Yoga, walking, and fatty talking...

After my morning Yoga session at the studio
I decided to take advantage of the sun
and I put on my new walking shoes and I took to the streets.
I wove my way past melting snowmen with their carrot noses and eyes made of stones...
I dodged puddles and was snug and warm in my down jacket
I forgot to wear my sunglasses so squinting was actioned when facing into the rays.

Lots of folks were out too...
it might be a result of cabin fever
after all that ice and snow kept us huddled by the home fires.
I wandered without a route in mind and just let my feet guide me on..
I happened upon a nearby shop which beckoned...
magazines, books and an assortment of cosmetics and potions...

I have many friends who are using this on their hair and giving it rave reviews...

not to be left behind I am on the band wagon.

Wispy hairs and curly frizzies can be tamed

sheen and glossy locks are the other perks.

With the snow almost a distant memory and the sunny sky today

I felt a sense of lightness

maybe it was the invigorating walk,

maybe it was the vitamin D.

 I attribute the bounce in my step to my new and not worn out walking shoes.

It could be also because I have lost a few pounds

and don't go thinking that I am looking for them

far from it

good riddance

I want them gone for good

stay away and don't come back!

I pulled out my old scale awhile ago and was stunned to read the number

I did a double take

I mean, after the winter a few pounds might creep up, but not this many.

UGH!

I am a hopeless dieter

hypothyroidism

hampers weight loss 

so I get very discouraged...

Look at this sentence...

OK 

it seduced me into buying this book!

while I do not want to be a stick insect 

I would like to reduce

I hope that there are a few gems inside...

10 stone?

I'll have to find out how much that is....

20 pounds?

I'd love to lose 20 pounds...

Idiot proof

could they be talking to me?

Perhaps I am the target audience!

My jeans are not fitting well anymore

the spandex has gone on strike

overworked and not a holiday in sight..

it's lost it's oomph

probably weakened because I stretched it beyond it's limits

and it's exhausted...

How long are jeans meant to last anyhow?

do they have a shelf life?

a best before date?

 I want new jeans

with spandex that works

jeans that flatter

and don't make me look fatter

than I am...

I'll treat myself to a pair when I lose at least 10 pounds

that could be my reward....

I wonder how many pounds I need to shed to go from a size 12 to a size 10...

I ask you

is it possible

 for an hourglass figure 

who is counting the hours 'til turning 56

who is seriously height challenged 

find a pair of stylish jeans

that rock her world?

I hope so...

What kind of jeans should I buy

and do you have any weight loss strategies or tips for me?

I know there are some savvy slimmers out there

come hither...

the Hostess needs your advice.

Celebrating the Oscars.....and the Pearls go to....

Greetings!
It's Oscar night here in the Humble Bungalow...
the ballots are all in
printed on fuchsia
(Faux Fuchsia is expecting a baby!)

A simple dinner has been prepared to allow the Hostess
full access to the TV
with the fewest distractions possible....
a salad and a vegetable and noodle casserole.

Most of this post has been prepared ahead...

LPC suggested that the glove play with the Majorica Pearls

and I thought

why not?

Here is Pepper getting into the act

I think she bit some holes in the glove

I was trying to cross the fingers of the glove and say good luck 

but she undid my handiwork.

See how a simple strand of pearls,

and these are faux pearls

can elevate even the simplest attire.

First Nations Nootka basket

will be the keeper of the finalists...

and the winner goes to...

my lovely daughter J helped.......

wearing a head dress in beads and sparkles

she is digging deep...

her mine cut diamond and eternity band......

and the Oscar / giveaway 

goes to...Northmoon

please email your mailing address

I'll pop it in the mail asap

well done

you've won!

Pepper + Snow + Paint + Share Show and Tell = PS....PSST

We thought that Pepper might like to check out the snow...
she was watching the snowflakes with much interest at the French door to the sundeck/snowdeck...
so we put her harness and leash on and took her out.

Pepper at the back basement door where there was a clear patch

Pepper is part Bengal

and they love to play in water 

and enjoy walks.

Pussy footing around...

Pepper's paw prints on the deck

you can see how deep the snow is

it's also very cold and wet

her sense of adventure took over

she didn't mind it  too much

we didn't want her to get too cold and wet so we brought her inside

where she enjoyed the warmth from the fire while we read our books.

I finished mine,

Jane Austen's memoirs by Syrie James

I really enjoyed it...

I am a big Jane Austen fan.

After dinner and some TV watching I got inspired to paint.

When the inspiration strikes I listen and act.

I have a dear friend who asked me to paint her a picture with Poppies in it.

