OOTD....flowers, friends and a fabulous book!

OOTD 

Ralph Lauren skinny knit tweedy pants

Black Symplii tunic top

Red Joesph Seibel ballet flats

(vintage carpet)

I like having a few colourful accessories 

they elevate the basic black and grey garments that I regularly wear.

Juicy red rose hips...

I have heard that when the hips form early in the season 

 it means we will have a cold harsh winter...

The sun is shining today and there are blue skies.

Yesterday I helped a new friend move into her new condo.

She is a lovely woman, a recent widow who is relocating from Vancouver to Victoria where she has family.

I admire her in so many ways...

she has left behind many friends but is embracing this move.

Her energy and enthusiasm is contagious!

This past month she has been discovering the amenities that Victoria offers

exploring new groups

cycling club, bridge, yoga, french lessons and a french conversational group.

We have met up for walks and coffee and there will be future lunches 

bridge games and perhaps we will go to the theatre.

I also discovered that she is a painter and has sold many paintings...

she is very modest about her work.

She plans to take a class or two this winter and I am considering joining her.

She will be unpacking for the next week or two 

fluffing and arranging her furniture and hanging her art in her light filled condo.

This pretty tea cup and saucer was a gift...

I love the gold polka dots.

This book is quite the page turner...

I am almost finished it and can recommend it

it is very intense and so well written.

I will finish it this afternoon while the white Ektorp slipcovers are in the wash!

Hope your week is off to a great start.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Lightening up...

Have you noticed how the days are getting lighter?
The sun is setting later and we have been fortunate with our weather lately...
as the sun has been out several days this week which lightens up my mood enormously and energizes me...making me more efficent in the home department.

Love the sliver of light shining through the front door 

illuminating the orchids and making shadows dance on the wallpaper.

Bradbury and Bradbury heritage wallpaper in the arts and crafts style

hangs in our entry hall.

Looking towards the hall from the living room of The Humble Bungalow.

You may be able to see the wallpaper border at the top from this angle.

When the sun shines I like to get outdoors for my walks.

Emma Bridgewater has such an imagination...

I bought several of her shopping bags.

One I gave to a friend for a birthday...

it said Take Me To The Shops.

I'd never give this bag to a friend...this one is mine all mine!

I've culled some of my clothes...

again...

when one has a small wardrobe and closet the clothes get worn a LOT 

the fabric of my frequently worn tops tends to pill and look yucky after a couple of seasons.

I wash then inside out and hang them to dry 

but despite the gentle care 

they still develop these nubby bits which I find unsightly...

I've switched up my red lipstick for a pinker shade.

L'Oreal # 580 Pink Peony

It feels lighter on these sunny days.

OOTD

 a long lighter weight shirt by French Dressing

worn with my ponte knit skinny Calvin Klein pants and Chelsea boots.

Has the weather lightened up in your patch of the woods?

Have you been curating your closet?

Whats new with you?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Fading beauty...and my personal thoughts on aging

This beautiful rose was once a stunning bloom

but she is fading in her beauty

but still worth a look...

This rose got me thinking about aging...

aging gracefully

naturally 

perhaps with some elegance.

How does one age well?

And I do not mean Botox or plastic surgery...

its not for me.

How do I

ease into my advancing senior years

with the face that I was born with 

embracing the lines and wrinkles 

that are the result of years of laughter?

There are certain things that we can all do to help us look more "radiant."

Ali McGraw looks the picture of health and she glows.

I was impressed by this article.

She is such a radiant beauty both inside and out...

a fabulous role model.

Thoughts that may help navigate the road ahead are basics like...

Exercise 

eating healthy 

getting a decent night's rest

alleviating as much stress as possible

experiencing joy and happiness whenever the opportunity arises

listening to our "hearts" 

expanding our horizons which may be travel or going to local cultural events

learning something new to keep us fresh

helping others

staying in touch with friends and family

finding and making time for creativity

"First impressions"

  tell those who meet us about ourselves 

(whether we like it or not) 

how we dress and what we say conveys a lot...

good manners and kindness

go a long way.

