Tip toeing back...OOTD

Life events have contributed to unhinge my mood somewhat...
and they have influenced my confidence with regard to writing The Humble Bungalow Blog.

We have had our share of general strife in the past... both financially and in the health department.
Like most families cancer has struck several times...so it is not as if I don't know what it is like to experience stress.
I just don't usually write about it here on the blog.

Day to day things don't get me too ruffled up unless I am sick or tired.
But these past few weeks have been different.
Mother's health has been a concern, she has some medical issues that have cropped up and she has been depressed.

Our grandson has been hospitalized for a post pneumonia respiratory issue and he has been on oxygen.
Our son and wife were at his bedside during his stay.

We were worried, naturally, of course, and I felt so very helpless.
Yet to pace the floor all the time felt odd so I got busy in the kitchen and prepared some food for them. It was the easiest thing that I could do...and it helped me to keep my negative thoughts in check.

Thankfully our grandson is home now and things are settling down...along with my blood pressure.
I really like it when things are calm and I'd take boring and mundane if given the choice.

I took a few days "off" and went up island to visit a girlfriend.
Girlfriends are such a gift...they understand and do not judge.
My friend  L has retired with her husband to a small island that we usually visit when we are on the boat.
More about our visit later in this post...

On the long weekend in May we cruised over to Pender Island and moored at Port Browning Marina.

I took this photo from the back deck of our boat looking west so you cannot see our Sea Ray.

We had three idyllic days in the sunshine and slept comfortably in our bunk.

I came home feeling quite rested...I gained 3 pounds!

The cats came with us...they got their sea legs (paws) right away!

This wind sculpture is at Zanatta Vineyard in the Glenora area of Duncan.

The tasting room and restaurant are located in this farm style house.

The charming covered patio was a perfect place to dine as the weather was warm and sunny.

A "selfie" of my OOTD

taken in the washroom 

I wore a Lands' End scarf (new this season)

white tank top, black Pure Knit sweater and dark wash skinny G21 jeans with my black ballet Mee Too flats.

My friend ordered the roasted beet salad which looked amazing.

I decided on the crab and shrimp cakes which were done to perfection.

We sipped wine, of course...I opted for a glass of Zanatta Ortega.

I have enjoyed their Damasco which is a light summer wine and their Pinot Noir is delicious.

I purchased two bottles of Ortega to take home.

Over the next few days we had nothing but fun.

(exactly what I needed)

We went for walks, watched a movie on Netflix, did some shopping at a consignment shop, had massages, 

drank tea, planted a shade garden on her acreage, cooked together in her ultra modern kitchen, 

researched Paris flights, looked at the map of France, 

 we chatted...

it was a calm and easy time just to be.

(just what I needed)

The wee trip was over after a couple of days and there was a ferry to catch.

Mr. HB said that the cats were "out of sorts" without me...

I got such an enthusiastic greeting from them when I arrived home you'd have thought I had been gone for weeks!

 My friend will be coming here to visit in our Humble Bungalow...

I am already planning our itinerary.

Thank you for stopping by and visiting...

my Humble Bungalow Blog.

I try to be honest and upbeat

 but life is not always a cake walk 

so you might find yourself reading some posts that might surprise you...

you get real life here at The Humble Bungalow.

I have been thrift shopping so fasten your seat belts as a post is in the works...

and thank you all from the bottom of my heart for all your comments.

They have made me so happy...

I think it feels good to be back!

Hostess

XO

Humble Bungalow Blog thoughts and a few Blooms to brighten your day...

It's been a few days since I posted and I have been on a short break.
The Humble Bungalow Blog is going to undergo a few changes in the next while.
I am not sure what the changes might be or even if I am "talked out."
It has been 5 years and over 1,035 posts so it is not surprising that things are in limbo.
I have seen other bloggers go through periods of drought and some have just up and quit.

Not wanting to waste your precious time by posting ho-hum posts and watching you all turn away in boredom.
Suffice to say writer's block has settled in and I am not fighting it...it must be here for a reason.
I need to explore these feelings and see where they lead me...

The garden is putting on a nice show this month so I feel this might be worth sharing...

If you have been following my blog for some time you'll already know that I adore roses and grow quite a few in our Humble Bungalow Garden....I think roses should have scent and I am partial to the David Austin varieties.

Climbing Royal Sunset Rose putting on a spectacular display this May Day.

Here's a close up...I just wish you could sniff this beauty.

The fragrance is divine.

