Bathing beauty...taking the waters.

Taking the waters...

a prescription for relaxation...

women over the centuries have enjoyed this ritual.

I think of Cleopatra luxuriating in her bath

possibly nibbling peeled grapes and being fanned.

Showers are quick and convenient...

they do the job

but if I am weary 

I prefer to indulge with a soak in the tub.

Showers are the considered to be the "greener" option

from a water conservation perspective

and we all need to be mindful of our natural resources

so I opt most days to shower.

Sunflower in the Humble Bungalow

I dream of soaking in the tub 

especially after a long stint of gardening.

It's a great way to unwind 

reclining and enjoying the warmth of the water

while

soothing weary muscles

My roses love epsom salts and so do I!

Pour a few cups under running water

in a tub

mix well 

soak and detoxify.

In the evening if I have had a particularly stressful day

I will indulge in a before bed bath

infused with a few drops of lavender oil

I lie back, breathe deeply and 

I find it calming and it prepares me for slumber.

Towels are a bathtime necessity

and I choose white

Ralph Lauren Towels of Egyptian cotton

for everyday and affordable

I bought these at 50% off the regular price

they work 

but I do not LOVE them.

Abyss Egyptian cotton towels

also for everyday use

 the luxe option

see how much thicker and fluffier they are

that is why they are so coveted 

and command such a high price!

I LOVE these!

In floor heating

keeps the cast iron tub water stay warmer longer!

If you have the option of installing heated floors I would encourage you to do it

our bathroom has no heat other than the flooring

so in the winter

it's definitely a must.

After "taking the waters"

I slather on an emollient cream after soaking 

and I feel rejuvenated.

Pure Shea butter 

is the richest cream

and I am happy to report it works wonders on my dry skin.

I hope that you have a wonderful weekend!

I'll be found toiling in the garden 

getting my patch ready for Fall,

and you can bet I'll be soaking

away those sore muscles

in salts!

Abkhazi Gardens...the Living Legacy of a Royal couple.

Gardeners love to visit gardens. We notice details, look at plant arrangements and combinations of plantings. We study the gardens "bones"... we look at how the gardener has tackled challenging areas. We observe the ornamentation and sculptures and where they have been situated. The style of birdbaths or statues, rock placements and water features...we soak it all in, some of us write notes or draw sketches.
(I take photos!)
We gardeners love garden tours and enjoy chatting with the gardeners themselves, there's a certain level of comfort and kinship in the garden that links us all. I suppose that's why so many of us regularly attend Horticultural talks and are card carrying members of Horticultural Societies and Clubs.
We appreciate the effort and hard work it takes to create and maintain a garden.
Large or small, gardens are a Labour of Love!

New plants are exciting!
Unusual colourings and varigations are coveted and eagerly sought after.
Trends are observed...currently grasses and drought tolerant plants are what the locals here are seeking.
Having said that, I must waste no more time blatthering on and get right down to the business at hand...

Abkhazi Gardens is one of my favourite spots to visit.
I would love to attend a wedding here...or a cocktail party on a warm evening in the summer.
I feel deeply moved when I am here...enriched and alive...
I feel the love of two people who claimed the space, worked side by side over many years and created this special garden...they have left us a legacy of loveliness...It's pure BLISS!

One meanders along the curving paths that weave their way through towering rhododendrums and azaleas.

Rocky outcroppings have dictated where the lawns and beds were established as evidenced by their placement as they sit today.

The garden is smallish at 1.4 acres, but one has a sense of privacy snug under the canopy of the Garry Oak trees with southerly views to the Straits of Juan de Fuca and the mountains of the Olympic Penninsula in Washington State.

A pair of resident turtles can be seen basking on the rocks in the sunshine.

 I am very passionate about it's history and the romance that made this garden what it is today.

Abkhazi Garden

The Abkhazi Gardens is best viewed in April and May as they are the peak times for the blooming of the rhodos and azaleas.
Lunch or tea can be taken in the original home or on the Terrace in full view of the lush garden.
It's a must see!

Spa-cation Hostess Style...

