Thanksgiving...and catch up from The Humble Bungalow.

 

It has taken me a few weeks to get back to blogging...

Not sure why?

 I am here now and am sharing lots of pictures and snippets.

Make yourself a cuppa and join me.

As you can see...

the Hydrangeas are getting crispy!

Time to make a wreath for the front door.

I have a grapevine wreath that I keep for seasonal use.

I just popped a few hydrangeas into the vine and hung it on the door.

It is simple and I quite like the effect.

No fussing required!

I've been busy lately!

Am back at aqua fit classes now that the pool has re-opened.

My arthritis in my hip flared up last week...

I think it was all the tomatoes that I have been eating...

apparently they are high in uric acid and that is a trigger for arthritic pain.

I took a day off and rested.

Fortunately I had a great book to read and the cats kept me company!

I found this Pulitzer Prize winner a difficult book to read 

 I am so glad that I persevered...

it really is an exceptional book, so well written.

I picked some of the Money Plant from the garden

saved the seeds, them popped them into the mosaic vase.

My mom grew these plants and used to do the same thing.

They are paper thin and I like how they glow in the sunlight.

We are enjoying the sunny Fall Days...

I have swapped out my summer wardrobe for the Fall and Winter clothes.

I found this cozy grey sweater dress at the thrift shop.

It doesn't have much "hanger" appeal here, it is much better on!

It is going to be my "go to" dress to wear on a cold day.

I have black capri tights and will wear them under the dress for added warmth 

paired with my Black Chelsea Boots.

My friend Wendie is loaning me her Ruth Galloway series of mystery books.

I am on book number 4 and am loving the stories.

Like Louise Penny, she has many of the same characters, and they develop over time.

 So you should start at the first book and read them in order.

Elly Griffiths has another series that I am planning to read after I finish this series.

What are you reading? 

Do you like mystery novels?

Iphone photo capturing the intense light at sunset a couple of nights ago.

Many people posted similar pictures on their Instagram Pages.

It felt surreal seeing this bold light...

The roses are fading in The Humble Bungalow Garden.

Margaret Merrill is a new rose here in the garden.

I found her at the Demitasse Garden Centre in Oak Bay.

She looks healthy and her subtle fragrance is lovely.

I love comfort food in the Fall and Winter.

I searched on google for cottage pie recipes and found this one 

on the BBC Good Food site.

Was very delicious and made enough for a hungry family.

Lots of ferry and boat traffic at the cottage...

Feeling grateful...

for

Sunshine this Thanksgiving weekend.

Cooking a small turkey with stuffing and oodles of seasonal root veggies.

Gravy and cranberry sauce.

Pumpkin Pie and whipped cream.

Looking forward to turkey sandwiches on soft White Bread :-))

Perhaps I will make soup?

Pasta dinner

I sauteed leftover diced Ham, fresh asparagus, and mushrooms.

Then added a jar of Alfredo sauce.

Served on top of spaghetti with grated parmigana reggiano cheese.

My (new to me) textured charcoal grey tunic top is getting lots of wear.

I am really enjoying the cooler Fall weather and am keeping busy.

What are you up to these days?

Jude The Obscure

Late into the rose season the petals fall when picked...

the fragrance is rich and heady.

The  $2 vintage silver jug looks so much better now that I have polished it!

Seriously colourful sky...

great views over The Salish Sea.

A wee treasure found at the recycle store...

for our darling daughter who collects these Nagel stackable mid century candle holders.

Well I must close for now and get started on the Thanksgiving Feast!

Thank you for your kind messages on the passing of my SIL.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

September...and it Feels like Fall

Photo of The Hostess by my friend Laurette.

We had a wee dinner party last weekend at Quarterdeck Cottage.

Two couples joined us...

one couple sailed over in their boat and the other couple bunked in with us at the cottage.

On the menu:

Wontons stuffed with crab (Julie's creation)

Fresh grown heirloom tomatoes with balsamic crema.

Ina Gartens Parmesan Chicken served over a bed of arugula.

Baby new potatoes roasted 

Chocolate Mousse with fresh raspberries.

We had a sad thing happen in our family.

My SIL passed away quite suddenly.

I heard that she was not doing well and that my husband's nephew was driving up from Oregon.

I kept in touch via text and he told me they were getting her to the hospital asap.

As soon as she had a bed I picked a bunch of roses and took them out and had a visit.

We had a great chat, I held her hand and we were laughing...

I thought that she would get the help she needed and be back home soon.

That was Thursday afternoon.

We got a call Saturday night and she had passed away from

Congestive Heart Failure.

