Giving Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving!

Our neighbours to the south in the USA will be celebrating and giving thanks today.
It's a reminder for us to count our blessings.

Being thankful is something that I try to do each and every day.
Gratitude is a powerful tool...
it's especially important as it brings perspective and humility.

We have much to be thankful for and one does not need to go far to see that.

It might be the homeless person on the street whose hands are out
the young child who comes to school hungry
or the confused elderly woman in the grocery store who is having trouble figuring out what to put back as she does not have enough money to pay for all the groceries.

Take a moment 

and pause...

I'm remembering my father today

as families gather to share a meal

there are many loved ones who will be missed...

reflect and give thanks

not just today

but everyday

for the rest of your life 

for as long as you live

it's very humbling

 (I'll get down from my soap box now and stop pontificating!)

Happy Thanksgiving.

Hostess

XO

Une femme d'un certain age: Show Us The Brooches!

Une femme d'un certain age: Show Us The Brooches!

Brooches and Pins over at Une Femme

Une Femme asked us to join her today and show some of our favourite brooches and pins.
I chose two of my favourites, both are vintage and sparkly, made with rhinestones by the Canadian company Sherman.

Mother has many demi parure sets given to her by father for various birthdays and Christmases. These were sold through Birks a Canadian jeweler that is still in business.

My husband gave me the clear one and my MIL gave me the pink one.
I do like a bit of bling for evening, especially over the festive holiday season.

Care to join une femme today?

Hasty post OOTD

The slumber of fall has crept in and settled ever so slowly...
it's possibly fatigue, the flu or that desire to cocoon and hibernate.
Bedtime beckons early and in the name of sanity and beauty rest I listen and do.

So it's a hasty morning post that finds me snapping a few shots of my OOTD.
A cozy chill chasing remedy to the early morning damp...
which can be likened to a foggy patch of gloom.
(it sounds so much better when Tabitha speaks of it on her Scottish soil!)

Don't you love her way with words?
and that wit...

Boots

black leggings

black tunic top 

dark blue long wool vest

laundry hanging in the background and a sneaky kitten Chester!

My hairdresser did a bang up job layering the ends of my bob

it's got way more curl and I am loving it.

Sherman butterfly pin

a gift from my MIL many moons ago

As I said this must be a hasty post

duty calls...

Now off you go and have yourselves a delightful day and keep your chin up.

Hugs from the Hostess

XO

Stormy Sunday

The wind is howling, blowing a gale and I really felt like staying inside.
I could have stayed in bed all day and read but Mr. HB was busy downstairs putting the 3rd coat of Simply White Benjamin Moore paint on the walls.
One cannot let the team down and laze about all day.
I feel the need to fuel the man I love and so I got busy.

"Nothin says lovin like somethin from the oven!"
Do you remember that ad from Pillsbury?
Amazing ad men/women and their slogans infiltrated our homes via the TV.
I am sure that I am not alone in remembering their songs and catchy lines.
I found a site that has a list of them...in case you've forgotten.

Dressed in my black Yoga pants, a casual tank and a warm LULU hoodie ~ my OOTD.
Oh and I had an apron over top as I messed about in the kitchen.
Messy is my habit when cooking or baking,
many garments have been mortally wounded when I forget to get my uniform on!

There is a "party of two" in The Humble Bungalow.

Ina likes to cook for her husband and she makes him some wonderful meals.

I have tried and really enjoy her chicken pot pie, it's comforting on a stormy night.

She has a tasty rustic Apple Crostata dessert that I have always meant to bake

but never quite got around to it until today.

It's a snap to make using the food processor.

the pastry recipe makes enough for two tortes

one gets put in a plastic bag and frozen for future use

a couple of large apples sliced

some grated orange rind

are piled atop an 11 inch pastry round leaving 1 and 1/2 inch border

which is then folded up over top of the apples

a crumbly topping 

consisting of cinnamon allspice flour sugar and butter

goes on top

baked on parchment paper

at 450 for 20 minutes until golden

I think I'll serve it with a dollop of coconut Greek yogurt.

You can find the recipe here.

On the menu for tonight is honey glazed chicken

served over rice

with wilted spinach and stir fried red peppers.

Mr. HB has a roaring fire going in the fireplace

we are both relaxing in the living room

he reading his current novel on his IPAD 

and I'm blogging on my laptop.

If only I had some Harvey's Bristol Cream...

~ ~ ~

Keep Warm