April snippets from Quarterdeck cottage

Love these pretty pink blossoms on the tree out front of the cottage.

I am tempted to pick a sprig and pop them into a vase.

They are so delicate and frilly, almost frothy in their form.

A subtle scent gently fills the air when you are standing beneath the branches.

A yellow primula and a variegated iris for the garden.

I planted the iris out front of the cottage and hope that the deer will ignore it!

The primula will come home with me to be planted in The Humble Bungalow Garden.

The Pender Island Garden Club had a sale at the community centre.

I purchased the plants from the garden centre and the shell was from their sale.

I quite like shells and have a few that I have collected over the years.

They reside on the window ledge of the guest room.

This one will be headed there soon.

I found this arts and crafts Ruskin pewter brooch at the Nu To Yu thrift shop.

I purchased it for a friend who collects these pins.

It amazes me what treasures can be found in this tiny little shop.

Speaking of treasures look at this sweet little toadstool!

We walked 3 km along a road under a magnificent canopy of trees.

Our destination was Gather a new cafe at Hope Bay.

They serve tea, coffee, beer, wine, baked goods and light meals.

There are musical events held here on occasion in the evening. 

It's been open for 3 weeks and already has a loyal following.

The local Pender Island knitting ladies were there for their meeting.

I could not help but to eavesdrop and sneak a peek at what knitting projects they were sharing.

It is very similar to the knitting group that I attend at a local Victoria cafe.

We both had a cold beer...

mine was a light IPA and Mr. HB chose a dark stout.

I opted for the curry vegetarian bowl served on brown rice.

It was incredibly tasty but I could not eat it all!

After lunch we walked back through the woods to the cottage.

We did a lot of walking so we felt little guilt 

relaxing and reading our books on the sunny deck.

April has been a blur...

so many things have kept us busy.

The cottage makes us slow our pace and we really relax and sleep soundly.

We go to bed earlier and get up before 7 most days.

The fresh air, 

peace and quiet, 

long walks in nature

 put us into this zen zone.

It's a beautiful sunny morning here at the cottage.

Hope wherever you are, that your week is off to a great start!

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Let's get dressed!

Do you enjoy a fresh salad all year round?

We regularly have salads with our dinner
I opt for leftover salads for many of my weekday lunches.

I love a light dressing made with a good quality olive oil and a flavoured balsamic vinegar.

The Tuscan Herb olive oil has a peppery taste 

 The Fattoria di Sommaia has a distinctive smooth flavour.

Flavoured balsamic vinegars create a superb salad dressing.

You can marinate chicken in these oils and vinegars

dress and coat veggies before roasting in the oven

dip focaccia bread in a blend of these two delicious ingredients.

Oil and vinegar

a happy marriage of flavours.

I also have a jam dressing that I make on the boat.

You need an empty jam jar...

Bonne Maman works for me.

3 tablespoons of jam

1/3 cup vinegar

1/4 tsp each of salt and pepper

1 cup of good quality olive oil

Shake to mix

Refrigerate dressing and shake again before serving.

I've been remiss in not posting regularly on the blog...

life has been busy!

I've been enjoying visits with the grandchildren, 

and working in the garden.

We are embarking on a renovation too which is rather daunting...

our home will become a worksite.

Things will need to be packed up...

we will be sleeping in the guest room

as we have a crew here to remodel our master bedroom.

The electrical service upgrade is slated for tomorrow...

no power all day

I will need to go out for tea and coffee!

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

April Snippets

April seems to be flying by faster than last month...
odd how some months feel like they are long and others short.

I suppose it's how busy we are and how much we pack into each day.

I've been focusing on healthy eating and walking these past few weeks
in my attempt to shed some of the winter weight gained during the cold winter months.

This lane is tucked away off the beaten track in Oak Bay

we saw sunny yellow forsythia and Kerria Japonica 

bright bold red rhododendrons, 

various varieties of tulips and daffodils.

By this sign we spied evidence of the hollyhocks yet to bloom

we will come back along this way again as check on their progress.

I love hollyhocks but for some reason they do not grow well in our garden despite my best efforts,

The Iphone has a health app that helps me track my steps and distance walked.

Here is the readout for today...

A friend and I walked in Oak Bay today

around the waterfront and up into Uplands Park.

The native wild lilies are blooming.

The shooting stars are such a vibrant shade and look amazing en masse.

A camellia bloom was purposely placed on a green dumpster waiting for the company to come by and empty it!

I had to stop and capture this image...there is so much unexpected beauty out there is we just take the time to stop and look.

We rewarded ourselves at the end of our walk...

a cuppa with a view at The Oak Bay Marina.

The Karl Lagerfeld graphic tee...

I wore it in honour of Notre Dame.

The devastating fires yesterday at the iconic cathedral in Paris

have shocked and saddened so many

myself included.

It sounds like they plan to rebuild it.

They have raised millions already with more donations yet to come.

Taken in 2015 when I was last in Paris.

It's time that I prepare dinner so I must close for now...

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

Until next time...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Graphic Tees? Do you wear them?

We've been busy here in The Humble Bungalow

lots of things have kept me away from the computer.

Sunny days for long walks with friends

visits from the grandchildren

tidying up the garden

planting flowers.

There have been odd jobs, decluttering, repair projects and more...

Today the electrician was here installing some task lighting in the kitchen.

After he left I went to the mall to buy some new socks.

Why do socks wear out so fast?

I think its because I don't bulk buy socks and so they get worn a lot!

I bought new socks 

(mission accomplished!)

Came home with a new walking/yoga/workout outfit.

Graphic tees are popular...

especially for women of a certain age!

