The very first day of retirement...

Day  One
and a recap of the events yesterday.

I am officially retired as of today!
It's been a couple of months short of 25 years with the school district.

Packing up and saying goodbye to my colleagues was difficult...
but I am THRILLED to be able to start a new chapter.

Last day of work OOTD

I wore this soft white and grey hued Hermes scarf 

 my grey Lands End cashmere cardigan 

 Gap 1969 boyfriend jeans and black Mee Too ballet flats.

I got a chuckle when I noticed that Chester had posed in the photo...

if you have been reading my blog for awhile you might remember that he hopped into the dryer 

when my back was turned and rode out a couple of spins when I turned the dryer on...

the noise and thumps were so loud I thought something was wrong with the brand new dryer

boy was he ever lucky!

I think that was one of his nine lives used up

Our BFF's met up with us last night and we went out on the town!

I used my my WW weekly Point Allowance and enjoyed a burger with yam fries...no bun!

The Bard and the Banker Pub

We arrived early as there was a special event...

The Royal Canadian Scottish Regiment

pipe and drum band were playing outside the entrance

to a crowd of tourists and locals.

Aren't these stunning?

Waterglass Studios designed and created all the light fixtures

Intricate details and period lamps 

 historic architecture 

all blend together to create a warm ambiance.

loved these white foxtail blooms

set inside tall crystal cylinders

I am a fan of bevelled glass

this section of the pub is quite cozy and private.

This morning

I ran several errands

shopped for groceries

 did some laundry and ironing.

I headed out to French Vanilla for the latest edition of Jeanne d'Arc Living

 when I was browsing the shop I found some gorgeous linen tea towels!

Sheila has such a flair for all things French

her shop is a treat to visit.

These are thick and plush and feel soft at the same time.

I adore linen towels...

It is lovely and hot outside.

The weekend weather forecast is favourable...

HOT and SUNNY!

Canada Day is being celebrated on July 1st...

there will be musical events and fireworks.

I hope you will be able to follow my Humble Bungalow Blog when Google Reader is disabled July 1st.

It should be an easy transition if you opt for Bloglovin

or you can follow me by email

or simply type in

www.hostessofthehumblebungalow.blogspot.com

into a search engine window and you should be able to keep in touch.

Thank you for popping by!

Simple scarf ~ Stuffed eggs ~ and an Orchid

Warning!
This post is not an upbeat one so you may want to click away...

It's been one of those weeks...
without getting into too much detail
work has been very tedious
so much so that it has reaffirmed my decision to retire!

On a cold grey and rainy day this week I wore all black...
RW and Co. black leggings (in their 3rd year and they still look great)
a Gilmour tunic top that swamps me a bit
and my Echo summer weight scarf.

~ So simple ~

take a rectangular long scarf

wrap it around your neck with the ends at the back

bring them around to the front and loop them loosely over the front of the scarf

one side gets looped a second time so the ends are at different lengths.

How easy is that?

I loosen it so that it sits lower rather than higher

in the summer when it is not chilly I do not like my neck to be warm.

I made my stuffed eggs with low fat mayonnaise.

(WW Point count friendly = savings of 2 points per tablespoon)

I use curry powder, pepper, a spoonful of green relish, a dash of worchestershire sauce 

 mix with the cooked yolks

stuff the eggs and top with chives or parsley.

The egg dish has a large center and I am always trying to figure out a way of making it look pretty.

This time I laid down a bed of greens and put some fresh radishes on top.

Appies in a flash and this one is a frugal favourite.

I felt drained when I left work today

I have a scratchy throat

and am feeling sick

and it was WW weigh in day...

I am down .8 of a pound

for a total of 12.2 pounds lost since I started....

I knew that tonight I was feeling weak and oh so vulnerable...

I needed to go grocery shopping

I remained strong and did not succumb to chips or chocolates

instead I bought this...

an orchid

So pretty...

I do hope that your work week has been better than mine...

and if you stayed here and read my sad sack post

I promise that I will rally and rise up again and deliver better chit chat soon!

~ ~ ~

"This Too Shall Pass."

Salad daze...and Google Reader's demise.

Summertime is the season for freshly grown local produce...

the local markets are a riot of colour with freshly harvested vegetables on display.
I love looking at the baskets filled with bright red tomatoes and sunny yellow peppers
sprigs of green onions and ruffly heads of lettuce.

Simple glass jugs filled with country style flowers
and rubbing elbows with shoppers eager to get the pick of the crop

my eyes always wander to the market baskets that shoppers carry
looking to see what they have purchased and what I might have missed if I had been ther first!

"The early bird gets the worm."

Salads play a big part of our dinners from Spring until Fall.

Romaine lettuce is one of my favourites....
I dearly love a Caesar salad.

Since joining WW I have been unable to indulge in the rich and creamy clad romaine of my dreams...
way too many Points for all that dressing!
So I decided to compromise and create a lighter version that would allow me to still enjoy my favourite salad.

My new GE stove came with a griddle 

which is quite handy especially when one wants to grill something...

grilling lettuce elevates the flavour

it wilts a bit and has a delicious nutty flavour

I drizzled a wee bit of bottled low fat Caesar dressing on the warm romaine

(skipped the cheese and croutons)

enjoyed a small piece of chicken breast

which I marinated in a chipotle dressing

and some rice

A tasty dinner ~ Point Friendly

 after dinner I cleaned up the kitchen and headed outdoors in the sunshine for a walk.

