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 ~

October ~ Feel the Fullness of Fall

Last weekend we went to The BC Aviation Museum out by the Victoria Airport.

It was a lot bigger and way more interesting than I initially thought 

it would be...

Indoor activities are very much a Fall Favourite.

Keeping warm and dry while visiting museums and galleries.

We went with friends and had a guided tour by a volunteer which was almost 2 hours.

They have a designated area for children with games, flight simulators and small airplanes to ride inside...

there were lots of kids enjoying the space.

Afterwards we went to The Spitfire Grill near the plane refuelling station for lunch.

We were able to watch many planes land.

I ordered a bowl of the hearty mushroom soup as I wanted to warm up.

Soup making is back on the agenda here in The Humble Bungalow.

A big pot is made early in the week 

so we can enjoy soup on the days that I attend Aqua Fit classes.

It warms me up after the drive home.

BOO!

My sister and I had a walk last week in Oak Bay.

We spied many yards decorated in the Halloween theme.

I had NO IDEA how expensive these skeletons cost!!

My guess was about $100 and my sister looked on Amazon only to tell me that I needed to multiply my guess by 10 times!!

WOW

There is a Hallmark Christmas movie being filmed here in Victoria.

We thought we might see them at work on the Esplanade near the Tea Room.

They must have wrapped up that segment of the film as they have now moved on into the heart of Fernwood.

We have minimal seasonal Fall decorations...

for Halloween night, a small string of orange pumpkin lights.

~ Fall Porch Decor ~

I added these 2 wee white pumpkins and a white cyclamen.

The big cones are foraged from the nearby trees at the cemetery.

The dried alliums are from the garden and that grape vine wreath is decades old.

I just finished this book by Phaedra Patrick.

I enjoyed the quirky story and the characters felt very real.

About a year ago I read her other book and really like it too.

~ Pink Fall colour on the Limelight Hydrangeas ~

I am drying more hydrangeas to bring inside our Humble Bungalow.

This week I gave some away to a friend and realized that I needed some for us.

Hope they dry fast before the winds get crazy as they tend to fly around the garden.

A scarf knit on the bias is taking shape...

using a sumptuous yarn.

Japanese Noro which is a blend of silk, mohair and lambswool.

I found the wool at our local shop The Beehive.

Yesterday I went to Murchies and stocked up on their Princess Blend rose tea.

My tea caddy was almost empty...

I like to brew a pot and sip this tea while I am reading or knitting 

perfect for a cool Fall afternoon.

My current book stack...

all were found in the local little free library kiosks.

We are cocooning in front of the TV more this Fall...

Really enjoying the British crime dramas found on Acorn TV.

The Chelsea Detective, Cuffs, Whitstable Pearl, Cannes Confidential

and many more.

This arrangement was hand delivered by the neighbours...

a few minutes ago.

In appreciation for our gifts of harvested fresh grown veggies and apples!

Such a thoughtful gift...

Fall

~ Dinner tonight ~

I am making a "stringy" shredded beef roast in the oven...

4 pound chuck roast seasoned with salt and pepper 

baked in a covered casserole for 4 hours.

You take it out and using two forks you then shred the meat.

I am roasting potatoes, carrots, zucchini and beets in a drizzle of olive oil

sprinkled with salt and pepper to accompany the roast.

I hope it is a tasty meal because this is a super easy dinner!

Hope you are enjoying October.

It is almost Halloween :-))

and

I have a BIG bag full of treats.

Well I am about to put the kettle on and will brew a pot of tea...

now do I knit or start a new book?

Is it Fall where you live?

What are you up to this week?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

October 31st ~ Snippets and tidbits

Spider webs adorn the Humble Bungalow Garden.

They are woven throughout and one needs to be mindful when walking :-((

Our zinc planter has some new plants...

the geraniums had faded and were getting leggy 

so I zipped off to the garden centre and grabbed these foliage plants.

Black Mondo Grass and Dusty Miller.

~ Jude the Obscure ~

These may quite possibly be the last roses of the season that we bring inside.

The garden is settling into a long winter slumber...

I have candles at the ready...

they add fragrance and much needed warmth and a cozy ambiance.

I have looked at many many shops for boots...

thought that I was destined to have wet feet

until 

I spied these serious rain boots at Mouats on Salt Spring Island.

~ Tretorn ~

I bought some thick socks to wear with them and they are so comfy!

