Bonjour Happiness!

Jamie Cat Callan's new book Bonjour Happiness is delicious...
I have not quite finished it yet...
and honestly
I don't want it to end
I am savouring every chapter and taking notes.

Her book has come into my life at the exact moment that I desperately needed it...
her words feel like a life preserver and I am hanging onto every word for dear life.

She interviewed many French women

while living in France

and 

writes about their conversations

shares "secrets" about French women 

and 

all the while she gently guides us on our search to finding our own personal

"joie de vivre"

Honest, clever, entertaining, poignant, and personal

are a few words that spring to mind

when commenting on Jamie's work.

I hope that you'll enjoy reading it.

Pepper doesn't like it when I read too long

she gets into mischief

it's not unlike the early days of motherhood 

when I would have a phone conversation

the days before portable phones 

with only a short 6 foot cord

 my radius of supervising was limited

the children would unravel the T.P.

crayon on the walls

or 

start asking for a snack 

that would necessitate saying goodbye and ending the call

5 minutes just for me

were few and far between

now it's the opposite

those days were such a rich and simple time

 I now look back on them and shed a tear

any guesses as to what this might be?

I can tell you what it used to be...

my bookmark!

Now it's Pepper's plaything

she has bent it and left it lying on the bed

after she got bored with it...

I heard some rustling sounds coming from the dining room and thought that I had better investigate...

I caught her in the act...

Pepper is testing out the First Nations Baskets

one was too small, one was too big and one was just right!

she does have a guilty look about her

she had to jump up on the dining room table

leap through the air to land on the buffet 

and then another jump up to the shelf

Not unlike this kitten

who could be Pepper's sibling

I needed a pick me up today...

(I know it's not on my new eating regime)

some days are of the sad variety

and

a little self indulgence is called for

luckily for me not many

chocolates

or 

sad days.

Thank goodness for Jamie

she is perking me up...

that and the fact that I went for a very long walk in the rain

it was truly a challenge to put down her book and put on my raincoat

I felt better breathing in the salt air and listening to the waves as they crashed upon the shore.

Books....with a French flavour

I love books...and have a stack of them at my bedside just waiting to be read...
but something new has come along that will be going right to the top of the pile!

What can be better than receiving an advanced copy sent by the author herself?

Jamie Cat Callan 

had a "name her cat" contest  

I entered with the name Mister Pickles and she chose that very name!

This excerpt is on the back cover...

ooh la la

it makes me want to stay in bed and read all day!

look at her Parisian note card!

French Women Don't Sleep Alone was her previous book

and it was a delicious read 

of all things girly and French...

 Jamie

is a vivacious and fun loving gal with a real zest for life

she has a blog called Bonjour Happiness

stop by and say hi.

Thank you Jamie!

Blog Love...a heavy heart and gratitude.

Fellow blogger Jeanne of Collage of Life
recently posted on
Blog Love

            
                                           and passed it on to many, myself included



Thank you Jeanne!

The rules are simple:

1.  Post the image and add a link from the first blog post
2.  Share the Love and pass it on...

                                        
                                                        The Humble Bungalow

I would like to pass Blog Love onto 10 bloggers
please do not feel left out if I haven't linked your blog here
I regularly visit all the blogs on my Blog Roll
which incidentally had disappeared and has been reinstated.

Lisa

Tish

Blighty

Tabitha

Fiona

Annie

Janet

Adrienne

Rosemary

Belinda

I invite you to join in and pass it along if you are so inclined, and if you are not interested
or find yourself particularly busy...so be it.



The news from Japan is shocking...
I am finding words are hard to come by after seeing the horrific devastation following the 8.9 magnitude earthquake and tsunami...it is so unbelievably overwhelming...my heart feels very heavy.

I am having difficulty grasping the scope and magnitude of this event
the loss of lives increases with every news update...and the destruction is so widespread...

thank goodness so many countries are rushing equipment, supplies and aid
it is going to take a united and committed community to clean up and rebuild the infrastructure...

Gratitude has been uppermost in my mind these past few days.

The roof over my head, the food in my belly, running water and the warm bed that I lay in...
and the knowledge that my family here is near and safe.

