Showing posts with label celebrations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label celebrations. Show all posts

Sunday, August 20, 2023

A quick post ~ I missed last week as I was away...


Roses for a friend...


I am writing and publishing a quick post.
I've been a wee bit busy so I missed last week's post.
I was in White Rock with the grandchildren and our son.
We stayed at the Ocean Promenade Hotel 
across from the beach with the train tracks in between.

Trains pass by frequently and the kids loved watching all the cars pass by...
We went to IKEA at Port Coquitlam, had my first Swedish Meatball lunch.
I bought napkins, candles, and some inexpensive knives.

We also shopped at Zara at Metrotown for the girls outfits for back to school.
I was surprised how FAST they shop!

We also had a day at Big Splash Water Park...lots of water and slides.
Tsawwassen Mills Mall for the Adidas shop for Henry.

Our suite was great...it had a kitchenette
I was able to make breakfasts. coffee and snacks.


My husband turned 70 on Saturday.
We were out Friday for a happy hour, Saturday we attended the annual summer gathering hosted by my husband's former architectural firm.


The dinner was held at Mary's Farm and Sanctuary out by Goldstream.
Farm animals, a disc golf course, games, a tire swing and scenic walks and trails 
on the 30 acres.
The families just loved the amenities and the food was made by my friend Julie.
Everything was delicious and had a "country theme."


There was smoke in the sky...
forest fires burning up in the interior of BC and south of us in Washington State.


I am making Mr HB a pasta dinner tonight...
Vongole

(His favourite)


I have the ingredients all chopped and prepped and ready to go...
to the left you can see my new All Clad Pasta Pot.

(I've invested in a few new pots by All Clad)

Well I must get busy cooking as it is almost 5:30...
Will be back soon!

Hope that you have a fabulous week.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Birthday highlights...


Life is speeding by...
now that I have clocked 65 years
looking back
it feels like a bit of a blur.


Japanese Tapa Bar lunch out with my husband and our son
who gave me this beautiful bouquet of flowers.


Flowers are filling many vases here in The Humble Bungalow.


Chester reminds me that we need to stop and smell the flowers!


Love a green and white bouquet.




Birthday lunch out with my girlfriends.

We have a wonderful restaurant nearby called Nourish that features healthy food.
The focus of the menu is mostly vegetables.

This grain bowl had lentils, roasted veggies, kale, radish and carrots
served atop a bed of butternut squash miso.

It was incredibly delicious!


A rather silly impish smile 
as I hold the vast bouquet of flowers that my darling husband bought for me.


We both enjoyed a quiet dinner out at a local hotel.

The place that mom, my sister and I used to go to on Tuesday evenings.
I wore mom's pearl ring and had a glass of mom's favourite white wine.
Remembering her on the anniversary of the day she passed away.

It is with mixed emotions that I celebrate my birthday 
while I remember it is also mom's day of demise.

Thankfully I have a supportive family and friends who cheered me up.
I am so grateful to have had mom in my life for so many years.
I have many special memories and a few of her things 
that continue to remind me of her everyday.


A surprise package arrived in the mail.
From a dear reader of my blog 
Rosemarie

She knows me well and sent me these cute socks.
I am going to wear these a lot.
They are fun and will add some oomph to my basic wardrobe.

Thank you Rosemarie!
XO


The sun is shining and there are signs of Spring 
flowers are coming to life and popping up in the garden.
I feel more energy and enthusiasm when the sun shines.
Do you?

"I enjoy the spring more than the autumn now. 
One does, I think, as one gets older."

~ Virginia Woolf ~


Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

If you would like to leave a comment and I hope that you will
you'll need to use a Google search engine as Safari will not work 

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Monday, July 3, 2017

Canada Day, weekend stuff and a summer OOTD


A very grainy capture in the dark...
July 1st Canada's 150th celebration
the fireworks display watched from atop Moss Rocks.



Here's the view from on top of Moss Rocks 
a couple of blocks north of The Humble Bungalow.
The white condo building in the middle at the top was Mom's building.
I still have difficulty thinking that Mom has gone...
I see her in my daily round
and can still hear her voice...


My current book stack...
I picked up The Perfume Garden by Kate Lord Brown and sat for a few leisurely hours and have read the first 22 chapters... I do not want to stop reading!


Have you heard of the Cut Loose line of clothes?
I have tried on quite a few of their clothes over the years as I like their designs.
Many of their garments swamp my short stature...
I suppose they are designed for a taller woman.

Persistence over the years paid off and I have found a couple of Cut Loose things that I love and wear in the summer.


OOTD
A simple dress with a texture that minimizes bumps and wobbly bits.
The dress dips in the front and there is a pocket on one side.


The pocket is large enough for a wallet or a cellphone.


The back detail also dips 
I wear this with a pair of black footless capri tights and sandals.


I purchased this top in the US at Roche Harbour several summers ago.
It is long enough to wear with yoga pants or leggings.
Another favourite that gets a lot of wear.
I tend to wear looser clothing in hotter weather.
These two items get worn a lot and they wash up easily and hang to dry.

