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

Rainy daze....at Quarter Deck Cottage

 The Salish Sea from Quarter Deck Cottage.

We see all kinds of boats and to get a closer look we brought our binoculars.

They come in very handy, plus we got to see the passing Orcas up close.

The small islands of North and South Pender have a few amenities.

Grocery store, library, several galleries, marinas, a pub, several restaurants and cafes, a pharmacy, book store, second hand shop and an antique store which has the most amazing artwork!

I found a small French satin glass dish made by the Verlys company.

The pine cones attracted me as soon as I set eyes on it...

It is so pretty that I do not plan to put anything in the dish I will leave it as it is.

The cones provide the "feet" for the dish.

I started this mystery book and am already halfway through it...

we can chalk that up to the wind and rainy weather here today.

It is very cozy and warm here at Quarter Deck Cottage.

We lit the gas fireplace and there is no need to go out and get soaking wet...

Mr. HB and I have waited for a break in the weather to get some fresh air but alas Mother Nature has other ideas!

Stay cozy!

Hostess

XO

OOTD and some things BLUE.

There are more blue garments creeping into my basic black and grey wardrobe.
I seem to be drawn to this colour...
With the grey hair multiplying the blues seem to be a flattering shade.

Stripes and patterned tops.

These will be worn with white UP pants and NYDJ jeans.

I recently discovered UP pants and they are super stretchy and very comfortable.

I found mine in a shop in the Cook Street Village area of Victoria.

OOTD 

Yoga class attire

Mom's cashmere cardigan Jones of NY

white tee Joe Fresh

yoga pants Reflex

shoes Jungla

These are not instruments of torture

they are props for my Yoga practice.

Since joining the Yoga studio I have had far less hip and knee pain.

It is noticeable...and I welcome the relief.

There is an Osteo class several times a week at the studio 

I think it might be my favourite class. 

Having been diagnosed with osteopenia years ago

I know how important it is to be mindful of the risks of breakage.

Building and maintaining bone mass and bone density is a priority.

Walking and weigh bearing exercise can help with bone building...

and now the Yoga moves using the spiky ball and the belt.

Here is an article from Harvard that you might find interesting.

Women with osteo issues are prone to fractures of the ribs and hips 

so by working on igniting the osteoblasts and building bone density we can avoid some of the pitfalls of the condition.

Have you invited some brighter colours into your wardrobe lately?

"For happiness one needs security, but joy can spring like a flower 

even from the cliffs of despair. "

~ Anne Morrow Lindbergh ~

Thank you for stopping by 

The Humble Bungalow Blog today...

Flea Market Finds...

I've been spending quite a bit of time "fluffing" the house.

Getting rid of extra stuff that clutters up the tiny space

and rearranging a few pieces.

Our bungalow decor is simple which lends itself towards natural items.

 Opting for colours that look pleasant in a woody arts and crafts heritage home...

almost organic.

"A tisket a tasket"

I spy a vintage basket...

and

some old silver.

An old oar

(before)

painted and cleaned up a wee bit 

then slightly distressed

(after)

Something for the cottage.

Old ironstone compote

Enamel ware

A large vintage Tea tin...

Roses in the small silver jug.

I purchased this Imari jug awhile back

I use it for pens and pencils in the kitchen near the phone.

It's fun to peruse home decor magazines for inspiration.

 Our clever daughter reminded me that I could find many lovely home decor things to "pin" off of the boards on Pinterest.

I started one for the cottage and am having fun getting ideas online.

I sit with my tea and before you know it an hour has evaporated!

It's also fun looking through the shelves of a vintage shop...

I like to think of it as an adventure because you never know what you are going to find.

~ Take care as you go about your day 

and 

Please Be Kind ~

Three months...and the journey continues...

Last March 3rd, on my 62nd birthday, Mother passed away.
It has been 3 months and I still miss her so much.

Everywhere I go...I am "with her" and she is "with me."

Mom was so much a part of my life,
and in retirement...a weekly friend who would join me for teas, lunches, shopping and coffee. We shared books, laughter and love.