I am not an artist

merely a hobbyist...

so when I was asked to create something it was very flattering

 but also came with the thoughts of self doubt

 Could I or couldn't I do it...

I flirt with paint

play as one might making mud pies

I don't overthink it I just do

well for better or for worse I have done it...

here I found some inspiration

Poppies in the Bungalow Garden 

circa 2010

now cover your eyes and peek only if you dare....

a small portion of the larger canvas

abstract in nature

loose and suggestive

can you see the Poppies?

I wonder how the Poppies came to look like these

the brush has a mind of it's own

it's rather scary for me to share these images

I might regret doing so

I feel decidedly vulnerable

Don't forget about the Majorica pearl giveaway

I am drawing a name on Sunday

Good Luck!

Snow Day!

Look at the white winter wonderland
I awoke to this magical scene...

We have 6 inches so far and it's still snowing!

How would you like to sit in the Adirondack chairs

with

soft puffy white cushions?

Arbutus tree 

view from living room window.

The Humble Bungalow 

pergola in front

where Constance Spry hangs out.

Bird bath and raised beds

Clematis Montana reubens

wearing a cloak of white.

The native Dogwood tree back and beyond.

I plan to keep warm and cozy

I have a great book

many of my favourite blogs are yet to be read...

Later I will put my down jacket, scarf, gloves and Sperry boots on 

and venture forth on a winter walk.

Family fashion and flowers...

I attended a gathering of family and friends to celebrate our son's 30th milestone birthday...the event took place at  his home.
It was a sunny afternoon with crisp blue skies and not a cloud in sight and the heat of the sun streaming through the windows warmed not only our souls but our hearts.

Tears did not spill as I had anticipated...but there was no lack of love, emotion and hugs.
One never knows what might bubble up....sometimes it catches me off guard.

Their home is perched high up on a rocky outcropping replete with Garry Oaks. The panoramic view can been seen from it's many windows offering glimpses of the ocean and the snow capped mountains beyond. It has a large and open plan which makes it a great entertaining house.
It has several bedrooms and bathrooms...more than ample room for a growing family.

Flowers greeted us at every turn
the food was delicious and plentiful...

I enjoyed sipping my tea and perusing the assortment of tempting treats
I needed to exercise restraint...
I nibbled cheese, crunched veggies, ate a devilled egg and then...
I  enjoyed a few tasty cookies made by my DIL's mother...
 sweet buttery mounds sprinkled with butterscotch chips...yum!

So many rosy cheeked toddlers and wee ones were in attendance...we literally could have opened a preschool!

Try as not to steal the focus of the event (but how could she not)...the lovely Miss Isla tugged at my heart strings...
I held her for a bit, (not long enough) before she wanted her mommy back
Miss Isla and her Mom have a very close bond, serene and lovely...it's as it should be.

There was floor play with toys in a sun filled room. Isla flirted with another baby boy her age...her eyes lit up and she was definitely pouring on her charms, smiling broadly and tilting her head!

I had never seen this side of her before...as we usually see her with her parents.
She is crawling...crawling backwards and rolling over, and standing up at the coffee table.
Diminutive and gorgeous this little lady has harnessed beauty and it's all wrapped up in one cuddly package...

I wore basic black

top and bottom

right down to the toes.

a garland of pearls

to add length

and

interest

The Burberry jacket came out too as it was not too cold

My hair has been in my face so much of late

I decided to go retro and put it half up the way I did when I was younger.

My cheeks are not thin so the look is...

well 

the word matronly comes to mind

for want of a better word.

It shows my full face

a bold and brave statement!

I need to feel more confident about wearing my hair pulled back

and is matronly a bad thing when one is closing in on 56?

My Yoga practise has given me

 a renewed sense of energy.

Lululemon Yoga Gear

Privo shoes

Capris and a tank

Yoga mat

The Studio where I practise is very close to home.

a leisurely stroll.

I have been trying to watch what I eat 

and 

ingesting more enzyme rich raw food.

Reading about the raw food movement has been quite interesting.

I could not embrace it in it's entirety but can adapt and adopt some of the principles.

Winter weight gain necessitates 

choosing food with mindfullness

and upping the exercise quotient.

I hope that I am up to the task.

Don't forget to enter the giveaway

Good Luck!

A Hostess gift...a milestone birthday...and a pathetic attempt at humour

                                                    Welcome to the Humble Bungalow!

I am looking out onto the front porch and pondering life
while I am actually cleaning my oven.

There's a self clean super hero that does the hard work for me.

I stay close just in case the many roast beef Sunday dinner drippings decide to ignite...

and when Mr. HB comes in the door he'll actually think that we are having a roast!

