Graham's Garden, Monday morning Walkabout.

My friend Graham lives in a very beautiful heritage home that hugs the cliff overlooking the seaside in a very Tony enclave of our city....
Graham possesses what all serious gardeners envy "he has been born with a green thumb."
He is a gifted artist when it comes to plant pairings and uses the landscape as a canvas for his vision...
the rocky outcroppings and the canopy of Garry Oaks give his garden exquisite "bones" and he has worked his magic to orchestrate a magnificent cacophony...

Mondays are his dedicated "Garden Day" so my friend and I invited ourselves over for a tour and with Graham's permission I took photos to share with you here on the blog...be prepared to be impressed....
I am still reeling...the word that best describes my 60 minutes = GOBSMACKED.

I am very fond of mixing colours and textures of unusual and interesting foliage in the garden...
you will see how Graham mixes these effortlessly.
Artfully juxtaposed in the beds are pots and paraphernalia...
and occasionally and bit of whimsy.

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves....

Pictures of Graham's Glass House will be featured on another post.

Hope that you enjoyed tagging along on the garden walkabout.

In gratitude and many thanks to our convivial and generous host...

I loved wandering around in your garden and am so happy that you have invited us back to see it this summer.

This post is for you Graham!

Hugs.

Hostess

XO

Chin Up!

Flaky dry skin often rears its ugly head at this time of year despite a dedicated skincare regime.
It signals to me that I need to book a Spa facial.

As I am watching my expenses a $200 facial is not currently in my budget.
So it's off to the Pharmacy to chat with the lovely gals at the cosmetic counter...
they know that I use Avene and asked if I exfoliate, and I do.
I use a Bio-Gommage by Physiodermie from the dermatologist once or twice a week.
The area that is flaky is one small patch on my chin which I find quite annoying as it is so noticeable.

My skin gets TLC and I am diligent when it comes to maintenance and swear by the Avene line from France.

The Avene serum has intensive hydrating properties and is designed for really dry skin.

It was suggested that I use the serum at bedtime and slather a layer of the moisture mask over top,

sleep with it on all night and wash it off in the morning.

The gals told me to wear these two products on the airplane when I fly off to Paris...

9 hours of moisturizing sounds like a Spa pampering treatment.

It's day 2 of using these two together and the flakiness has greatly reduced...almost gone.

I suppose that just goes to show that it's good to be open to new ways of doing things.

I had a $5 coupon, as well as the seniors discount and received a gift with purchase.

Win ~ Win 

 at a fraction of the cost of a professional facial.

I'm increasing my water consumption in hopes that I will counteract this drying trend in the future.

The aging process brings many new challenges.

Counteracting dryness ~ one of the first of many!

                                          "Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years.
                                                        We grow old by deserting our ideals.
                               Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul."

                                                                      ~ Samuel Ullman ~

Basking in the afterglow....

It's been a heady and dizzy few days of birthday celebrations...
delicious dinners, tasty lunches, flutes of Prosecco and glasses of wine.
Surrounded by family and friends...I've felt honoured and loved.
Thankful and grateful...
for so many lovely comments on my last blog post...

Love this public art...along Dallas Road.

Lunch in Oak Bay on Estevan Avenue at The Village Bistro.

My BFF took me out for lunch on my birthday and we sat outside in the sunshine and it was so warm that we took our coats off!

I opted for the quinoa and roasted vegetable salad on a bed of spinach garnished with roasted kale 

served with a light lemony vinaigrette.

Healthy, tasty and delicious!

Too many meals out with too much wine has tipped the scales...

so I am getting back on track.

Lapsang Souchon Tea 

served in a Paragon fine bone china tea cup that I found at the Oak Bay United Church Rummage Sale.

The $4.00 price tag was too good to pass up,

  the ladies that volunteer their time have such a great time and are chatty and animated

besides they are keen to show and sell their wares.

All the proceeds go to help those in need in our community.

My breakfast today...

toast, peanut butter and half a banana.

That will hold me until lunch time 

then I plan to have a salad with some salmon lightly dressed with some balsamic vinegar.

The weather is lovely so getting outdoors for a walk is a treat.

The Clover Point Boat ramp...

I wonder if this is used very often anymore?

Looking much taller in the shadows...

and if you look closely it looks like I have some wild spiky hair!

This morning I have been busy in the Humble Bungalow.

It's a rather "normal" day for chores...

the bedding has been changed

the sheets and coverlet have been washed and dried

the kitchen has been tidied

the dishwasher has been put through it's cycle

the fridge washed out

the compost emptied

After my walk I plan to read a chapter or two...

I'll be visiting a cave in the Midi-Pyrennes this May.

 John and Cheryl gave me this book so I could read up on the history.

I've read the first two chapters and I am hooked!

What's new in your part of the world?

Have you read a great book that you'd like to recommend?

Be Well and Be Kind

Hostess

XO

This is how we celebrate...60...OOTD

Mr. HB and I discussed my 60th birthday...
how we would like to celebrate and we decided on a catered dinner, a gathering of family and friends.

We were originally going to go to a local restaurant with a private room.

 and just before we booked the venue our friends offered to host it in their gorgeous heritage home.

This table was set up in their living room!

 Thorn and Thistle is my go to for flowers and my friend artfully arranged them in her vintage vases and planters.

~ Delicious appetizers ~ 

crab cakes followed by lamb popsicles based on Vikram Vi'j's recipe

started the evening off as they were served while we mingled sipping flutes of Prosecco.

All the catering was done by our good friend Julie who is a superb cook and has an eye for every last detail.

She owns and runs Jules catering here in Victoria.

If you have a special event and need some help please give her a call.

We set up a bar...

Caesar Salad to start...

Home made pasta with Gorgonzola sauce with a garnish of crunchy walnuts

Lemon Chicken "Piccata" so tender that it practically melted in my mouth!

Rice pilaf

and trays of roasted vegetables.

Dessert was a chocolate quinoa cake served with whipped coconut milk and fresh raspberries.

Oh and there were cards, gifts, Euro's and tears of joy.

My children totally surprised me with a beautiful pearl pendant and bracelet from Birks.

A pretty silver star and a handy jewelry pouch for travel...

cookbook

I dressed up for the party...

I wore my favourite LBD with an artisan necklace by Debra Kay...

which was swapped for the gorgeous pearl pendant as soon as I opened the box!

Banana Republic Robson handbag and Stuart Weitzman shoes complete the outfit.

I am so grateful for this special party and thank you my wonderful husband, family and friends.

It was a memorable evening and I loved having everyone around helping me usher in the next decade.

We have frequently marked my birthdays on the sandy beaches at Point No Point.

Writing messages in the soft wet sand...

only to watch the waves wash my words away.

"Time and tide wait for no man."

~ Geoffrey Chaucer ~

“The world is a looking-glass, and gives back to every man the reflection of his own face. Frown at it, and it will in turn look sourly upon you; laugh at it and with it, and it is a jolly kind companion.”

  ~ William Makepeace Thackeray ~

Plan to keep looking for the magic in each day...

and savouring the beautiful.

In my early 20's in the Magic Kingdom...

where does the time go?

Inside I feel very much like that young woman...

 a few exterior changes...

My hair is grey, with laugh lines, my jaw is softening...

No longer 110 pounds ~ no longer able to fit into that size 6 leather jacket.

Still like to laugh and smile as often as possible.

Have fun and experience Joy.

Love spending time with our friends and family.

Grateful for our grandchildren ~ the greatest gifts.

Thank you for stopping by...

Hostess

XO