My search is over...for now.

It has taken me weeks to find a great pair of black knit pants...
who would have thought that this would have been so challenging?

Black pants are such a great basic and one that I wear several times a week...
that's why I was so desperate to replace my favourite pair.

Mine were 2 years old, a wee bit faded and they were looking less than best.

Calvin Klein makes these and they were found at Marshall's at a very good price point.
The fabric has lots of Spandex so I expect that will help retain the shape of the pants.

These knit pants are ankle length so they work great with my short legs!

They are a pull on pant...which sounds frumpy...

they are so comfy and without a zipper and pockets there is a wonderful slimming effect.

Great style to wear with a longer top.

With any luck I'll be wearing these for a few years to come.

Oh and while I was there...

I spent the money that Mother gave me for my birthday.

Linen top white with grey stripes.

Going to love this for summer 

will layer it over a tank top and wear it with my white skinny jeans.

I can see it as a bathing suit "cover up" too.

Bring on the sunshine!

I am already wearing a lighter shade on my paws.

Formula X polish 

"Thrilling"

I have been away for the weekend with lovely daughter on a shopping spree in Vancouver. 

The gale forced winds are hammering our coast and we just made it home across the strait

before the winds really picked up.

Will post soon.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Flower Power

There is an amazing tonic to brighten up our gloomy rain days...
Today I am harnessing Flower Power!

a wee daisy does the trick

cheery daffodils

sweet scented clematis

a pure white camellia

I have been immersed in reading an inspiring book 

on the remaking of one of Britain's largest privately owned gardens.

It was a huge undertaking, which sounds quite daunting, the results are stunning.

Roy Strong was the garden writer for Country Life magazine for many years.

He has several other books most notably "A Country Life"

euphorbia

I love this chartreuse shade of the flowers

another beautiful euphorbia

a broody kind of day for walking

heavy cloud cover

no wind

more rain in the forecast

 the yellow lichen looks pretty today

I don't know if these flowers brightened your day but they are certainly helping me stay positive 

under this torrential down pour.

"There are always flowers for those who want to see them. "

~ Henri Matisse ~

"Be Well and Be Kind"

 ~ Hostess ~

Beauty and the Brow

It is International Woman's Day!

Today I am focusing on Beauty...
which truly is in the eye of the beholder.

"Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart."
                               ~ Khalil Gibran ~

The focus of today's post is the brow...

Personally I feel that make up should be used with a light touch to look like you, only better!
My routine is simple and quick and I prefer the "no make up look."

You may ask why do I bother?
In a nutshell, it makes me feel better about myself.

Powder foundation, a quick sweep of eye shadow, followed by mascara all by Jane Iredale.
Followed by light dusting with Bobbi Brown Bronzer to highlight my cheekbones.
This can all be done in about 5 minutes or less.

BTW ~ I no longer use a lash curler as I noticed too many of the lashes were falling out.

My eyebrows are thinner due to a thyroid condition and I have quite a few white hairs now
which makes them almost disappear.

Professional tinting at the Spa lasts about 6 weeks which covers the white and grey hairs.
Unfortunately no amount of dye will give the illusion of fullness and for that
I went to Sephora.

Bobbi Brown makes a brow pencil which is easy to use.

The soft formula allows for precise filling in of the areas that need a little fullness and definition.

It comes with a sharpener which is convenient to keep the tip sharp making it much easier to apply.

I also picked up my birthday bonus gift.

Marc Jacobs eye liner and a small lipstick.

I use an old mascara wand to brush my brows before applying Maybelline Brow Drama.

The brow drama is tinted and has a gel which keeps brows in place

then I use the Bobbi Brown brow pencil to fill in any gaps.

I do not tweeze my brows.

I use a small pair of scissors to clip any hairs that grow too long and to maintain their shape.

You can have this done at the Spa if you so desire.

The results of just these 3 products are quite dramatic...

brows "frame" the face.

If you have ever seen anyone who has shaved off their brows you will understand what I mean.

Have you noticed women that are wearing "too much" make up?

I wonder if they are trying to hide their age, ashamed perhaps that they are not youthful.

Too much make up can them look even older...

lighter formulas used sparingly are far more flattering.

Be comfortable in your own skin

rejoice 

you are a woman of a certain age

there is no shame in that

hold your head high

walk with confidence

embrace your years

you have earned respect

and you have wisdom.

Focus on healthy eating, drink lots of water, maintain a good skincare regime.

If your budget allows for it have a professional facial every month or so...

and please remember to SMILE!

A smile perks up the corners of the mouth and lightens up the face.

Celebrate being a woman today!

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

OOTD ~ Not a Birthday Suit!

March 3rd came and went in a flash...
the birthday celebrations started a few days before and are continuing well into the weekend.

~ Tea and nail polish two routines that I now view as rituals. ~

At 61 years of age I have lived long enough to know what I "need" to be happy.

often it is "not doing" 

but resting 

or

 taking "time out" for scenic walks that makes the biggest difference.