My daily walks, which were curtailed upon her demise.
Load of work to do on the estate, but mostly because
I passed by her condo on my walking route
and I felt so sad walking by...

Most days, before Mom died, I would stop in for tea and a chat after my walk.
so naturally,
walking past was just too emotional for me.

Many times I would start to walk only to turn around and return home.
Then I took to driving to other areas of town for my walk but this felt too weird and why drive the car and use the gas?

Three months in...
the bulk of the estate has been seen to...
mom's condo has sold and her personal things have been dispersed among the family and those not wanted, were donated.

It has been a big challenge and I have dug deep for strength.
With support from my husband and friends... I am grateful.

I returned to Yoga
to increase my flexibility and for stress relief...
The deep breathing and calming poses help.

I have gained a few pounds.

Recently a call came in from Hospice offering me some counselling...

I cried while I was on the phone and said 

"Thank you,  I am OK"

I have been eating "comfort food"

too many salty crunchy chips!

(my weakness)

They call it comfort food for a reason!

I gave myself a stern lecture.

It is time to get back on track.

The roses are blooming, the sun is shining and my walking route awaits...

Mom would not want me to be sad.

So I have been walking along my favourite route and am looking at the building where she lived and remembering...

with a few tears mixed in with the salt air and sunshine.

Behind my sunglasses no one can see them.

 My week is ticking along...

watching the scale slowly reflecting the results of my efforts.

Pepper is looking longingly out at the birds.

She would leap out the window and try and catch one of the birds if she only could...

Lunch after my walk.

Tea with a 2 egg omelette and a small salad.

The daily 5km walks are not quite happening yet

4kms each day is my current goal...

The roses blooming in The Humble Bungalow Garden 

are helping to brighten up my days. 

It is going to take me some time to get totally "back on track"

to my desired weight.

In the meantime we plod along and try to make the best of things.

Grief is not predictable.

Frankly it frequently startles and surprises me.

Thank you for stopping by...

Hostess

The bathing suit...

I recognized a lovely young woman pushing her child in a stroller at our local Marshall's store in the mall.
Smiling, vibrant and gorgeous...her name is Leah.

We see each other frequently on Oak Bay Avenue...
she is a fabulous teacher that I worked with at a local Middle School and I think that I can safely say that she is "adorable"...the daughter of an acquaintance.

Leah is one of those energetic and enthusiastic teachers that can inspire and engage students...these are the teachers that we love for so many reasons.
Young and impressionable students' minds need more teachers like Leah.

We exchanged news...
I told her that we were investing in a quarter share of a waterfront cottage on Pender Island. The resort has two pools, a children's play area and there is a marina for our boat.

We are hoping to get the children and grand children over to the cottage for the 2 week summer holidays and we will use it in the off season on our week each month.
Leah mentioned how much she appreciated having a cottage for their family holidays when she was growing up and now that she has two children of her own they are spending time with her parents at the cottage...
making many happy memories.

Leah asked if I had any luck finding anything in the store.
I did!
and I proceeded to swing a garment in my hands high over my head and said with a smile on my face that I had found a swimsuit!

Swimsuit shopping is quite an event...and when it is successful its a win win!

In my experience swimsuit shopping has never been easy...
one needs to try on quite a few to find the best option.

This is the first suit in more than a decade that has not been black. 

I have 2 suits in patterns of black and white...both have seen "better days."

~ Maxine of Hollywood ~

(sounds rather glamorous)

I have never seen this brand of swimwear.

Understandable as there has been a drought of swimwear shopping...

do not even bother to ask why!

How telling...

Obviously other shoppers have similar thoughts

otherwise why would they print a label that speaks to so many of us?

It must be a challenge for the designers of swim wear.

The suits need to fit, cover the "wobbly bits" and make us feel comfortable while wearing them.

I'll be dipping my toes in this pool soon.

I love swimming laps and I find it very relaxing.

It feels so good to tick a big item off the "to do list"

The swimsuit was my least favourite on my list, 

but fortunately it was not that daunting after all.

Summer is just around the corner and I am gathering up some summer reads.

I am almost finished The Madwoman Upstairs and it is an interesting story.

What is on your summer reading list?

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

XO

Content (at last) with my grey hair...

