Holiday snippets and snapshots...part three.

We met up with friends who have a boat and we all cruised to Genoa Bay.
The Marina is quaint and small but very protected from the wind and is quite near Cowichan Bay where they hold a sailing regatta every year.

The winds were blowing about 25 knots so the sailors were happy.

Spinnakers made an appearance on part of the race...

the reason these photos are rather blurry is that I took them from inside the window of the GrayLing shuttle boat.

The wee lapstrake hulled boat ferries passengers (and dogs) to Cowichan Bay.

The main street is not long but is jam packed with

shops, a chandlery, several eateries, a bakery, deli and a small grocery store.

We spent about an hour and a half perusing the shops and eating lunch before hopping back on the shuttle to Genoa Bay. 

It was super hot in Genoa Bay so I used my personal fan...

O 2 Cool

which mists water and helped me stay cool.

We ate simple fare...

fresh home grown tomatoes from The Humble Bungalow Garden were harvested before we left and carefully spread out in a basket so they would not bruise.

The taste of these heirloom varieties are out of this world!

I was "roughing it" and had to use a soup bowl for my cafe creme every morning.

It tasted good but looked quite tacky!

You know what they say...

Necessity is the Mother of Invention.

(so much for keeping up standards...it has gone to the dogs)

Walks in the morning were kept short due to the extreme heat and it was uphill all the way from the marina. 

I saw a family of quail with about a dozen babies and a couple of wild bunnies that were nibbling in the gardens.

Flowers catch my eye and turn my head every time I go walking.

We ate lunch out with darling daughter and her husband.

They had the loan of Mr. HB's BMW and drove up from Victoria to show us the elopement pictures.

Sipping an icy cold margarita on the deck of The Genoa Bay Cafe.

It is a fabulous place to dine, most of the boaters go up for a meal or two while they are tied up at the docks and many other diners come by car.

Our friends joined us for dinner on the deck on another evening...

Impromptu concert from the boat on the dock across from ours...

we were asked to sing a line and be the chorus.

I am not sure that our sound was in tune but what we lacked in sound quality we made up for with enthusiasm!

all the great food and beverages have added some extra pounds and I will be starting a series of posts on what I plan to eat and do to get rid of the holiday weight gain...

I also plan to write a post on what I wore and how I packed for 18 days on a boat living out of a canvas Lands' End tote bag.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Holiday snippets and snapshots...part 2

The mountain of laundry has been washed, folded and ironed and it feels so good to be back on top of the chores.

Chester has definitely warmed up and is back to his former tricks...
a few more snapshots from our holidays.

Port Browning Harbour on Pender Island.

Mr. HB and I have been going there since the 1970's

when it was called Scot's Lair the bagpiper would play the pipes at the raising and lowering of the flag right atop this rocky outcropping.

The Marina is close to the Driftwood Centre which has a fabulous book shop, a gift store, pharmacy and a well stocked food market...

basically all the things we might need are a 10 minute walk from the boat.

This horse saw us walking by the fence and came over to say hello.

After checking us out it proceeded to munch on some dandelions.

The view from our walk along Razor Point Road.

This windmill was beside a farm stand that sold veggies, jams, wool and eggs.

We walked briskly for an hour in the hot sun to visit the Sea Star Winery.

I had worked up quite a thirst and the wine was chilled!

a lovely glimpse of the ocean from the top of the hill

There was a food truck from the Hope Bay Bistro on site and a Farmer's Market with veggies, breads, jewelry, pottery, flowers.

An acoustic guitarist played while we dined...

 I had tasty fish tacos for lunch with a glass of wine.

The Ortega is especially nice for al fresco summer time dining and BBQ's.

When we pack for our cruising holidays on our SeaRay 

we plan ahead and bring lots of books.

One of the luxuries of being away from our usual demands and routines mean that we can devote a good chunk of time to reading.

There are no distractions like TV or the Internet as WI-Fi coverage is spotty and unreliable.

Colm Toibin's Nora Webster is a gem...I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Jude the Obscure

I have another couple of instalments of the holiday snaps coming up...

with so many photos I need to break them up so that they don't bog down the Blogger site!

Hope that your week is a good one.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Holiday snippets and snapshots...part one.

Mr. HB and I just returned from our annual holiday aboard our Sea Ray.

          (Julian's newest novel did not disappoint, both Mr. HB and I enjoyed it)

We spent our days aboard our boat relaxing, reading, eating simple meals and walking and exploring the Gulf Islands.
I have to lose some weight as a result of too much rich food and wine...
I will be organizing a series of blog posts on how I plan to lose 10 pounds.

Perhaps you'll follow along on my journey...

There is a pile of laundry downstairs...the machines are going through their cycles as I sit here in the Humble Bungalow kitchen with my cafe creme typing this post.

The cats seem happy to see us...lots of meowing and purring.
They were left in the capable hands of a friend who has been taking care of them for our holidays for several years now and knows them well.

Chester seems a wee bit put out that we left him for so long and he is giving us the cold shoulder. I hope he forgives us soon, but thankfully Pepper the elder cat is her usual affectionate self.

