Showing posts with label vintage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vintage. Show all posts

Sunday, November 26, 2023

Dinners In and out ~ OOTD...


I bought this simple black Eileen Fisher dress a few years ago...
it has become a real workhorse in my wardrobe.

I have worn it with a white long sleeved top underneath
tights and black Chelsea Boots.

Last night I wore it as it is and added a soft wool Petrusse scarf as a shawl.



This is a surprisingly warm scarf despite it being rather sheer.

I received this in one of the My French Country Boxes from France.
It has had a few years of use and still looks new.


I thought about wearing my Ferragamo shoes 
but in the end I decided I should test drive the new Coach loafers.

I wore sheer black hose for the first time in ages...
fortunately I have a few new packages in my drawer.

I added the vintage rhinestone bracelet and wore my simple princess cut diamond necklace and studs.

It felt strange not wearing my pearls 
I thought that I should keep it simple when adding the BLING.


We had a delicious dinner at Zambri's our favourite Italian restaurant.


I forgot to capture our appetizers, main course but here is dessert!
Passionfruit Panna Cotta
so delicious!

We had a lovely evening out and it was such a treat.

On Friday evening we hosted a small dinner party here in The Humble Bungalow.


The table is set and ready for the guests.


Appetizers ~ cheese plate with Olives, pickles, antipasto and candied salmon with assorted crackers in the living room in front of the fireplace.

The main course ~ Beef Daube, mashed potatoes and green beans.
Dessert ~ large brownies topped with fresh raspberries.

I wanted to host a casual dinner before everyone got busy with the seasonal events.

Have you noticed that people are out in droves buying Christmas presents?
I too am trying to get my shopping done early.
I need time to bake some cookies and the annual Christmas Tourtieres.


Hope that you are all staying healthy...
I have heard that the viruses are making the rounds.
One of my friends has been hospitalized and she's been in for a week and only now starting to feel better.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Monday, November 6, 2023

November update...Autumnal colour, halloween, books and more...

 


~ Fall Colour ~

The limelight hydrangeas are turning pink.
I picked a big armful to dry on the porch and placed them in a jardinere on the buffet.


~ Trick or Treat ~

We had a VERY BUSY Halloween night answering the door and giving out treats!


Fortunately I purchased 250 treats...
we started the evening out by handing out 3 each,
then quickly realized the street was abuzz with children!

We had well over 100 children pop by and we ran out by 7:30
so we turned out the lights
coincidentally, our neighbours did the same at that exact time!


Fall colours are putting on a lovely show here at the cottage.
As we walk and drive the rural roads we are very aware of the different foliage on display.


I found this book in a free library on my walk.
I had not heard of Bobbi French or the title but was interested after reading the cover.

I read the book in a couple of days and am giving it to a friend.
It dealt with a difficult subject but was done so with such sensitivity and grace.
I recommend it.


BC Ferries sail by the cottage many times each day...
this one looked like a Cruise Ship all it up.
Our neighbours here refer to them as "birthday cakes!"
We also play a Yachtzee game...
if you see 5 ferries all at once on the sea you call Yachtzee.


I am so thrilled with the vintage ironstone transferware platter.
I found it at Kay's Korner in the Cook Street Village.

We don't have a Blue themed decor in The Humble Bungalow but the cottage does!
I think this tray elevates the casual beachy vibe.


Found another great book in the wee free library.
I have read several of Gill Paul's other books and really enjoyed them...
this one has hooked me already and I am enjoying the story.


I found this distressed and tarnished jug at the thrift shop.
I think it was 35 cents...
it has come in handy for casual flower displays.


I bought a silver tea strainer at the thrift shop for $1
I plan to polish it up but need to buy some silver cleaner...
it will be lovely not having to use those gauzy paper slips 
 for my loose teas here at the cottage.

I am drinking a lot of loose teas these days and most of it comes from Murchies.
The Princess blend is a lovely floral rose tea which I drink most afternoons when i sit and read my book or knit.



A scarf knit on the bias.
This will go with lots of my blue denim and my blue down puffer coat.
The yarn is Japanese Noro blend of alpaca, wool and silk.