My hair...has been an ongoing battle issue over the years.
It is thick, wavy...
many would say it is curly,
and it most certainly has a mind of its own.

I value my hairdresser as much as I do our family physician.
They both are very important people in my life, and both give me great advice.

Mother used to say that a woman's crowning glory was her hair. When we were children she cut our hair and we wore it in a short bobbed style that was popular with straight short bangs or "fringes" as they are called today.

Mother once gave me a Twiggy hair cut after I begged to go to the hairdresser for a professional one...just for the record I HAD to go to the hairdresser to have Mom's snippy mess "fixed"...
the hairdresser said "I can do little with this now but it will grow"...
(it took ages and I avoided looking in mirrors for months!)

Mom would collect rainwater to rinse her hair and once a month would give herself an oil treatment...
this involved olive oil, a plastic bag and a towel.
She spent an entire day "at home" during this procedure.

Mom's hairstyles metamorphosed over the years...
my sister and I observed many changes.

Mom had perms for a few years,
she also gave my sister and I "Tonette perms"
usually around Easter for the Sunday service at church.

Mom dyed her hair blonde for a year and we referred to this as her "Doris Day" phase...
later she sprayed a silver streak in the front...this was her "Virginia Graham" phase.

Mom loved fashion, style and was never one to be stuck in a rut...
she moved with the times and had fun...plus she had a great sense of humour.

The "signature hairstyle" that so many women adopt has always eluded me.

Hair has been a source of frustration over the years
flipping and flopping and changing my mind...
cutting it,
growing it,
colouring it.

Now that I have salt and pepper hair, it feels simple and easy ~ to just be natural.

My hair is cropped quite short, it is almost a pixie cut.
I wash it in the shower and towel dry it before I spritz it with curl enhancing spray and then let it air dry.

It feels good to accept things and be content.

Wishing for something illusive is really frustrating
 a complete waste of time and energy.

The style of my hair does not define me, nor take up too much  angst  space in my mind.
I have finally just let it go...

Salt and Pepper

like the highlights I formerly paid for and now they are free!

Mother had lovely silver hair and I expect it may be several years before I get to that all over shade but in the meantime I am embracing this "new natural phase."

I am curious...

Are you happy with your hair?

Have you found your signature style?

Do you colour your hair or have you let it go natural?

Summer reading has commenced... 

I've a long list of books and plan to buy a few more in the coming weeks.

I finished this book recently and wept at the end...

it is worth reading and I would ask you to please read the author's personals note at the end of the book.

What is on your summer reading list?

Thank you for popping by The Humble Bungalow.

XO

Glorious colours in Humble Bungalow Garden

Orange poppies

with

paper thin petals

waving in the breeze.

Pure white lilacs against a clear blue sky.

Weigela 

a foamy pink and white flowering bush

below lies the stalwart pink ground cover "pride of London"

and below that the hardy Lady's Mantle which when in bloom is chartreuse green.

(succulents to the left in a planter)

The weaving path is lined with 

Creamy Smilacena racemosa

Hostas

Pinky Pride of London

Ferns

Purple Alliums

The pink Madame Gregoire Staechelin roses have started blooming...

The climbing Royal Sunset Rose has a few blooms.

You may see those small dots of orange colour at the top of the lattice.

This vigorous rose has the most amazing fragrance and is a reliable supply of cut roses throughout the season.

There are 4 new white David Austin Roses below just getting established...

we planted the boxwood to line the edge of the bed.

I am very eager to see them bloom.

Our red chairs look so tempting

but they will have to wait as

there is a lot of work to do in the Humble Bungalow Garden.

I have yet to open this book which is a recent purchase.

It was recommended on several of the blogs that I regularly read.

The community of dedicated bloggers that I follow

share loads of information with their readers.

They are most 

Kind

 generous

and giving.

I have been able to read and discover...

their favourite books

recipes

make up and skincare products

fashion

packing tips

travel pictures

cleaning tips

candles

style

home decor

crafts

Thankfully there are many many wonderful blogs...

do you have any that you love and care to share with our readers?

Thank you for taking the time to stop by mine.

XO