Madame Gregoire Staechelin a prolific bloomer.

Big and blousey blooms...

not sure if blousey is a word but I am using it just the same.

Not a heavy fragrance to this one and I rarely pick them for a bouquet.

I like that she lights up this area of the garden.

Graham Thomas, a David Austin rose, positively glows against the cedar fence.

The petals are perfect and the cups deep.

A heritage rose, perhaps a musk, unfortunately I have forgotten the name.

The scent is out of this world...the stems are very prickly covered profusely with prickly thorns.

Take some time to stop and smell the flowers...

Enjoy your weekend!

Abkhazi a gorgeous garden walkabout...

Here's a little sneak peek of the Abkhazi Garden in all it's glorious and vivid beauty.

The signage by the entrance directs one up the drive towards the house where the Tea Room is located.

China tea cups of various patterns are beautifully arranged on the white linen tablecloths.

We ordered crab cakes on a bed of organic greens and there was a tasty vinaigrette served on the side.

My lunch companion is a friend whom I met through blogging.

She writes the lovely blog Pondside.

I snapped this pretty orchid inside the washroom before we went on our garden walk.

The garden is set in a Garry Oak Meadow.

Some new wooden sculptures have been placed throughout the garden since I my last visit.

The pond is stocked with goldfish and we saw four "painted" turtles sunning themselves on the rocks.

The colours of the azaleas and rhododendrons are magnificent.

The original wee garden shed is painted a salmon pink and you can just see it by the orange azalea at the top.

A wooden sculpture nestled under the canopy of trees.

A vibrant pink bloom the size of a dinner plate!

This urn was quite tall and makes a real statement.

I'd love something like this is our Humble Bungalow Garden.

We took this photo so you would get an idea of the size and scale of the plantings in the garden.

The weather could not have been better and we had a delightful visit.

I hope that you liked this little jaunt and walkabout.

If you ever find yourself visiting Victoria I'd highly recommend that you visit The Abkhazi Gardens.

The best time to see the blooms in all their glory are the months of April and May.

Hope you've enjoyed this wee peek into one of my favourite gardens

 tucked away off the beaten path at Oak Bay's doorstep.

We have had a lovely 3 day holiday weekend and the weather has been sunny and warm.

I'm going to take a bit of a blog break...

I have a bunch of things that require my full attention...

 I get distracted writing, taking photos and generally maintaining The Humble Bungalow Blog.

See you in awhile!

Hostess

On the menu...a melange!

Baby it's hot outside!
French Homework, gardening, reading and keeping tabs on Mother have kept me busy.
Time to sit, with the shades down, quietly sip some tea and plan a post.
My thoughts are all over the place so this is a bit of a scramble.

You've arrived at The Humble Bungalow Blog.
Today the Hostess is serving up a melange...
(sounds like a dessert doesn't it?)
I'll blame it on the heat...

I am smitten with this brooch...

vintage 1960's perhaps worn with gold sandals, big Jackie O sunnies, white pants and white top 

perhaps Saint Tropez in the summer time?

Can you smell the Bain de Soleil?

Scents can transport you...a gal can dream...

Sophie Conran Heart dish...

I love her simple design and the china can go into the oven so it is very versatile.

Our regular everyday Maxwell Williams is getting ugly grey marks where the knives have sliced into the glaze...

the porcelain must be inferior quality as the set is not more than 4 or 5 years old.

I am really disappointed and am thinking of buying Sophie Conran's set of plates and bowls.

Do any of you own and use her dishes?

Are they better quality than Maxwell Williams?

I hate wasting money so I'd like to be sure before I buy them.

The idea that we live in a throw away society just makes me mad.

(fear not I will donate the scratched plates when I replace them)

I am referring to the lack of quality that has infiltrated our marketplace.

Toasters, kettles, appliances in general wear out,

 and instead of repairing them the companies offer replacements.

Just think of all those bits and pieces filling up our landfill...

  Mother still uses many of the appliances that she received as wedding gifts when she was married in the 1950's.

But let's not get all bent out of shape, 

it's way too hot to be getting our knickers in a twist.

 Let's embrace a little beauty shall we?

May means that one of my favourite flowers is blooming and scenting the garden.

Behold the beautiful Muguet de Bois.

I can pick a handful in a matter of minutes.

Delicate blossoms remind me of baby's bonnets.

Their fragrance is intoxicating...

I love to put a vase of these in our Humble Bungalow bathroom and let the scent waft throughout the house.

