Meet Chester The Humble Bungalow Kitten

Wow life is so different when you adopt a kitten!
It's like having a newborn again.

We are transitioning the introduction carefully so as not to upset Pepper too much.
They both have separate litter boxes, dishes, beds and scratching posts.
I have set up a safe room for our new little bundle, and he is wee at 1.8 pounds!

It's fun having a kitten in the house but the place is a mess and I have my arms full.
Just getting a meal on the table has it's challenges with a little one underfoot.
Stepping slowly and carefully as Chester darts after balls and toys that litter the carpet.
Chester is fond of being held and must feel safe snuggled up close listening to our heartbeats
and gazing into our eyes.
He's precious and loves to nuzzle up under my chin
 and he has taken to giving me a few sandpapery kisses with his tongue.

I read that the ticking of an alarm clock wrapped up in their bed helps as does a hot water bottle.
The clock is on the job but I have not yet tested the water bottle.

Chester at 9 weeks

playtime...

I may be posting shorter posts and less often for awhile,

hope you'll stick around while I am busy elsewhere.

I typed this post with one hand while Chester slept on my chest purring contentedly!

Look how lovely Constance Spry is looking today.

Until next time...

take care.

Saturday's roses.....

The winds have blown in full and forceful,
the seas are cresting with white caps and waves....
it's a blustery warm wind that howls
and we have 4 cruise ships in our port today...

I've been shopping for a super special little Miss.
Isla is her name and her hair is that glorious shade of red of her Scottish ancestors.
She is turning 2 soon and there is a party planned, food, festivities, family and friends.

I had a very helpful Mummy,
a "Yummy Mummy" in fact that steered me in the right direction.

size 4

wee shoes

who does not love to buy when someone else gets a new pair of shoes at the same time?

WIN WIN!

love the glam and glitter!

Oh and we found some great stuff at the toy shop on The Avenue.

Hope she has fun with what we chose.

Gosh it's a busy day here in The Humble Bungalow...

laundry

shopping

and 

weeding the garden.

I had to prune an errant branch that was dangling low and threatening to break off.

apricot and a fruity scent

can we agree on frothy?

she has a very sweet intoxicating nectar.

(if only I could remember her name!)

I am going to meet a new kitten tomorrow

a companion for Pepper

we like to rescue kittens.

This kitten is 9 weeks old and sounds like a sweet fellow.

Fingers crossed he is a keeper.

We've already chosen a name.....

stay tuned 

I may be introducing a new feline soon!

Hope that the sun is shining down on your patch!

Bring on the tradesmen and Happy Birthday Mom!

When you plan a renovation you think that there will be lots of willing and experienced trades people waiting in the wings...
if you hire them they will come
not so...
our basement renovation has hit the skids
and not for the want of money or planning
there seems to be a lack of skilled artisans about
and those who excel are in huge demand, booked months in advance.

My advice to young people is get yourself a trade, apprentice, work for a high profile firm and then start your own company.
If you do a good job you'll have a secure future.

So we wait.....
Mr. HB is a patient man
I am in the camp of I want my reno finished and I want it done now!
(yesterday)

There's nothing that I can do to help so I have been keeping myself busy in other areas.
I try and occupy myself and put the situation in the back of my mind...

I am replacing some very tired linens

and it's been long overdue.

It's simple linen tea towels 

 I find this rather exciting.

I LOVE linen.

It took me about 15 minutes to choose these towels over all the others in the store...

Irish, Belgium, French, American

all the linens lined up

all loverly...

being a tactile woman I had to touch each and every one in the store...

a new shop by the way 

and one that has such wonderful and tempting stock

that I am already planning what I might purchase next time I visit!

I evaluated the colours, the patterns, and the fabrics.

Price did enter the equation....

would you spend $ 50 for a a tea towel made in Belgium?

I think these are made in the USA

and at $20 each more affordable

they'll last and get softer with use.

The colour is natural looking and will work with any decor

they even look good by candlelight!

Evening and lighting a candle 

can make the ordinary something a bit more special

they elevate the mood

and scent the space

I have a few scented ones and the rest are beeswax.

