Bliss and now back to reality...

It's been a whirlwind long weekend
a treat for us not to do chores or prepare meals and do the dishes.
Pure luxe
and total relaxation....

The city of Vancouver was in the midst of the Cherry Blossom Festival

The streets were pure magic

there was a scent of sweetness in the air.

We were upgraded to the 19th floor and had a fabulous view.

We dined, wined and shopped......

Yes!

We did go to Hermes.....

lots to tell

 but it's rather late and I need to unpack and do some laundry.

Hope that your weekend was fun.

Mine exceeded my expectations.

Talk soon!

The Humble Bungalow garden tour and weekend plans...

Mr. HB and I are leaving The Humble Bungalow in search of some fun and excitement
and dare I say it...
shopping!
I'll be stopping in at Tiffany's, Hermes, Eileen Fisher and Holt Renfrew.

A four day "weekend" is a wonderful opportunity for a getaway
we have been so immersed in work and renovating
we've decided to take a break.

We'll be meeting friends for dinner at a French bistro....
and I plan to swim in the hotel pool...
(ever so gently so as not to injure my back which has been on the mend)
walking and exploring
we will be spontaneous and relaxed.
The King beds are luxurious, roomy, comfy
sleep is easy.
The views are amazing
from the snow capped mountains on the north shore
to the wide ocean expanse of Kits beach and points beyond Point Grey...
our hotel is simple, clean and convenient...
centrally located with parking and we are in the hub of the city,
the shopping mecca on Robson Street.

Lovely daughter and her friends will be staying here taking care of things
so Pepper will not be lonely.

As I peer out the window I see sunshine blue skies and a few cotton ball clouds dancing slowly high above our bungalow. I am filled with hope, optimism and the promise of better weather.
It's been quite some time since we have had a patch of blue stay around this long and I have missed the sunshine.
Feels like a perfect time to take you all along on a garden tour!

Yellow has been on my mind

I've been craving sunshine 

and thankfully it's here!

Yellow popped in last weekend for Sunday Roast Beef dinner with the family.

Lemons floated in our water goblets

daffodils cheered us on...

aren't these sweet?

I cannot remember their name but they grow like weeds for me.

daffodils naturalized in the lawn

with a large euphorbia in the background

grape hyacinths

hellebore

Japanese anemones

the mighty acacia tree

(whose days are numbered)

we are having it chopped down and replaced by an apple tree

as the cost of maintaining this tree has reached a staggering sum of $500 per annum.

looking north towards the garden shed

pink hellebore putting on quite a show

rhubarb looks healthy

won't be long before I make some crumble

the garlic is obviously happy to see the sunshine

the onions I planted last fall are up

spring onions indeed!

clematis montana rubens will be a riot of blooms in a few weeks.

"Behold, my friends, the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the results of their love!"

Sitting Bull

my packing list awaits

I've got to get busy now

 I 'll close and send my heartfelt wishes.

I hope that you have a Happy Easter Weekend!

Stay tuned

 glimpses and snippets of fun, food and frivolity

if I am lucky!

You' ve got mail....

Look what came in the post today.

I love receiving letters and parcels and today there were two surprises!

Both from ladies who have connected with me through The Humble Bungalow Blog.

Blogging has offered many opportunities to "meet" up with other women.

I have met up with two local bloggers.

I got the chance to shop with the savvy fashion blogger Sheila at Value Village and had coffee with Pondside another local blogger after randomly being spotted and identified at my favourite houseware consignment shop.

Emails, cards, letters and gifts both locally and internationally have been such an umexpected bonus.

Friendships fostered through the internet reminds me how we all share a commonality.

Expanding our horizons offers opportunities for better understanding of customs, cultures and personal tastes.

Tea 

a generous and thoughtful gift from a follower

these are her favourite teas.

I am keen to brew a pot and savour the flavour.

Thank you Peg!

A postcard from Jeanne

Collage of Life.

The caption says

"Mars and Venus mow the lawn"

I received a postcard from Jeanne from the UK about a year ago.

This wire heart rack holds very special cards

it sits on the plate rail in the family room which is just off the Humble Bungalow kitchen...

Thank you so much for sharing yourselves with me

I appreciate getting to know you all better.

I love to hear your "voices" as they join me in my daily round.

I'm off to put the kettle on...

please join me for a cup of tea.

About face: amping up the arsenal in skin care.

Recently I have noticed more lines and deeper wrinkles and some slackening of the skin on my face.
Fear not it is normal for a woman of my age.
By 57 I have earned the right to have a few signs of age and as a mature woman I am not distressed or overly concerned about it.
Having said that I am not about to "give up" and do nothing.

