Travel carry on list making...roasted tomatoes and a new book!

Travel planning is part of the fun when embarking on a getaway.

A friend and I will be flying off to Italy and France in the next few weeks...

so

I want to be prepared for a variety of events and weather.

 I am relying heavily on layers to do the job.

This is the list of things that I am mulling over.

Colour theme of basic black, grey and white.

All will fit into my Air France carry on.

I did not add all the scarves to my list 

as I am trying to decide if I can be happy with one or two 

which ones they may be are still to be decided.

This navy cashmere cardigan will go with all my clothes.

The silk scarf is a triangular shape and adds a bit of oomph to the basic items.

The coat I am packing is from Eileen Fisher 

 an olive green khaki shade...

there is some olive green in this scarf 

as well as mustard yellow, blue, white, black and many more shades.

I can tie it to focus on the colours that I want to emphasize.

This long charcoal grey jacket is in a sturdy knit fabric 

which can be also be worn as a coat.

It's from Bryn Walker 

I am leaning to taking it as its very versatile and has two large pockets.

I've been busy roasting the tomatoes that my husband grew in his greenhouse.

The sweet and richness of roasted tomatoes is such a treat.

Very versatile over fish or pasta.

Can be served as a side dish...or on top of a sliced baguette.

I added these to a jar of quality Italian pomodoro sauce

simmered for about an hour before I

served it over pasta.

An absolute gastronomic delight!

Autumnal colourful flowers for the cottage...

I've discovered a new author 

Kate Eberlen.

Am immersed in this lovely story...

it's a romantic story of two young people 

who have a chance meeting in Florence while on holiday 

and it moves back to London where their lives cross paths...

I am starting Part Two and am enjoying the story and writing immensely.

It's so refreshing when you discover a new author and I found out her next book "If Only" is due to come out in April of 2020.

What are you reading?

Have you discovered any new authors?

Do any of you seasoned travellers have advice you care to share when it comes to packing light for 3 weeks using only a carry on?

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Smitten by a scarf...and a spring cleanse.

Have you ever seen something beautiful in a shop that caught your fancy?

Something that was a tad expensive so you left it behind...

Yet something so pretty that you started dreaming about it?

I had this exact thing happen to me.

My friend H and I walk at Butchart Gardens as we have annual memberships. We plan a walk once a month and have tea or lunch when we are there.

One benefit of having an annual membership are the discounts available in the gift, coffee shop and restaurants.

The item that I had been lusting after was a scarf
this beauty might possibly be going home with me...

I just had to make sure that I still felt the same passion
upon seeing it a second time.

Whisper soft bamboo

watercolour effects

wearable art

Beautiful colours

Design 

 "The Sunken Gardens"

exclusive to Butchart Gardens

I plan to wear this a lot this Spring and it will come to Europe with me.

I have a khaki Eileen Fisher jacket that it will pair well with and because it is so soft it will be cozy on the plane.

Our weather has been amazing this past weekend 

it continues to be warm and sunny.

Perfect weather for walking and beach combing.

Plans are in the works for eating more mindfully after the winter.

A Spring cleanse...

more fresh veggies and fruits.

Weight watching has been a battle that I have not won this past year.

Interrupted sleep patterns,

Emotional eating and stress have all been factors.

My goal is to start back slowly

by setting attainable goals of 5 pounds at a time.

With the sunshine and light,

warmer weather 

walking longer will be easier.

Cutting out "comfort foods" 

(those dishes that I crave during the winter!)

Fresh veggies are starting to become available at the local Farmer's Markets.

It's salad season again!

Opting for meals with fish and lean protein and drinking lots of water...

will write down my point count as that really helps me be more mindful 

of what and how much I am eating.

Must close for now and get outside for my walk!

Until next time...

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Hostess style Holiday Wear....in Basic Black

The holidays and the festive season are weeks away and I have been thinking about what I will be wearing...I do not plan to buy anything new this year.
I have most everything that I might need right here in my tiny closet.

If you have been reading my blog for awhile you'll already know how I rely on garments in Black..
those items particularly the classic styles with the ability to be transformed with accessories and textures.

