December 6th...Fairy Lights, a Christmas Tree and Fruitcake

 

Are you in Christmas baking mode yet?

I'm not making a ton of sweet things but have a few basic recipes on the go...

I make shortbread and mince tarts.

This year I decided to make a simple fruit loaf and searched on line to find a recipe that was quick, easy and could be made as a single loaf.

I found one on the Lord Byron website...

Holiday Fruitcake 

I brewed up a small pot of strong tea and added all the fruit to steep.

The rest of the ingredients are mixed in and then popped into a prepared loaf pan.

Bake about 55-60 minutes until a toothpick comes out cleanly...

I highly recommend this fruitcake!

My candles had melted onto the candle holders

which I cleaned in super hot water in the sink using a soft scrubby.

 Plus I needed to replace the wee ones with new candles.

I love the scent of beeswax as they burn...

and they are a "clean" burning candle.

Honey Candles are a BC company.

Easy to find in the shops and even our grocery store stocks them.

Frequently they go on sale so that's a good time to stock up...

they make great gifts too!

So I have a wee confession...

I absolutely HAD TO BUY new jeans.

My old MNG pair were hanging off me and the butt area was SO BAGGY...

it was terrible...

(I've lost over 12 pounds)

I was on The Avenue mailing Christmas cards...

wearing said baggy jeans under my long puffer vest...

Feeling SHABBY.

Well fitting clothes really DO matter.

I happened to go into Nicholas Randall to look for some gifts.

Spied a pair of jeans made by SPANX :-))

Did you know that SPANX made jeans?

( I didn't!)

They have a smooth waist, back pockets, and wide legs.

Tried them on and Bingo they fit...

smooth around the hips and derriere

wider legs for a bit of fun.

They were not cheap

 but I didn't give that a second thought...

I have one other pair.of jeans...

(they too are baggy)

Will see if I can salvage them by having them altered...

as they were new in the summer.

If not I will consign them...

The fairy lights are glowing...

orchids are in bloom.

Things are looking Festive.

The house is feeling warmer with the lights and the Christmas tree.

I'd say they are positive mood shifters during these cooler grey days of December.

Bought some new walking shoes by Remonte 

(by Rieker)

which will replace my New Balance shoes from 2019.

These are very comfy and have great support.

(on sale for half price)

Darling Daughter found me a pair of Tod's driving Mocs at the thrift shop !!

These are suede so will be dry weather shoes...

Tod's Gommino Penny Bar Driving Shoes  

(NEW price well beyond my budget)

So when Jennifer asked if I would be interested I said SURE!

She's got a great eye for bargains and quality.

My OOTD is uber casual...

LuLuLemon Black Yoga pants

Gap Faded Denim shirt

Cashmere socks

Slippers

I'm

dusting and vacuuming

knitting and reading

and

making soothing chicken vegetable soup.

You can see the melted wax on these candle holders here...

my current murder mystery book

by Caroline Graham

Chief Inspector Barnaby of Midsomer Murder Fame.

Love a good murder mystery book...

If you celebrate the Festive Season...

Are you getting ready for Christmas?

Do you send cards?

Have you started decorating?

Shopping?

Making Gifts?

What recipes are you planning to make?

We will have a fairly quiet time here in The Humble Bungalow this year...

I'm not planning much entertaining as my hips are not great.

I have good days and bad days.

I am still coming to terms with this...

I do accomplish stuff but need to take breaks in between tasks.

It is all completely new and I am figuring out as I go...

Any how...

Hope that you are doing well and enjoying the start to the festive season.

Merry Christmas

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

September ~ Mid month musings...

 

Sunny Yellow Dahlias are putting on a bright and bold showing.

We've planted these in a vintage garden wheelbarrow and parked it out front.

The flowers are continuously blooming...

 I suspect they will be around for another month.

I've picked a few on occasion, 

I like to leave most of them on the plant for maximum effect!

There are so many beautiful and different varieties of Dahlias.

 I think I need to find a few more varieties for the Humble Bungalow Garden.

Mom used to grow Dahlias.

Some she called "dinner plate dahlias"

they were the size of a dinner plate...

with spiky petals.

Mom had a bed dedicated just for growing Dahlias...about 6 foot X 20 feet.

A rainbow of colours and a variety of forms...

She would pick bunches and bring them inside our home, 

scattering them in most every room...including the bathroom.

I think she used ALL her vases for these displays.