Shutting out the "should"  messages and exploring the "could" messages is also incredibly powerful. Freeing up time for personal hobbies and enriching activities makes me feel so much contentment.

Embracing the attitude of gratitude made the most significant change in my life.

It sounds like a little thing because it is relatively easy

and 

 it alters the perception of everything in such a positive way.

I have learned a lot about life during these past decades

my body is not as young or toned as it used to be

there are aches and pains

there is wisdom

inside

outside there are the signs of aging

"laugh lines" sound so much better than "wrinkles"

this arts and crafts oak table shows signs of wear and it is circa 1912

much older than I am 

we are not refinishing it or giving it a "face lift"

this table has a history

it's imperfections are indicative of it's age

I like to think that is true about women as we age...

many stories

history

our faces reflecting life, love, and laughter over time.

My Mother, sister and I walked along the Esplanade at Willows Beach before dining at the Snug in the Oak Bay Beach Hotel.

The light was quite luminous after the rain.

Friends joined us for a casual delicious sushi dinner at The Oak Bay Marina.

Three tasty truffles were shared 6 ways!

Mr. HB gave me a silver bangle to add to my collection.

This one is carved by a First Nations artisan, Alex Helin.

He was the youngest carver to work on the totem for The Commonwealth Games.

The carving on the bangle is in the hummingbird pattern which represents healing, joy and love.

Flowers arrived from dear friends who live in Vancouver and the south of France.

My favourite bouquets consist of white  and green flowers with a smattering of greenery.

OOTD

NYDJ skinny jeans

 Chaus printed tunic top

~ The good news is that I can rise my right arm high enough to take this picture ~

(physiotherapy, exercises and massage are paying off)

View from the change room...

I'm looking for new black ponte knit pants.

My current pair are 2 years old and I wear them twice a week at least so they are on their way out.

I tried on 3 pairs but they were not made of thick and sturdy fabric.

I want them to hold their shape and wear well.

The birthday celebrations will continue into the weekend.

What plans have you got for the weekend?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Flowers and a colourful Stew for a rainy day...

Yellow daffodils are bursting forth in The Humble Bungalow Garden.
The deer do not eat them so they bloom in the front yard unlike the poor tulips that have are being munched to the ground!

Daffodils look cheerful even after the rain...

there is something about yellow.

I love yellow slickers, boots and brollies.

Such a great tonic for the grey days of prolonged precipitation.

Yellow shouts "Happy."

Mauve-y blue flower with white stamens...so pretty.

I snapped this photo when we were at the nursery picking up our new bare root roses.

We ordered three white David Austen roses...

"Claire Austen" is reliable and fragrant.

A hardy rose.

They will be located in the back bed at the foot of the sun deck.

I am having the gardeners plant them and plant the bed with a formal boxwood hedge.

I have hired a company to come and help with our weeding and the heavy work.

 There is a lot of weeding and digging to do in our garden as we have not really had a harsh winter which keeps weeds and plants in a dormant state.

The mild weather means that the weeds have multiplied!

The physiotherapist in very impressed with my progress and he says he likes my "attitude."

He says that a positive approach is the best kind of medicine.

I am always a bit sore after he manipulates my shoulder 

so I need to keep reminding myself that no pain is no gain.

These sweet little pansies are so cute...

My walk earlier this week was in the down town area.

These are the lamp standards that line our city streets.

I wandered through the shops but did not find anything to buy.

Browsing the fashionable shops inspires me to be more creative with my clothes.

I love to sit at a cafe look out the window and watch the women walk by 

and see what they are wearing.

A very classy looking lady wearing an amazing wool coat walked by...

Her coat was very boxy and looked like it might have been vintage.

Circa 1950's style.

Her hair was cut in a long bob

she wore bright red lipstick on and carried a small lady like handbag on her wrist.

She was walking quite fast in black suede kitten heels.

I wondered about her...

I imagined that she might be a lawyer or a doctor.

The cut and style of her clothes was elegant and impeccable. 

~ ~ ~

I saw a Hermes scarf in the case at WIN on Pandora Street.

A charity shop!

I tried it on but the colours were not flattering so I left it...

someone is going to be a very happy shopper.

Fountain at The Bay Centre...

Chilly temperatures and grey gloomy skies...

beg for a warming meal.

I felt that we needed an injection of "Happy" so I chose a colourful Stew for dinner.

"Little Stew" 

is a staple here in The Humble Bungalow.

It is easy and you can use almost any vegetables that you have on hand.

Use a heavy dutch oven or enamel Le Crueset with a lid.

Saute 1 or 2 large onions chopped until soft.

Brown some meat...ground beef, chicken or turkey.

Add a tin of beef bouillon.

I use about a tablespoon of thyme, a wee bit of salt and pepper.

Add assorted veggies and simmer for several hours.

Serve with bread.

You can see how it looks after it has been simmering...

the flavours mingle and the liquid reduces.

Boy~oh~Boy

the Humble Bungalow kitchen smells wonderful!

What has your week been like?

I am celebrating my birthday this week and have been wined and dined and will be back to tell you more.

Be Well and Be Kind