Thursday today and it's a green post...

Oh dear me I seem to be stuck in a domestic zone these days.
This preoccupation is bound to pass as I enrich my days with more exciting yet less expensive pursuits.
Mother has spent her days since Father passed by regular trips to the Mall and shopping for beautiful clothes that she seldom wears. Bear in mind this is not a judgement call on Mom just an observation...

I am home more than I have ever been in the last 25 years so I am noticing small details like dust that never really showed their furry heads on my radar before...so now I take prompt action.
Funny thing happenend the other night when Mr. HB and our son got together to watch the movie Jobs...
I went to Winners to see what they had, I had not set foot in the store for months and I used to be a regular!
The handbags are my first stop and there was a very slim and disappointing array of faux leather bags and not one that I would consider bringing home...next was the clothing. The styles were "Way too Out There" for me.
Rack upon rack of tops with bold slogans and sayings, then add a mixture of lace and peepholes and cotton and studs! I kid you not!
I saw a few cashmere sweaters that I would consider but I didn't feel they were worth the trouble as they were so thin and not a 3 ply to be found.

So after I wove my way through the aisles I found myself staring at the cleaning products.
This surprised me as I picked up many and read the labels...most were full of chemicals whose names I cannot pronounce and know that they are not particularly healthy ingredients.

I did swoon a bit when I sniffed the Caldrea line...I opened them and decided on the Citron Ginger.

First coffee of the morning shot...I forgot my mug is on the counter in the background.

I like products that have a clean scent.

One of our oldest tea towels in The Humble Bungalow still on the job.

Linen laundered many times and now a soft whisper of it's former self!

Ulster Weavers of Ireland.

Oaktree pattern which is still available and you can purchase them from the Irish Linen Shop.

I think I am as passionate about linen tea towels as I am about Hermes scarves.

Though one thing I am certain about is that there will be more tea towels in my future than Hermes scarves!

Hope that you are enjoying your week.

Mother is getting quite confused these days and my sister and I are on high alert.

We understand and know that this is all part of aging...

a natural progression,

yet it is very upsetting all the same.

I actioned a roasty veggie feast.

I find this recipe so soothing.

Comfort food come to mama!

Use any vegetables that you have on hand.

Lightly toss them in olive oil and spread on a roasting pan.

Crank up your oven to 425 degrees.

Roast turning once for 30 minutes.

Turn on the broiler for 5 minutes until the edges get a bit brown.

Remove and sprinkle with rosemary, sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

 Add a bit of feta cheese and toss in a serving bowl

Enjoy!

Thank you to Gail, my friend from Australia for this recipe.

I have made it for years after she brought it to one of our staff parties.

She was kind enough to share her recipe with me.

So you can thank Gail too if you decide to make it.

Trust me this one is a keeper.

It goes really well with roast beef and chicken or on it's own as a main course!

It feels very autumnal with the variety of colours.

Thank you for stopping by...

White Wednesday ~ October OOTD.

It feel like a long time since I've done a White Wednesday post .
I haven't seen too many of these lately and when I first started blogging they were a very popular theme.
It's interesting to me too, that many of the original stalwart bloggers have stopped writing.

I suppose like anything the novelty wears off, and one's taste changes.
So without further adieu...

Welcome to White Wednesday!
The Humble Bungalow Crockery is featured...

While the focus is on white...

I wore my black and white basics today.

Hermes scarf

Barbour vest

Banana Republic Tee

Franco Sarto loafers

g21 skinny jeans

We might need to re-name Wednesday ~ Black and White Wednesday!

I got my hair cut quite short on my last visit to my hairdresser.

The reason behind this decision was to cut off the last of the coloured strands.

It is all natural now...

there is a lot of tinsel showing through.

~ ~ ~

Tell me what have you been up to?

Eco chic...food for thought!

I love the two words eco chic...

Embracing "a greener way of living" is fashionable.
There is  pressure to think and act responsibly to help reduce our personal carbon footprint.
Purchasing goods from companies whose business practice is to be mindful of their impact on our planet is the ethical way to shop. Everybody wins.

I have purchased clothing from the Canadian Company Joe Fresh in the past...
and more recently Walmart.
I have found the clothing to be economically priced and well made.

The Weston family company employed workers in India where a terrible accident occured.
Sadly many workers perished. I wonder if the company knew of the conditions where these workers were employed and if they did, why would they allow people to work in such deplorable conditions?
Ultimately the standards for construction and engineers were most likely responsible for the building's collapse.
You can find more detailed information on the internet if you are interested.

The company spoke to the press after this tragedy and said that they would stand by the workers and their families and offer compensation to those children who suffered the loss of a parent in the factory collapse.
One can remain cautiously optimistic that improvements will be made and that safe conditions and standards will be maintained.
How are we to know if the workers who make our garments are treated fairly or paid a living wage?
Should that influence our spending habits?
If we do not know do we care?
"out of sight out of mind."
I am just putting it out there as I am curious how you feel about this topic.