At 62 and not the freshest rose in the bouquet...

I try to focus on

wearing neat, comfortable and (hopefully) flattering outfits

paying attention to style

dressing in clothing that is honest and genuine 

a reflection of my personality...

some days it may be a classic LBD

or 

jeans and a Tee with a cashmere sweater and Chelsea boots

which just happens to be my "uniform."

I try always to look put together...

some days it is more difficult than others!

The word "Frumpy" scares me.

My Mother managed to look well dressed well into her 80's and I never thought that she looked frumpy or dowdy.

Skincare...

 has always been important to me.

People look at our faces when we meet and greet each other.

From the time that I went to The Hudson Bay's Saturday charm school 

where among other things

we were instructed on how to wash and care for our skin.

(in that era it was Yardley's oatmeal soap and Noxema or Nivea)

I have been preoccupied with taking care of my complexion.

Today

we have thousands of options...

and how does one choose?

I have been testing a new moisturizer.

It is super emollient, which my dry skin needs, but is not greasy.

The results are a dewy rosy glow which I quite like.

I think that my skin looks healthier...

but maybe I am just hopeful

seeking a fresher rose

one that is petal soft and blush pink!

Two rose scented hard working products from a previous delivery of

  My Stylish French Box

they are almost gone

 are truly quite amazing...

 I have been using them on my hands and feet with really great results.

I'll have to see if I can buy them online.

In the whole scheme of things our inner beauty traits 

are far more important 

than how we look on the outside...

Kindness

compassion

a giving nature...

They are the real super stars when we really think about it.

While I like to buy new things 

I plan to cultivate and focus on some inner improvements this month...

What are your thoughts on aging gracefully?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

A new colour for my Fall and Winter Wardrobe...and shopping for a new perfume.

Last week after the stonemason finished his work I decided I needed to get out of the bungalow for a bit of fresh air and sunshine and clear my head of cobwebs.

The list of errands for the week had multiplied and filled an entire page on my notepad so it was a great opportunity to get some things accomplished and then go for a walk.

First stop, the pharmacy on Oak Bay Avenue...
I was running low on my Avenue products and my lipstick.
The friendly staff and great stock keep me coming back and I love chatting with the two gals at the cosmetics counter. They have so much experience between them and their knowledge when it comes to skincare is the best!

On our boat holiday I tripped going up the dock and scraped my knee quite badly on the metal grate that helps boaters from slipping in wet weather. It was a nasty abrasion that required diligent cleaning, antibiotic cream and band aids.
My excuse is that I was wearing flip flops and somehow took a misstep...
it occurred in front of a patio full of evening diners...so not only was I hurt
but my ego was bruised and I was embarrassed. I scurried away quickly blood dripping down my shin.

The antibiotic cream helped but I could see that once the scabs came off that there would probably be some scarring. I was advised by one of the gals that Avene make a product specifically for healing called Cicalfate and she advised me to apply it three times every day and it should minimize, if not prevent, scarring...so I bought a tube and will see how it works.

I also needed to buy some birthday cards...

Picked up the latest Country Living UK from Ivy's books and there I got to chat with Heidi who shares the same taste in books and she suggested a few new titles for me...one which I purchased right away as she was so excited that she is on the 3rd book by the author.

I went for a walk a little farther along the Avenue to Newport by Windsor Park and popped some cheques in the mail...

here's where things went a little sideways!

I hadn't actually planned on buying any clothes...

but there was a 50% off rack out front and a SALE sign in the window

 that's what initially lured me inside.

I tried on a few things and then I spied this Betty Barclay blush pink down vest for Fall.

It's reversible.

It will be super cozy when the temperature dips and I love a vest for layering over tees.

My favourite L'Oreal lipstick Pink Peony and Bobbi Brown's pink blush in Antigua 

will help pull this all together this fall when I wear this vest.