In view of the fact that we live in a zone known for earthquakes we have always taken out a policy for earthquake insurance for our home.
Whenever we have a quake I always wonder if this is going to be the "Big One" that the seismologists have been predicting.
The thought fills me with sheer terror...

I am at a loss as to why I have not put together an emergency kit and stored it out in the garden shed.
I will be assembling one in the next few weeks...

Candles and matches

firewood

 heat 

via fire

outside in a makeshift firepit 

or 

inside in the fireplace

a wind up flashlight

and radio

the radio is downstairs somewhere...

it should be all together in one place

we'll also need 

canned food

bottled water = 2 litres a day per person

cat food !

first aid kit

hand sanitizer

water purifying tablets

 medications

toiletries

warm blankets

TP

cooking pot

and 

dishes, utensils

a manual can opener

whistle

duct tape

garbage bags

tools

work gloves

warm clothing

boots

and it has been suggested 

that cash will come in handy as bank machines and credit cards won't be working

 This information is from the website from 

The Government of Canada

Be Well

and 

Keep Safe

Beastly weather...and snippets of Spring

Spring is on the horizon and there are hints if you just take the time to notice.
I ventured out into the garden camera in hand
raindrops sprinkled and wind tossed my hair...

I managed to capture a few images before I was chased back inside by the inclement weather.

Primula

in 

Orange

Did you know that Yellow Primulas have a scent?

sweet and intoxicating

if you don't believe me sniff one after a rainfall!

Crocus almost ready to open

Yellow daffodils 

for me

are the consummate harbinger of Spring.

Yellow against the backdrop of brown or black or perhaps grey

POPS!

Sandstone rock

from a BC Gulf Island

placed in the garden

for 

texture and interest...

It was too stormy to stay outside 

so 

I am showing some details from the lower level of the Humble Bungalow.

Vintage keys

we have a few doors with locks

and the keys at the bottom and left

work in these locks

 crystal "snowflake"

and round suncatcher prism

with 

 clock keys

I find that the old and antique keys have an appeal 

that todays keys seem to be missing...

am I the only one with this thought?

Vintage clock winder keys 

sit atop

 an antique country cupboard

Tiffany makes jewelry with sterling keys

would you wear a key?

Crystals on a tarnished silver tray

tarnished?

just because.

 matte white collection

I have heard it said that elephant ornaments are good luck 

only if their trunks are up in the air...

Fishing float

these are found on beaches on the rugged westcoast

and all the way up into Alaska

blown glass with a pontil on the bottom

Bowl of floats

I planned to have a pond in the garden awhile back 

and 

I thought it would be fun to float these on the surface...

we gave up the idea of a pond

and have put in raised veggie beds.

The price of fresh vegetables has risen so much in the last couple of weeks.

I think it must be the price of gas and that bad weather in Mexico and California.

Have you noticed?

The 100 Mile Diet is going to come in handy.

I gasped when I saw zuchini at $3.99 a kilogram

we grew 3 plants last season and had a wonderful crop

I picked them when they were small and tender

and we enjoyed them so much

now 

I wish I had frozen some.

It's positively beastly outside

I have made a hearty chili and that will warm us up

and there will be leftovers for tomorrow night too.

I am still very much in love with Le Creuset

this dutch oven cooker

is so versatile 

cooks on top the range 

or stews away inside the oven

It's heavy 

 the way I look at it is

I get in a wee bit of weight/strength training 

toting them about

and they last forever!

Doesn't it look pretty next to Pepper's kitty grass?

She has discovered the grass and nibbled a bit of it

but much prefers tulip bouquets.

I can only wonder what she will do 

in the Summer

when I invite copious amounts of David Austin Roses inside

they are my passion

and 

I adore arranging large billowy bouquets 

and 

placing roses in every room of the Bungalow.

I think Mr. HB and I will be viewing 

a few more episodes tonight

we loved it ages ago

and

guess what

we still love it today!

Dear friends have gone off to the Jolly UK

for 6 weeks

so they have loaned us some of their classic videos.

Wherever you are

I am sending thanks to you

for stopping by 

and spending a few minutes 

visiting the Humble Bungalow.