I read this novel super fast...

I liked it but I found it not quite as riveting as Louise Penny's books.

This one is next...

I've recently discovered a strong brew that has been tickling my taste buds...

it seems the Scots like their tea to pack a punch (like their single malt Scotch!) 

so I am using less loose tea when I brew a pot.

It's bold and delicious and calorie free.

If you are a vegan or vegetarian look away now...

just for the next two images and skip right to the Asian Slaw!

Julie our friend and caterer, told us about Chef John and I really like going to his site for recipes...

these ribs are wonderfully moist and delicious.

I made them first for Mr. HB before serving them to guests.

They are easy and are baked in the oven.

Janet blog writer at The Gardener's Cottage posted her Asian salad on her blog a few days ago

 I love a pea-nutty dressing so I whipped up a batch of the coleslaw to serve with the ribs.

Oh boy...this one is a winner and a good one to have on hand for summer picnics and barbeque's.

I used red and green cabbage, grated carrots, some onion and almonds as I did not have any peanuts in the house.

Next time I will try adding the dried cranberries as Janet suggests as they would really add to this dish.

Janet has a background as a professional cook/caterer so when she posts a recipe you know it is going to be good!

It has been HOT this week and tea with my friend at Abkhazi Gardens was wonderful.

The weather could not have been better.

(I will work on that post.)

The garden is thirsty and the edges of the lawns need trimming so I must not dawdle any longer...

there are radishes to harvest and flowers to pick.

The birds are chirping and a new day is unfolding...

BTW I really have been enjoying your comments.

They are a breath of fresh air here on the blog...

Hostess

Walking and fostering a love for books...

Mother and sister have a habit that they have dubbed "busy brain."
It is when events continue to replay over and over in the mind like a TV rerun and they cannot turn it off...

If I feel edgy, overwhelmed or stressed I go for a walk.

Walking is very helpful when gaining perspective on a situation that is evolving and needs to be addressed.
More often than not these things just slip away on their own as the walk progresses and are quickly forgotten.

How much time does one want to waste trying to figure out what could have been said when a rude or ill mannered person takes a liberty that ruffles one's feathers?
Have you noticed how manners have all but disappeared?
Simple everyday kindness, pleasantries and greetings have been replaced by people staring into their Smart Phones.
I think we need an app for manners...perhaps there is one, I wouldn't know, but honestly people can we not pry our eyes away long enough to be polite, perhaps smile and greet each other?

I am slightly miffed when I see a group of people sharing a meal together and all of them are busy texting.
Are they texting with each other instead of chatting?
It's a little thing but it kind of makes me crazy!

Walking helps me let things go...
I take my IPhone on my walks but I bring it along so I can take pictures for the blog...
I am not busy texting.

Do you make time for a quiet bit of reading each day even when you're busy?
I neglected my love of books when I was extra busy at school...
even though I was promoting them through my job I was not heeding my own advice!

Books have become a big part of my daily routine than when I worked as I now have the luxury of time.
Surprisingly I have started reading genres that I would have never gravitated to until recently...
Louise Penny was a fortuitous discovery and one that has delighted me no end.

Books can transport us to exotic locations, educate us, shock or enlighten, bring us to tears in rapture and joy as well hobble us with despair as the bitter taste of our tears spill forth in sadness.

The local branch of the public library has been a godsend.

Reading good books without having to invest in every book that one wants to read makes so much sense.

The online site showcases new book titles and allows you to reserve books even before they are in circulation so one needn't miss out on what is new. 

Researching authors is so easy now that most have their own sites and many are on facebook. 

Award winning novels are listed by the prize titles Orange, Booker, Governor General, Pulitzer, Giller, Canada Reads, as well as by country and by year.

Having worked in school libraries for many years I suppose it is natural that I am so passionate about books and it surprises me that many people do not enjoy reading.

Fostering a Love of literature starts early...with bedtime stories.

Parents, nannies, care givers and grandparents all play a part.

Pick up a book and read to those wee ones...

or read to a shut in or someone who is in hospital.

It's such a simple thing to do and such a lovely way to pass the time.

I am not sure that I can envision life without books...

but then again why would I want to?

Stepping off the soap box now...

Who are your favourite authors?

What are you reading?

(other than my blog post)

I need to go for a walk and let these thoughts wash away as gentle as the ocean breeze on this glorious morning.

Be Present in the moment and savour today's gifts.

Hostess