The ocean was calm and flat like a mill pond...

a glorious evening scene.

 couples were sharing picnics on the beach

I noticed a bottle of wine and did not want to intrude on their moment

perhaps there was a proposal in the works

the mind does wander...

someone else was enjoying the calm sea on a lovely evening 

paddling has become a very popular sport here

apparently it is really good for the core muscles

and your balance improves.

The ocean is extremely cold in these parts so you do not want to fall in

this brave soul was wearing a swimsuit and looked dry!

I didn't walk as briskly as I usually do on my route

I soaked in all the beauty and stopped to take a few pictures and enjoy the views.

The Walk Meter App recorded the stats...

and I managed to walk 3.10 km in 43 minutes and burned 424 calories.

I love this APP!

~ ~ ~

I'd like to remind you that at the end of June Google Reader will cease to exist and any blogs that you might be following

including mine

will need to be followed by another method...

subscribe by email

or join Bloglovin like I did

I have found it so easy to transfer all the blogs to their site

I hope that you will continue to follow me on my path

the new chapter is about to begin...

Hope that your week is off to a great start.

"Tigara" ~ An Enchanting Garden

I would like to introduce you to a gorgeous garden.
This estate is located a stone's throw from the ocean in a tony area of Victoria.
It's location and the vast plot of land make for a stunning impression.
The arts and crafts home has been carefully restored and is imaculately maintained.

I want to focus on the garden which is constanty evolving the way most gardens do...as the owners find new and exotic plants and refine the beds and borders. This garden is on the path of a herd of deer and has a resident bunny.
Lots of plants provide food for these creatures but with lush and dense plantings the casual observer rarely notices.
(the owners do!)

I hope that you enjoy these images...
can you imagine how much work this garden takes to keep it looking so pristine?
I know the owners well and they devote hundreds of hours tending to it...
a labour of love!

The front porch

and entryway

(designed by Mr. HB)

pergola with a climbing rose

look at the wicker furniture

~ ~ ~

perfect for relaxing and reading 

or just sitting and listening to the hum of the bees

as they buzz by 

the rose provides some dappled shade

taken from the upper window looking down on the rose

lush plantings

the granite masonry makes such a grand statement

I love the bulk of the stonework

rhodo's are favoured in this garden

and there are many varieties

some are over 20 feet tall!

pots with flowers spilling forth

found in many parts of the garden

add colour and interest

deer fencing surrounds an area where some plants are protected

rose growers do not appreciate deer nibbling all the blooms!

looking toward the ocean

lush green lawns

to the left a pond 

with carp and some goldfish

hiding among the lily pads and water Iris

those are the lucky ones that have not been eaten by the Great Blue Herons!

the garage

patio beside the garage

a hot spot that retains the heat

it has a very Mediterranean feel

a clever placement of a mirror

and some pretty flowers

more potted plants perk up the grey gravel drive

edged with granite

I got my finger in this picture!

the heritage tea house

covered with the rambler Kiftsgate 

which is just about to burst into full flower

weddings and parties have been held here.

the croquet lawn

has also been the setting for Marquis tents

last year's wedding 

the lawn was entirely covered by tents!

There are lots of opportunities to sit

 and admire the different parts of the garden

with a garden this vast one does need to sit

once in awhile and think 

even if it is to grab a mug of tea and a sandwich to fuel the body

so as to tackle the next task!

Have you enjoyed this visit to Tigara?

I hope that you will take the time to comment 

as I know the owners will be reading this blog and I am sure they would welcome your thoughts

Thank you S & P!

Hermes ~ the ultimate accessory

Accessories make the basic wardrobe POP!
You can own a few basics and add a few scarves or belts and shoes and you have more than a dozen outfits.

I do love pearls...they are luxe and I own more than a few strands.
Wear then in multitudes if you have them..

The best bang for your buck is a scarf...
vintage, new, designer brand or the ultimate....

Hermes.
For my money it is THE scarf to buy.
Wear it often, change up the tie.

choose a great colour palette

 a pattern that speaks to you

one that ignites passion

look at the features and fold accordingly

point to point

repeat the fold

and again

tie a knot

wrap around your neck

knot in front

ends go through each side

pull tight

voila!

simple 

longer double knot in front

loose ends

on the side

looks so casual and uncontrived...

if it looks too fussy

it is

RELAX!

Play with your scarves and you will get comfortable

I stand in front of the mirror and look to see that the tie matches the theme of the outfit and that it feels right.

Wear your scarves often

they do nothing languishing in a drawer or an orange box!

Tie one on a tote

drape one under the collar of a jacket

wear one with a swimsuit

( take it off before diving in!)

Wear two at a time

just wear them

if they are Hermes  ~ they cost you a small fortune

(if you earn a conservative salary like me)

With the weather getting warmer

I think I 'll be wrapping my Hermes around the brim of my straw hat....

There was a retirement event this evening

Thank you to all who attended

I have so much to be grateful for...

colleagues

friends

family

I was more than humbled tonight...

tears fell

easily

I am sure there will be more in the days to follow.

~ ~ ~