Black is such a versatile neutral...
I gravitate to it like a moth to a flame!

If you can wear white it is another great option...
winter white is another softer choice that works.

I prefer black with my complexion and salt and pepper hair colour...
with bold red lipstick, eye liner and mascara I am ready for an evening out or an evening at home hosting guests.

Accessories are fabulous on a basic black garment.
I think of it as a blank canvas just waiting for some decoration...

INC black tunic top

Brooches, necklaces and scarves are your best bet to dressing up the simple understated black garments.

Baroque strand of Pearls

Artisan designed necklace.

I purchased it years ago and have worn it many times.

It is SO versatile...

I have worn it with a simple white Tee and Jeans

 under a denim shirt

with a leather Moto jacket

accent with a LBD

and here again with the tunic top.

I love having a funky artsy option in my jewel box.

You could wear some sparkly statement shoes or keep it simple with these Ferragamo flats.

A clutch would be another way to add a fun accent.

I have two black textured evening bags...

 vintage eel skin 

sourced at thrift and consignment shops at a great price point.

Textured hose is fun and feels less conservative...

I keep my wardrobe simple and small.

Owning specific Festive Holiday wear would be a luxury.

If I had to dress for a fancy ball or a "red carpet event" I would most certainly need to go shopping.

(however I feel that a red carpet event is highly unlikely)

Do you have a  favourite colour to wear for the festive season?

Will you add a pop of bright colour to your outfit?

How do you approach dressing for the holidays?

Hope you have a lovely weekend and thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Wardrobe edit: Scarves...those that made the cut

I've recently been editing and culling my wardrobe.

I like to do this regularly as it helps me refine my style, allows me to see what regularly gets worn, who are the key players and what features make them the workhorses in my closet.

My wardrobe is kept small...the closet is also small and I share it with my husband! One day we will redo it and install some features that will improve its storage capacity...in 1913 a "pedestrian bungalow owner" would not have had many clothes...daytime wear (house dresses) and Sunday best.

First on the chopping block are the scarves...

Too many scarves and they were spilling off the shelf in my bedside cabinet
not enough space so some had to go...
7 scarves were donated to the charity shop and two were consigned.

Silk Hermes collection
 (which I wear mostly in the Spring and Summer)

Three orange boxes

Small square purchased in Paris

Black and White silk from Vancouver Hermes store

The original from the San Francisco Hermes shop.

Long scarves

some worn in summer and some in the Fall and Winter

Large white scarf (shawl size) from the Monoprix 

 St Germain, Paris

Burberry print infinity scarf

(gift)

Two Linen scarves:

black and grey 

blue and white 

(purchased at the Pharmasave in Oak Bay)

Burberry cashmere

(gift from my husband)

I tend to wear the Burberry cashmere all through the Fall and Winter as it offers warmth and is so cozy and goes with my wine coloured puffer coat.

That's all the scarves and they neatly fit inside the cabinet now with some "breathing room!"

The new Bosch dishwasher arrived and was installed today...

looking forward to clean dishes and no more leaks!

I am taking a wreath making workshop this week with our lovely DIL

Hopefully my efforts will be worthy of a photo and if the wreath looks OK

 I will share it here in a future post.

Have you started decorating for Christmas?

For some strange reason this year I feel like putting up our decorations and tree already and it is not even December!

I recently read this book the subject matter was quite disturbing...

extremely well written but rather graphic

 a NY Times bestseller.

I'm reading a much lighter book right now...

(Chick Lit)

Set in London and the South of France...

love the style in which it is written

just the thing to put a smile on my face as I sit with my mug of tea on these rainy afternoons.

What is new with you and 

what are you reading?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Holiday dressing ~ Hostess Style

Today I want to chat about my thoughts on dressing for the holiday season.
Views are strictly my own and I am not professing to be an expert on fashion...

Hostess Style aka Grammy Style,
is an honest, comfortable, and affordable way of dressing.
I have new, vintage, and thrift shop finds in my closet.

Essentially, I dress to camouflage my figure flaws,
drawing focus on the better bits and minimizing the mid section!