I spent a well earned day at the Spa soaking in the Mineral Pool and soothing my garden weary muscles...
several 4 hour days of intense gardening had my body complaining.
I dream of a strong gardener they way some may desire a lover......

My toes touchdown on the infloor heated tile.

Peru B Ruby by OPI

(my summer go-to shade)

The SPA 

has water, teas, snacks, Bento boxed lunches,

 steam room, sauna, mineral pool, hot tub, pool,

plush terry robes, showers, and an assortment of comforts to meet every need.

I go there because I get the best treatment 

 it's not cheap

it's a luxe treat

I make it part of my routine

and I save in other areas 

to make this happen.

It's a great tonic !

I am planning some major changes in the garden and have committed them to paper

I have discussed these with Mr. HB and he says he will help me!

It involves sod, moving some established Agapanthus Alba plants, digging up 2 roses that I will be putting on the boulevard for FREE!

I want a chartreuse and white border in one area...

Lady's Mantle, White Agapanthus

I need a larger green space

for croquet and play

I chopped up too much for bedding...

what was I thinking?

I am loving my Limelight Hydrangeas

they are greedy with water 

I adore their hue

I bought 3 last year and they are divine in their grouping

nudging each other.

The Lilac Asters are a mess

but they are abuzz with honey bees

so I am keeping them until they wilt

there is a problem with bees and many hives have collapsed

(such a concern)

so I am being GREEN

keeping the bees happy

hostessing

here in the Garden.

I'll dig them out in the Fall

no matter what season

or the weather conditions

there's a job to be done

if you have the pleasure of owning a garden.

(it's a life of work)

LOVE is more like it!

Humble Bungalow Kitchen...as requested!

Yesterday I posted about my kitchen sink and the lovelyand inspiring blogger Janet, over at The Gardener's Cottage asked to see more of my kitchen.
I went back into the arcived posts from January 23rd and found a few and then decided to recapture my kitchen this morning.
(I am flitting around camera in one hand, an mug of coffee in the other!)

East wall of kitchen, glimpses of  the dining room 

 a butler's door that swings both ways

is on the far left.

My floor is soft fir and is easily marked and pitted

I throw down rugs to keep it warm and add some vintage ambiance.

A modcon amid vintage 1913 arts and crafts

silver, recently polished, above the fridge gleaming!

The phone has a deep gurgle of a ring

as it thrums, I love it!

Bins which open are to the left hold onions and spuds

It is a sunny morning so I had to close the blinds to capture these images...

even with the dark fir it is a bright space when the sun is shining

it does become gloomy in the winter and I turn on more lights.

I am not the only dishwasher here...Kitchenaid is on the job too!

Pantry cupboard where I store food...it used to have an opening to the outside with a mesh screen

I suppose it was cold storage but we have boarded that up!

My kitchen nook

I blog from this arts and crafts table and bench seat

Our border and my talented friend Cheryl Fortier's acrylic

(I have 4 pieces of her work which I cherish)

she has a website www.cherylfortier.com

go and see her work

She and her husband are in Auvilar France on exchange until the Fall.

Shelves for cookbooks

Family room to the immediate right.

The Humble Bungalow is a small scale "working man's" home built in 1913

it is very modest.

When we purchased the Bungalow it was in need of a major overhaul

it had been rented out and neglected

we took it on and painstakingly restored it

 is now on the Heritage Registry and protected from the wrecking ball!

There were times when the children were teenagers and brought many friends home 

that I deeply desired a larger space

we even looked at some

now though,

 I see that it is a perfect retirement home for the two of us as we advance in age.

Contemplating contentment...

My kitchen windowsill

This is my view 

which is above my kitchen sink

My Shaw country sink 

the company has been making sinks since 1897

I spend hours here

I tend to ponder

when I am engaged in dishwashing

 or when washing and chopping vegetables

it's a form of meditation for me

a quiet respite 

a place of great comfort

my heart feels full in the kitchen

The Bungalow kitchen is really the hub

 of my home

(some say it's the hearth)

where do you feel most at home?