Dinner Party...with a wee bit of help from My Stylish French Box

For the evening I picked two David Austin Roses, my favourite 

"Jude the Obscure" and some rosemary for the main dish.

I set a very simple table...

The Menu:

Tray of appies

Salad

Jamie Oliver's Succulent Lamb Stew

Mashed Potatoes

Green beans and shaved carrots

Chocolate torte with raspberry coulis

Brie cheese, balsamic fig spread, olives, cherry tomatoes, dates, & crackers.

Mixed in a big bowl

butter lettuce, radicchio, endive

pea shoots

pomegranate seeds

Julia Child's basic vinaigrette drizzled over top and tossed.

Jamie Oliver's Succulent Lamb Stew can be found in his 5 Ingredient cookbook.

I borrowed a copy from our local library.

The chocolate torte was a packaged mix by Marlette

from the most recent delivery of "My Stylish French Box"

The chocolate torte mix was fast and easy.

Look at all the beautiful items that Sharon and her team chose for the last box!

The candle is fragrant and the copper tin will come in handy when it is finished.

(put the candle in the freezer for a few hours and the wax shrinks away from the sides and then I pop it out.

Vintage linen tea towel.

linen apron

copper cannele molds

Love these carefully curated French themed boxes.

A wonderful treat filled with exquisite delights.

If you want to try one 

or indulge in an annual subscription 

please click here.

The November box will be on its way shortly and I am really excited as heard that one of the items will be from the company Petrusse who make and design beautiful scarves and shawls!

Most of the contents are kept secret so that subscribers are surprised...

when all the boxes have been delivered 

the team will share the box contents on the website.

I'm back in the kitchen today preparing a casual dinner for family who are visiting from the Kootenay region of our province.

So I must not dilly dally and put my apron on and start prepping!

Hope that your week is going well and that you are finding some time to stop and smell the flowers along the way!

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Todays tidbits...right here in black and white!

Later I will share a few new things here in The Humble Bungalow...

first things first...

my creative juices have been waning for awhile

writing has taken a back seat for now

my energy is otherwise engaged in reading and knitting

There have been some moody moments, thinking about and remembering mom.

Yesterday I bought a latte and sat on the beach
where my sister and I spread mom's ashes.

It was a beautiful afternoon,
the seas gently rippled
and
glistening in the bright sunshine.

Waters ebb and flow...
moods alter

a white lab comes by for a pat
its owner follows ~ apolgizes for the intrusion
not bothered at all by the dog
I continue to sit and savour the latte
thinking how close I feel to mom

calmed by the lapping of the waves
restored
peace follows
a positive energy has returned.

A pretty pink

 pop of colour 

 lewisia blooms.

I have been indulging in a wee bit of retail therapy...
nothing outrageous
but a few things that caught my eye.

Emma Bridgewater Black Toast pattern is a favourite of mine...

I found these wee picnic pieces at The Bungalow on Estevan Avenue.

Too cute to pass up on and fit perfectly in my small insulated picnic tote.

Lands' End packable down jacket 

it will keep the chill away on my winter walks.

New black napkins

white mini pumpkins 

for the table

We are hosting a dinner party

I'll post on the menu and the table settings in a future post.

Our neighbours' cat napping in our garden in a patch of sunshine.

There are two cats, each look identical, so I can never tell them apart.

I didn't mean to disturb its slumber

the ragdoll cats that live across the street are so friendly.

Time for a stretch on the gravel drive...

Time for me to get back to my dinner party prep...

Thank you for taking the time to stop by and read The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Thanksgiving at Quarter Deck Cottage

We've been cozy here at Quarter Deck Cottage this past weekend.
The weather has been mixed with some sunshine, rain and fog...

Cheers...

we sat on the deck one afternoon in the sunshine 

admiring the views and sipped a Corona.

Excuse the grainy picture 

 I wanted to share the sighting of the two whales as they swam past the deck.

Fresh from the Flower Shop

We pick flowers up from the florist as soon as we get settled in at the cottage.

Then we go grocery shopping.

A simple Thanksgiving meal.

Turkey, mashed potatoes and parsnips, with peas and gravy 

topped with a generous dollop of homemade cranberry sauce.