My wardrobe is small, curated, and bordering on spartan,
and it leans decidedly toward conservative...
The colours tend to be mostly black and grey.

Black is so versatile that I keep getting drawn back to it time and again.
It looks dressy in daylight and elegant at night. You get a lot of mileage out of black clothes as they go with everything...that's the "practical" coming out in my personality!

Black is rather like a backdrop,
a black canvas perhaps, just waiting for accessories.

The iconic LBD is still as popular today
as it was when it was first introduced many decades ago...

I own several little black dresses and they are so easy and effortless to wear.

I recently purchased a simple black skirt that sits slightly above the knee.
It will get worn quite a bit over the holidays and can be dressed up or dressed down. I already own several pairs of black shoes; flats, kitten heels and pumps as well as Chelsea boots.
This budget friendly addition is a welcome garment for the festive season.

At this time of year I like to add a bit of sparkle...

St. John black knit top with beads...

great with my new skirt or pants.

Can you imagine this top worn with my boyfriend jeans

black leather "moto jacket" and Chelsea boots?

Vintage wool and sequin top from Woodwards,

It's party time!

Sparkly jewels

J Crew necklace and two vintage Sherman brooches.

Festive dressing can involve a few bling-y pieces and at this time of year I like to play at bit more with accessories when dressing up.

I also like to take some extra time with my skin care regime.

A morning spent quietly sipping tea and giving myself a facial 

is my idea of luxury.

Sleep has been hit and miss for me for the past few months 

I go to sleep but wake in the night and I do not fall back asleep easily.

Unfortunately this pattern of waking seems to show up on my face...

it is actually bugging me as I used to be such a great sleeper.

As a result 

I have been focusing more on healthy eating 

making sure that I stay hydrated

taking time to set aside a few minutes to meditate

and focus on my breathing

I also think that I need to get back to practising Yoga in the New Year.

Bone broth with turmeric

Nourish, just as its name suggests, serves healthy nutritious food. 

Many of the options are dairy and gluten free.

Poached eggs on a bed of kale, mushrooms and sweet potatoes 

topped with a cashew cream hollandaise.

Nom Nom!

So how do you like to dress for the holidays?

Are you drawn to bright colours or do you prefer neutrals?

What, if anything, are you planning to add to your wardrobe?

I like to add a splash of scent everyday

and two of my favourites are

Mitsouko by Guerlain and Jour d' Hermes

Hope your week is off to a great start...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Faux tree and a recipe...

Have I mentioned how our cats dictate how we live our life here in our Humble Bungalow? They do.
How they are mischievous and how every year they climb our live Christmas tree and break our vintage baubles? They do.

We have resorted to closing the doors and keeping them out of the living room unless we are there ourselves to shoo them away but I have decided that this is far too stressful...
and so
we have purchased a faux tree to keep the peace and serenity
that we far prefer to savour.

Looks ok

BUT

 it has no fresh fir scent...

no needles to vacuum up...

and the cats...

WELL

they are not at ALL interested in it

So I can say for now, 

we can relax...

PHEW!

There are so many things to do during this festive season.

Baking

Shopping

Entertaining

Being Entertained

Dressing up

Decorating

Christmas events

Writing Letters

Sending Cards

If we opt out of some of these it is not the end of the world.

I like to pace myself and really enjoy the seasonal festivities.

We would be amiss if we did not acknowledge and 

recognize  the people who help and work for and with us over the past year.

MR. HB's  firm hosted a party...

I wore a simple black dress

mesh tights

Chelsea boots

 accessorized with a diamond necklace, studs and my diamond heart bracelet.

Festive ties are a favourite of MR. HB.

He is not a fan of the tacky Christmas Sweaters.

He wore the tie on the left...with a grey shirt and black dress pants.

Very smart indeed.

Here is my diamond heart bracelet.

I am collecting diamond hearts to create a modern day "family heirloom" to pass onto one of my grandchildren. 

We have three little ones so far and so I am planning ahead.

I want to leave them with something to remember me by...
besides my cookies, story reading and home cooked meals.

Blurry image but you get the sparkly idea...

Ojibwa duck decoys, a dome with an allium inside and some copper lights...