We have wonderful friends...

Found a pottery shard on the beach...

it goes with the blue and white ironstone that I have at the cottage.

~ Beach Vibes ~

We had some foggy and rainy days but the rest of the week was sunny.

The air felt cooler and there was a Feel of Fall.

A pair of "new to me" mugs from Good Things in Oak Bay.

I knit a bunch this week...

I found it very therapeutic as I was still trying to process the death.

The shawl is called Easy Goes It...I made it in pink last winter.

To lose a loved one is hard...even when they have lived a good long life.

Thank goodness I got to see her before she passed away...

I will hold that visit close to my heart.

A precious memory and a true life gift.

My Sea Glass necklace designed and made by Charlene Hall is getting lots of wear!

I never tire of searching for Sea Glass...

The sunsets were so beautiful.

The mauve shades were quite spectacular...

I enlarged this photo to see what boat this might be...

I thought at first it might be Holland America.

Turns out it is a different cruise line altogether...

I must be waiting to get some repairs or maintenance at a local shipyard.

Pender has freighters that anchor in the bays but this is a rather unusual sight.

Home today and am tackling the laundry and made Pasta Carbonara for dinner.

Very comforting...

We have a few things to tend to this week.

The painters will be here refreshing the front porch and fascia boards.

I'm going to be making soup for a friend who has cancer and is starting chemotherapy.

Hope that I will be back at the pool.

Aqua Fit classes are up and running and the pool has been refurbished.

Other than that,

 I have some dead heading to do on the roses and the apples look ready to pick. 

My husband will be bringing in a harvest of tomatoes for me to freeze.

What are you up to?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

November update...Autumnal colour, halloween, books and more...

 

~ Fall Colour ~

The limelight hydrangeas are turning pink.

I picked a big armful to dry on the porch and placed them in a jardinere on the buffet.

~ Trick or Treat ~

We had a VERY BUSY Halloween night answering the door and giving out treats!

Fortunately I purchased 250 treats...

we started the evening out by handing out 3 each,

then quickly realized the street was abuzz with children!

We had well over 100 children pop by and we ran out by 7:30

so we turned out the lights

coincidentally, our neighbours did the same at that exact time!

Fall colours are putting on a lovely show here at the cottage.

As we walk and drive the rural roads we are very aware of the different foliage on display.

I found this book in a free library on my walk.

I had not heard of Bobbi French or the title but was interested after reading the cover.

I read the book in a couple of days and am giving it to a friend.

It dealt with a difficult subject but was done so with such sensitivity and grace.

I recommend it.

BC Ferries sail by the cottage many times each day...

this one looked like a Cruise Ship all it up.

Our neighbours here refer to them as "birthday cakes!"

We also play a Yachtzee game...

if you see 5 ferries all at once on the sea you call Yachtzee.

I am so thrilled with the vintage ironstone transferware platter.

I found it at Kay's Korner in the Cook Street Village.

We don't have a Blue themed decor in The Humble Bungalow but the cottage does!

I think this tray elevates the casual beachy vibe.

Found another great book in the wee free library.

I have read several of Gill Paul's other books and really enjoyed them...

this one has hooked me already and I am enjoying the story.

I found this distressed and tarnished jug at the thrift shop.

I think it was 35 cents...

it has come in handy for casual flower displays.

I bought a silver tea strainer at the thrift shop for $1

I plan to polish it up but need to buy some silver cleaner...

it will be lovely not having to use those gauzy paper slips 

 for my loose teas here at the cottage.

I am drinking a lot of loose teas these days and most of it comes from Murchies.

The Princess blend is a lovely floral rose tea which I drink most afternoons when i sit and read my book or knit.

A scarf knit on the bias.

This will go with lots of my blue denim and my blue down puffer coat.

The yarn is Japanese Noro blend of alpaca, wool and silk.

I found the pattern and yarn at my favourite local wool shop The Beehive.

The "feel of a yarn" while knitting is very important to me...

I spend a long time making a project so I like to enjoy the process.

This lovely wash cloth was knit by my friend Michelle.

It is whisper soft and such an interesting pattern.

I purchased two new soaps when I was at Marshall's the other week.

Love the packaging...

Orange and Cinnamon

Asquith and Somerset

English 

(a generous bath size bar)

Will be savouring this for awhile!

I better close for now and put the kettle on and do some knitting.

It is a grey rainy day here at the cottage and I have soup simmering on the stove.

Feeling Very cozy and the views are wonderful.

Hope that you are enjoying the start of your week.

Have you got anything exciting planned?

