~ Summertime ~
Two weeks at Quarterdeck Cottage flew by in a heartbeat.
Why do holidays seem to pass by so fast?
Is it that we are savouring the moments?
Trying to pause the clock to cherish these precious memories?
Our weather was truly magnificent, we had glorious sunshine most days.
We ate well, I even had some wine.
While not totally prepared for the effects of alcohol after 10 months of sobriety...
I did enjoy a few gin and tonics and some wine.
I wore my Taos sandals most of the time...
super comfy and yet supportive.
My last minute pedicure was a bit of a timing miracle...
I'd forgotten to make the appointment and the spa fit me in.
So grateful that I had my toes tidied up and polished.
Speaking of the spa
I've switched up my skincare regime...
gentle products to protect my complexion.
SPF is a MUST.
These products are easy to use and so effective.
I don't wear much make up.
I am currently using the Jane Iredale foundation powder.
Need to get some of her mascara soon.
~ The pearls ~
Can you see how I could be tempted by these beautiful organic baubles?
Not perfect, but glowing.
Not unlike the baubles of the sea...
my quest to find sea glass continues and the jar gets fuller.
The quiet walks along the beach...looking for treasure.
Glancing up and looking far out to sea...
listening to the songs of the gulls.
~ Sandstone ~
While at this beach we saw a humpback whale very close to shore.
It was massive...maybe 60 feet long and its tale was HUGE!
My husband and I were excited to watch this gigantic whale...
it dove and surfaced several times as it passed by the small cove.
What a treat to witness this vast creature.
Speaking of creatures
Fawns were feeding below the deck at the cottage...
they seem to grow before our very eyes.
We'd hear the crunch of the arbutus leaves and look down to watch.
Our son, his girlfriend and the 3 grands joined us for our second week.
It was a busy time for this Grammy :-))
Cooking, playing cards, games, stocking up on groceries (daily)
chatting, sidewalk chalk, bubble blowing,
crazy gift exchange and all the antics that ensued...thrift shopping.
Thrift shop find on the day we departed...
a vintage hippy dippy necklace.
What can I say?
It spoke to me and reminded me of my teen years.
Love the juicy garnet coloured beads.
I can see this worn with a black top or black dress.
I need a LBD as I consigned my favourite LBD by Eileen Fisher.
So I am on the hunt for "the one."
Ultimately I'd like to find it before we go on our cruise...
I would wear it to dinner in the dining room.
So I am on a mission...
for
"THE ONE AND ONLY"
Little Black Dress.
Wish me Luck.
Tall ship...
one of many gorgeous sailboats we saw sailing past the cottage.
~ Gorgeous Sky ~
Next week coming up...
appointments, wash the car, a coffee morning, spa day, and the garden clean up.
Will be slowly tackling these various jobs.
Dead Heading the roses and the red geraniums on the porch.
I'm tempted to go out there in my robe with my coffee and secateurs.
But as soon as I publish this post I am going to light the candle
and focus on a few words
of gratitude.
Thank you for stopping by
The Humble Bungalow Blog.
~ Be Well and Be Kind ~
37 comments:
Morning hours are the best. It's lovely to sit the coffee, consider the past days, and plan for the ones ahead. Your photos from the holiday are beautiful. Good luck with the LBD! It will be the perfect cruise dress. Honora
Your holiday always looks so peaceful and relaxing. It’s great that you have a week with the Grands. They grow up so fast.
What a wonderful vacation…our last week was dreadful with extreme heat and now smoke from the forest fires.
I was just commenting to my husband that if winter went by as fast as summer l’d like it more !
Thanks for sharing…and I love the garnet red beads !
Thank you for the update!Im jealous!
I need to get away and I just can’t decide WHERE?Plus,I have no desire to hop on an airplane these days!
Where will you be cruising?
I’m sitting here with an afternoon coffee as I just finished hours of ironing and I’m still not done!
Xx
I have followed you for years and just want to say that your posts always make my day. Love from a retired Nurse in Ontario .
It was so nice to wake up and read your post while sipping my morning coffee, very relaxing looking at those wonderful pictures you took while you were away. I love the pearls, especially the different shaped ones..Cheers Vicki
Thank you for sharing your holiday treasures with us. Your posts are truly a bright reminder of beautiful ordinary times in our anxious, smoky Thunder Bay Area.
I’m always especially grateful to see your roses through their seasons. Your effort is truly appreciated.
Habitat clothing have some nice black dress options, both knee length and longer -- super comfortable and flattering. J Jill also carries some LBD options, though some seasons the details are not to my liking...................
Thank you from Connecticut for such a lovely morning read.
Morning hours are a perk and since retiring they are something I cherish!
Gosh I can't believe that our eldest grandchild has turned 16...it seems like yesterday holding her in my arms a couple of days after she was born.
Gosh those forest fires are incredibly scary...oh I share your love of summer more than winter but each season has rewards...hope the smoke eases and the fires are put out soon.
Ironing can really pile up...I don't mind it at all...especially the linen napkins and tablecloths.
Oh a vacation is in order...you needn't go far away to get the benefits of a getaway. We're heading up to Alaska to visit the coastal towns and see the glacier. My husband does not like to fly so a cruise ship is a great option.
Have fun Elizabeth and enjoy your gorgeous garden.
XO
Happy to hear that you enjoy these little snippets from the westcoast! Thank you for your service in health care...nurses are vital! Take care and hope you are enjoying a relaxed retirement.
The baroque pearls were a Covid gift to myself...I was all set to go to Paris and then the pandemic happened ...when my airfare was refunded I promptly purchased this big necklace...I've enjoyed wearing it and wear it often.
Gosh I've seen the news about those fires...we have a few here ib BC too...hope you get some relief from the smoke...maybe it will rain? One can hope.