I love the soft scent of beeswax as it melts

plus it has no toxins to worry about.

Speaking of candles...

I am taking Mother out for her birthday dinner

she'd need to have 85 candles on her cake.

(I already know that she wants creme brulee)

Perhaps we'll have one candle!

I am taking Mother a posy of roses for her birthday.

meet

Abraham Darby

a David Austin Rose

many petals do make me happy.

My letter to the local deer might say...

dear deer

please do not munch all the rose petals

I'll be ever so grateful

spare me...

leave me something to pop in a vase

something to dead head

and something to photograph and blog about!

I hope that all my rose photos are not boring you to tears...

it's just that I am so infatuated with them 

and I can't help myself!

A beautiful woman inspires...

I saw a stunning looking older woman in the grocery store.
She had fabulous style and her hair was a shock of silver and her skin was radiant and beautiful.
It looked almost opaque.
She wore a rich shade of red on her lips and her skin was quite wrinkled and I noticed when she spoke to the clerk that her eyes twinkled...

I could not help but stare and I did want to know more about her...
she was wearing a pair of jeans and a white shirt with a red cardigan draped over her shoulders
if I had to guess her age I'd be thinking she'd be around 80.

She had a simple gold bangle on one wrist and a large pair of Tahitian grey pearl studs in her ears.
Her handbag was black and had no visible signs of the brand or maker.

She had a large straw tote for her groceries...
I noticed that she had a few pieces of fruit, some vegetables and a small piece of salmon in her cart.
I assume she lives alone.

She had a lovely manner about her...
someone that you would not easily forget
perhaps she was a model or someone who performed on stage
she was so poised and relaxed, comfortable in her own skin.

This woman unknowingly inspired me to take a good long look at how I looked.

It was windy and my hair was a mess, my coat was undone
my lips were bare and I think I looked rather frazzled...
I was frazzled inside so I am pretty sure that it showed!

I could have made the effort to smarten up even if it meant putting some lipstick on in the car and smoothing my hair, doing up my coat and putting a smile on my face...even though I felt weary.

The McCartney Rose

the perfume is unbeatable

these petals hold the scent for days

often I'll pop them in a pretty dish and enjoy them for until they wilt

speaking of enjoyment

my newest and most favourite magazine 

has arrived...

I'm going to put my feet up and sip a cup of tea...

and dream a bit.

 Perhaps I'll meet that seriously chic lady at the market sometime soon...

and I'm going to tell her how beautiful she is next time.

I compliment strangers often

do you?

Purple Haze...

Purple alliums are standing tall and the bees are buzzing noisily about...

Purple Alliums 

attract bees 

and butterflies.

Floppy headed blouse-y roses

of

Madame Gregoire Staechelin

Isn't she lovely?

Purple alliums

I'm loving them as much today as I did when I planted them a few years ago.

They've obviously been happy as they have multiplied like nobody's business.

buzz buzz

a worker bee at work

I love purple with chartreuse...

Trying to capture the bees in their frantic zig zag motion

proved to be difficult.

They didn't even seem to notice me as they were so intent on their work.

"Busy as a Bee"

 (fits them to a Tee)

clematis in full glory...

The acacia tree has been felled

it gave us years of shade and grew too tall to be easily managed on a city lot.

The arborist advised us to plant something a little less aggressive

so we are trying to find an apple tree to plant in it's place.

The John Grieve variety is top of the list and the tree service is trying to locate a specimen for us.

Looking forward to some cozy fireside chats warmed by her wood

in the winters to follow.

Mr. HB might need to rent a splitter to tackle this job.

Bees like to fly right up inside these wee trumpet shaped foxglove flowers.

Foxgloves are biennials

they pop up in places that surprise me

as I do not remember them being close to where they are blooming now.

"Bloom where you are planted"

Mary Englebreit

I have been glued to the BBC 

 have been watching all the pomp and pageantry that is The Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

Kate looked radiant in red and well let's just say that The Queen rocked her party!

God Save the Queen

Sweet dreams....