I have been wearing them this past weekend on Pender.

The thrifted (repaired) backpack made its first voyage on the ferry to the cottage!

This is an excellent book...

it centres around an interesting character and flashes back to the Japanese internment.

Set in BC and Ontario

written by a very talented author.

I read her book Deafening years ago and enjoyed it,

 so when I saw this title and read the jacket cover I knew I needed to read it.

I also went to the bookstore and found several books!

I am amassing another small book stack 

after "almost" catching up on all my reading :-))

There was an atmospheric river weather warning for the weekend...

I was prepared for a power outage but I think we must have been spared.

The views from the cottage this morning.

The activities here this week are centred around relaxation, 

punctuated with scenic walks, reading and knitting.

When we arrived on Friday I popped into the Thrift Shop.

It is only open on Fridays now...

I bought this wee sugar bowl (missing the lid) for $1

I decided to pick some rosemary and add it to our tablescape.

Blue and White are a classic pairing and seem to mingle nicely with the cottage decor.

We walked along the Home Farm Trail and saw the Halloween Display...

lots of scary scenes

goblins, ghouls, ghosts, skeletons, witches...

will put together a wee post for my Instagram.

Have a safe and Fun Halloween.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

October musings...

Fall is in full flourish...

we are enjoying

 the beautiful palette of Autumnal Shades.

Berries 

Leaves 

a pop of colour

red juxtaposed against grey stones.

Mother Nature's Paintbrush is showing her talent and liberal use of colours this Fall.

Rain and a fierce wild windstorm 

knocked out our power for 17 hours

at Quarterdeck Cottage.

We had to tough it out 

we kept the gas fireplace on and hunkered down with our books.

Unfortunately we had to throw out most of the food that was in the fridge.

I read this book in a couple of days...

set in Cornwall

I enjoyed the story.

The local Pender Island ferries were able to run even during the wind.

Several of our neighbours went home early due to the power outage.

I am back working on The Doocot Sweater pattern.

It has been sitting in my knitting bag for the better part of a year.

Not sure why I left it so long before picking up my knitting needles again?

Do you put aside projects?

The yarn is Rowan Tweed and is soft and easy to work with...

I am absolutely smitten with the colour!

There are a few more inches of ribbing before I can start on the sleeves.

I have learned many new techniques while working on this pattern.

My husband gave me The Vogue Knitting Book and that has been invaluable.

Trying something new without help "in real life" can be daunting 

so books and "You Tube" Knitting Videos have been great!

We will be packing up and back home tomorrow.

Halloween is only a few days away!

We've got the candy treats ready for the Trick or Treaters on Sunday.

Our friends from France will be staying with us for a few days.

How are things going with you?

Thank you for dropping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Halloween during Covid...

 

Spooky Halloween Eve

Choosing pumpkins for Halloween with the grandchildren at a local farm.

We wandered about the pumpkin patch for about 45 minutes searching for the perfect specimens for our Jack O' Lanterns.

So many choices!

Difficult to opt for just one, so we ended up choosing two each.

Our wee pumpkins on the front porch table.

Packages of assorted treats in zip loc bags.

50 packs

Ready for the trick or treaters!

Large PVC tube on the left, for the safe delivery of the packages of treats.

We bundled up in out down coats.

I wore my scarf, gloves and a hat.

It was fun to see the costumes and hear the excitement of the children as they made their way up and down our block.

We turned the lights out when we ran out of treats at around 7:30.

Did you celebrate Halloween?

How did you do things differently so it was Safe?

Time is flying by and it is already November.

Take care.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

October in The Humble Bungalow...

BOO!

Snippets from The Humble Bungalow.

October has flown by...it has been a bit of a blur.

Where does the time go?

Copper tray on the buffet...

Ojibwa duck decoys

white mini pumpkins

a dome with a dried allium inside

Vintage

First Nations woven baskets on the shelf above the built in buffet.

Fortnum and Mason baskets

with a

pudding bowl

I love baskets and have quite a few in The Humble Bungalow.

They are handy for storing things and I leave them out on display as I like the rustic natural effect they give to the decor.

Antique basket

First Nations tray on ledge

tarnished vintage silver 

dried hydrangeas in a copper vase

A peek inside the drop front arts and crafts desk

Surprise!

a headless "scarecrow" in our spare lot

someone is into the "Halloween spirit!"

Happy Halloween!

How is your week going?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~