Beach combing is one of my favourite things to do when we are out on our boat.

Sea shells and beach glass are often found along the shoreline.

A very large barnacle which we use for our coins...

showers, laundry and ice at the Marina's call for coins.

Loonies and Twonies

kept handy inside this vessel.

The view going through the gap between North and South Pender Islands.

Jude the Obscure rose was a stalwart on the trip...

even fading in the heat 

the fragrance was a welcome reminder of our Humble Bungalow Garden.

Stay tuned for more holiday snippets and snapshots.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

Hope that your summer is ticking along nicely.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

August greetings...sunny daze.

Thank you for your well wishes on my blogging break...
I am enjoying my time off line and thinking of post ideas as I spend my days leisurely reading, walking and relaxing in the warm summer sun.

Today is the first day of August...and I thought that I would check in.

I have started this book and have read about 5 books in the past few weeks.

This one is taking me awhile to get into it but the characters are quirky and their lives seem very dysfunctional.

I have been wearing these lovely fresh water grey baroque pearls most days.

Darling daughter gave me these last Christmas.

They elevate the simple outfits that I have been wearing.

With the hot days I have been wearing a simple black bamboo dress that is loose.

My straw hat and prescription sunglasses have been essential to keep the sun off my face.

I tend to keep my summer skincare routine light and simple.

Eminence sunscreen powder is water resistant and goes on easily with a brush.

I use it after cleansing and moisturizing.

Then apply with a big brush a dusting of Jane Iredale's foundation.

Lastly a light application of

Jane Iredale's mascara and her lip plumper in the Tokyo shade.

Keeping hydrated with a lime margarita on the deck!

So I will close for now and get back to my book.

I hope that your summer is going well.

I will be back soon.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Home Keeping in The Humble Bungalow

Home keeping is very much a top priority here in The Humble Bungalow.
Keeping house is an ongoing job...no one else notices unless you neglect to keep things neat and tidy!

I have been emailing with a reader and we have been chatting about home keeping and exchanging tips on how we stay motivated and on top of the jobs required to keep the dirt and grime at bay.

I thought that this topic might be of interest to other readers so I quickly cobbled together this post...I hope you'll enjoy it.

Home keeping encompasses many aspects in the domestic arena...
laundry, ironing, dusting, vacuuming and tidying up keeping the clutter under control and out from under foot.

We have the luxury of having hired help every week.
In the two hours dusting, vacuuming, and cleaning of the bathrooms is accomplished.
This helps to keep our home looking spic and span and I take care of the rest.

When I see a mess it creates unwanted stress so I have a daily routine that takes very little time...
I make the bed right after I get up...
fluff the pillows and shake and smooth the duvet.

After showering and having my morning cafe creme
I will empty the dishwasher, put on a load of laundry and do some ironing.

I wander from room to room to look for anything that needs to be put away...
a pair of shoes by the front door, a sweater that hangs on the back of a chair, a magazine or mail that needs to be filed or recycled.

I will opt for one or two chores of a bigger nature if I have the energy...
polishing some silver, cleaning out a few drawers, mending, washing windows, wiping out the fridge, filing receipts etc.

I try to do all the cleaning jobs in the mornings and leave time in the afternoon to meet up with friends, go for a walk, run errands, or grocery shop.

Our kitchen is small and I prefer to see the counters 

not a jumble of appliances cluttering up the space.

Countertops and the sink and stove are wiped clean several times a day.

I keep a bottle of Method cleaner and a microfibre cloth tucked away in the cupboard by the sink.

(I am a messy cook!)

Dish soap, hand soap, lotion and scrubbers are kept on a tray beside the sink.

Dishes are white and I have mixed antique ironstone with new pieces.

Having glass cupboard doors makes one feel the need to keep the dishes tidy.

We keep a basket by the stairs where we put our recycling and take it down to the bins once or twice a day if it is full.

Storage is an issue in a small home so we try not to accumulate too much stuff.

Our main bathroom has a built in medicine chest but no other storage so we improvised by adding an arts and crafts wood shelf to store the towels.

The bathroom sink needs wiping daily 

which I do after putting on my make up and brushing my teeth.

The laundry room...

I spend a lot of time down stairs 

 it is so nice to have a clean and bright place to do my work. 

I have a small ironing board that fits on top of this counter for small things like linen napkins and dish towels.

The big ironing board is stored in a closet and I use it for shirts and sheets.

The handy drying rack is used a lot for delicate things like lingerie.

I also hang my tees and tops and yoga pants and find that they last longer when not subjected to the heat of the dryer.

I recommend that you read Fiona Ferris's book Thirty Chic Days 

for more hints and tips on home keeping and cultivating a rich and joyful life.

Isn't this a gorgeous flower?

It was swarming with bees and I had to step into the bed and stand on the dirt to capture this image...

I am going to take a blogging break.

I don't plan to be off line too long but I need some time to consider some new topics as I feel like my post are becoming a bit redundant.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~