Chester says hello from under the tree...

I bought a big bag of tomatoes from the market on sale today.

Incredibly cheap and so fresh!

So I pulled out my Soup Sisters Cook book and looked up the Heirloom tomato soup recipe...

Roast halved tomatoes sprinkled with garlic cloves, diced onions and olive oil

400 degrees for 45 minutes.

Pop into a pot and use the immersion blender to mix it into a pulp.

Add oregano, basil leaves, salt, pepper to taste.

Then add 2 cups of veggie stock and simmer for 30 minutes.

Ladle into a bowl and enjoy!

Its been a busy weekend...

I have been up late two nights in a row.

Feeling a bit like I could benefit from an early night.

Will try and catch a few extra ZZZZ'S

Hope your weekend was fun.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

What I packed for 18 days living out of a tote bag....and a weight loss series.

Summertime holidays cruising on our Sea Ray
are simple, easy and streamlined.
We avoid any drama or stress.

Living in small quarters means that we both must live out of our large Lands' End canvas tote bags.
I take another small tote bag with my toiletries and books.

OOTD's fall into the category "comfy casual."

I wore the grey baroque pearls that darling daughter gave me every day.

Storage is at a premium on our 27 foot Sea Ray Sun Dancer so we pack light.

What I packed in my large canvas Lands' End tote bag:

Two bathing suits ~ Lands' End

serape black ~ white seashell and starfish print 

(also used as a shawl with the bamboo dress)

two bras 

6 pairs of knickers

(I washed these and hung them discreetly inside the boat head to dry)

6 pairs of bamboo sox to wear with my walking shoes

2 linen tank tops ~ one in a light grey shade and the other a lime green

striped blue and white nautical Tee

Adidas skort in a black knit 

(I do not like wearing shorts)

two pairs of black yoga style skinny knit cropped pants

DKNY faded denim boyfriend jeans

Banana Republic ~ faded blue chambray shirt that doubles as a jacket

Gelco bright yellow warm puffy jacket 

yellow rain slicker 

(always keep it on the boat)

Columbia lightweight walking jacket black "Omni-Heat" technology

Saucony walking shoes

Clark flip flops

Sperry deck shoes ~ espadrilles

for dinner and lunches out I wore:

Click ~ white linen short cropped wider capri style pants 

Royal Robbins ~ white long cotton top with a V neck and an asymmetrical line

Gilmore ~ black bamboo dress

black cardigan style jacket with a 3/4 length sleeve

Waterproof Tommy Hilfiger watch.

I leave my silver bangles at home as they are a safety risk.

I wear my wedding rings and two pairs of diamond studs in my ears.

Hand washing is quick and easy.

A few pieces of the laundry hung on the rails of our boat

in the hot sunshine and most things were dry within an hour.

Dressing in appropriate clothing for boating safety and ease of movement is necessary as there are situations that require that I climb around on deck and hop off with ropes to tie up when we arrive at the dock.

I insist on neat and tidy outfits that work together in a similar colour palette.

This casual nautical wardrobe is not unlike what I wear in my day to day life here in The Humble Bungalow.

Classic black and white were the colours that made up this holiday wardrobe.

I could have used a second bamboo dress in another colour as it was the coolest item I wore on the hottest days...

I will check out the sales and see if I can find another one!

Stay tuned for a new series...

I am going to focus on losing 8 ~10 pounds...

The Weight Watcher's weight range for my age and height is 132 ~134 pounds.

(I am currently weighing in at 142)

I am not trying to lose weight for unrealistic "vanity" reasons...

I want my clothes to fit better as they are currently tight 

and ensure that my blood pressure stays in the healthy range.

Besides I worked diligently for 2 years to shed 30 pounds...

if I let myself slide 

I will be back in the unhealthy obese range...

my doctor will be admonishing me as he doles out his advice

plus I will feel disappointed in myself.

I am embarking on upping my walking and counting my WW points,

tracking what I eat and how I move every day.

I may even write down how I feel and when and if I get hungry between meals.

Perhaps we can do it together and share tips and encourage each other along the way.

Enjoy your weekend!

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~