I have always loved what Fiona has to say about her skin regime...wise words that make sense.

Sadly, the lovely and gracious Fiona from How to Be Chic is closing her blog.
Hers was a blog that I always delighted in reading....
pop on over and read what she has written in her posts and wish her well in her new endeavours.

Laying about this weekend meant that I could do some online research...
I refreshed my memory of what is important and what new weapons I could add to my daily routine and those products available that I could afford to employ.

Believe it or not there were serums and potions that were priced at over $300 for a month's supply.

Let's be realistic too,
we need to first eat healthy colourful foods to nourish the skin from within.

These veggies are so simple to make

wash and chop any desired veggies into sizes that when roasted will not be wilted

for example the carrots take longer than the zucchini to cook

so I leave the zucchini thicker.

Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Herbs de Provence

heat the oven to 400 degrees and bake for 35 minutes.

Eat warm

or use as a salad and sprinkle with feta cheese.

Remember that water is vital for our organs, digestion and to keep our skin soft and supple.

I bought a stainless water bottle which I take to work, leave beside my bed at night 

and use in the kitchen when I am cooking.

If it's nearby and handy I drink water often.

I need to add flavour so I pop in a wedge of lemon or lime and I am a happy sipper!

I read a startling article on ditching the sugar for younger looking skin

you can read that here.

If you are over 40 there is information online 

that says you need to choose between your body weight and your face.

Being over weight most of my life this for once is "good news."

Everything else I have read makes me feel miserable about my weight.

(That's why I was swimming laps)

and as a result I am injured.

I have signed up for a less invasive Yoga class at the studio nearby

and will revisit the pool when I am pain free.

Reduce stress

yes stress can show up on your face.

Walk 

meditate

practice Yoga

be creative

get a pet

rest 

Invite and embrace JOY...

happiness looks great on everyone.

Remember to SMILE!

(consider whitening and brightening your teeth if they are stained) 

Research also indicated and suggested that adding a cream or serum with potent ingredients 

like Vitamin C or fruit acids would help.

There are so many websites on skin care it's enough to make your head spin

you have to filter what you read.

Hyaluronic acid seems to be a trusted reliable and well researched ingredient.

Cautiously I explored more on this as I need to be mindful of the Rosacea.

The next step was a walk to the local pharmacy where I buy my Avene line of skin care products.

I needed to chat with the Avene cosmetician whom I trust and respect and get her advice.

Avene

Eulage anti ~ wrinkle cream

Hypo ~ allergenic

I like how my skin feels after using this cream, it feel soft and tighter.

The cosmetician suggested that I start using it every other day for the first week to avoid any reaction.

So far so good...

Cold Cream lotion for my body

which after the winter has been quite dry.

It's soft gentle scent lingers long after you've put it on.

Gift ~ with ~ Purchase

a cute travel pouch

full of freebies.

Full size eye make up remover

and smaller travel sizes of product.

New Revlon with Shea Butter 

perfect for dry lips

glossy and available in a variety of fabulous shades

I grabbed two...

Don't forget to wear sunscreen 

and 

get a good night's sleep every night.

Wear your signature smile in style

in a bright and possibly daring new shade!

Now go out and have some FUN!

XO

TGIF and my newest scarf trick

Gosh I am so happy that it's Friday.
Nasty pain has been an unwelcome issue plaguing my upper back and neck.
OUCH!
I have had one massage and am scheduled for another one later today.
My masseuse has magic hands you'll have to trust me, she really is worth her weight in gold.

I think it must have been swimming laps at the pool that made these muscle seize and go into spasm.

I have been avoiding the computer and so there has been a lack on my part of commenting on the comments that you have so kindly left...
my shoulders seem to be up at my ears when I type so please accept my humble apologies...

In a magazine I was perusing I saw a new scarf trick which I liked very much because it felt less structured than my usual ties.
So I grabbed one of my Hermes scarves and simply tied in once and then on the second knot I didn't pull the end all the way through...

I'll pop a jacket over this and the scarf will add just a dash of colour

it will certainly say "rain rain go away"

and I hope it does!

The garden flowers are enjoying the moisture...

Last week when I went to the Spa 

(salt scrub, massage and wrap)

they offered me fresh fruit and yogurt 

tea and sparkling water.

Nibbling in the posh atmosphere wearing a plush white terry robe made me feel like royalty.

I did feel spoiled...

(thank you Santa!)

So

I have been indulging in French Vanilla Activia here in The Humble Bungalow

ever since...

I try to seize these snippets and savour them.

I wish you all a weekend with many moments of happiness and JOY!

Be Well.