The Lampe Berger will get some sweet scented time after the cycle has finished.

My wonderful son is celebrating a milestone
he's turning 30
and there will be partying and presents...
celebrations are the order of the day.

Emotions spill forth,
tears woven with memories...

cherished photos
and
bronzed baby boots
I'm gonna HUG HIM BIG when I get the chance!

I'm in the mood for a party
and what's a party without gifts?
It's time for a gift for a follower...
your comments really rock my world...

In gratitude, I'd like to share something of mine

maybe it'll be yours!

It is snug inside this wooden box

any guesses?

a 20 inch strand of Majorica

faux pearls

considered to be the BEST faux pearls

from

Spain

Nordstroms sells them

Majorica

To be entered in the giveaway

you must be a follower

and

leave me a comment

Please tell me what Bungalow posts you enjoy the most

or suggest a topic for a post.

I'll keep the contest open until February 27th 

The night that The Oscars will be on TV 

I will draw a winner

and The Pearls go to....

actually I'll ask Mr. HB to draw a winner

it will be low tech

paper pieces with your names on them

put into a bowl or bag

shaken up

etc.

Good Luck

Front porch

the Free Plants Sign has been resting here since the Fall

The twiggy branches await budding 

warmer weather and longer sunnier days are required.

Boy that oven takes a long time to clean itself!

 I am content with the snowdrops in the front bed...

although I'd like them to multiply rapidly!

go and visit Tabitha

she's got snowdrops too!

 I remember manually cleaning ovens

what a dirty job

stinky too 

 those ammonia aerosol sprays

my gloves got filthy

I perspired

not my favourite thing

and

afterwards a long soak in the tub was necessary to rid myself of the grime.

Hi Lisa!

did you laugh?

Hi mette!

Your recent post reminded me that my pony needed an outing!

 Hope that your weekend is chock full of delights...

I'll be here and there

prepping foods

wrapping gifts

hugging family

and

recording milestone moments in my heart

and 

snapping a few photos along the way...

Snowdrops, greed, magnification and...magazines

I wandered out in the garden for a spell today
in a sliver of sunlight I spied a small patch of snowdrops under a rhodo
they looked so pretty and dainty
and with only a few clumps I considered carefully but
I could not resist picking a few
to bring indoors.

One of my dreams 

is to have a garden that has masses upon masses 

of snowdrops 

I plant them whenever I see them offered for sale

but they are difficult to find here

I am a victim of garden envy 

and my envy is a vivid shade of green

gardeners 

love to share

  to acquire

 new 

 beautiful 

and 

exotic

and often are secretive 

and smug 

and will not share their sources

some even resort to stealing...

I

remember hearing about 

The Orchid Thief

and later reading the book.

Driving on a shaded street nearby

I spied a profusion

en masse

of white wee poppets

the boulevards were overflowing 

littered with the tiny white drooping heads 

snowdrops...

what a sight!

green and greedy

 my gardener's envy 

reared it's ugly head...

I remarked to my mother

that I might come back at midnight and dig up some of them

they have so many would they miss just a few?

I would never actually do this

but the thought did occur to me...

I can visualize the snowdrops in my minds eye...

unfortunately my eyesight is not 20/20

all kinds of activities

beyond reading

things near and far

require glasses

so the time has come...

for

 a magnifying mirror

for

eye make up

foundation

and dare I say it

tweezing

ugh!

8X magnification on one side 

and 

an honest and true reflection on the reverse

Anything new that comes into the Bungalow needs to be inspected

and 

as you can see

Pepper is on the job.

I was surprised at how expensive these mirrors are to purchase

I have been looking for a sale

and have had no luck

so

I gave up waiting

this is more of a need than a want.

my favourite magazine

for

recreational reading

and dreaming

supreme

 UK

at first glimpse 

I thought the flowers were snowdrops...

now glasses on

 I see they are muscari album!

Town and Country 

arrived in the post

and 

looking at the cover image

I pondered who the target audience was...

funnily enough the issue is titled Spring Fashion

and flipping the pages I see that this image goes with the article

"What is a Socialite?"

not Spring Fashion after all!

Whew!

and

my current bedside read is 

The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austin

by Syrie James

I'm hooked...

BTW

Mr. HB and I took in the film

The King's Speech and we both loved it...

Colin Firth's performance is superb

if you haven't yet seen it

I highly recommend it

and the book is available at the booksellers.

peeking inside these sweet snowdrops

can you see why I am infatuated with their beauty?

Galanthus atkinsii

there's so much detail

in such a small space

dreamy

in

white

and 

green

 and

The Hostess has

an embarrassingly large punch

 of greedy gardener's envy!