Recently I had a very lucky day at the thrift shops...

I drove out to Brentwood Bay and Sidney and had a good look.

Circe is a book that I have been meaning to read for many years.

Vintage Linen napkins X 4

Glass Flower Frog

Silver Sugar Bowl that matches my Harrods Teapot and Creamer!

The sugar bowl has been on my radar for several years...

this one has a monogram, unfortunately not our initials.

(I figure it just adds to the charm.)

Do you like to go thrifting?

What is your favourite thrift shop find?

The simple silver tea set...

2 thrifted tea strainers...one is sterling, the other is silver plate.

~ Vintage Royal Albert Canterbury China ~

This pattern is for afternoon Teas...

I have some side plates and a couple of cake plates.

Fortunately I found most of these pieces locally in thrift and consignment shops.

This is one of the Birks gold earrings that my husband gave me 45 years ago...

they were a grand gesture gift for Christmas when I was a stay at home mom.

Two babies and we were scraping by 

with not a lot of cash leftover from our expenses...

when to my surprise and delight my husband gave them to me.

A few days ago one fell into the toilet 

as it was flushing and I couldn't grab it in time.

The sadness that followed was profound...there were tears.

I have worn these throughout the years and I felt they were priceless.

Sentimentally I felt like I had lost something really BIG.

After a couple of days, and encouragement from our daughter and my husband...

I went to a local shop Old N Gold and found another pair.

Slightly bigger and the gold on these is twisted...

(Italian earrings)

I traded in the solo earring and walked out of the shop wearing this new pair.

As someone on Instagram said...it's a new chapter.

Have you ever lost a piece of jewellry that meant a lot?

Did you replace the item?

After Yoga I popped into Adventure Clothing on Oak Bay Avenue...

I saw a cute pair of jeans that are wider and cropped.

They were on display with a shirt from the Cornish brand Seasalt.

I tried them on and really liked the fit...

they are by the company French Dressing.

The printed Seasalt Shirt was really pretty but I don't usually wear prints.

Stripes yes, but prints...not so much.

Do they look like Sailor pants?

Pedal Pushers?

Well I LOVE them whatever they are called...

I've been having fun styling them with items that I already have in my wardrobe...

for example:

white linen top and jacket

white Tee and blue and white striped Ralph Lauren oversized shirt

Long sleeve white top with a hand knit Miriam sweater in a teal blue shade.

I am thinking I need some red cowboy boots to wear with these this Fall!

Our dwarf apple trees are full this year and we have a grand harvest...

Chehalis apples (above) are green and slightly tart.

Liberty are a bit sweeter...

Both are great eating apples.

 I also use them for pies and crisps.

Do you have fruit trees?

I picked some hydrangeas in hopes to dry them...

these are different from the Limelight and Annabelle hydrangeas.

We have two plants and one is rose coloured, the other is blue.

They grow side by side and I wonder if the soils PH is different?

My mom used to say that hydrangeas can change their colour

 simply by adding copper pennies...

I am not sure if this is true or an "old wives tale?"

Do you know if it works? 

Have you tried to change the colour of your hydrangeas?

Well that's about all the chit chat news I can think of sharing right now...

hope that your September is off to a great start.

Autumn will be here before we know it in our part of the world.

(Some of you are just heading into Spring!)

Take care and thank you for taking the time to stop by and read my blog..

~ Boscobel Roses ~

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Thank you so much!

 

I am overwhelmed by the comments and emails that I have recently received since publishing my last post on blogging.

The information that I discovered to switch to a new platform and bring all my posts with me was quite beyond my tech ability and to hire an expert to help with the migration was more expensive than I ever imagined.

This wee blog is and has been a fun outlet and a hobby not a business or a job.

So I am going to stay with Blogger as it continues to be free...

there are limitations and tech issues but I suppose I will have to live with them if I want to have a blog and an audience without cost.

Researching style with this fun book by two authors from Refinery 29...

I am heading to the shops to scout out some edgy fashion options.

 At 68, I am no spring chicken but I am not giving up on having fun with fashion.

Recalling former conversations with girlfriends over coffee...

the crux of the dialogue revolved around what we might be wearing when we got OLD.

Well we are OLD now and I remember a particular friend saying

 "Shoot me if I ever wear pull on pants and old lady tops."

Pull on pants are very comfy...

Yoga pants and some dressy pants with smooth waistbands.

I have returned to regular denim jeans 

the spandex stretchy fabric loses shape "stretches and pouches out" at the tummy.