I found the pattern and yarn at my favourite local wool shop The Beehive.

The "feel of a yarn" while knitting is very important to me...
I spend a long time making a project so I like to enjoy the process.


This lovely wash cloth was knit by my friend Michelle.
It is whisper soft and such an interesting pattern.
I purchased two new soaps when I was at Marshall's the other week.

Love the packaging...
Orange and Cinnamon
Asquith and Somerset
English 
(a generous bath size bar)
Will be savouring this for awhile!

I better close for now and put the kettle on and do some knitting.
It is a grey rainy day here at the cottage and I have soup simmering on the stove.
Feeling Very cozy and the views are wonderful.

Hope that you are enjoying the start of your week.
Have you got anything exciting planned?
Are you reading a good book that you care to share?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Wednesday, June 7, 2023

June 7th ~ Lots to chat about so I have written an early blogpost


This soft Merona Tencel dress was hanging in the Thrift Shop
just waiting for me!
I couldn't buy it fast enough...
I felt like the woman in that IKEA advert that says Start The Car!!!

Target carried the brand when they had a store here in Victoria 
a few years ago, which BTW I loved.
Frankly I was VERY disappointed when they closed the store.

It reminded me of The Monoprix in France...
a little bit of everything and food too!

So I have worn this dress 6 times since purchasing it...
I pair it with white capri leggings and my blue suede sandals
or Blue Converse Sneakers.

The fabric is dreamy...SO SOFT!
It reminds me of a well worn favourite but without the wear and tear or holes.

I wore it in the garden while deadheading the roses 
(with pearls and my chartreuse green linen apron)
 my husband said "That is the perfect dress for the garden!"

It is rare that he comments on my attire, so I was both pleased AND surprised.

I LOVE getting a bargain at a thrift shop.
Of course I had to purge a few items this past week...
I don't like to have the closet too crowded.

Our Bungalow is so very short on storage 
so I am mindful of accumulating too much STUFF.
I really dislike CLUTTER but I do love to collect...
it is a fine line that I walk.

This week I picked up a plant pot and a lone floral china teacup 
left for free at the side of the road...
I have a wee bit of a problem passing up FREE stuff!


Himalayan Blue Poppies blooming at Government House.
These are very difficult to grow, you can buy seeds at Butchart Gardens.

This grouping of poppies look very happy and healthy.

Walking at Government House is even nicer now that their tearoom is open.
The exotic plants make for an educational saunter and there are plant sales as well.

I recently met up with a long time reader Sue K Blaney, 
I brought her back to The Humble Bungalow Garden for a quick peek
then up to Government House for a walkabout.

She and her husband were on a tour visiting Victoria and Vancouver.

We had a few hours to walk, admire the gardens, and enjoy the spectacular views across to the Olympic Peninsula and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Afterwards
 We went to the Demitasse Garden Center and Cafe for a coffee 
because the tearoom was closed.


Peonies are in their heyday right now at the Gardens.
The bees just love these flowers.


We had some former clients of my husband's here for a garden tour and a happy hour.
I picked a few of our fragrant David Austin Roses 
placed them on the table in the sunshine then brought them inside where they promptly wilted but they still look gorgeous.


Fragrant Climbing Royal Sunset Roses
popped into my wee vintage Elephant and Urn Vase.
I've had this small vessel for about 20 years...I paid 35 cents for it.

I've shared it here before and we talked about how it is good luck for the elephant trunk to be raised upwards.


Sourdough Starter is coming in handy for other baking projects these days.
I regularly bake the boule, but now I am baking scones and biscuits.

I found two great recipes online and they have been well received 
so now I can add them to my regular repertoire!


Ignore this tidbit of news if you want but I've got a UTI...
am on antibiotics and it's the second one in weeks.
Perhaps the first one didn't get completely cleared up?

I am trying to increase my daily quotient of water.
I have friends who are plagued with these infections and suffer a LOT!
Truly, I haven't had anything like this, in many many years.
My sympathies to those of you who struggle with them...
I hope this is not the start of a new health issue.

The Aquafit classes continue to be a source of pure JOY.
I do miss my long walks but I am getting used to getting wet in the pool!
This week a woman complimented me on my bathing suit...
another one of my bargain finds at the local Marshalls Store.
Miraclesuit.

