Changing Seasons...

Fall is in the Air

A close up of a bloom from Joesph's Coat Rose.

I love the curled petals and the vibrant colours.

Peeking out from deep inside are the frilly stamens.

Such a beauty.

The Arbutus Tree 

illuminated by the early morning sunshine.

You can see the heavy dew on the glass of the deck.

Fall is in the air.

Cooler mornings and early sunsets.

Time to stay in and read...

Louise Penny has done it again!

A fabulous mystery for Armand Gamache to solve.

Set in Paris 

it starts out in the Musee Rodin Garden

(I was there this past October)

Familiar shops, cafes and avenues in Paris.

The Marais and the 6th and 7th arrondissements are featured in the story.

I love the Gamache series mysteries.

I highly recommend this one.

Foggy morning at the Cottage.

Sunny afternoons.

Sitting on the deck in the fresh air watching the boats go by...

the seas twinkling in the warm sunshine.

This feels "normal" even though we are in the midst of a pandemic.

Being outdoors is such a tonic...

  I am rather concerned about the change in season.

We will be inside more often.

 I know that I will need to get outside regularly to feel healthy.

My well being and positivity depends on fresh air and nature.

It will take more effort to stay motivated and get out and about in the inclement weather.

Bundling up in a soft scarf to help keep the chill away will help.

This beautiful scarf is by the French Company Letol.

I'll be swapping out my summer clothes for fall and winter soon.

Long sleeves and cozy cashmere sweaters...

woolly socks and layers.

Gorgeous 

Dahlias in brilliant shades from the Pender Island Farmer's Market.

Flowers and foliage in autumnal colours are harbingers of Fall.

I spied a wee tree frog in the planter by the grocery store.

They have a deep croak ( ribbet ribbet) which sounds like it would come from a huge toad.

This wee little fellow was making quite the cacaphony of sound!

It entertained many of us as we waited patiently in line up outside the store.

Masked up and ready to shop in the safety of fewer numbers.

Our "new normal" continues...

It is not as if we rise each day expecting it to change.

We CAN hope and dream...

"Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness."

~ Desmond Tutu ~

I will close for now and embrace the message of this quote.

Reflecting on all that is posititve and for the many things that I have been blessed with in gratitude.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Diversions ~ under smokey skies...

 Feeling restless while stuck inside under a poor air quality advisory...so much smoke and particulate in the air...ash falling from the sky.

The fires to the south of us continue to burn...devastation to homes, businesses and wildlife. It is difficult imagining losing eveything one owns. People have had to evacuate and leave behind many treasures and family heirlooms. It is heart breaking to see this in the news.

In the meantime, I am needing a diversion...there is only so much news that i can absorb without going down that rabbit hole! Let's start off with some roses, books, cooking and later some retail therapy!

Jude the Obscure on a sunnier smoke free day in The Humble Bungalow Garden.

HOORAY!

The local library has re-opened.

We are encouraged to put holds on the books that we want to read.

Several stands are placed near the self check out with assorted random books.

I returned a book and grabbed these 3 as I was leaving...

Everybody Rise was a fun read and I have started reading Montauk.

Dinner prepared and served to our son and the 3 grandchildren.

Heirloom Tomatoes

Salmon, heirloom tomatoes, red cabbage slaw, twice baked potatoes.

Rosemarie a long time reader from Vancouver sent me the seeds.

(Thank you!)

 Here is one of the sunflowers.

Standing about 12 feet tall.

Under sunnier skies...

Rudbeckia 

a giant variety 

 from the plant sale at Government House many years ago.

My neighbour is painting rocks during Covid.

She has a "take one leave one" area in her front garden.

I left a plain unpainted rock...

(what a trade)

I think I got the better deal though...

You never know what you might find on the boulevard in our neighbourhood.

Painted it black 

that is the colour of all our outdoor wicker and metal French bistro tables.

The garden is fading as the summer season comes to a close.

There is always something to see on the street.

The deer seem to be very comfortable here.

They saunter along the sidewalk

dine in our gardens.

They sometimes even sleep in our front yard! 

My husband is building a fence...he started with the front gate.

He still needs to install the latch.

Hubby had to reinforce the pergola and straighten it with beams...

he has temporary bracing on the sides as he needs to install two more hefty beams.

While hubby was busy sawing and building 

I took the grandchildren back~to~school shopping.

Grammy got a couple of tops too...

a white shirt to wear with my pearls, black pants and red ballet flats.

Red lippy of course, 

 just not when I am wearing my mask!

The striped top will pair well with my black Yoga pants.

So this short diversion has helped me get out of my afternoon funk.

Not being able to get out and walk in the "fresh" air

has been a frustration, which leads to grumpiness.

