Looking, seeing and remembering...

What is this?

prisms of light

like little Junebugs flying in the forest of trees...

illuminating

a fall afternoon

on the walls of the Humble Bungalow

October 13th was my father's day of birth

he would have been 87 today

I am remembering him today

a man of few words

who never shunned a challenge

a learned scholar of life

a man of strength and conviction

with moral fortitude

he walked a path not always of his choosing

he sacrificed

he toiled

he never complained

but followed his destiny 

with his head held high

 plagued by ill health 

he chose his time 

he told the doctors

he'd had enough

I'll never know how hard a decision that must have been for him

I only know how hard it was for me.

I owe you a lot Dad

as you gave me much

and I am forever in your debt.

Thank you

I see lights today

they are not candles on a cake

but natural rays of beauty

and I post them in your honour

a simple beeswax pillar candle in a sterling dish

The largest of the flock of Ojibwa duck decoys that sit atop the Humble Bungalow mantle

For solace I connect with nature through a garden walkabout

camera in hand

the light is lovely

the white hydrangeas in the front garden

lattice shadows on the back deck 

lovely daughter made this for me when she took pottery classes

she must have been about 12 years old

I love it!

looking around the deck...

my sister brought this back from her travels

swiss chard hunkered down in the raised bed waiting for harvest

ornamental grass plants

I am a sucker for varigated foliage

back garden hydrangea

grown from a potted plant given to me when my father passed away

how timely it blooms

clematis still blooming today

what a trooper!

evidence of autumn

colours

muting and changing

heralding a season of change

a time to hunker down

and layer on warm wooly sweaters

and cocoon in the warmth of the hearth and home.

Stay snug, stay close, and hug often.

AH-CHOO...

I am not good at being sick

in fact 

I am the most impatient patient

the Bungalow has ever seen.

When the flu or the common cold strike

 I don my nurses cap and gear up to practise medicine

the only way I know

in a holistic and natural way

employing organic and healthy tonics and salves

Nom Jim cough syrup

Ginseng

hot honey and lemon

chewable zinc with vitamin C

hot water bottles

cold cloths

TLC

and the best ammunition

the biggest gun in the west

homemade chicken soup.

Mr. HB is stoic and brave and complains very little when he is under the weather

(I'd like him to let me "baby" him)

before they left home

my children would be happy to lie in front of the TV snuggled under their puffy duvets 

and they allowed me to dote on them

in fact I think they thrived on it!

I would attend to their every whim

buy them treats

( they had to be genuinely ill, not faking it for a day off school)

I have been sneezing all day

my throat feels scratchy

and my nose feels full 

like a wad of cotton wool is hiding inside

so....

On the way home I picked up some chicken bones

 for making soup and stock

I like the breasts and backs for this purpose

and in case you have never bought these they are a bargain

  $3.00

for the 3 packages that I bought.

Humble Bungalow 

Chicken Soup

In a large pot put bones in 6 cups water in to boil

add several diced peeled carrots and simmer for an hour

then

separate bones from stock

Saute 1-2 large diced onions in a knob of butter until soft

cool until you can work with the bones without burning your hands

add chicken stock to the onions

add the cooked carrots

debone and add the chicken bits to thje pot

stir and season

I use about 2 teaspoons of salt

and a tablespoon of Herbes de Provence

and a generous grind of fresh pepper

stir and bring to a boil

add 2 cups dry noodles

Stir and simmer 

until noodles are soft

adding more water if necessary

Serve

and get well soon!

I think tomorrow will be a PJ Day for me...

stay home all day, read my book, blogs, drink tea, sup soup and maybe catch a chick flick on TV.

a day of rest.....

Monday was a lazy day here in the Humble Bungalow...
slept until almost 9am
coffee and blog reading
a few loads of laundry...
tablecloth and napkins
an invitation to ride in Mr. HB's BMW top down...
sun came out
a lunch date...!

I am wearing my skinny jeans, and new boots...

white tank, grey cardigan and Lanvin scarf

silver ring

the sales clerk at the Vancouver Hermes store had a silver ring on her scarf 

I admired it and told her how lovely it looked

I was surprised to find that it was not a vintage Hermes ring

so

I have taken a page out of her book and copied

if you look very closely you can see the camera as I zone in on the ring!

did a bit of grocery shopping after lunch

dinner 

casual fare at home

Canucks on TV

a glass of bubbly

Prosecco

F.Y.I.

 update on my glasses

 the follow up on the scratched lens fiasco on my Fendi's...

it is not good news

to replace one lens is $395

they are progressive & coated 

so...

I am wearing my old prescription 

seeing things in a dim light and somewhat fuzzy 

so...

I have ordered a new lens

it will be a few weeks

 and I'll be seeing life more clearly

(new lens= Hermes scarf)

I've bought a lottery ticket

do you know anyone who has ever won?

Thanksgiving weekend menu ...part 2

Humble Bungalow Thanksgiving Family Brunch

On the menu:
Baked ham, mushrooms, oven roasted potato wedges, egg and cheese frittata, fruit salad, croissants, english muffins, cream cheese, lox and sliced tomatoes. Assorted juices, coffee and pumpkin pie for dessert.

I have captured some images of the prep...
I knew that I would be too engaged in cooking and serving to grab my camera...
besides I do not want to miss any of the fun with the family here.

