What a difference a day makes!

First Snow Day of the New Year

2020

Humble Bungalow

Day 2 

Very heavy snowfall overnight in the garden.

Hydrangeas weighted down by the snow.

The Ilex berries look very pretty in the snow

the red shade just pops against the white.

You can see how deep it is on the deck.

I found this book in the wee little library on our street.

My walks were curtailed due to the icy conditions

so I busied myself in the house

attending to some chores then mixing it up with reading and my knitting project.

Many cups of tea were sipped.

A Doocot Scottish design available on Ravelry.

Are you familiar with Ravelry?

It's an amazing site for knit and crochet patterns and tips a very helpful community of crafters are able to network and share their projects.

Wool sweater in the making...

learning some new techniques and loving this yarn.

This wooden maul is coming in handy as a yarn holder.

Many women in the knitting group that I belong to 

use crafted wooden bowls 

which have a hole in the side for their yarn to slip through...

it helps the skein from getting all tangled up.

Have you started any new projects?

The weather has improved and we are back to our usual rain days.

So I am able to get outdoors again for my walks.

Very grateful to be able to get some fresh air and exercise.

"Give yourself a gift of five minutes of contemplation 

in awe of everything you see around you. 

Go outside and turn your attention to the many miracles around you. 

This five-minute-a-day regimen of appreciation and gratitude will help you to focus your life in awe."

~ Wayne Dyer ~

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Shopping agenda ~ a cozy top

It's cold and drafty here in this old heritage home.
The Humble Bungalow has single paned windows which let the cool air inside
so I wear several layers to keep warm. It's been snowing for a few days and we have had the furnace going full blast!

My go to outfit for home days is a tee shirt worn under a cashmere sweater, pants or jeans and warm wool socks.

For my walks I wear a puffy down coat, hat, scarf, and gloves.
I look like the Michelin man...but at least I am warm.

Inside the change room at Marshall's.

On my shopping agenda:

Black Yoga pants and a cozy top.

Great long sleeves with a thumb hole to keep the hands warm.

A wrap style on fleece with an asymmetrical hem detail.

You can see my Eddie Bauer Michelin man coat on the left 

and a small peek at my Petrusse scarf from My Stylish French Box on the right.

Fabulous fitting Yoga pants were found as well as the top

both made by the company 90 Degree.

I wore them today on my walk.

Doubling up on pearls...maybe a fashion faux pas...like The Canadian Tuxedo

aka double denim!

Speaking of My Stylish French Box

I use and love all the things that I have received over the years...

if you follow me on Instagram you will notice that I occassionally

 post pictures of what I use from the boxes.

The Petrusse scarf is one I wear throughout the cool weather...

it is made of soft wool which is warm and cozy on the neck.

The boxes are a real splurge and there is an element of surprise.

Speaking of surprises...

Sharon Santoni and her team are hiding a Golden Key in one of the boxes and if you find that key in your box you will receive a generous and luxurious gift 

from one of the partners that supply goods for the boxes.

If you want to learn more click the link here and see for yourself.

Hope you are having a wonderful week.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

January week ~ highlights...

January week 1
easing into the New Year...

walking
reading
home keeping
cooking
a wee bit of shopping

Vibrant

Witch Hazel

seen on my walk

I stopped 

juggled my umbrella and bag of groceries 

reached into my handbag and grabbed my IPhone

to capture this image.

I could not pass this by...

A stunning shade of orange 

these flowers stand out against the bark of the nearby tree

 soft delicate pendulous petals.

A hearty bowl of chili with a dollop of sour cream.

Chili

Saute: 

1 diced onion

2 cloves of minced garlic 

 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef, chicken or turkey

until cooked

Add:

 19 oz can kidney beans

 19 oz can chopped tomatoes

 12 oz can kernel corn

 7 1/2 can tomato paste

1 tbsp cocoa powder

3 tsp chili powder 

1 tsp cumin 

Simmer 45 minutes  

serve with a dollop of sour cream

Snow drops popping up through the soil.

Easy "Peasy" Pea Soup

Dice an onion and add 4 - 6 cups of vegetable stock.

Bring to a boil over high heat

 reduce to medium low

 cook for 5 minutes uncovered until onion is tender

Add 1000g (2 lbs) frozen peas

bring back to the boil and cook til peas are done

Using an immersion blender puree the soup

make sure you get all the lumps out

you can thin it with a bit more stock if it is too thick.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream

Enjoy!

(a fabulous flavourful soup)

How is your January shaping up so far?

Have you made any resolutions?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Many hands....

(my parade float with horses)

We had the great pleasure of entertaining the 3 darling grands 

on Saturday this past weekend.

As the rain would not abate we spent the day indoors.

We dumped the bin full of Lego on the dining room table and began to use our imagination and get busy creating...

Mira and I collaborated on a castle with a small but very tall flower "garden"

Isla made a mansion with a rooftop garden.

Henry made a police car with a very secure looking jail.

After we cleaned up 

Grammy made dinner and set the table.

While dinner was cooking in the oven the grands played with play doh at the kitchen table.

