Seattle snapshots...Chihuly, Tom Douglas and Pike Place Market.

Whew what a busy getaway!
Mr. HB and I walked for hours every day that we were away and enjoyed seeing the sights.
Oh and yes there was some shopping!
I am up to my neck buried in laundry right now I'll get that done and then post a "loot shoot."
Thank goodness for the large capacity LG machines.

The Space Needle reflected in the blue sphere.

Chihuly Gardens and Glasshouse

I highly recommend taking the time to visit this amazing place.

You'll never think of glass in the same way again!

You can get an idea of how vast this glass sculpture is when you look at the figures at the bottom left.

It's quite staggering to stand beside this and gaze up.

This glass scene fills an entire room.

Vibrant colour and interesting textures and shapes...

The Glass House

Outside in the Chihuly Gardens

The plantings accent the colours and textures of the glassworks.

The greyed wood and the blues and mauves compliment each other

and the chartreuse blooms add even more depth and interest.

Red stands out against the black Mondo grass at the base.

A perfect to time your visit would be around dusk 

so that the lights inside placed inside the glass sculptures would be enchanting.

We rode the 50 year old monorail which has stood the test of time

it is the easiset and fastest way to get to the Space Needle, Chihuly Gardens and The EMI Music Experience.

The Music Experience is inside an interesting building by architect Frank Gehry.

view from the monorail platform

it's a huge space and so artfully designed

We decided against riding the wheel on the waterfront 

the weather was grey and rainy, the winds were gusting

neither of us felt like swaying in the breeze or looking at the skyline through a wet rainy glass dome.

The Savour Seattle food tour was fabulous and rated one of the top 10 tours in the US

now I understand why...

The knowledgable, friendly and entertaining guides 

a behind the scenes look at the Market

 tasty samples 

personally greeting vendors on the 2 hour walking tour of Pike Place Market.

We dined at some amazing restaurants 

we researched them on Trip Advisor and booked ahead through Open Table.

 Dahlia Lounge was one great spot!

Top Chef Tom Douglas owns many great places to eat in Seattle.

Amuse bouche

a wee bite to wake up the taste buds.

Tom is famous for his signature crab cakes 

I make a tasty crab cake so I wanted to see just how good they were.

Delicious! 

they were served on a bed of wilted mustard greens which were sauteed in garlic!

Mr. HB had oysters in mignonette sauce, pot stickers and steamed clams.

he had to try their famous coconut cream pie

I had one teensy taste...

Tom and his wife were sitting in the booth next to us enjoying dinner...

he must be a very busy chef and to see him relaxing in one of his own restaurants was a bonus

check out all Tom's amazing venues.

We had a fabulous time in Seattle

stay tuned for some shopping highlights in the next post...

Hope that your week is off to a great start!

Simply White, a Wednesday in March...

White Wednesdays have all but disappeared, have you noticed?
Bloggers seems to have moved on to other themes.

I do so love white stoneware, plates and the soft glow of all white rooms.

Filtered light cast shadows on this simple jug.

Atlanta Bartlett's lovely book

At Home With White has some seriously beautiful images

I keep opening this book and dreaming in white.

I never tire of white rooms

they ooze with elegance

 a breath of calm relaxation.

I love when whites are massed together

the effect is amplified

especially when there are variations of shapes and texture.

Oh be still my beating heart,

 look at this all white kitchen!

Simple, elegant and stunning in it's beauty.

Our heritage Bungalow has dark Douglas Fir wood panelling and wainscoting and beams.

We would not dream of changing this element as that would be tampering with the original architects' design.

Milo S. Farwell worked in Victoria, Seattle and San Francisco.

I wonder how many of his homes still exist.

We are stewards of this home and do our best to keep it as original as possible.

Loving white as I do

 I add it where I can...

~ dishes and crockery ~

~ towels ~

The Meissen platter is a favourite of mine.

I love the grand scale of it and the gentle scalloped edge.

Maxwell Williams china is widely available and is quite reasonably priced.

Open stock makes it easy to pick up more pieces.

When you choose white china it is easy to mix and match different styles and designs 

it all works

trust me!

Say you are hosting a dinner party or a buffet for 20 and you own a set of 12 

you can borrow white china from your friends

and put it all together so it looks fabulous.

Apples even look prettier against the white bowl

this bowl was found at a local thrift shop

I think it was originally a wash basin.

For some inspiration pop on over to Country Living and have a browse...

I'll be back in a few days with some highlights from our Seattle and Vancouver trip.

There was lots of sightseeing and shopping...

and yes there were shoes!

Cleaning house and our beloved Chris Craft.

My heart rejoices when I see a blue sky and the sun shining.
The rays of sunshine streaming through the windows shine a different light on things inside.
For one they show up all the dust that has settled on the dark wood which is not so exciting because it shows my lack of domestic ability and is a reminder that I need to dust more frequently.

A sweep of the areas that are dusty is remedied quite quickly with the long handled wooly duster.
Then next are the windows clouded and splattered with salt spray from gale force winds...
simple solutions are water, a micro fiber cloth, and a squeegee.