I have been relucutant to get on the bandwagon...

until today when I spied this top.

What are your opinions on graphic tees?

Leave a comment and we can chat...

Capri Yoga pants

Karl Lagerfeld Tee

I may wear this with my jeans under a sweater or jacket.

The fabric is super soft and it is weighty enough that it skims the body rather than clinging like some fabrics tend to do.

You can see that the black and whites are still the main players in my wardrobe.

It's so difficult to change my stripes...

Zebras are so stylish!

Flip Flops 

for our summer cruise.

Still looking for a bathing suit cover up...

Must close for now as I am off to the travel agent to pay the balance of our cruise.

Hope that you are well and finding small snippets of Joy in your daily round.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Smitten by a scarf...and a spring cleanse.

Have you ever seen something beautiful in a shop that caught your fancy?

Something that was a tad expensive so you left it behind...

Yet something so pretty that you started dreaming about it?

I had this exact thing happen to me.

My friend H and I walk at Butchart Gardens as we have annual memberships. We plan a walk once a month and have tea or lunch when we are there.

One benefit of having an annual membership are the discounts available in the gift, coffee shop and restaurants.

The item that I had been lusting after was a scarf
this beauty might possibly be going home with me...

I just had to make sure that I still felt the same passion
upon seeing it a second time.

Whisper soft bamboo

watercolour effects

wearable art

Beautiful colours

Design 

 "The Sunken Gardens"

exclusive to Butchart Gardens

I plan to wear this a lot this Spring and it will come to Europe with me.

I have a khaki Eileen Fisher jacket that it will pair well with and because it is so soft it will be cozy on the plane.

Our weather has been amazing this past weekend 

it continues to be warm and sunny.

Perfect weather for walking and beach combing.

Plans are in the works for eating more mindfully after the winter.

A Spring cleanse...

more fresh veggies and fruits.

Weight watching has been a battle that I have not won this past year.

Interrupted sleep patterns,

Emotional eating and stress have all been factors.

My goal is to start back slowly

by setting attainable goals of 5 pounds at a time.

With the sunshine and light,

warmer weather 

walking longer will be easier.

Cutting out "comfort foods" 

(those dishes that I crave during the winter!)

Fresh veggies are starting to become available at the local Farmer's Markets.

It's salad season again!

Opting for meals with fish and lean protein and drinking lots of water...

will write down my point count as that really helps me be more mindful 

of what and how much I am eating.

Must close for now and get outside for my walk!

Until next time...

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

A symphony in blue and white and the May box from My Stylish French Country Box!

Do you love the classic combination of blue and white?

I particularly love blue and white porcelain and dishes...

The bowls are made by a local potter by the name of Harumi Ota.

The wee whimsical footed vessel is by local artist Robert Amos.

Sweet tumbling bunnies 

The writing on the pot says...

"Flick as flowflakes, litters from aloft."

I have a few other pieces with blue and white...

a transfer ware patterned tray and a vase.

Sharon Santoni's Intsagram post popped up 

and

 My Stylish French Country Box

telling followers that the May delivery box theme is blue and white!

It should be a very elegant box...

now I am dreaming of a symphony of blue and white! 

To order a box click this link...

you'll be glad that you did!

Cheerio for now...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Springtime ~ Flowers and a fresh natural facial exfoliator...

Spring is almost upon us

  the weather has been blissfully sunny and mild.

Bright yellow tulips are adding some radiant colour 

in The Humble Bungalow Bathroom.

The Frilly and Frothy petals are so pretty.

Two bunches for under $10

a cheerful purchase from the market.

Looking deeply inside for a close up shot.

I'm test driving a new facial product... 

it is getting rave reviews from the ladies who have tried it.

Wyld

Konjac facial cleansing sponge.

100% natural

Infused with French Pink clay.

PH Balanced

Fragrance and chemical Free.

Cleans and exfoliates 

buffing away flaky skin 

leaving a freshly cleaned dewy complexion.

Just add water to the sponge to soften and use gentle circular movements 

with or without cleanser

taking care in the T zone area and any flaky patches.

Rinse sponge in warm water and hang to dry.

Can be used on normal, dry or sensitive skin.

(do not use on sunburned skin)

Purchased at Thorn and Thistle Flower Merchants.

I am not receiving any monitary benefit or bonus from this post.

The sponge is hard until you immerse it in warm water.

It comes with a string to hang it to dry in between each use.

Exfoliating the winter and freshening up for Spring!

Have you found any fabulous new skin care products?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Flower Power...and Prints Charming!

The sun is shining brightly

 the snow has melted

the crocus are in full bloom.

Intricate details inside the flowers...

so pretty.

My wardrobe is quite neutral and prints do not play a big role in garments

mostly they appear in scarves.

Many women at the club where I play bridge are wearing bright printed tops.

Seeing these colourful tops is rather uplifting

especially after all the cold ice and snow.

These pretty tops are like a breath of fresh air.

Perusing the shops for some inspiration

and perhaps a colourful new scarf

I decided that I could break out of my comfort zone and buy a printed top.

Not sure that i want to invest a lot of money on what I think is a trend...

So, 

I went thrift shopping.

The price is just a wee bit more than the cost of a vente latte at Starbucks!

Tunic top

black background

soft pink and blue floral print.

Feminine Bell sleeves

I plan to wear it with some bangles and bracelets.

Brass accents on the ties.

I plan to wear this tunic top with the black Eileen Fisher skinny ponte knit pants 

or the black Hue leggings.

Have you embraced prints in your wardrobe?

Are you looking for anything new for your wardrobe?

Have you been able to access your Instagram account today?

I cannot use mine and I realize just how much time I spend looking at it!

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~