Hostess Whites...and links to whites should you choose to go there.

White Wednesday is challenging...
I love black with white and there is a surprising amount of black here in the Bungalow...
Hermes, Breadtins, teacups....and beyond.

White Wednesdays may not be around long here!

Abyss towels

thick and absorbant

and Bungalow Basics

bath salts and soap

Super emollient skincare

the in house favourite

by

Dr. Hauschka

Canadian 

Guelph Ontario Soap Co.

Scented bath salts

go here for the recipe

Fragrant organic 

Lavender Orange Lotion

by

 Island Essentials

St. Geneve

soft and silky chemise

cool and sumptuous

(oops look away, it needs ironing!)

Home of the Hutterite Down Duvet

LaJord

the duvet which keeps us cozy here in the Bungalow.

 Oar

distressed

 hanging about in the guest room

which has a slight beachy theme...

Bowl of white roses

on a black background

I ask you...

would an all white painting be interesting

or 

would it be a canvas awaiting a smattering of colour?

 Hostess

XO

Chill chasing soup...

BRRR..... it feels cold here in the Bungalow
it's been raining all day
grey skies
puddles
gutters gurgling
raindrops on the window panes.

I am longing for sunshine and heat!

A lot of domestics were accomplished inside the Bungalow...
no sitting around pouting or thinking of saddness...
picking up a duster and sweeping away the cobwebs
the Garden will have to wait for better weather...
it'll wait!

Mother and I went out shopping and errands and I came home chilled to the bone...
the damp is rising...

After a pot of tea I was still chilly so I put on my green cashmere Club Monaco scarf
and cranked up the heat. Whatever did people do before central heating?

What is needed is a bowl of some chill chasing soup.

The trusty Soup book

which I use as a guideline

Lucky for me that I had this huge cauliflower on hand.

Spices

Herbs de Provence 

Salt and Pepper

loosely measure

taste later and add more if needed

cook the cauliflower in the broth until soft

20 minutes

Braun Master

purees the soup while in the pot

no need for the food processor when this guy is on the job!

When I tasted the soup it was bland-ish

so I added some curry powder

about 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons was enough.

(heat on the inside)

Simmer for another 30 minutes

I served this with some grilled cheese sandwiches

(comfort food)

A hot bath in Epsom Salts

 a warm bed cozy under the duvet

 a good book 

are also excellent chill chasers.

Outfit of the day

OOTD

Ballet Flats Me Too

Ponte knit black leggings Cleo

Cashmere Tunic top in dark grey BCBG

(warm and cozy)

Vintage pin

Baroque pearl

black onyx

and 

rhinestones

(a gift from lovely daughter)

Hair half up

full face forward to greet the day

close up 

a little sparkle to chase the chill

All strategies to illuminate the day 

and to be warm and cozy when nature is sending us winds and rain.

Sending you warm thoughts and wishes

Hugs

from the Hostess

Lunch and other things...

Clothes Shopping is a regular and common practice for myself...it's almost a hobby.
Mr. HB takes shopping seriously, it's something more of a chore or a job that must be tackled.
He does a major shop twice a year and buys in bulk...trousers, shirts, ties and jackets.
All are put together in a mix and match fashion which can be worn for the next 6 months (at least).

He has a lot of meetings so he must look pulled together;  he is a partner in the firm and does have to look professional, which of course he does with his creative and arty eye and my love of shopping.

We went shopping this weekend and he did not find much to his liking.
He did buy 2 shirts and some casual wear...so another trip for business attire will be coming soon.

After traipsing about many shops he suggested lunch and I jumped at the chance!
One of his favourite foods is pasta and we were fortunate enough to find a table available at our favourite pasta place on the way home.

Mr. HB's Pasta Bolognese

he had a glass of locally brewed beer with this

Hostess's Penne with Peas and Gorgonzola

I indulged in a glass of Bacchus 

from a Cowichan Valley Vineyard

It was a delicious lunch 

when we came home we were both very sleepy!

This casual shirt exudes warm weather and says vacation to me.

Simple blue linen short sleeved shirt

I can see both of these worn aboard the Chris Craft 

or  lunching in a quaint seaside cafe.

Look at this postcard 

it is from the lovely blogger 

Jeanne

While Mr. HB napped with his current novel in hand

I read through recent magazines.

Pepper lay beside me in a patch of sunshine.

A day off to relax is so important

a day to spend

with someone you love

be it a friend

or 

family

 a day to focus

nurture 

and 

indulge

or

perhaps

spend it

helping others

ever mindfull

that we all must pay our dues.

Hermes and a vintage find...

Hostess Pearls

+

a mystery item

in Mother of Pearl

I found this Mother of Pearl piece in a vintage shop

I think it was a belt buckle in it's heyday.

When I spied it I had a light bulb moment...

I knew what it could be used for!

 NOT this

even though 

 it 

works!

H H H Hermes 

meet the scarf enhancer!

no tie required

easy peasy

a H H H H Happy pairing

 It works well if you want to you can use it with a small square 

like this silk olive green dotty scarf

(generic silk scarf = thrift shop find)

thread the ends though

pull to the back and secure with a knot.

A found item

which just popped out said "Hi Buy Me"

and 

something new and useful

has been born.

Enjoy your weekend pursuits whatever they may be....

Challenge yourself to look 

at things 

with new eyes

things are not always what they first appear to be...

Adapting a recipe...and Dabbling in paint

Catering to a crowd of calorie conscious women is tricky.
It necessitates offering smaller sizes so as to allow for sampling of a variety of foods and ultimately reduces waste.

How to do this?
Adapt recipes and their cooking times.

For an afternoon tea introducing a new baby...
I think it's easiest to keep things relaxed and simple...
Two teachers have newborns and the staff are putting together a group shower in the Library.

We are serving small scones with jam and clotted cream, a fruit platter, small sandwiches, a veggie tray and decorated mini cupcakes.
A variety of teas, black, green, herbal and milk, lemon wedges, sugar and honey.
It's always a good idea to have a large pitcher of water with sliced lemons on the table as well.

Place everything on a table laid with a pretty tablecloth...don't forget the flowers...they needn't be expensive just a cheery bunch in a simple vase.
You'll also need plates, cups and saucers and some pretty napkins...

Scones in miniature...

Best of Best of Bridge Cookbook

Cranberry Scone Recipe

I substituted blueberries for the cranberries...

Generously floured counter

I used a small jar as the "cutter" because all my others were too large

necessity is the mother of invention!

I had to use 2 pizza pans as well

so many scones so few cookie sheets!

Golden and ready to serve

I watched the oven very carefully so as not to burn these

instead of the 15-20 minutes that the recipe stated

I only needed 10 minutes.

I have packed them up in a large Tupperware container and they are good to go.

After all this baking I made a pot of Chai Tea

which is new to me and I love it.

I like it with milk and one sugar cube

I do not use sugar in other teas

just this one.

YUM!

I decided to play around with paint...

dabble if you will.

I have felt the urge ever since my girlfriend D. bought the Poppie painting...

just a little nudge was all it took

and so it goes...

Pepper was so funny when I was painting

She was leaping around, scratching and exploring all the corners

of

"my studio"

which is also 

"Pepper's Room"

she was a great companion!

I enjoyed her antics

she is such a great kitten

Pets really make a difference

do you agree?

I am also curious...

what hobbies do you engage in?