Makes me look bigger than I am...

not a good look and I feel bad about my tummy.

No one wants to feel bad about their body...

it supports and carries us around.

The only one we have,

 so we better appreciate, honour, and accept it.

 Making peace with the reality of our forms at an advanced age takes time.

At least it has taken me awhile...

looking at younger fitter women on social media sets up unrealistic expectations.

Dress the body that you have been given...

 fitness is a great goal at our age

Walking Yoga, swimming, aqua fit classes

and a healthy eating regime should be a focus.

Fad diets and exhausting exercise can be hard on our systems and our joints.

Moderation is my preferred method.

Have you heard of MNG?

Love "MOM" jeans...

but hey did you notice they are "NEW MOM" jeans :-))

Gosh the last time I was a new mom was in 1981.

I love the fit of these jeans...size 12 

These are ankle length which I love because I am 5'1

no hemming required.

I bought them at our local Bay store for $70

Now I am thinking I need a fun pair of sneakers...

Converse perhaps?

Something comfy and a wee bit edgy...

Women in Paris are wearing sneakers.

That's it for now...

I thought I would just check in and say thank you for your lovely messages.

Stay tuned for more posts...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

New Year ~ A time for Hope, Promise and a Fresh Start...

 

~ January 1, 2023 ~

Waking up on a brand new day, a brand new year, feels so full of promise.

There is a sense of optimism, thoughts of possibilities, and wonder.

How DO we start this New Year?

Are there any changes we want to make? 

Are we planning any new adventures?

Will we try something new?

A clean slate awaits...

We stayed up until Midnight on New Years Eve.

Something that we have not done for many years.

We haven't spent a New Years at the cottage before...

 there were quite a few cottages full of people who were celebrating.

We met up with friends who were on their new boat...

its maiden voyage in fact!

Lovely to be welcomed aboard for a tour and a chat.

The Salish Sea is calm 

there is a lot of debris in the water from the recent King Tides.

The logs float off the beaches and become a danger to navigation.

It did not stop me from climbing over and around the beach full of logs...

the edges of the beach were badly eroded from the pounding of the waves.

There were shells, kelp, plastic, trash, and a myriad of things strewn along the shoreline.

I managed to find a few pieces of seaglass but it was tough work.

I do not make new year's resolutions anymore...

I usually just break them :-(

I like to focus on healthier habits and continue to live with intention and gratitude.

I could definitely stand to lose some weight...

so I know what I need to do.

Move more, eat smaller healthy meals...and stop munching on potato chips!

They are a snug size 12

I bought a new pair of jeans and am going to use them as a "tool"

a tool to slim down my midsection.

I will not be "beating myself up" 

but will phase in small changes in over the next few weeks.

You know what they say..."Rome wasn't built in a day!"

~ OOTD ~

Style & co jeans

Hand knit Miriam sweater 

Akoya Pearls

Simple white Tee Lands' End

Starting 2023 with a casual look

wearing slightly snug jeans

How did you spend New Years?

Did you stay up to ring in the New Year?

Are you making any resolutions?

I'd love to have you chime in and leave a comment.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Lost and Found..new jeans

Blue Skies and Sunshine

help keep me motivated to 

walk 5-6 km each day

averaging 

10,000 steps

Mindful eating using the former 360 WW regime.

Logging my points.

Weighing in every few days...

weight loss is happening!

My clothes are looser

I could use a couple of new things but it really is too soon to revamp my wardrobe...

Although my tops don't feel that baggy 

my jeans definitely did, they were really sad and saggy.

I masked up and went to Marshalls.

The aisles are wide and it was quite quiet.

SO

It didn't take long to find a few pairs to try on.

Have you heard of this brand of jeans?

Royalty?

Made in the USA.

They were very reasonably priced 

so IF I go down another size 

I won't be out of pocket too much money.

The raw edges at the bottoms made me waver a wee bit.

I love the fit and the buttons are fun!

I can see these with some Converse sneakers and a Tee

or 

a crisp white shirt my red ballet flats and pearls.

I feel SO MUCH BETTER just having a pair of jeans that FIT!

I was pulling my other jeans up constantly and I could pull them down over my hips without undoing the zipper!

Little things can be encouraging as we navigate a weight loss journey.

I've been eating lots of veggies and fruit.

Cutting back on carbs and reducing the amount of meat.