(and baking!)

I cannot wait until the smoke dissipates...

hope those wildfires are contained and extinguished.

I'll close with another image of Jude the Obscure.

How are you doing?

What are you reading?

Have you been shopping at all during Covid?

What new purchases have you bought or are considering for Fall?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

August My Stylish French Box delivery...

A beautifully curated box of French items recently arrived on my doorstep.

My Stylish French Box is always a luxurious treat.

A wee bit of French chic to add to our home.

Beeswax candles ~ Apis - Cera

Salad servers ~ Sabre

Pottery oil jug ~ Digoin 

Dijon mustard ~ Pommery

Vintage brooch ~ French Brocantes

Pretty tray ~ Au Bain Marie

Table runner ~ Charvet

I've opened the mustard it is yummy.

Lovely flavour in a homemade salad dressing.

Decanted some quality olive oil into the Digoin jug

placed the cork stopper inside...

it works well and is much nicer to use that the plastic olive oil bottle.

We eat a lot of salads here in The Humble Bungalow.

The servers will get used daily and they are so very pretty.

I look forward to using the candles.

 I absolutely LOVE the fragrance of beeswax as it burns.

The wee tray is now in our guest room on the table,

The colours work exquisitely with our red 

 Toile du Jouy bed linen.

Sharon and her team at My Stylish French Box are planning a festive holiday box for November.

If you are interested in a lovely gift 

(or one for yourself )

please click the link here and it will direct you to the site.

Hope that you are staying well.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Thank you for popping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

OOTD ~ September meet up with friends

 Most days since Covid happened I have been wearing casual clothes. I work in the garden, go for walks and clean the house. Life is very quiet and simple around here.

I dressed up much more when I was going to my weekly bridge games, out for dinners and social gatherings with friends. Most of these things have been curtailed due to Covid. When we gather, we are mostly outdoors...walking, having coffee or dining outdoors.

A small group of friends get together regularly for a walk and have coffee or tea and perhaps a treat after we have walked.

This past week a reader mentioned that I had not posted many OOTD posts and it's true! My everyday work clothes are not that exciting to look at...I do put on make up and frequently wear my pearls but there is no one around to see them except the cats!

Here's what I wore on my walk and coffee meet up with friends.

OOTD

The white top, jeans and khaki jacket are by Eileen Fisher.

Scarf from My Stylish French Box

Vintage Bag by Due Fratelli

Hope that you are staying safe and being mindful of your interactions with others.

Masks are mandatory most indoor places here.

I plan to buy some fun ones soon.

                     Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

                            ~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

September...

The second flush of rose blooms ~ always a welcome sight.

The repeat blooming roses will bloom again after being deadheaded

a job 

while time consuming...

is rewarding!

Yesterday I was super busy dusting, vacuuming, doing laundry.

These domestic chores need to be done regularly...

once accomplished are so satisfying.

I blitzed the bungalow and by noon I was pretty much knackered!

I stopped for a break and decided what I would cook for dinner.

The planning of meals is very much a priority here in The Humble Bungalow.

The view from our laundry room...

the patio plants and garden beyond.

I peek through the French door when I am folding laundry or ironing.

Natural beauty helps keep me grounded and sane.

The Covid upswing in numbers here in BC is rather unsettling.

We will have to keep our bubbles small moving into the cooler weather.

How will we manage to be social when it gets cold?

Sales of outdoor heaters and marquis tents might be in demand.

I plan to walk regularly with a couple of friends.

Thankfully

I have a long down coat which will keep me cozy.

We enjoyed a tasty lunch on our boat last week...

so simple and full of flavour.

Bagels cream cheese, lox, capers and red onion slices.

Have you been busy making meals?

Are you baking bread?

I've been cooking regularly since early March.

The number of times we have been out for a meal on a patio are few.

Happy Hour with friends outside have been our safe social dates.

Our dinner...

Chili and baking powder biscuits.

(I haven't baked biscuits in years)

Martha's recipe from the Goward House Cooking Club.

Sadly we are not able to meet up due to Covid right now.

Harvest this morning.

Fresh tomatoes from the greenhouse.

Yellow beans from the raised bed.

I blanched the beans for 3 minutes then plunged them into ice water until they were cool.

Dried them with kitchen towels

 packed them in Ziploc bags ready for the freezer.

Almost finished Akin by Emma Donoghue...

I am enjoying the story.

Emma is a very creative and gifted writer.

She's Canadian.

What are you reading?

How are you keeping your spirits up while in isolation and staying safe?

Have you been inspired to be creative?

New crafts, projects, redecorating?

Hope that you are being careful and staying safe.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~