

Etta and Otto and Russell and James

by Canadian born author Emma Hooper

What are you currently reading?

Have you a favourite book that you care to share?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Magnificent Obsession...

Our roses are in their glory this summer.

Such a wonderful display and so many blooms.

I am obsessed with roses...

it is a passion with such power that surprises me even to this day.

It started out so innocently with a couple of rose bushes

which has, over the years, become an obsession.

I suppose there could be worse things to be so crazy about...

Look at some of the roses that are putting on a show this month in our garden.

Summertime in The Humble Bungalow Garden 

Constance Spry roses....

Foxgloves

Such a pretty flower

the bees like to fly right up inside 

Here's a bee gathering pollen from the Pink Pavement Series rose.

Gertrude Jekyll

a really fragrant rose in The Humble Bungalow Garden.

William Shakespeare a David Austin red rose.

Our most recent David Austin rose Jubilee Celebration.

Rose Petals litter the garden

like pink snow.

Climbing Royal Sunset

this rose continues to amaze me

its a lush climber with an apricot rose 

whose fragrance smells heady and intoxicating.

I have not shared the Iceberg climber, Graham Thomas, Jude the Obscure, Abraham Darby, Joesph's Coat or the 4 Claire Austins in this post...

I am trying to figure out where in the garden that I can plant a few more roses!

Hope you have enjoyed these snippets of roses from our garden. 

Thank you for popping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Growing pains...a transition of sorts.

My hair is going through a transition that I am now referring to as "growing pains!"

It has been a few months since I have seen my hairdresser...
I dearly miss our visits and chats...

I am in the process of growing out the short pixie cut that I had to get several years ago when my frozen shoulder prevented me from using a blow dryer...

Then darn it, the other shoulder froze!
 Which I was not expecting, as I am an optimist.
(I had been warned by the specialist that this may occur!)

So I kept the pixie as it was an easy option
especially when one is in too much pain to lift their arm above their head.

I purchased a Bumble and Bumble product appropriately named
 "Don't Blow It"
to help me with the "growing pains"...
The transition phase from one style to another is not the easiest to style...
at least that's true for me personally.

Oh and here is a bit of wabi-sabi 

the toothpaste tube sitting on the sink...

our humble bungalow is a rife with imperfections!

The back view

one that I don't usually see

shows an area of grey hair near the bottom

nature has had a hand in this as I have not streaked my hair.

The thing that comes to mind is skunk....

Yikes!

My hairdresser said I need to wait at least another two months before coming back in to see her...

So it's what I can only say must be wabi-sabi hair.

Do you change your hairstyle?

Have you grown it long, or do you like it short?

Is it grey or do you colour it?

Any tips on how you've managed the transition?

In closing this post

 before I go out and work in the garden 

I wanted to share this picture with you.

Lovely Constance Spry and Paul's Lemon Pillar Roses

climbing on the arbour out front of The Humble Bungalow on a sunny morning.

The path is sprinkled with petals 

an unintentional wabi-sabi welcome to the garden...

We just celebrated Canada Day July 1st

and 

The 4th of July celebrations are next.

Hope you are having a great week my friends...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

The blues...

I've been quietly collecting more blue items in my wardrobe...
it all started so innocently.

Blue jeans have always been a star performer in my wardrobe...
they are what I consider to be a serious workhorse and they have been in my closet since I was a teenager.

I have three pairs of blue jeans...all by NYDJ.

Slowly, over the past year, I have added these blue items:

a denim shirt - Ralph Lauren
a blue chambray shirt ~ Cailey 22
a pale blue tencel shirt - Lord and Taylor
a navy and white top -Saint James
a thrifted denim jacket - no name tag inside ?
two blue and white striped tops - Cupio and Antibes Blanc
two pairs of blue shoes - Jungla and Ecco

prescription glasses - Face a Face Paris

You can see the blues in the 

centre of my wardrobe.

This is what the circa 1913 era closet looks like

its very small and not at all organized

currently on our list of future projects...

perhaps this fall or winter

it is part of the bedroom remodel that has been on our list for many years.

Our remodel list is getting smaller as the years buzz by...

Busy buzzing bees hard at work in the beautiful blue Agapanthus.

The Ralph Lauren denim shirt

Antibes Blanc linen top

No name denim jacket

white NYDJ jeans

I almost forgot about the blue patterned swimsuit!

The NYDJ boyfriend style jeans

are super comfy and great for the summer weather...

casual style dressing with a pop of red.

The blue and beige linen duvet cover will figure prominenlty in our remodelled bedroom as we plan to install white panelling and use blue accents.

Maybe we will get busy and organize something this Fall.

What have you introduced into your basic wardobe over the past year?

Are you playing it safe with colour or kicking it up a notch?

Blue

Grape hyacinths an image from the archives.

Hope that your week is off to a great start.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~