Greener cleaner...and an owl sighting.

I realized how dirty the bedroom carpet was when the morning sun came streaming in through the window.
It's funny how on the subject of home keeping that I can be so complacent and not really notice the dust and grime. I used to be so fastidious when I was younger, not that I am a slob by any means, but let's just say I've been letting the team down just a tad.

I do not own a carpet cleaning machine and I did not want to hire a carpet cleaning company for just one carpet so I did some research and was surprised to learn that it is easy to make an effective carpet cleaner using things that one has in their pantry. Cheaper too than running off to the hardware store to buy some chemical infused cocktail that smells toxic.

A recipe for a "Greener" Carpet Cleaner.

You might already have these items in your cupboard.

Mix into a sprayer over your kitchen sink:

 1 teaspoon dish soap

add 1 tablespoon vinegar

pour in 1 cup warm water

add 1 teaspoon baking soda

expect a bit of a fizz!

Thoroughly vacuum the carpet then liberally spray a section that you can reach working from the farthest corner sideways and backwards until you are done.

and vigorously scrub with sponge.

Rinse the sponge frequently making sure that you are not scrubbing the dirt back into the carpet.

Let dry well before you vacuum.

(I made 3 batches of the cleaner to do a carpet about 9X10)

The carpet after washing ~ before the final vacuum.

It was a great workout for the arms too!

My walking partner and I ventured north to the Rockland area yesterday for our 2 hour jaunt.

It was sunny when we started but we got soaked to the skins on the last half hour.

In the middle of our trek we stopped to admire some holly bushes and perched on a majestic oak tree was this owl.

I love owls.

Seeing one during the day is rare.

This little fellow was very interested in the squirrels and birds flitting about and did not mind us taking photos.

I tried to capture an image of his face but he kept turning around.

(perhaps he was camera shy)

One of the most Joyous moments today was the owl sighting. 

Mr. HB hung the family wreath.

It was made by a friend of his mother and father. 

It is decorated with glass balls and studded with rhinestone brooches.

I know Christmas is not far off when the wreath is in it's place...

it feels so Christmassy!

Hostess

OOTD...simple at home style.

It's a slow mo day here in The Humble Bungalow just me and the cats.
The laundry pile is getting smaller, the silver is getting a polish and the kettle has been on at least 5 times today.

It feels good keeping things simple and sensible and not getting caught up in the rat race.
That's the best thing about retirement ~ time to go at a slower pace ~ my kind of luxury.

I can tell that there are some pretty stressed out folks out and about these days.

Like the fellow that drove right in front of me and took the parking spot that I had been waiting for...and had my turn indicator on signalling that is where I was intending to go as soon as the car in the spot backed out....

Or the elderly gentleman who deliberately budged right in front of me in the line up at the pharmacy to buy his lottery tickets!
I very nearly said something but thought why get all ruffled up over such a trivial thing?
Really people where are your manners?

Have you noticed how many people are rushing around and getting upset?
I have heard some pretty rude customers grumble at the check out clerks in the grocery store.
It's enough to make one cringe.
Mother always said "if you can't say something nice don't say anything at all."

It would be so much friendlier if we could all keep our tempers in check and relax.
Are you carving out a bit of restorative time to nourish your spirit and soul?
Something soothing perhaps?

I took an extra few minutes in the shower and exfoliated using this yummy sugar scrub.

I found it at Shoppers Drug Mart for under $10.

It softens and has a lovely scent.

Mother, my sister and I walked the Esplanade in Oak Bay the other evening and this beautiful sunset graced the sky.

Amalfi vintage shoes...soo comfy.

OOTD

(excuse the grainy image as the lighting is really not great by the mirror)

Skinny jeans g21

Amalfi shoes ~ thrifted

Lands' End navy cashmere sweater ~ thrifted

Champion white top

My house "uniform" is basic and simple.

I have no idea how old these shoes are..

they remind me of the purple Ferragamo's I loved and had years ago, the very ones I wore holes in the soles!

I couldn't resist this orchid last weekend at the market.

I don't think of orchids when I think of Christmas, but my cats leave these alone.

 I think the value of cheerful blooms can never be underestimated.

"Simplicity in character, in manners, in style; in all things the supreme excellence is simplicity."

~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow ~

Be kind to others and be gentle with yourself.

Hostess

The Humble Bungalow Porch...dressing it up for the holidays.

Our porch is the first thing that visitors to The Humble Bungalow see.
We like to keep it looking festive depending on the season.

In the summertime it is a riot of colour as there are cheery red geraniums and many flowering plants in pots.
I keep cushions on the wicker chairs when the weather is warm.