Hugs from the Hostess

XO

Wisdom comes with age...polishing the bumps and enjoying the blooms.

I used to suffer with a manic condition of collecting things...
vintage collectibles mostly
adornments
fripperies
arts and crafts...

copper was a favourite of mine.

I would attend every local antique fair and some farther afield
I'd get up early on weekend mornings newspaper in one hand, coffee mug in the other
to peruse garage sales with a greedy eye...

not an eye that I am particularly proud of...
greed stinks in all forms

I am distancing myself from greed and manic behaviours...
I am reforming and reinventing this body and mind
there's nothing like turning 56 to give one some well needed clarity.


I used to get very excited at the thrill of the hunt,
sometimes my pulse would even race.
I know I drove rather recklessly through suburban streets looking for sales
and often parked on the wrong side of the street and frequently blocked driveways
I  am the fan of all things safe
and obediently obey and observe rules and who only drives Volvos
those reputable Swedish Safety Stars.

I would be rushing...speeding
hurling myself forward towards the prize...
it might be a lowly trinket or a treasure to behold.

My wallet was halfway open as I approached the vendor...spilling change in my wake with not even a backwards glance...
I'd put on my buyers face...one that would not reveal desperation or excitement
I'd pretend I didn't know the maker or the mark...
I would admit only to be smitten by the piece itself...
and play dumb.

I'd be calm incarnate...blase...impress me if you can!

Whatever was I thinking and why the act?
In hindsight I feel shame.

Curiously I have little to no desire of acquiring more "things"
maybe I have enough stuff now, and I am just over it.

I am moving more mindfully
slower
savouring
and paying attention to what motivates me.

I know in my heart of hearts that stuff does not = happiness
I must have known this forever
but maybe tested the waters....

I am actually trying to pare down...
I am approaching this cautiously and methodically.

The journey to minimalism will take awhile...
not because I don't desire the transformation
simply because I need to reassess and address what I am ridding and why.

I feel that this transformation is necessary
as we advance in age we get closer to death
we rub shoulders with our mortality
and often we experience moments of crystal clarity
the kind that stops you in your tracks...

what I take away with me is what I came into the world with...
and that is humbling in and of itself....


Look at this collection of copper!

Hand hammered

made by a craftsman 

named Peter

a

lovely patina

(original and unpolished)

useful vessels

but why buy 6

shouldn't 1 be sufficient?

I like the interesting detailed work

it feels organic.

This is the first one I bought

before the mania set in!

The copper family of vessels

gathered here are

all a little different...

subtle

and similar 

yet having a

uniqueness of their own.

I've put pines cones, lemons, limes, nuts, trinkets

and all manner of things inside these

and now because I have so many and such a small bungalow

I need to stack them inside each other!

and the sad and sorry truth is 

they hibernate inside the buffet in the dining room 

and rarely see the light of day

I wonder how I will manage to dispose of these...

they are interesting yet somewhat peculiar 

and 

would anyone would want to take them off my hands...

would they?

I'll keep one!

the first acquisition

the one that fueled my fancy

and sparked the mania

as a reminder

of things gone by...

If you collect arts and crafts copper 

you'll know that the original finish is what educated and prudent collectors demand

Polishing devalues the object substantially.

However

when it comes to my personal management

and routine

I employ polish with a fervour...

one day at a time.

Birthday gift 

Fresh Body Polish 

a hard working scrub

sloughing workhorse divine

with a delicious scent

just remember to rinse the tub out well after use 

or you'll be slipping and sliding 

and risking injury!

My newest favourite tool

Revlon's Crazy Shine

my nails have a shiny gleam all of their own

 buff and shine

quick as a wink...

instant gratification...for the impatient Hostess.

Beauty 

is a Phalaenopsis Orchid

 putting on an annual fuchsia flourish

these blooms will last for about 3 months before dropping off

I have put this up high away from Pepper or she'd be pulling them off.

I noticed that she'd pulled another tulip bloom from the birthday bouquet

it was lying on the carpet with a few teeth marks on the petals.

Life is never dull here in the Humble Bungalow

and there's always room for improvement

stay tuned for more deep thoughts

I am embracing change

in all forms...

Namaste