New fragrance samples arrived from Holt Renfrew.

With my love of roses I decided that I might like to wear the scent 

So I am on the hunt for a rose perfume...

First contenders are by Jo Malone

Red Roses

Rose and Oud

Next to try are Le Labo's Rose 31

Frederick Malle Une Rose

Diptyque eau rose

Acqua di Parma Rose Nobile

surely there will be a rose fragrance out there that I can wear.

It will be fun to try something completely different.

What fragrance are you wearing?

Do you stick to one scent or do you dabble in others?

Hope your week is off to a great start.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow.

Getting My Happy On

Oh my the overcast rainy days are getting tiresome...
almost everyone I encounter seems to be focusing on our wet Spring.
We are craving some sunshine and warmer weather
but until that happens, I believe in being proactive by making my own sunshine...

A pretty new brolly...

from France

a tasty latte sipped in a local cafe

Warm thoughts sunshine and yellow sunflowers...

a dear reader from Vancouver

sent me a card and a packet of seeds for sunflowers 

which we plan to plant 

in The Humble Bungalow Garden

that put a smile on my face!

Thank you R

you are a kind and thoughtful friend.

XO

With a passion for  French interiors and homes... 

 no plane ticket or holiday accommodations arranged

I'll be transported as I peruse these beautiful magazines.

The hunt for the illusive pink lipstick is over...

it is a bit darker pink than I thought would suit me but with help from the savvy gals at the pharmacy I bagged a winner!

L'Oreal Colour Riche #580 Peony Pink

It's frequently the little things that can help keep up our spirits.

a cheerful mug

(Emma Bridgewater)

a warm hug

a smile

perhaps an afternoon to relax and read

indulge in a pot of tea

nibble a square of good chocolate

maybe even have a nap

If things are not going your way

I do hope that they will get better...

This blend is divine...

what are your favourite teas?

Raindrops like wee diamonds sparkle on the stems of the snowdrops.

Your turn now to chime in and share with us 

what do you do to keep your spirits up?

The sun is out as I put the finishing touches on this post.

Wishing you a lovely week.

Excavating the dirt and the pursuit of peace.

The Humble Bungalow is usually a quiet place.
We are fortunate to live in a quiet area not far from the city centre...
buffered by Beacon Hill Park and the seafront is a couple of blocks away.

Birdsong, wind, and some local traffic sounds are what we usually hear.

Our peace and quiet has been disrupted by the heavy equipment that is on site next door excavating the lot for the construction of two homes.

You can see our bungalow and the close proximity to the digger.

A steady stream of trucks come by to transport the dirt...

It is rather like a truck parade.

The streets are streaked with mud 

it has been raining so there are many muddy puddles.

I have been leaving home seeking peace and solace elsewhere.

Healthy lunch post Yoga today...

kale salad

2 egg omelette

Eaten in peace while the operator was on his lunch break.

Thank goodness for this timely gift.

The Yoga Studio

 where 

I am able to breathe deeply

sit on the mat 

close my eyes

perform restorative poses

follow through the fluid sun salutation movements

which

restore inner peace and help achieve a sense of calm.

For this I am grateful...

There is an abundance of beauty in our neighbourhood.

Despite the rain I am getting out for my walks.

The noise and chaos next door is a great motivator!

Sipping tea

Lapsang Souchong

a smokey liquid that has an intensity that awakens the taste buds.

This large Emma Bridgewater mug in the Black Toast pattern makes me smile.

You can see my Spring and Summer shade of Lipstick 

 L'Oreal Everbloom

Next time I go to the pharmacy I am going to try to find a pink shade.

I'll ask the gals on staff as they are super helpful

  it would be nice to have another colour on hand.

Hellebores are putting on a great display in The Humble Bungalow Garden.

So that's about all the news from The Humble Bungalow...

what's new with you?

I'll be back soon.

XO