We are constantly in motion in the pool and the lively music helps me keep the beat.
My arms are getting a great workout too using the foam dumbbells in the pool.

I must look very serious as I have to focus so much on the instructor.
Other women in the class know what to expect and I am sure 
that in time I will as well.



Current Book Stack...

I started reading Richard Osman's The Man Who Died Twice...
told my husband about the book and he's keen to read the series too...
He zipped out to the bookshop and bought the two other books.
He's reading the first one now, The Thursday Murder Club.
The third is The Bullet That Missed and there is another one due out very soon!

When I was on Pender at Talisman Books 
the owner asked if she could help me find anything...
we got chatting and exchanged our tastes in books.

She recommended The Outlander and Ridgerunner by Gil Adamson
her book club read them and she (they) loved them so much.
I chose The Mayfair Bookshop on a whim.

What are you reading?


Golden Celebration Rose

Well I have rambled on about enough stuff for now...
don't want to bore you.

Please let me know how things are going with you.
I am enjoying the refreshing dialogue that we are having on the blog.
It keeps things interesting.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Thursday, June 1, 2023

Roses in The Humble Bungalow Garden are in the spotlight...these are just a few of the 30 + roses that we grow.

 


~ The Humble Bungalow Kitchen ~

The window ledge above the farmhouse sink
featuring the elegant vintage Japanese porcelain vase.
Darling Daughter found this and thought it would be perfect for our garden blooms.

The rose is Abraham Darby, a fragrant David Austin rose, grown in our garden.
It is one of my favourites!
Stay tuned.
More pictures of this gorgeous rose are coming up.

May and June are the best months for our garden roses.


~ Showy Pavement Rugosa Rose ~

Bright Fuschia Pink
hardy
fragrant
very thorny
repeat blooming habit.


A close up...
while waiting for my husband to back the car out of the driveway 
I went in for a "sniff"
was I surprised
 when as I got closer, there was a bee working, inside all the petals!

Fortunately I did not get stung, the bee was preoccupied.


~ Reine des Violettes ~

David Austin
Old Rose
Strong Fragrance
repeat blooming
almost thornless


~ Abraham Darby ~

David Austin Rose
fragrant
pinky apricot
thorny
repeat blooming


One of my favourite roses.
A beautiful cut rose, great in bouquets or floating in a shallow dish.


~ Climbing Royal Sunset ~

Orange 
rich deep fragrance
repeat blooming
vigorous growth habit
hardy and reliable



I researched the local Recreation Centres for Aqua Fit Classes...
it all looks great on paper but one must actually attend and participate in person
to decide if it is a "good fit."

So I took the plunge, and I am happy to report that the class went very well.
My arthritic joints were not sore or painful during the class.
I was able to keep up 
although I was often doing the movements opposite to the instructor!
(I looked around and I was relieved to see that I was not the only one.)

There was a large group of about 30 women in attendance 
they obviously have been doing the class for quite awhile 
as they were chatting before class started 
signing a card in the change room for the instructor.
One particular woman went out of her way to say hi 
she mentioned that foam dumbbells were used in class 
so I put a pair on the edge of the pool where other women had set them down.

The instructor made the class FUN.
She had oodles of energy and was encouraging us to smile and laugh.
The hour passed quite quickly.

The next morning I didn't have much discomfort but was "aware" that I had used muscles not normally used when I walk.
The water is much more gentle on my joints than my regular walking.


I walked today, 
only 3.2 km but my hips and low back hurt.
So I will be returning to Aqua Fit and aim to attend 2-3 times a week.
I am very pleased with the pool and the class.
Feeling very optimistic, excited, and hopeful after only one class.

~ Grateful ~



My first Beach Read of the season ticked all the boxes...
While reading this book
my afternoon teatime and reading became longer and longer
(extending well into my dinner prep time) 
as I made my way through the chapters.
I enjoyed Erin's colourful characters and interesting story
set in Nantucket.

Nantucket sounds idyllic...

If you are looking for a Beach read this is a good one!