Are you reading a good book that you care to share?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

OOTD + Fall Harvest from The Humble Bungalow Garden

 

It's the first day of Fall Today 

So I am getting ready for cooler weather...

Ready to

Welcome Back

My

Black and White Fall and Winter Basics

I have tried wearing bold bright colours in the cooler months

 but I keep going back to black.

Here I am dressed in a super casual OOTD for lunch with my sister and cousins.

I wore things that I have had in my closet for years

Black Yoga pants

Old Navy White Shirt

Eileen Fisher black quilted vest

with

(new this summer)

Tommy Hilfiger Shoes

Black and white is so easy to accessorize...

jewelry, colourful scarves, sweaters.

Think the accessories give this casual OOTD a bit of a lift. 

BIG pearls from Hong Kong and Bold Red Miss Pupa Lipgloss #305

I added my Black Eileen Fisher vest as we were sitting outdoors for our lunch.

We had a yummy lunch at pure Vanilla in Oak Bay.

Food choices are always fresh and there are many healthy options.

There was SO MUCH catching up and chattering 

that it was really HARD to get a word in edgewise!

I hate talking over people so I was rather quiet

I prefer to listen anyways...

My simple style is not fancy, it could not be easier or more basic.

It is honest and works for me.

I own and am attracted to blue denim, chambray and Tencel shirts, dresses and jeans.

Denim played a major role in my teenage wardrobe.

Did it factor into your younger wardrobe too?

If you had told me at 13 that I would still be wearing jeans at 68 

I probably would have laughed, but it is true.

Do you still wear jeans and denim?

I have 3 pairs of jeans, a denim jumper, shirts, a top and a distressed denim jacket.

Keeping a small and simple basic wardrobe makes getting dressed easy.

Too many choices make me dizzy and indecisive.

There are also several LBD's in my closet...

a black and grey tweed skirt 

some black and white tops

sweaters

black dress pants.

Retirement dressing is very casual...

I wear things for comfort and those that are purpose driven.

When I go to the pool for aquafit classes I wear these same Yoga pants.

A cozy warm top and a jacket or sweater depending on the weather.

Marshalls change room!

I seem to gravitate to this store...

SO MANY CHOICES.

Such good value, I like that, as I am on a pension.

I keep track of ALL my wardrobe purchases...new and thrifted.

This quilted barn coat is something that I have wanted for several years.

When I spied it hanging on the rack I grabbed it!

Ralph Lauren is known for their detail on their garments.

I like the snaps and the ability to open the hem.

Might come in handy if I plan to leap any tall buildings :-))

The collar is done in a classic corduroy...

the coat is roomy which I wanted especially for layering in the cold weather.

In case you are wondering...

underneath the coat I am wearing a soft faded light blue Tencel dress and capri tights.

I have just swapped out my summer clothes and put them in the guest room closet.

It is raining here today and boy do we ever need the rain!

This past summer has been riddled with drought conditions and forest fires.

Welcome Fall Weather!

Humble Bungalow Front Porch Fall Decor

dried hydrangeas and mini pumpkins.

The swimsuit that I wear to aqua fit class is starting to stretch out and the seams are looking dodgy.

I have ordered this one from Lands" End and hope that it will fit.

The newer one by Alfred Sung that I purchased early in the season 

is a wrap style with a lower neckline 

so not really suitable for the "bouncing" cardio portion of the class!

It is harvest time here...

Liberty Apples 

first harvest shared with the grandchildren.

Sweet, tasty and small enough for school lunches.

Chehalis green apples

I prefer to cook with these.

(I have an apple pie baking in the oven right now!)

I roasted some of these heirloom Italian Mikado tomatoes for sauces in the Winter.

Roasted Tomatoes

Line a baking tray with parchment paper

Cut Tomatoes into smaller chunks

add pepper and garlic

drizzle with olive oil

bake at 375 for about 40 minutes

Cool

Spoon into Ziploc bags or plastic containers for the freezer.

Hermes scarf and Saint James striped top

worn here under a casual zip jacket.

What clothes are on your radar for Fall? 

(Or Spring depending where you live)

Do you plan to purchase anything new?

I am in the process of cutting and drying some of the hydrangea blooms.

I've been soaking the flower heads in a bucket of cold water for several hours before tying them into bunches for drying.

I hope this works as I tried a bunch without the soaking 

and they shrivelled right up

(see the porch picture)

far too crispy.

Hope you are keeping well and staying safe.

Covid is making a comeback here.

Think I will start wearing my mask again when I go to the grocery store.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

Until next time...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~