(Happy 4th of July to our neighbours to the south!)



My newest knitting project is a chunky weight white and grey mix yarn blanket.
It is a standard "dishcloth" pattern using two strands of yarn and a size 10mm circular needle with a 60 inch wire.


Constance Spry
a fragrant pink rose that continues to delight.
She is a repeat bloomer and a reliable and hardy climber.

Hope your week is off to a great start.

Hostess

Friday, June 30, 2017

Weight Watchers...and watching out the window.

Our kitchen window looks out toward the neighbours yard.
My laptop sits atop a quarter sawn oak trestle arts and crafts table so when emailing or blogging I can observe the work going on next door.


Here's a low Weight Watcher point breakfast that I ate a few days ago.
Low fat cottage cheese and fresh fruit.
I have been unable to focus on my WW since Mother passed away but now I need to get back on track.

It is proving to be more of a challenge this time...
I am trying to be disciplined but think I am in trouble and I may need to go back to the meetings as they really helped me before.


Coffee first thing in the morning is my only "real" caffeine of the day.
The rest of the time I opt for decaf beverages or I have trouble sleeping at night.


Dinner one boneless skinless chicken thigh, 
curried quinoa and brown rice
salad with 1 Tbsp. of low point yogurt dressing.

Our views from the kitchen window are changing daily and dramatically...


This used to be a demolition site...just a big hole.
Things are taking shape as the building is being erected.


A basement and main are being framed here...


And here is the view a couple of days later
There will be two new homes on this site.


Breakfast this morning was a symphony in red and white.
I have not seen any movement on the scale so far but I am not discouraged.
My pants feel looser so that's a good sign.

We are celebrating Canada's 150th birthday tomorrow on July 1st
there are a lot of people expected to attend the events on the lawn of the legislative buildings at the Inner Harbour.
I plan to avoid the crowds as I do not like getting jostled or stepped on and because I am so short I can never really see what's going on!


Mr. HB hung the flag up and we are hoping to watch the fireworks
from our neighbourhood.

Happy Canada Day!

Hope you have a lovely weekend.
I'll be back on the blog in a few days...

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

On a sunny Sunday we gathered...


I picked Jude the Obscure roses from our Humble Bungalow Garden
for the party.
Popped them in an icy modernist vase from Finland.

Picked some limelight hydrangeas for the centrepiece in a heritage tea house
set them on the table in a vintage enamel jug
placed the photograph in front
waited for the guests to arrive.

Sunday was memorable
as it was a celebration for the newlyweds.


a lovely venue 
in the garden of dear friends 
a vast green lawn
magnificent perennial borders


vintage lamps and lighting
with views to the garden beyond...


wicker chairs
plump cushions


colourful bunting strung from the rafters

food 
family
friends
boccee ball
children running about
blowing bubbles
laughter
conversation



The lovely couple...
Darling daughter and our son in law...
welcome to the family!

Feeling such gratitude and joy...
spending time with family 
there is no better way that I know of to feel the beauty of love.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Monday, August 22, 2016

Week #2...and it is slow going.

Dining out this week and counting WW points has been a bit of a challenge.
I am not expecting the scale to budge at all, I just hope it will not go up!

Bistro lunches, a pub dinner, a garden party and a BBQ...
and wine!
( to burn off the points from one glass of wine I need to walk briskly for 5km!)


The view from The Oak Bay Beach Hotel where we celebrated Mr. HB's birthday.
The sun was setting in the west and this eastern exposure turned a soft pink shade.


The hot tubs were obviously "too hot" to use in this weather.


We drove home via the scenic route and stopped at King George Terrace lookout to take a picture of the golden sunset.


My walking route 
warm and bathed in sunlight about 8:30 in the morning.
The heat was increasing as I walked and I am so glad that I opted to do the 5km early rather than later...


Quite a few walkers and joggers were out and about...
the sea was calm and the air still.

This is part of the route that the Tour de Victoria cyclists peddled their bikes along...

I don't own a bike but have been looking longingly in the window of the Fairfield Bicycle Shop
The Pashley bikes from the UK are on display in their window
British Racing Green and Fire Engine Red
what would I choose?
And it absolutely MUST have a wicker basket!


The Humble Bungalow Garden is chock full of blooms.
A riot of of roses and loads of mop head limelight hydrangeas...


We are having a heat wave and the intense heat affects my energy level.
Despite drinking lots of lemonade and iced tea I feel rather sluggish.
We are not used to high temperatures and there has been very little in the way of cooling ocean breezes... 

We have kept the blinds closed and opened most of the windows a crack... 
(so that the cats do not escape)


I am totally absorbed with this new novel.
Sitting in a Morris Chair in The Humble Bungalow living room keeping cool
is not a bad way to spend a hot afternoon.

A dip in a pool would be nice...
but I will make due with a refreshing shower.

How was your weekend?
Have you got a good book that you can recommend?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~