No one would ever dare say that I led a glamourous life.
It's honestly a very humble and ordinary life.


When I sit and chat with friends over coffee I realize how different my life is from theirs
the grass often looks greener from the other side...

I'm not a complainer and am a better listener than a speaker.

We all have our crosses to bear and mine are held close to my heart.
Mother frowns upon airing ones "dirty laundry" in public and this lesson I learned at a very early age.

No one has a perfect life.
Don't waste precious energy and time thinking otherwise.

My friends are seasoned travellers and Mr. HB and I are content to stay close to home.
Neither of us have the urge to venture too far afield.

I think it is our years of boating that have kept us soothed and content.
Our summers living on the ocean and moving with it's tides may be a thing of the past as we have our classic Chris Craft Constellation for sale.

Classic boats require a lot of maintenance and Mr. HB has been kept very busy for the past 20 years tending her. It is time for us to move in a different direction and hopefully our beloved boat will find a new owner to keep her looking sharp.

My BFF and her husband recently sold their classic Monk as a live aboard and it has already been moved to a permanent slip in the inner harbour. 

We drove by to see her safely nestled in her new spot 

it's great to know that she has passed into capable hands  that the new owner is as passionate and excited about her as my BFF and her husband were when they took her on.

There is a whole new chapter of life unfolding ahead of us...

while we have not sold the boat just yet

I am thinking that I will miss our summers afloat

though most certainly I will keep those many wonderful boating memories close to my heart.

1957 Chris Craft Constellation

Driftwood II

She's been a big part of our lives 

let's just hope that she finds an owner with an eye for the beauty of a vintage classic.

She is a beauty and gets lots of attention when we are at the dock

 but she is a high maintenance gal

and not one for the faint of heart.

I wonder if there will be a brave soul out there who will take her on.

She'd make a great floating B&B...

~ ~ ~

The cure for anything is saltwater – sweat, tears, or the sea.

~ Isak Dinesen ~

A lick and a polish....

My nails have never been a top priority for me...
gardeners are a no nonsense breed and other than wearing garden gloves and slathering our hands with emollient lotions and creams we rarely wear polish as it chips so quickly when we are weeding and pruning.

Lately my nails have felt weaker and softer more prone to breakage and I do take a multi vitamin and several supplements daily so I thought I'd better do some research and see what I could do to improve the strength of my nails.

Hangnails are beastly and I am prone to them.

I have been faithfully applying the Badger Cuticle Cream daily and it has helped.

Complete Care from Sally Hansen claims to be the answer to weak nails.

Having recently tested this out I can endorse it and am happy to say that it does work.

It can be used as a base and a top coat with coloured polish in between too if you prefer wearing colour.

I like the shine too.

Look who helped me with my manicure!

Chester is such a curious kitten that he follows me everywhere and insists on being in on the action.

He wakes me up very early every morning with his purring and a few licks just to make sure that I notice him!

He's great company...

Pepper our other cat was snoozing on the bed.

She gets tuckered out after Chester chases her around the house.

They play well together with the occasional cat spat when Pepper shows him whose the boss!

He does have some annoying habits like jumping on Pepper when she is drinking water

or grabbing her by her neck when she is looking out the window.

But they do look so cozy when they are snuggled up together on the bed or the sofa.

 Pepper looking out the window

the house across the street reflected in the glass.

Spring is just around the corner and it cannot come too soon.

I have noticed that there are many more birds in the Humble Bungalow Garden.

We have lots of trees and greenery so there are lots of spots for them to perch

and hide from the hungry hawks.

The closet has had a thorough going over with an eye to edit the tired, ugly and unbecoming.

There is room now for a couple of new purchases...

I am thinking of some new pants and shoes.

A colourful scarf might be fun...

Our Seattle trip should provide an opportunity to find some new pieces.

Do you have any thoughts on dressing for Spring?

Janet at the Gardener's Cottage inspired me with her Spring Fever post.

What kind of weather are you having where you live?

I'm going to go out and jump in a few puddles!

Oh and Mother sounds so much better.

Thank goodness for medicine that works!

I can breathe a little easier now.

Hope your weekend is filled good things...

Hostess

Make up and Mother.

Lisa Eldridge is a well known talented make up artist from the UK.
She has a blog and a newsletter which I subscribe to and enjoy.
You might know and like her too...

This week she showed us a make up tutorial for women over 50.
Step~by~step details and information and links to the products and colours she used.

It's worth watching and runs about 12 minutes so sit back and relax...
Lisa's tutorial here.

A trip to Sephora is on my radar so I can check out some of the shades and products that she suggests.
I am particularly curious about the Bobbi Brown moisturizing balm and the Max Factor blush. I do not use blush but think it might be something worth experimenting with...

I have been wearing my pearls how about you?

Have you noticed how many beautiful scarves the retailers are showing for Spring?

I am smitten with so many of them...

I took Mother a bouquet of yellow roses

and dinner...

she has bronchitis and is on antibiotics.