Meet my crystal trifle bowl

today it holds a simple fresh fruit salad

Cream cheese, tomatoes, and lox with fresh dill

croissants

as requested by our son

Thank you Faux Fuchsia for the inspiration

elevating Ham to a new level of yumminess

I substituted orange marmalade for the lime marmalade that the recipe called for...

Simple 

spuds mushrooms

tossed lightly in olive oil then sprinkled with salt and pepper

Bake until spuds are fork tender

and golden

Eggy cheese frittata

look how it puffs up

cooks very fast in the convection oven so keep watch

Brunch

Bungalow style

My sister came bearing a bouquet of dahlias and salal

and a jar of her delicious homemade antipasto

(I am saving it for a rainy day when I need a pick me up)

 mom brought a posy of chrysanthemums

and lovely DIL and son brought calla lilies and bells of Ireland with ferns and baby's breath

look!

I love white and chartruese together

I dressed casual today

I wanted to be comfortable 

and washable

in case of splattering

Black sequined flats, leggings,

cream top, black long vest

and the obligatory apron

I am a messy cook

Debra Kay Chambers

 necklace 

The weather forecast was prediciting rain all weekend

and we had a warm and sunny day

such an unexpected gift

 after brunch the Mom's went home

and we popped lovely Isla in Grammy's pram and went for a walk along the waterfront

You cannot see Isla but she really is in the pram and she loved the ride

maybe not as much as Grammy did though!

Mr. HB and I had leftovers tonight.

I am feeling weary

it's a good kind of tired

the kind that comes from planning and putting something together

and then in a blink of an eye it's over...

and I think 

I want to do it all over again

real soon

I made a pot of peppermint tea

and am on my 3rd cup

the tea has gone cold

I can't bring myself to turn in just yet

I want to look at all the pictures that I took of my family today

 the ones of our Moms

the kids

my sister

Mr. HB

and lovely Isla

Precious moments

that you can never get back

just look ahead

for more...

it does my heart good.

Sweet dreams

Thanksgiving weekend menu...part 1.

Thanksgiving Greetings,

You might be surprised to read this but I am not cooking a Thanksgiving turkey this weekend.
I hosted a small dinner party for friends...
the family brunch to follow another day...

Upon the guests arrival we sipped on lemon drop martinis

munched on tapenaude,
hummus,
carrot sticks,
cucumber slices,
Red Leicester cheese and crackers.

At the dining table we started with a cocktail of fresh shrimp atop a bed of torn romaine lettuce, served with a lemon wedge and a dollop of seafood sauce,
for the main course baked chicken breasts stuffed with goat cheese topped with red pepper pesto,
sauteed green beans, chanterelles and button mushrooms gently braised in butter,
and crispy oven baked potato slices.

Red and white wines were offered as well as sparkling mineral water for the designated drivers.

Dessert was a rich chocolate mousse served in ramekins upon which I popped a few fresh raspberries.
I love the marriage of raspberries and chocolate.

Freshly brewed orange pekoe and spearmint tea capped the evening off...
we sat and chatted....the range of conversation ran the gamut...
topics that were near and dear ever so close to our hearts...
there was a comfortable sharing of intimate tidbits of life with trusted friends.
Not surprising, eldercare issues were a common thread linking us all.
Tears welled up in my eyes...threatening to spill...and glancing the faces of my most cherished friends I knew it was going to be alright.

Our children, grandchildren, real estate ventures,  stock market, business, travel and work...all took  the stage as we related the poignant, sometimes troubled, frequently funny diaramas that define our existence.
Owning and embracing our paths as they curve and weave through every day life...not always the happy endings or outcomes that we might wish for, but grateful for the fact that we are alive and able to feel deeply, the sometimes raw emotions that move and shake us to our very core.

The Arts and Crafts English Westminster clock chimed to remind us that it was it was the Cinderella Hour...
we all stop and look at each other...
plans are in place for tomorrow...
it's Thanksgiving weekend...
one couple are off to their oceanfront home on a Gulf Island and have an early ferry to catch,
the other couple are expecting 21 for dinner...
our guests took their leave and depart...

As an experienced Hostess...I would like to share one of the things that I feel is of utmost importance...
Spend as much time with your guests as you possibly can...prep ahead and make dishes that are easy so that you do not have to be in the kitchen too long.

I do not like to make a lot of noise rattling around in the kitchen either...I like to put away any food that might spoil and stack the dishes but do not spend much time in the kitchen in "tidy mode"...
I have a butlers door which I could close but I do not have a butler....if I did, I would have to say dear Jeeves please clean up but be as quiet as a mouse as we do not live in a very large house.

I wait until after my guests have departed before loading up the dishwasher and scrubbing any pot and pans...
Mr. HB assists and we have a recap and a nightcap before heading off to bed.

The exception to this "rule" would be an "all family get together" where we gals roll up our sleeves and get in the kitchen together to laugh, chat and share a little bit of local gossip... there are secrets shared and we often catch ourselves as we divulge information about our spouses...
supportive hugs are given freely...
tears have been shed, health issues have played a role...cancer has touched our lives several times...
all seems as it should be when we go through the motions of homekeeping and domestics...


We put the first of several loads into the dishwasher, package up dinners for the Moms to take home....
this might surprise you to know that this is penultimate quality family female bonding...
Humble Bungalow Style

Hugs from the Hostess.