Macarons and more....

The weekend was full to the brim of fun food family and friends...
and it's Monday
with only one Macaron left!

Delicious

 made by Julie

a Hostess gift 

(sheer perfection)

Don't you think it looks nice with the bluebells?

such a pretty shade

What to serve when a caterer comes to dine....

Buy some "fresh off the boat" crab

cook and clean it then pick it

make crab cakes

serve with ginger mayonnaise

atop a bed of pea shoots

follow with salad 

Barefoot Contessa style

from her Parties cookbook

red leaf lettuce

balsamic onions

vinaigrette

blue cheese 

Pasta al Sugo 

(Mr. HB's recipe)

with fresh homemade fettucini pasta

artisan bread

roasted fruit

Greek coconut yogurt

(full fat)

with

chocolate espresso cookies

(homemade but rock hard the disaster of the evening!)

I should have tested these cookies before serving them

oh well no one is perfect!

Family dinner was a BBQ

new recipe from White Water Cooks

birthday gift from my son and DIL

West coast fare...

served with twice baked and stuffed potatoes

broccoli salad

tomato basil balsamic salad

red leaf lettuce balsamic blue cheese salad

(fresh, a repeat of Saturday's salad)

wild rice

served with the remaining fruit salad and yogurt

Slept like a baby last night after all the hustle and bustle.

I was recognized by a reader at the market yesterday!

Hello to Marsha

who so kindly introduced herself to me.

She'd been shopping in the newly opened J. Crew in Vancouver

she said the space is quite small

and the selection was limited.

I'll bet that they are dipping their polished toes

 very carefully into our Canadian market before they go big or go home.

Have a fabulous Monday...

see you tomorrow!

XO

A book that inspires and our native Camus blooms.

Do you love finding a great book as much as I do?
I've never been in a book club as I think I read far too slowly to join one.
Oh but I do have a great book on the go at the moment...
you might enjoy this one too....

This book takes place in India 

and tells the story of a woman who grew up in privilege 

now money is scarce

her mansion is crumbling...

"Spanning decades and told in rich rhapsodic prose that takes us from India to England, 

to high peaks of the Himalayas and deep into the Burmese jungle, 

Waiting for the Monsoon is an unforgettable tale of love, loss and the unusual bond between two people" 

(from the jacket cover)

"If her soul had been as spotless as her lawn, she would not have died that year. She was like the old Lloyds.

For years it was the only electric lawnmower for miles around: the fact that it was still functioning was thanks to the brand and not to love. The machine hummed softly as she pushed it along. In the distance she heard the bus starting up for the first run of the day. In one of the houses as the bottom of the road a light came on; the crickets had fallen silent and the birds were still in dreamland. India was slowly awakening..."

(from the jacket cover)

You can read a review here.

I have read over 200 pages and have been transported to another place and time and am enjoying every minute of this adventure!

What are you reading?

I'd love some book recommendations.

The Garry Oak Meadow at school just beyond the playing field.

Can you see those dots of blue scattered in with the yellow buttercups?

I can tell you that this is a special piece of paradise.

Easter lilies dotted this place a few weeks ago

their creamy heads bobbing in the breeze as if they were bonnets.

Camus

The First Nations People used the root for food.

I love the blue and mauve petals they truly glow amid the field.

There is a white Camus which we see rarely

known as Death Camus because it's root is poisonous.

If you drive through town you will glimpse some parks with this blue and mauve native plant.

It's quite stunning massed under the mighty oaks.

It gives me cause to pause and wonder what our land looked like when the settlers first arrived to the land.

I can't wait to see what the field looks like in a few more weeks as all the buds mature and bloom.

Perhaps you'll join me in a future post when I show it again in all it's glory.

Do have yourself a fabulous weekend.

Love that you popped by for a visit.

Until next time...

Be Well.

The Humble Bungalow Garden is growing...

We are trying to keep up with our Humble Bungalow Garden.
It's size and needs have gotten away from us...
Created by an industrious Hostess over the past 30 years it is a pleasant place to sit and relax.
There are heavily planted beds and very little grass!
The point that I am getting at is that it is a LOT of work to maintain so I have hired a strong man to help me whip it into shape and I am hoping that we can keep him on for a few hours each month to keep things looking tidy.
At least until I retire and have more free time to tend it.

I picked these Euphorbia blooms as we removed one 

to make room for a dedicated asparagus bed.

Looking down from the sundeck

2 robust rhubarb plants

alliums

Euphorbia

limelight hydrangeas

garlic in the raised bed between the rhubarbs

and the new raised bed

I bought new organic soil to fill this bed

but did not buy enough 

(24 cubic feet is not the same as 49 square feet!)

so I am making two more trips in the Volvo wagon

until it is filled

and then Mr. HB will be planting the asparagus

which apparently takes a few years of growth before a decent harvest can be expected.

Keeping Mr. HB fueled I actioned some spaghetti and meatballs

Lidia Bastianich's recipe that I found online.