At this time of year we have a few potted plants...
and we like to keep the theme organic and natural.

Cones gathered after wind storms in the Ross Bay Cemetery.

Plunked in the vintage tool carrier that last season held fresh herbs.

A succulent from my BFF a gift for our 39th anniversary last July.

My BFF is a generous and thoughtful giver of gifts...

she brought this to our dinner party as she knows that the cats destroy floral bouquets.

I think she called it a lemon cypress.

Boughs of balsam and red Huck twigs, my nod to the holidays.

I may add some holly to give it a red berry punch.

What do you do to decorate your front porch?

This week is a busy one as there are some last minute things to do.

More baking, shopping and some entertaining and being entertained are on the calendar.

Some long walks and cleaning the Humble Bungalow will be interspersed with sipping tea and finishing Tish Jett's new book Forever Chic.

What is on your agenda this week?

OOTD ~ a leaner wardrobe and some holiday sparkle.

Still rebuilding my wardrobe...
It is taking a long time because I am being very discriminating when I buy something new.
It needs to tick all the boxes...fit well, be versatile and classic, and at a price that I can feel comfortable spending.

Our local thrift shops have lots of stock so it takes time to carefully sift through the racks.
Keeping my wardrobe on the leaner size I pass up a lot of clothes that would "do."

In the new year I have an appointment with a consignment shop to sell off the garments that are just too big to wear. I thought I could make them work but they do not flatter me anymore...much too much volume!

OOTD

Ann Taylor top which feels like silk but is obviously a high quality polyester.

Gemstone earrings made by lovely daughter.

They pick up the amber shade in the top.

I like a drop earring for evening.

They catch the light and I feel more feminine.

The basic black Bellissima ponte knit pants were a thrift shop bargain

worn here with my new Calvin Klein kitten heels which are so comfy.

I wore this OOTD when we had some friends over for a casual meal.

The basic garments (the ones I refer to as workhorses) are getting lots of wear.

CPW (cost per wearing) is hovering at about 50 cents for these pants.

Our Humble Bungalow "Closet" has no doors!

The last room on our renovation list is the master bedroom.

It needs a complete makeover.

I have empty hangers in the closet for the first time in many years.

Each garment is hung in its' colour group and has lots of breathing room!

Our wee Humble Bungalow closet has never seemed as large as it does right now.

Living with less, has surprised me so much, I should have done this years ago.

I've discovered that it's never too late to make a change...

I just needed to be in the right frame of mind to commit and embrace it wholeheartedly,

My recent weight loss journey is a prime example.

I needed to be "ready" before embarking on the program.

It only took me 6 years!

The festive season is a good excuse to wear some sparkly jewels.

JCrew necklace a gift from son and lovely daughter in law.

Sherman brooch

Sequins

Club Monaco earrings from last season.

These are fabulous to wear for candle lit dinners!

Thoughts and changes are afoot...

In the New Year I plan to explore the opportunities to get more involved.

With so many agencies needing volunteers in our community I'll have a few options.

The difficulty lies in deciding where to put my time and energy.

If you volunteer in your community how did you decide which job to take on?

Hostess

Meow...

Our cats rule the roost here in The Humble Bungalow!
They sleep wherever they want and are very vociferous when it comes to feeding time.
We have had to modify the plants and flowers that we have in our home as they munch leaves of the plants and deconstruct the floral arrangements that I love so much. Fortunately they leave the orchids alone.

Chester the youngest, is what our grand daughter Isla calls a "Troublemaker."
He gets into everything! Cupboards, drawers, baskets, the washer and dryer when the doors are open.
If there is something mischievous that he can find to do, he does it!

Pepper is much more ladylike and she is less demanding and much better behaved...perhaps because of her age she has matured and has left those kitten habits behind. Pepper chirrups at the moths that flap by the light shining through the windows into the night.
She will bite us when she has had enough attention.
Chester will bite if we have not put out the dry food at the same time as the canned food.
He is greedy about having food on the bowls all day long and I attribute that to the fact that he was malnourished in his first few weeks of life.
He was a California rescue kitten flown up by Victoria Adoptables a local rescue organization and he only weighed 1 3/4 pounds when we got him at 7 weeks old.

Pepper was also a rescue cat but she was a local find from a farmer's field on the Saanich peninsula.
Pepper has the softest fur and she eats lots of food...
where Chester grazes Pepper gobbles!

They bring us much joy here in our Humble Bungalow.

The cats asleep on our bed.

Pepper

Chester

This post is in response to a request from reader Sharon from Toronto.

I'm glad that you asked.

Hostess