Dessert was a small store bought pie with ice cream.

I made turkey soup...

when I posted this on Instagram one of the readers asked for the recipe.

Quarter Deck Cottage Turkey Soup

In a large pot

Saute 1 large diced onion in a wee bit of oil until soft.

pour in chicken stock

( I used 1 can and 2 cans full of water)

Add a large cubed carrot about 1 1/2 cups

Then add chopped up the turkey meat approximately 1 1/2 cups

3/4 cup of frozen peas

1 cup short skinny noodles

(I used the No Yokes noodles)

a generous amount of fresh ground pepper

( do not add salt as there is plenty in the chicken stock already)

Parsley is optional

Boil and then reduce heat and simmer until carrots are cooked.

Hope you enjoy it!

The cottage smelled so wonderful as the soup simmered...

we had a bowl and then went for a walk in the rain.

A peaceful walk along the beach...

in moody light

a few pieces of sea glass were gathered.

Time now to finish French Exit by Patrick deWitt.

His book "Sisters, Brothers" has just been made into a film and has been released.

I read the book sometime in the last two years and found it rather shocking!

Filled with violence with a rough rawness that kept me on the edge of my chair!

I have no doubt that the film will be powerful.

French Exit has interesting and quirky characters

with a plausible storyline...

I enjoy Patrick's wry edgy writing.

(The book has been short listed for the Scotia Bank Giller Award.)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

 ~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Humble Bungalow ~ October Views

The Humble Bungalow Garden is starting to fade...

the hydrangea blooms are drying up

Jude The Obscure Rose

October has arrived with a new flush of roses...

petals fall littering the ground like confetti.

The Hostas are wilting

their leaves turning gold

The temperatures are chilly 

not conducive to sitting on the front porch.

Lovely Limelight Hydrangeas

I cannot remember the name of this climbing rose...

anyone know? 

Another peek at Jude The Obscure...

I never tire of this rose

the heady fragrance and full cups of frothy petals.

Reading has taken a front seat of late...

I absolutely LOVED this book...

the subject matter is rather serious but my goodness its a good read.

I could not put it down.

The wind is blowing the leaves around the garden today.

It will be time to get the rake out soon...

"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower."

~ Albert Camus ~

I went to the garden centre and bought some pretty red cyclamens for the planter

and 

while I was there I purchased a green pumpkin or squash!

I have started a new book...

We will be celebrating Thanksgiving this weekend...

Taking time to ponder the joys in life

feeling immense gratitude

and

 giving thanks 

for the abundance of life

our family

with thoughts of those who have passed on

and 

last but not least

our wonderful friends.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Salish Sea Life at the Shaw Discovery Centre...

Last weekend
we took the grandchildren to The Shaw Discovery Centre in Sidney.
I am not sure who had the most fun...the adults or the wee ones!

Aquatic life viewed from beneath the sea.

Mira loves looking into the tanks...

Silver salmon swimming...

Colourful fish and graceful anemones.

So much beauty abounds under the sea...

The centre has a "hands on" open area 

where we washed our hands and were permitted to use a baby finger to gently touch the sea life...

the children were fascinated by this opportunity and spent a large portion of our visit at this tactile area of the centre.

The Shaw Centre is a popular venue for school field trips.

The last year that I was working in the school

 we took a small group of our special needs students for a visit.

The children had a wonderful time

were visually stimulated 

with various activities 

that held their attention and they were fully engaged.

It was fun to see how happy and enthusiastic they were during the visit.

It's also a fun place to take family.

Parks, the seashore, museums, libraries, recreation and activity centres 

provide hours of fun and they are not just for kids!

This beautiful tray caught my eye and was purchased recently...

at a local gift shop on sale at half price!

It works well on the boat or at the cottage.

Here is a snapshot from the archives...

taken at Sidney Spit Marine Park on one of our summer visits.

Our family love the sea, enjoy cottage life and boating...

I met my husband many years ago while boating

 I was just 15 !

so this love of ocean and marine life has deep roots and it keeps us connected.

We feel very fortunate to live so close to the Salish Sea.

Do you love the sea?

I must close for now and get some work done here in The Humble Bungalow!

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~