You make the sauce first and then brown the meatballs in oil before adding them to the sauce.

Homemade pasta 

so quick with Adrienne's food processor recipe

and the Kitchen Aid Pasta attachment.

Dinner is served...

we really work up an appetite when we are outdoors in the garden.

West Coast Seed packets are scattered about the kitchen

Touchstone Gold yellow beets

Oregon Sugar peas

Bright Lights Swiss chard

Gold Rush Zucchini

I have some leftover seeds from last summer which we'll use as well.

I like the West Coast Seed Company as their seeds are fresh and reliable

they also specialize in heirloom varieties

their seeds are also untreated non GMO seeds

which is important to me.

The company is located in Richmond BC and is Canada's No.1 Seed

Are you growing food in your garden?

I love being able to walk out to my garden and pick some fresh vegetables for dinner.

I think they taste better when they are home grown and freshly harvested just before serving.

The seed planting will happen on the long weekend in May.

Many varieties are available for growing in pots too so you don't need to have a big garden to grow food

you can have a balcony with pots

or a sunny window sill.

On my walk the other day I noticed that the neighbours down the street have removed all the grass from their front lawn and are making it into an enormous vegetable patch!

They have dressed up a homemade scarecrow 

in a red plaid shirt with straw filling

and baggy pants.

If you have never tried growing food from seed

I hope that you'll try it

or at the very least...

Please support the local organic farmers markets in your area.

Bon appetit.

Hermes and the Hostess OOTD

The sun shone down on us this past weekend.
There's nothing quite so uplifting as the sun and the spring fresh air.
Flowers and blue skies...
It prompted me to get busy and seek out some lighter clothes from the wardrobe
wash some wintery things, readying them for storage.
The weekend was not all work as Mother and I drove out to the country and perused some chic shops before settling into a very serious afternoon tea tray.
I mentioned to Mother that I was dressing casual...

Hermes scarf

makes an appearance.

I love this Olsen belt so much 

but I fear it's days are numbered 

as some stones have fallen out 

and there is some base metal showing 

where the silver has worn off.

I must find a suitable replacement before I let go of this belt.

This Hermes scarf is so summery 

it feels like a whisper.

I am so happy that I opted for subtle instead of bright and bold.

I wore my white Symplii tank top

Aerie dove grey light sweater

and Gap wide legged jeans.

The teahouse was pleasant and the voices of the tea drinkers were polite and hushed.

Good too because Mother's hearing is becoming a problem and she refuses to buy a hearing aid.

She is very firm about this and has taken a stand on it even after repeated requests from her family.

Did I tell you that I am taking her to seattle this summer for a jaunt and a shopping expedition?

We'll be staying at our home away from home, The Mayflower Park Hotel.

It's the same age as Mother, and they both look good for their ages!

Did you know that Hermes sells rocks?

They do.

Mr. HB received these with his Terre d'Hermes

the way they work is you spritz them with your scent and they retain the scent

 you can pop them in a drawer

to scent your lingerie 

or leave them out in a room as a diffuser.

Well that's about it for the weekend wrap up

 a new week is about to begin

I am keeping my fingers crossed for more sunshine.

What did you do this weekend?

Baskets are weaving their way into my heart.

There is something about a basket that sends me all aflutter...
baskets speak to me and I have quite a few that I am passionate about.
I didn't think I needed another basket but two new ones have entered The Humble Bungalow.

Mother gave me a new basket and it reminds me of some that I have seen from Nantucket.
She is Spring cleaning her condo and getting rid of stuff.
I think that my de-cluttering binge has influenced her...
she has way too much stuff so I am really encouraged that she is paring down.

Strong sturdy and well crafted.

So pretty just on it's own

a perfect size for toting to the market.

My friend Cheryl and I did some shopping when she was here visiting and we ventured into a consignment shop in the Village and she found a lovely vintage framed picture and I found a basket!

Nut brown

 well woven and seriously commodious.

Pepper hopped inside and promptly curled up and went to sleep.

I've left it on the floor in the kitchen for now as she is enjoying it so much!

These baskets are in the front hallway

the hinged basket holds gloves scarves and hats.

The one on the left holds shopping bags

it's easy to grab a couple on my way out the door.

I try to always bring a bag or basket when I go shopping

it's one easy thing that I can do to help reduce reuse and recycle.

Earth Week has been full of "green" themed events.

We got involved in a community clean up project at school.

Our class filled 6 garbage bags with litter that we found scattered in and around the park.

It surprises me no end that people litter so much...

no excuse really as there are numerous garbage cans available

back in the day we'd call these folks litterbugs!

Take a tote, basket or some canvas bags when you go shopping

it's the right thing to do.

I don't know about you but I feel chic carrying something other than plastic.

Check this out!

 Be well

and many thanks for popping by and visiting.

It's a sun shiny day out there so I am off to weed the garden....

XO