When she is ill I cannot help but worry.

Normally she is a healthy vibrant 85 year old 

so when she is ill it is very disconcerting.

She was dressed up despite feeling poorly.

That's just what Mother does...

and who she is

she dresses up all the time.

Pearls, a cream silk blouse and a sensible A line navy skirt.

I hope that she gets over this bug quickly.

I hope the cheery roses help her feel better soon.

Mother wears no make up

just a great moisturizer, some lipstick and blush.

It works and suits her.

I like the sound of simple...

what about you?

Beauty upon closer inspection...

Flowers are quite delightful and often we may merely glance at their beauty.
They are flowers so isn't that their job?
To be beautiful and to be admired.
We may take them for granted.

Upon reflection I think that
beauty goes much deeper...

I am thinking of a few of the older women that I know who are, in my opinion and in a word, fabulous.
They know how to dress to make the most of their figures and they have perfected the art of applying make up.
They smile often, have oodles of energy and are a positive influence on those who have the good fortune to be around them. They have something magnetic about their demeanour.

On a recent visit to an Avenue Shop that I regularly patronize I spoke with the owner/manager who told me that she was turning 65!
I would have never guessed! I though perhaps that she was closer to my age.
She dresses casually, pays attention to her grooming,  focusing on a flattering hairstyle and she keeps her figure in check by walking daily.
I looked closely at her face as we chatted and for the first time I noticed that she had quite a few wrinkles...
I never really saw them before.
They did not diminish her good looks and obvious well cared for and healthy skin, in fact, they looked natural and quite friendly.
We got into a discussion about bathing suits of all things, as she is off to Maui for 2 weeks.
She is traveling with a long time girlfriend...
who has apparently gained quite a bit of weight.
Who by all accounts says that she is happy with her body and has just invested in a couple of splashy new bathing suits...one of which is a two piece.
Isn't that wonderful?

How refreshing and delightful...
Women who accept themselves and are comfortable in their own skin.
Women who don't take themselves too seriously and have a great sense of humour.
Women who are not afraid of adventure and set an shining example of what we can look forward to as we advance in age.

After our conversation I realized how long it takes some women to come to terms with aging...myself included.
We are not hardwired for acceptance, nor do we dwell on it for long as we generally have far too much going on in our lives to be able to spend hours "gazing at our navels."

Do you listen to and appreciate the wisdom that older women have to offer?
I savour time spent with these remarkable ladies and feel that I breathe easier and have a sense of calm
not unlike that felt after an hour of restorative Yoga.
I am walking behind them trying to catch up
wanting to absorb the lessons that they have learned and are willing to share.


The sun danced in The Humble Bungalow as I was sitting down to type this post a few days ago ~
it is raining cats and dogs here today!
I grabbed my camera and captured some images of the lovely tulip bouquet that I was given by a lovely friend.

Looking though the lens I discovered an intricate beauty that deserved closer inspection...

My hands are as dry as can be despite the lotion that I slather on them.

I blame it on all the domestics that I do without the protection of gloves.

The gloves are handy I just keep forgetting to put them on...

The best lotion I have found is Pure Shea Butter from L'Occitane which is made in France

what do you use to keep your hands in top form?

My hands are those of an older woman, my neck too.

Here's the thing

I am that older woman!

Are you willing to walk with me on my journey to wisdom and acceptance?

One wrinkle at a time...

Coffee, daffodils, aprons and meatballs ~ a mish mash!

I fancy a great cup of tea but I rarely comment on a good cup of coffee.
A good night's sleep is very important to me and I am sensitive to caffeine so it is a decaf blend that I opt to buy.
The Drum Roaster Coffee Shop at Cobble Hill, BC is my favourite spot to buy coffee.
 Coffee is roasted on site and the pastries are very delicious if you have a wee bit of a sweet tooth!
Seats are often in short supply as there is a crowd of loyal regulars, they do take out so all is not lost.
It's also a great stop to stretch your legs if you are driving up or down island.

This day has found me reading blogs that I follow and am on my second cup of coffee...
It's such fun reading blogs from around the world, so many great writers out there in the blog-a-sphere.
Inspiring me to try new recipes, revamp my closet, lose weight and travel.

The daffodils are blooming in The Humble Bungalow Garden.

I'm excited!

Emma Bridgewater's pottery is such fun.

This mug brings a little bit of spring cheer all year round.

If you look closely you can see the droplets of rain on this bloom

 trying very hard to be a sunny spot in a grey day

the weight of water has almost collapsed this daffodil's petals

still it is a pretty sight 

rain drops are very photogenic don't you think?

~ ~ ~

I'm going to pop on my trusty apron and get into action 

 Lidia Bastianich's classic Italian meatballs are on the menu 

for Mr. HB's supper tonight.

What are you cooking up for supper?

I must look for a new apron as mine is looking rather tattered...

 something with a bib style as I am a very messy cook!

any suggestions?

Hope your weekend had some delights.

Mine was so relaxing...

Take care,

Hostess