Eggs, No fat Greek Yogurt, Beans, Lentils, Salads

Fish and lean chicken

make up the bulk of my meals.

Soups with a tomato base and added veggies are great for my lunches.

I am enjoying a decaf skinny latte most days too which is a treat.

a wee reward for all the walking.

We got some exciting news in BC this week!

Gatherings outdoors with a group of 10 or less are now allowed.

Which means, coffee, picnics, dinner on the deck 

with a few friends and our small family.

I feel like jumping for JOY!

I'll get to see our grandchildren really soon!

How are things progressing with the pandemic where you live?

Stay Safe.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Levi's Men's Jeans ~ Thrift Shopping

I bought a pair of Men's Levi's Jeans.

I've been looking for a vintage pair of Ladies Levi's for several months.

 The thrift shops have had none in my size...

but there seems to be oodles of men's Levi's.

Customers are not permitted to use the change rooms in most of the thrift shops 

so I used my sister's favourite technique to figure out if they would fit.

You take the waistband and wrap it around your neck...

if the ends meet in front of your neck and not choking you 

they will fit at the waist.

Hips might be a bit trickier 

 I took a chance and had the option of returning the Levi jeans if I kept the receipt which I did.

They fit!

Love the details on the Levi's

Grommets Galore

When I was a teen we wore boys jeans.

Wranglers, GWG and Levi's.

Women's jeans were not available in Victoria during the 1960's 

they were just coming on trend towards the end of the 60's.

Denim has been a wardrobe staple for many decades.

I had hoped to find a pair of iconic 501's 

these are 514's

Love the pocket details

so classic.

So now I need to style them in a more feminine way...

My first thoughts are:

I have a lovely satin black camisole with lace edging which I can wear under a cashmere sweater and 2 or 3 inches of lace peeks out at the bottom.

A classic crisp white shirt with pearls, red lipstick and red ballet flats.

A plain Tee tucked in to the jeans with a cashmere cardigan.

I own two lace tops

one in ecru and one black which could both work.

I can also do the "Canadian Tuxedo."

(AKA double denim)

 choosing from my two denim shirts and/or my denim jacket...

add a sparkly vintage Sherman rhinestone brooch to the jacket.

I think this look would be fun with some leopard or red cowboy booties.

(I do not own either but it will be fun to see if I can find some)

Maybe some Converse trainers?

Have you been shopping for something off your usual radar?

It might be a Covid thing?

Fashion should be fun so perhaps that is why I bought these.

Maybe someone will be calling The Fashion Police!

I love seeing what Linda V. Wright on Instagram wears in Paris.

She owns a very chic shop Crimson Cashmere

she sells luxurious cashmere and tres chic accessories.

Do you follow her feed?

Would you push the fashion envelope and dabble into the world of menswear?

I'd love to know more!

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

OOTD ~ Valentine's Day

What to wear for Valentines Day?
I opted for a pop of red...

Jeans ~ Vintage America

Shirt ~ Tommy Hilfiger

Shoes ~ Joesph Seibel

I love these jeans

they fit well and are super soft

the length is perfect for my short frame.

I have another pair of these, in a different style

they are getting really faded and worn in

I've worn them SO MUCH!

I felt like upping my game a bit and purchased a new pair.

The pearls that my husband gave me many years ago on Valentine's Day.

We walked to our local pub in the village for a date night dinner.

A lot of people had the same idea and it was incredibly LOUD.

Hard to hear above the laughter 

and

with what we considered shouting at the nearby tables...

(some had obviously imbibed a bit too much)

We watched as they made their way to the exit and hoped that they were not driving home impaired.

The food was delicious and we both enjoyed our meal.

It was a lovely treat not to cook dinner.

Ballet flats are comfy to walk in and look great with ankle length jeans.

I am going on Jamie Cat Callan's Paris Tour this coming September and I am so excited to see her again and meet all the other women on the tour.

We all had such fun last time in 2015.

She has a couple of spaces left if you are interested.

Rose Hip with a raindrop...

a pop of colour on a grey day.

I love good chocolate and Pender Island has a wonderful shop.

One can sit and have tea or coffee and a sweet treat.

I'm looking forward to Summer 

when I can use this vintage bag that I bought a few years ago on Ebay.

I must get some things accomplished today so I will close for now...

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

Remember to use a Google Search Engine when leaving comments as Safari is not working.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Wearing red lipstick in my current favourite shade.

Luscious rose hips...

XO