This great garden tote is made form recycled rubber tires

it is durable and very attractive.

I can't bring myself to get it dirty just yet!

That and the cats like to jump inside it and curl up for a nap.

Pacific Rim Brackets

is a company based in Vancouver

Do you know where the clothes you are wearing were made?

Do you care if they were produced in unsafe factories or made by children?

I'm not very confident that I am as informed as I should be nor do I feel that I am an ethically savvy shopper...

do you have any thoughts on the issue?

~ ~ ~

We've enjoyed a mild sunny Saturday here in Victoria.

One that allowed us to walk along the waterfront and out on the breakwater and back.

I've got homemade clam chowder simmering on the stove for dinner tonight...

I am planning our first of the season prime rib of beef dinner tomorrow evening.

Hoping that our lovely daughter and her man will share the feast with us.

Ina Garten's Apple Crostada will be dessert and I plan to have a long walk to compensate for eating a slice!

I am currently reading Barbara Kingsolver's Flight Behaviour and am halfway through...

she is a seriously gifted writer.

The people in the novel are dirt poor and you really feel that poverty.

I feel such empathy and respect for those who struggle to provide for their families.

I am humbled and counting my blessings for so many things.

Basic things

 like a warm home, clean water and food.

I wish you Joy in your daily round.

Hostess

Pretty in pink...OOTD.

With a deluge of rain and grey October skies I am seeking solace in pink.
Pink looks so cheerful against the grey gloom.

I could not find my umbrella...or as some call it a bumbershoot.
In order to keep walking I needed one desperately!
So I walked briskly down to RainBird in the Village and purchased a new one.

They were filming a TV segment when I arrived and so I tiptoed in and asked if they were open for business...yes!
I didn't dilly dally but made a hasty choice and one that I hoped that I would not regret.

Walking is so much more pleasant in the rain under this lovely brolly!

Looks like a brolly with a pedigree...

let's hope it lives up to its' reputation.

The streets are littered with leaves and the dry grass of summer has greened up nicely.

Our district water reservoirs must be full by now.

The Humble Bungalow rain barrels are full and the soaker hoses attached are weeping water into the garden beds.

For those of you who have lost weight are the last 5 pounds always so hard to shed?

I am at a plateau and have upped my walks and yet I am wavering at WW weigh ins...

up half a pound ~ down half a pound ~ and so it goes.

I must keep the faith.

The handle did sway me just a tad...

My OOTD

drab as all get out...

(Perhaps some pink boots are needed!)

Sperry boots

dg 21 skinny jeans

Chillox coat

puddles, puddles everywhere...

raindrops in puddles

autumn leaves in puddles

Nerines a welcome vision in pink.

Pink flowers on my desk last spring.

The get well bouquet the staff sent me when pneumonia side lined me for a month last spring.

The Humble Bungalow Porch roses spilling forth with their frothy beauty in June.

Our sweet little Miss Isla in her pink gown...

a finer princess there could never be.

Pretty in Pink = Grammy love!

Think Pink as it's Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Have that mammogram and do your monthly checks.

Be mindful and do take care of your health.

Enjoy your walking rain or shine.

Hostess

Domestics...and a rant!

Domestics are not always fun, but they are rewarding.
Domestic Divas want us to believe that there is such Glamour in Cleaning.
I agree to a point.

Glovely...
she's a cheery yellow "helping hand" in The Humble Bungalow!

Have you tried the Method line of products?

My favourite "partner in grime" is this grapefruit cleanser.

It really makes light work of dirty jobs.

I use more of this all purpose cleaner than any other product.

It smells wonderful too.

I have discovered that the scrub I have been using for years is no longer available in Canada.

I am stumped as to why they would not import it anymore.

It's called Bon Ami and I wrote about it here, 

the one with the little yellow bird on it.

Not wanting a toxic overload I scrubbed my kitchen sink with baking soda.

I really had to work at the stains and I wore my Glovely of course.

It required a LOT of elbow grease.

 I made a paste of it first and let it do some of the work before I scrubbed.

The sink looks much better now.

I contacted the company and they told me I would need to order a minimum of 36 cans and then they would ship to me!

That sounds like a lifetime supply.

I will wait until I go to the US.

That sounds like a great excuse for a holiday...

"Honey I NEED to go to Seattle to buy Bon Ami."

The Bobbi Brown foundation I use is not available in Canada either.

The Bobbi Brown and Nordstrom sites will not ship to Canada so I had to send it to our nephew and he's bringing it up next time he comes for a visit.

Lands' End cashmere cardigans are not shipped to international addresses this Fall!

I am so disappointed because I love their cashmere cardigans.

According to the person I spoke with it is because they have shell buttons.

I thought that we had negotiated free trade...

silly me, I am so naive.

(grumble grumble)

Thank you for stopping by and visiting my pedestrian life here in The Humble Bungalow.

Hostess.