Sunny daze...OOTD

We've been enjoying a sunny Saturday.

It started out quietly with the sun streaming in the windows.
I sat and leisurely sipped a mug of tea while I perused Sharon Santoni's newest book. I keep it on the coffee table in the Humble Bungalow living room so it's easy to pick up. If you haven't had an opportunity to browse through the book which features elegant homes and chateaus of Sharon's wonderful friends you might want to add it to your reading list.

We scurried off to Oak Bay Avenue for a coffee with our family...
our mission was shopping for Hunter boots for Isla...in pink.(of course!)
Afterwards we went off to the park for some fun and games.

~ OOTD ~

Banana Republic skinny jeans

Cloudveil wool tee from Costco

Barbour vest

scarf in a Burberry style pattern

(Xmas gift from lovely daughter)

comfy leather loafers

new from Winners

I have never bought anything by Coach.

(My son and his lovely wife gave me a Coach silk scarf one Xmas)

They also gave me this J Crew Venus Flytrap necklace.

After our park play time we got into our gardening clothes...

that particular OOTD will not be seen on the blog!

We've been outside for hours prepping the site for our new greenhouse which is due sometime in the next week or so...very exciting to think that we will be able to extend our growing season and that we will be able to grow heirloom tomatoes!

I'm going to freshen up and rustle up some super quick (and easy) chicken burritos.

~ Chicken Burritos ~

Saute sliced onions, red and green pepper strips until soft, 

add 1 pound of ground or thinly sliced chicken to the pan and cook until soft and chicken is no longer pink.

Add a Tablespoon of chili powder and 2 teaspoons of cumin and stir

(Red chili flakes or a glug of Frank's Red Hot Sauce are optional)

stir in some regular ketchup, enough to make a sauce.

Grate some cheese, cube some tomatoes and shred some lettuce.

Arrange on a platter and the burritos are almost ready to assemble.

Heat burrito shells in microwave one at a time for about 60 seconds.

top with a small amount of the chicken mixture

garnish with veggies and top with cheese.

Roll up and eat!

Now how much easier could dinner be?

Simple

Quick and easy

clean up is a snap

~ then ~

it's time to hit the couch for some relaxation and Netflix .

Wishing you a Happy Weekend.

Yesterday...

Some days are better than others,
All we can do is put our best face forward and hope for the best...
yesterday was one of "those days."

Our four year old cat, Pepper is ill...
I spent a few hours at the hospital with her
and I left her there overnight for observation.
She has had X-Rays, tests and blood work...
it appears that something is amiss and so we wait...

If pets could talk and tell us what is wrong we'd be so much better able to diagnose their problem and start the correct treatment.
I wonder if she ate something that she should not have ingested...

She was throwing up...
I know it's gross and I won't mention it again,
except to say that our white coverlet on the bed has been laundered.
(I'm so grateful we own a heavy duty washing machine)

I left dinner in the oven for  MR. HB...
he coaxed Pepper into the kennel cab for me as I hastily wrote out the directions to the hospital from a google map...
I was stressed, scribbling the street names
I'm not proud of it but there was some screaming involved...

I got lost on the way to the hospital...
on a rainy dark night, country roads and unfamiliar territory...
our old Volvo wagon does not have a GPS.

I pulled over to the side of the road and "googled" maps, 

I got a message saying "Do you want to install the Google Map APP now?

NOOOOOO....

I want to get to the vet NOW...

I had to stop at a gas station and call the hospital for directions...
turns out I was two blocks short of their location.

Can you feel my tension
you shouldn't...
I'm just venting.

I had my first ever Kuerig coffee...which btw was delicious.

The "reception" at the hospital was warm and welcoming

the patient and caring staff took care of me as well as Pepper.

Let's take a break/diversion shall we?

Yes the red shoes walked with me to French Class...

they were accompanied by my favourite French made Union Jack tote.

Perhaps it is a weird "statement"

 to carry that tote to class 

but both the textbooks

the French English dictionary

  homework and papers

pencils and pens

and

a bottle of Perrier

fit 

perfectly.

C'est la vie.

I passed by a popular flower stall

brimming with colour...

a market with fresh produce...

I wore classic pearls and diamonds...

with my natural tinsel "highlights"

I'll be 60 in a few weeks so I think I have "earned the right to embrace the grey"

(have you noticed how many women "of a certain age" are blogging about going grey ?)

 Joni Mitchell and Joan Didion have been hired as representatives as the "new faces" for fashion houses.

Boomers, are quite possibly, becoming the IT generation!

I spied these gorgeous Hunter Boots in a shop window

and if I had not been running late for class

I would have rushed in 

and tried them on...

I did just buy some cute and comfy Harvest Tomato Lands' End Bianca ballet flats...

and it was not raining...

 look was hanging out in the same shop window as the Hunter Boots.

Last weekend I left this vest in "the Red Store"

(aka Target)

after conferring with my personal fashion advisor

who has never steered me wrong...