We've got lots going on here socially...
so I thought that I had better get this written and published before I forgot.

Do you love to garden?
What do you grow?


We watched the last season of Ted Lasso...

Loved the series so much.

The writing was rich and deep
the characters were spot on
very funny, yet poignant
 quality entertainment.

Will now need to find another great series...
any suggestions perhaps?

"Still" the newly released documentary film with Michael J Fox 
was brilliant.

It raised my awareness of Parkinson's disease...
I have a whole new respect for the disease Michael has,
how he is dealing with it, and the many challenges that he is facing.

He's a very brave fellow...
I wonder how he manages to be so stoic?

Obviously
a good support system and ample funds help with
the numerous medications, doctors and therapy.

Very little is known about what causes the disease.
There is a genetic connection in some cases...

Michael J Fox has set up a foundation and to date 
the foundation has raised more than 2 billion dollars.


Speaking about raising money...
My husband and I are thinking about offering our garden for next year's tour.

The Hospice Fundraiser ~  Teeny Tiny Garden Tour

Mom was in Hospice the last few days of her life.
The staff were incredible and the facility, although old, was very cozy.
There was a family area, a small kitchen, and a beautiful rooftop garden oasis.
It would be a very worthwhile cause...

Well that's about it for now...
I appreciate all your comments.
You may have noticed that I respond with your name 
but cannot link directly to your account.
It is a glitch with Blogger.


Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.
Hope you have a FUN weekend!


~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Saturday, April 22, 2023

Hoping for a Sun day...while waiting, I shop.


Greetings...
our weather has been really rather beastly.

This weather is for the birds!!!


Rain with high winds and all manner of things blowing away.
We are hanging onto our hats in hope
as we read the forecast for the start to the week 
which is promising (teasing) us warmer temperatures and some sunshine.


If you are reading this post you know that I have decided to continue to blog
using the free Blogger platform.
My research revealed that it would cost me about $2,000 to transfer all my posts
and migrate to a new host. The host would then be charging me an annual fee for the posts and GB that I would be using to keep my blog live.
I am retired and this is a hobby so that was not going to be reasonable.

Thank you again for following.
It is great to read all your comments, I really appreciate them.

I have been forced indoors during the inclement weather
so I have had a few shopping trips to 
 the local shops and malls.

I found a comfy and fun pair of Converse sneakers.


I chose the blue ones but they were also available in red 
which was SO tempting...I really didn't NEED two pairs.


I think they will look great with all my denim pieces and my white jeans.
I have a faded blue linen skirt that I purchased last year which might be fun to
wear white ankle socks and these together.

Oh and I also found a new backpack...
to replace the thrifted one that I repaired .


Hands free for hiking, walking, shopping and beach combing.


Soft leather, attractive details and wonderfully made.


Big enough to pop in a book and my usual wallet, keys, sunglasses and lipstick.
It looks smart too...
I am pleasantly surprised by the quality for the price.


I've been having an espresso on these cold windy afternoons.
I made coffee this way when I was in Roccatederighi, Italy

The Lavazza brand Crema coffee is smooth and needs no cream.

The new to me espresso /demitasse cups are vintage by Susie Cooper.
Made in England.
I found them at Kay's Korner in the Cook Street Village.
I love Karin's shop...
I regularly walk in our Fairfield neighbourhood and will pop in on my route.
If you haven't been to Kay's Korner yet...you have a treat in store.

 Spook Street is a book in the popular British spy series by Mick Herron...
my husband has read the entire series and purchased all the books so I am reading them now.
Interestingly, he has picked up the Louise Penny series which I love and is reading the first one now!

I have a few more things to share with you but will leave those for the next post.

For those of you who were enquiring about my back...

I had some X Rays of my back and hands, 
both have been very surprisingly stiff, uncomfortable and very painful.
 The doctor also ordered blood work.
I haven't seen my doctor since before Covid.
He is very busy and it takes a long time to get an appointment to see him.

He's thinking it may be arthritis 
 I won't know more until my follow up appointment in early May.

In the meantime I am taking Tylenol at night which is helping me sleep a bit better.
We'll see...

Hope that your week has some sunshine and fun packed into it.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~