Today I am spending time cleaning up the kitchen and bathroom.

I can easily procrastinate but the earlier I commit to getting a job done 

the better chance that I will be successful...

Playtime for Grammy will come after I finish!

My kitchen "work station"

Playtex gloves and a lavender scented cleaner by Method.

Great for grime and dirty jobs.

I use this in the bathroom on the sink, toilet and claw foot tub.

It is great on counter tops and walls...

a great laundry stain remover 

I spray it on the spot and gentle use a small brush to remove the stain.

Method doesn't know that I am a fan of their products or that I am writing about their cleaner on the blog.

Simply sharing a very helpful product with you in case you are interested...

it makes my job here a lot easier and it may help you too!

With all that is happening right now in our world 

I cling to routines and rituals for comfort.

Do you?

How are you coping in light of the recent events?

“When tea becomes ritual, 

it takes its place at the heart 

of our ability to see greatness 

in small things. 

Where is beauty to be found? 

In great things that, 

like everything else, 

are doomed to die, 

or in small things 

that aspire to nothing, 

yet know how to set a jewel of infinity in a single moment?”

~ Muriel Barbery ~

 The Elegance of the Hedgehog

I read recently

 "Knitting is the new Yoga."

That's how I feel when I am knitting...

peace, comfort and serenity 

in the simple act of moving my hands

making something out of yarn.

Let's light a candle, pop the kettle on for tea and pick up our knitting.

Take care

until next time...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

January...starting slowly

Easing into the New Year...

mulling over some goals and ideas

making a few intentions

not necessarily resolutions

confirming if they are reasonable, attainable and worth considering.

Have you made any resolutions for twenty twenty?

The view on my walk earlier this week on a beautiful sunny day.

December Hollyhocks in bloom on a street near the Humble Bungalow.

The eagle has landed!

There are frequently two bald eagles perched up in the tree...

On

New Years Day 

a few people walking past the tree 

stopped to look up and admire this majestic bird.

Speaking of looking up...

A Single Star 

made out of tin 

hangs above the sink in The Humble Bungalow.

Different from the 

Stars

 that sparkle and twinkle up above 

in the night sky.

Do you remember this poem about Stars from your childhood?

The rains have started and they'll be with us for awhile.

 Cenotaph near Cattle Point in the Uplands area of Victoria.

Glimpsed as we walked by on our morning walk.

I don't know any food more comforting 

except a bowl of soup on a cold rainy day.

 Homemade Tomato Soup

I roasted several pounds of fresh tomatoes 

diced onions 

5 cloves of minced garlic 

in a shallow pan with some olive oil 

 400 degree oven for 45 minutes

 I popped them all in a pot 

added a tetra pack of veggie stock

put it on to simmer.

Then I used the immersion blender to blend it all.

Salt and Pepper to taste.

Currently reading The Rocks by Peter Nichols.

Going to pop the kettle on soon and brew a pot of tasty Murchies Chestnut Tea.

Will light the candle and read for a bit.

How is your New Year looking so far?

What are you reading?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

New Year

It's the Eve of the New Year today and I am pondering...

thinking on things that I can do to improve my health.

Walking more 

perhaps going back to the Yoga studio 

or branching out 

by taking a Zumba class.

I've got a stack of books to read...

a knitting project on the needles

busy with the Strata Council as a new board member

plus the regular bridge games at the club.

My current book is a heart breaking story...

well written and very sad.

I recommend it very highly.

“New year—a new chapter, new verse, or just the same old story? 

Ultimately we write it. The choice is ours.”

~ Alex Morritt ~

On this Eve I am saying farewell to 2019.

Taking with me into the New Year 

 lessons learned

places I have visited

experiences and memories

that 

will enable me to welcome the days and weeks ahead 

with an open mind and heart.

“The new year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, 

waiting to be written.” 

~ Melody Beattie ~

Happy New Year to You!

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Victoria Sponge with Lemon Curd

Recently I discovered that Bonne Maman makes lemon curd and I do love their jams so I wanted to give this a try.

I love the flavour of lemons.

An easy choice was opting to bake a Victoria sponge...
It is a basic cake that can be filled with jams
or in this case,
the star of the recipe...
Lemon Curd.

Hope you enjoy this cake recipe.

It is quick and easy.

We enjoyed our Christmas Holidays very much.

Seeing members of our small family was a highlight.

Our daughter and her husband accompanied us to Butchart Gardens for a festive dinner and a walk around the garden which is all lit up with festive holiday lights and

displays for the 12 Days Of Christmas.

Our son and the grandchildren spent Boxing Day with us.

We had a casual brunch and then a turkey dinner with all the fixings.

Salmon was on the menu for Isla the eldest grand who prefers not to eat meat.

Today I've made a tasty turkey vegetable soup for lunch.

The past few days of cooking and entertaining have kept me very busy.

The table linens and napkins are all washed, folded, ironed and put away.

Knitting and a leisurely walk with my husband sound like a great way to spend a few hours...

Now I am wondering...

what will I cook for dinner tonight?

Hope you had a lovely Holiday.

Cheers!

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~