(thanks darling...it does add bulk and I am way too short to carry it off!)

so before I close...

Pepper's picture on her file at the vet clinic...

belly up!

I took it when she helped me "fold the laundry" Mr. HB's Socks!

Pepper was an adorable kitten ...

your little buddy Chester is waiting for you Pepper...

he was asleep when I took this...

Pepper snoozing onboard our Sea Ray last summer....

I'm going to phone the hospital soon and see what kind of night she had...

in the meantime...

I feel a wee bit better having written this all down and sharing it.

Who knows if anyone is out there reading these words?

there might just be an audience of empty chairs...

Muddy boots...

I have muddy boots!
They are not the luxe leather variety that are fashionable, they are utilitarian boots that are made for grime and puddles.

If you have been following along here for awhile

you might remember when I purchased these...

I had been lusting after Hunter boots

 and tried some on 

only to discover that my legs were too short 

and that the top of the boot went well above my knees.

These boots are perfect for me but I do love how the Hunter boots look.

You'd be surprised to see how many of our students at school are wearing them.

There's an adorable young fellow who wears a kilt with his!

Cozy with wooly liners and great for the muddy playground.

Our local "village street" has a new shop which sells rain gear for women and children.

In the Pacific Northwest rain is a given.

So you must be prepared and suitably attired.

Curious about this shop I popped in and checked out their stock...

very chic, stylish, and very pricey

oh and

welcoming staff who were eager to assist.

If Miss Isla were a size 4, I could buy her a pair for $55.

Were she to want some, they come in many cheery colours

I particularly like red and yellow.

I can see her splashing about in puddles

her feet dry and warm...

what a picture of loveliness!

Our children wore Mothercare boots in cheery red

with their "muddy buddy" zip up gear.

Rain did not keep us indoors.

I am a proponent of seeking fresh air in all kinds of weather.

I used to put my children outside in the garden to nap in the pram when they were babies.

Mothercare was available here by catalog only and it was my "go to shop" when they were young.

(Before they decided what styles they would insist on wearing!)

Osh Gosh B'Gosh 

from Wisconsin was another place that I ordered regularly from...

denim overalls and pink jeans

worn with white tees underneath

gosh they were cute

and they never wore out

I passed them on to several friends and they may still be in service

 who knows!

My Mother and Gran, my husband's mother

saw to it that they were dressed up in fancy clothes

smocked dresses with white tights and leather Mary Janes

navy jackets grey flannels shirts and bow ties...

Social outings with the family required more than casual attire

but I digress...

Simple boots

by Sperry

the company that has been making deck shoes for boaters for years...

Mr. HB checking his email

 aft deck

summertime.

(I have lost count of how many Sperry shoes he has owned over the last 30 years)

if Sperry can help us keep our feet firmly planted on the mahogany decks 

they can certainly be trusted to keep our feet dry in the rain.

Now I think I'll go outside and splash in a puddle....

Tie one on.....another Hermes scarf, and a cheery red the colour that makes me happy.

Bright and cheerful, this vintage, late 60's Hermes scarf is red, white and blue with a touch of gold....equestrian theme.

Hermes have cards and booklets which are full of photos showing various ways to tie and wear their scarves, maybe too many ways!

I stood in front of the mirror trying various knots but with this one I like to loosely toss it casually around my neck so that all the colours show.

I wore this scarf to an orchid show and a fellow volunteer commented on how she had stood in front of her mirror that very morning fussing and repositioning and tying and untying her scarf only to rip it off in disgust. (sound familiar!)

She was admiring the way I had done mine. I was embarrased by all the fuss but explained that it was easy,  just one loose simple crossover and I left the V at the back...et voila.

I believe the secret to wearing scarves is just to wear them with an attitude of confidence. It is not perfection, it is colorful silk draped simply encircling the neck or tied on a handbag.

Don't take it too seriously, it's meant to be FUN!

Accessories are the workhorses of my wardrobe, and generally they are affordable items.

I shop thrift shops for vintage pieces. There is a thrill in thrifting something of detail and beauty.

I have been thinking about red boots recently.

I swooned over a wonderful pair that  mater blogged about at Christmas.

Ah, the power of suggestion!

I have admired Hunter boots and have seen them in English Country Living magazine which I read every month.

 These boots would walk along the waterfront, on the beach, to the market, and trudge around the garden look cheerful, and keep my feet dry. I think I am convnced!

Those red Hunters are sold out in my size and will not stock more until March.

I'll be dodging puddles until then....

P.S.  The sun made it's debut today after many days of rain and Mr. L and I went for a walk along the waterfront. (as did most of the neighbourhood!)

The skies were clear, the water calm, the air fresh.

People were smiling.

Clumps of pure white snowdrops are popping up in the garden.

Bulbs have started to grow.

The flower venders have bunches of yellow daffodils in their buckets.

I have a sneaky feeling that Spring is coming early this year.