Showing posts with label pampering. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pampering. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Home keeping...and then some pampering.

Some days it feels like I spend most of my time home keeping.
Cooking, tidying, cleaning, doing laundry, ironing, grocery shopping...

I like the results of a little elbow grease and everything looks so much better.
The Humble Bungalow is actually a nicer place to relax when the mess is less!


I have entire days where I get out and about to walk, play bridge and go out to meet friends for tea! Playing catch up can take its toll but if I put on some music and wear my fitness clothes (with a few pearls) and my trusty French Linen apron I find that I have way more energy to tackle the jobs that need attention.

Today I tended to my orchids...
I watered them, removed the wilted flowers and cut away some of the brown stems then tied up the new shoots to the stakes in the pots.


I wiped down the counter tops and cleaned out the fridge.
Polished the silver and cleaned out a few cupboards and drawers.
Did some laundry and ironing...
love the look of my linen tea towels all pressed and ready for service.


My hands got a little special treatment...
before putting on my cleaning gloves 
I applied a layer of this wonderful hand cream,
  moving about doing chores added extra warmth inside the gloves.
The cream worked its magic and it felt like a Spa Treatment!


With the fridge cleaned out the few bits of leftovers were turned into soup.

~ Leftover Soup ~

Cook and soften in a few tablespoons of oil
 a couple of onions
a diced carrot
2 -3 stalks of celery 
1 cubed pepper (I used a yellow one)
5 sliced mushrooms
cooked about 15 minutes then added

a piece of cooked steak (about 5 ounces) cut into small pieces
tetra pack of stock (beef or vegetable)
leftover broccoli
salt, pepper, thyme (to taste)
Simmer for a few hours so the flavour really blooms
add
a handful of dried noodles
cook until soft and serve or cool and freeze for a later date.


While the soup was simmering I took a wee break and gave myself a facial.


The aesthetician at the Spa mentioned that this was her favourite formula for her clients that have rosacea so I figured it was worth a try...
you mix the mask with a wee bit of water and leave it on 5-10 minutes
(while lying down with eyes closed relaxing and breathing deeply)
 then gently wipe it off with a warm face cloth.

I loved how soft and clean my skin felt after this mask.
I used the Eminence Coconut Age Defying cream after and did not put any make up on for the rest of the day.
except for
~ Mascara and lip gloss ~ 

My home day spent productively actioning domestics and focusing on my skin...

~ life feels better with a wee bit of pampering ~

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Dinner time for the deer and the dears....

There are a few plants in the front garden of Our Humble Bungalow....
that have delighted the resident deer population...Dinner is Served!


Sum and Substance is a large leafed Hosta...
those bite marks are huge!


This Hosta had it's flower stalks bitten down and most of the leaves removed.
I planted it this Spring...may be moving it next Fall to the fenced back yard.
Yum Yum someone had a tasty treat.


Another Hosta that was planted this Spring...
munch munch munch.


The deer have left this Giant Rudbeckia alone...

The grasses are untouched but the Orange Crocosmia flowers have been all eaten.


They love eating roses...the tender new foliage and the flowers.


David Austin Rose William Shakespeare has not been a target yet...
perhaps because it is surrounded by Hostas 
which I have decided are the snack of choice for the deer.


This is the same size as the deer that I saw walking along our side walk out front of The Humble Bungalow. I think he must need a lot of greenery to keep him feel full...don't you?
(picture from the archives)


Plump Rose Hips are forming on our neighbours rose bushes.


They are really quite beautiful...


Indulged in a wee bit of pampering...
a relaxing spa pedicure with a bright red polish.
OPI 
Give me a Lido Kiss
from

We had the family around to celebrate Mr. HB's birthday.
I cooked up a big batch of macaroni and cheese, made a couple of salads, baked a salmon, and served cupcakes with coloured sprinkles.
Mother and Aunty Jennifer got to meet Mira Louise and we had plenty of cuddles and hugs from the children...
it was a lovely evening.
Seriously The Best!


The house feels so quiet now...
I can hear
the dishwasher swishing and the linens are in the washer spinning.
Yet
I can still hear the enthusiastic voices of the little ones...
 singing Happy Birthday to Grampa.
They will sustain and keep me happy until I see them again....
Life with Grand Children...
is as Good as it Gets!