Pottering with paint...

It was a glorious day yesterday!
Looking out the windows from The Humble Bungalow
I felt energized.

The sun was out and the shadows danced across the garden throughout the day.
Warmer than it has been and just that hint that Spring might not be too far off.
Days like this beckon me to go out and potter about in the garden...
there are so many bulbs up that they look as if they will bloom early this year.

Keeping cozy and cocooning indoors I felt antsy...
it's a difficult task for me not being able to go out and about as I am so accustomed.

I started a knitting project and read a few chapters in my book, drank several cups of tea and yet I felt the need to do something more.

I wandered downstairs and found myself in my hobby room browsing through my favourite decor magazines.
It was lovely sitting with the cats playing at my feet...

My easel beckoned
it's been awhile since I have picked up a brush and one cannot force artistic expression.
It needs to flow from deep within, and when the time is right things seem to come together.

Roses!

Thank you all for your lovely and encouraging comments.

I feel snug and spoiled by your get well wishes.

Wishing you a weekend full of delight.

Treat yourself and indulge in something nice...

Be well

Hostess

XO

Taking it easy...doctor's orders!

A few posts back I was lamenting about having the flu and feeling rather sorry for myself.
Fever, chills, aches and a wracking cough.
Dearest reader I went to the clinic last Sunday evening
only to discover that what I actually had was bacterial pneumonia.

I have been taking life easy and following doctor's orders.
As one might expect I am on antibiotics as this is something the medical profession don't mess around with.
I can report that I am improving each day.
Work has taken a back burner and I am going to be off until I get the all clear from my GP.

This is my 3rd bout with this illness although it has been over 10 years since my last episode.
We all seem to have an area of weakness and it would appear that mine are my lungs.

this fragrant bouquet was delivered by my lovely DIL and our bonny red headed grand daughter 

Little Miss Isla

who while bouncing up and down with excitement said

 "Flowers ~ Happy ~ Flowers ~ Happy!"

A more welcome delivery I cannot imagine.

I have discovered something that many of you may or may not not know

 You Tube has movies 

 all one needs to do is click on them to open them and they are there in their entirety!

Some films that I would have liked to view were only available in the US.

Object of Beauty is one such film and I remember enjoying it so much when it first came out that I saw it twice.

I have watched some of my favourites;

Sense and Sensibility

Enchanted April

A Room with a View

I do adore a period drama.

I suppose that is why Downton Abbey has such appeal.

Mr. HB has been making the rounds to the market to keep us stocked in food.

Homemade soups have been such a comfort and so very easy to heat up and serve.

My appetite has been minimal

which has resulted in some immediate weight loss

which I must confess has given me a jump start ~ encouragement on my goal to shed a few pounds.

Reading in between movies I got into Tatler and devoured it cover to cover.

Thanks again to Natalie!

Mother popped over ever so briefly and dropped off this novel

It's Maeve's last book as it was finished just weeks prior to her death in July 2012.

I have done some shopping and online browsing.

Nordstroms have an amazing selection of SHOES....

so tempting

~ ~ ~

New fresh cotton towels from Lands End

should be on their way.

White towels are The Humble Bungalow standard issue.

White towels never stay snow white for me as I refuse to use chlorine bleach.

The fish and environment may thank me and so might the towel makers!

I am getting a bit antsy and would dearly love to bundle up and go for a walk around the block.

Instead I have opened my bedroom windows to let some fresh air inside and closed to door to usher out the germs.

I hope that you are keeping well and in good spirits.

Do me a favour and go for a walk for me!

 ~ Thanks so much for popping by ~

Have a fabulous weekend!

Hostess

All in a days work...

It's a home day today.
The weather is grey and gloomy and there is a chill in the air.
The kettle has been whistling merrily several times and tea is plentiful and soothing.

I gave my boots a lick and a polish to keep them looking good.

These have served me well for the past few years and I hope they will continue to do so.

I am a firm believer of maintaining things.

Even if you have but one pair of boots they should always look their best.

Is it just me or do your oven mitts get grubby?

I cannot abide a gooey glove.

Cashmere needs to be kept clean or the moths will go to town and feast on the yarn.

The new LG machine has a delicate wool setting and I tried it out.

The sweater was placed in a mesh bag and laundered.

It came out wonderfully!

It's not a dark and dingy space anymore.

I have a view out to the garden and the heated floors make it a cozy place.

Things are looking rather mossy and damp

typical for our January weather.

Chester is eager to get in on the action.

He is more of an onlooker than a doer.

He very nearly ended up at the vets this morning when he climbed into the dryer when my back was turned and I started the dryer only to hear some large banging sounds...

in a load of towels I thought that's weird and immediately investigated

 am I ever glad I stopped it to check.