I'll check out the Habitat on line and see what they are selling...I am not much of an online shopper...I know it makes me a bit of a weirdo but I like to try things on in a shop and feel the fabric as I hate doing the return thing...I've got several lovely shops here in town to explore and perhaps I will find one...not sure that many will be shopping for black during the summer but I'll see!!
Waving from the coastal city Victoria BC here on the Canadian west coast...nice to hear from you :-))
What an enjoyable post. Your holiday cottage is a delight, with a Whale and Fawns to watch. What could be better? It is always a treat to be with the Grands, and I bet they all loved being there with you too. Love the hippy necklace with the gorgeous red beads and I am sure you will find the perfect LBD in no time. Looking forward to seeing it.
Waving from the county of Suffolk all the way across the water from the UK, have followed your blog for a few years and never commented so just wanted to say a big thank you for all the wonderful posts, you paint such a descriptive picture of life on the Canadian West Coast and we hope to visit your lovely country at some point in the future.
I savoured the one on one time I had with each of the children...they are growing up so fast! Plan to go shopping later this week so if I find the dress I'll take a pic and share it in a future post...I enjoyed reading your latest blog post.
Hello and welcome...if you do plan a trip feel free to connect with me and I can share a few snippets of things to do and see if you plan to visit the west coast. Perhaps if you come to Victoria we could meet?
Thank you, that’s most kind.
Well, as usual I am so in love with your cottage! What a view. Your photos are gorgeous. Love this post as always, a little bit of nature, fashion, pearls (!!), food, beauty products, everything joyful in life.
I am always amazed by your adventurous nature when it comes to new skincare and makeup. So different from me, which is what makes it so interesting. I just hate to experiment, and cling to products till they are discontinued.....isn't that weird? I'm too picky and don't like the disappointment and hassle when I don't like something new, which is just about always! But I enjoy seeing your beauty adventures and living vicariously. Thank you for a lovely post, and good luck with the LBD hunt!
Erina
Thank you for continuing your Blog. I enjoy it very much. Love the slow living at this time in our life. Glad you have recovered well from your hip replacement.
Lovely that you had a week with the grands. Sounds like you had the perfect holiday. Grands. Thrifting. Good food and drinks. Whales, fawns, ship spotting and sea glass. All the good things. Can't wait to hear about your cruise. Especially what to wear. We're considering an Alaskan Cruise for our 50th anniversary next year. Haven't cruised in decades.
So glad to see another post as I enjoy your blog very much. Your experiences with the whale and deer are wonderful. You are so fortunate to be surrounded by such beauty -- the sea, the creatures, the flowers ... all of it. Good luck on your search for the little black dress. Sounds fun!
This is Lori from Kansas City— somehow (a mystery!) I am not following you on instagram anymore, and I’ve sent a “follow” request numerous times in the last couple of months, including a few minutes ago. I’m lakedistrict on Instagram. I really miss your posts, but have been keeping up through your blog. I don’t know if it’s an instagram glitch that’s too complicated for me? Let me know if there’s something I can do on my end. Thank you!
Erina,
I suppose I do try new things...the skincare line is the spa brand at the little place I get my pedicures and they offer samples so I was able to try a few products before committing to buying them. I love the gentle calming formulas. My skin is sensitive and I have rosacea.
The quarter share cottage is a lovely place for relaxing and the beach walks are good for the soul :-))
Good to have high standards and stay with products that you know and love.
Leslie
Slow mornings are the best gift...I was always rushing to get up and have coffee, make my lunch etc and be out the door to start work by 8:00...retirement is wonderful. My new hip is working out well and it is such a miracle not to have chronic pain!!!
Oh I bet you are really looking forward to your cruise!! UI am packing a minimal wardrobe for the cruise....last cruise I packe far too many clothes...I am thinking of my carry on trips to France and Italy and how well my wardrobe worked. Will write a future post about what I plan to pack....stay tuned!
Hi Lori in Kansas City...I see that you have tried to follow my Instagram. I screen followers for privacy reasons and your account has no identifying name, place of origin or any followers and you don't post anything. I get lots of anonymous requests to follow and usually don't accept these requests. There are fake accounts and bots out there and one needs to be selective.
How amazing to see a humpback! I've only seen them off the coast of Hawaii when I was a teenager, never here. Your posts are so soothing and full of reminders to be grateful. Thank you!
Seeing that huge humpback whale was an amazing experience...I felt so excited to be there and just watch...a friend of mine went to Hawaii and saw quite a few humpbacks close up...they migrate very long distances! Calm and peace is what I am craving these days...I think many of us are seeking quiet places to just "be."
Take care Sheila,
Leslie
Hi Leslie. I have long admired photos of your baroque pearls and am thinking of possibly asking my husband for some for my birthday (!). Are there any websites that sell them that you could recommend? Also, I am wondering what length of strand you would recommend. I never know if 18 inch, 20 inch, or 22 inch would work best with most blouses. I love your photo of the sea glass. It would be wonderful to live where that washes up....Debbie
I would suggest that you do some "homework" when it comes to the pearls...mine were from a local shop that has relocated and the owner purchased them from her Hong Kong supplier...they were quite expensive. I did a quick search online and see that there are some really inexpensive ones...not sure what the quality is like? If you could see a necklace in person that would be ideal...you want a big size pearl with lots of nacre and they should be hand knotted between each pearl with a secure clasp as they are heavy...also I think 18 inches is a good length but it is a personal choice.
Good luck !!
Thank you so much for the information about the baroque pearls. I had no idea about the hand-knotting between pearls or the 18 inch length. I doubt that there are any local shops that sell them. I may have to travel a bit....... Debbie
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