He seemed totally un-phased by the experience 

I do hope that this has taught him a lesson.

9 lives

1 down

8 to go.

How is the weather where you live?

Hostess

Thinking of roses

It's that time of year when we rose growers (rosarians) put on our rose warrior gloves and have a gay old time with our ancient but trusty Felco secateurs.
(Don't neglect to sharpen them for clean healthy cuts.)
Pruning roses does require some expertise...
cutting wildly and willy nilly just does not cut it, pardon the pun.
Slim Paley recently posted an image on facebook of one of her roses after it was pruned...she is a hard pruner.
Many of my gardener friends prune hard, I am timid.

I follow the 3 D rules for rose pruning:
Prune for DESIGN (shape)
DEAD wood must go as well as any DISEASED stalks.
that's the basics and of course one needs to cut on the correct angles which you can read about more here.

Jude The Obscure

a David Austin variety rose

my all time favourite

apricot turning to blush

repeat bloomer 

heavy fragrance

grows quite large

prolific bloomer

Growing roses rather gets under ones skin

its starts out quite innocently and then before you know it you are ordering catalogues

seeking out the finest varieties

some old, some new

and are always on the look out for more.

More is more when it comes to roses.

I have always got a space in The Humble Bungalow garden for another rose!

I asked Slim for her favourite rose and she gave me three 

Sterling

Yves Piaget

Golden Mustard

I googled these roses and funny thing...Golden Mustard images were Slim's own!

I've ordered my David Austin catalogue and hope to choose a new rose.

I have specific requirements when I buy a rose...

it must be a repeat bloomer

be heavily scented

 have deep cups of multiple petals

and grow in a garden which has clay soil.

Abraham Darby

reliable and such an intoxicating fragrance

an old rose

(I forget it's name)

thorny stems compact shallow cups 

bourbon scent

Jacob's coat

a climbing variety

masses of blooms

and the rose turns many colours!

Constance Spry

a stalwart among roses

give her a structure to grow upon and she will ingratiate herself

Climbing Royal Sunset

another fabulous rose

this one is a hearty variety that is not deterred by the salty ocean breezes.

If you grow roses 

you must bring them inside to admire and enjoy.

I couldn't resist showing you another image of Jude!

Is this not a beauty?

I am smitten.

Gertrude Jekyll Rose

Did you know that roses love epsom salts?

Sprinkle a handfull around their roots once a month and water well

 from spring through summer and they will reward you with their blooms.

This rose was new last year and is getting established...

our clay soil has been mulched heavily by my garden helper Bobby

and I am hoping that this will make it easier for roses to get their roots well and truly stuck in.

what's nicer in the home than a vase of roses ?

name escapes me and there is no tag on the rose

this one is better left in the garden as it wilts so quickly after picking

the bees just love it!

If you have never grown roses please do not be intimidated

they are reliable provided you give them the basics

they are heavy feeders so give them some quality soil and compost

and water them well

avoid watering at night as black spot likes it when the foliage is damp

early morning is best.

I received my first rose back in the 1980's

The Peace rose was a gift from a Victoria Rosarian who took all the awards and trophy's at the annual show.

Vi said if you want to grow a rose plant it, feed and water it...nurture and tend it like a child.

That Peace rose flourished and I won my only trophy for best bloom in show the year I entered it.

Rose growers are always happy to share their knowledge and love to show off their plants.

Join a garden club and you'll find the most interesting people!

Their garden sales are full of garden cuttings and plants for next to nothing.

The VHS motto is share what you know and show what you grow.

I hope that I have inspired you to think about roses today.

Take care and thank you for stopping by!

Hostess

Dreaming in sea foam...nothing out of the ordinary.

My favourite shade is green, I love all forms of green from chartreuse to sea foam.
There's something so ethereal about sea foam, aquatic and organic.

What colours speak to you?

It may surprise you to know that I have a small collection of vintage beach floats in sea foam green.
I've always hoped that I would come across one washed up on the beach some day but I have yet to experience the joy of finding one....so I did what many people do. I went shopping on the internet to ebay and I found a few.
Since my original purchase several years ago I have come across a few in the antique malls and the odd vintage shop.

I usually keep them in a first nations basket on the buffet.
To show them at their best I placed them in my sea foam pottery bowl.

I used up the last of my Diptyque candle this week.

so I pulled out this lovely votive

 Aveda's signature Shampure scent

this wick is just waiting to be lit this evening

simple and elegant

it's the little things

that make my ordinary life richer

I hope to have a quiet restorative weekend

maybe a sleep in and an afternoon nap

(what a luxury!)

I cannot tell a lie

I have the flu

So I am hydrating like mad and reading while resting.

What wonderful things have you got planned for your weekend?

Please do tell!