June ~ Flowers and more...

 

~ David Austin Rose ~

Climbing Graham Thomas

a fragrant and prolific repeat blooming rose.

It's a RIOT of Yellow blooms and the bees love it.

I have been busy with my new exercises and daily walks.

It's surprising how fast the days pass by...

home keeping, cooking, gardening.

My tea and book breaks several times a day

I seem to be busier than usual.

I have almost forgotten about blogging.

Today I finally answered the questions from my last post in May.

Roses are so beautiful right now...

the branches and stems are having a hard time holding up all the blooms!

I go out most days for a few minutes with my secateurs and snip off spent blooms, remove the black spotted leaves and as a wee reward pick a few roses to bring inside.

My "Work Station."

Always 

at or near the sink.

The hard working tools at the ready...

The kitchen is the heart of our home.

Most of my time is spent in the kitchen prepping meals and cleaning up.

I sit at the trestle table to write my blog posts.

Darling daughter helped facilitate a purchase this week...

she has an Etsy shop and is always out and about looking for treasures.

I mentioned at least a year ago to her 

that I was wanting a vintage or antique gold watch chain...

I had seen some in a local second hand shop that were lovely but far too expensive.

Since having my surgery, a friend suggested that I buy myself a treat,

 to "mark" the hip replacement event.

It got me thinking and well the stars aligned and Jennifer found me an antique Albert Chain in 9ct rose gold...

(rose gold is perfect for a rose grower!!)

Thank you Jen

XO

Did you watch any of the Chelsea Garden Show coverage on You Tube?

My goodness it was fun...I can only imagine being there.

Our peonies put on a great showing this year.

Lovely frothy petals...we have 2 different peony plants.

I could not bring myself to pick any as they looked so stunning in the beds.

I just finished reading Margaret Atwood's Handmaid's Tale.

It was definitely dystopian...

the book was well written (of course) 

it felt plausible, 

perhaps even possible considering the times that we are living in...

On Sunday I purchased the sequel The Testaments.

I'll read that after I read a few other books in my book stack.

What are you reading?

Well I had better close for now and get some dinner organized.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

Feel free to leave a comment and let me know how you are getting along.

In the meantime...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Home in The Humble Bungalow ~ Who Knew I was SO ready to POST?

 ~ Last Week of Summer at The Cottage ~ 

The weather was warm and sunny

with a whisper of wind...

The pool was open and there were only a few cottagers on site.

This particular afternoon we had the entire pool to ourselves.

It was so relaxing floating with my pool noodle and moving my legs.

I find the movement in the warm water very helpful for my arthritis.

I've started taking Canadian made TruMarine Collagen...

apparently skin, hair and joint pain will benefit from Collagen.

It's been a few weeks and I am pleased to report that my hair has stopped falling out!

Seriously that was FAST!!!

My skin is clear...

Joint pain in my hips may take up to 5 months to be reduced.

(according to the research)

IF it helps it will be a real bonus.

I am also changing up my diet...

working hard on eating a diet of anti-inflammatory foods.

Cauliflower is a powerful veggie and is reported to reduce inflammation....

Recipe is from Barefoot Contessa's Modern Comfort Food.

Roasted cauliflower with anchovies, capers, lemon juice, rind 

topped with a bit of grated parmesan cheese.

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Roasted Cauliflower 

SO GOOD!

I found some "good things"

(isn't that what Martha Stewart used to say?)

at the Thrift Shops last week...

Two Vintage German porcelain Egg Cups.

Found a day apart in two different thrifts!!

Our Quarter Share Cottage, 

(why I named it Quarterdeck Cottage.)

At Otter Bay.

The ferry dock is very close...

we watch the ferries come and go.

We wondered if the ferry traffic would be an issue when we purchased the share.

Surprisingly it has turned out to be a form of entertainment.

When we see 5 ferries out on The Salish Sea we all shout FERRY YACHTZEE.

 ~ OOTD ~ 

Akoya Pearls and a white TEE

worn here with my new French Dressing Jeans

& 

Thrifted Ralph Lauren Striped Oversize Tee.

Thrifted Vintage Paste Crystal choker...

I hummed and hawed...

Should I buy it?

Would I wear it?

I did buy it...

Still not sure...

I know 2 darling granddaughters who might have fun wearing it :-))

No Regrets...

Time will Tell.

I captured some lovely sunset images...

with the mild weather we sat outside after dinner.

We don't watch much TV or stream shows when we are at the cottage...

daytime we walk, read, swim, play crib ( I lose) 

and I knit.

We savour the views and keep an eye out for sealife...

otters, seals, whales,

So much birdsong with many new songs that the Merlin App help to identify.

Home here back in The Humble Bungalow.

All is quiet...

Mr. HB is out in the garden weeding and planting bulbs.

I've been reactivating my sourdough starter, a batch of dough is on the counter.

Laundry is done...

So moving forward...some dietary changes are afoot.

Hopefully some weight loss might occur.

I meet with the surgeon this week,

 will find out if I am a candidate for a hip replacement.

I do wonder why my hip is worn out...

did I walk too much?

Have I been negligent of not getting enough calcium?

I have Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis.

I had a Hysterectomy in my early 40's so perhaps the lack of estrogen is to blame?

Whatever the case, I plan to fight.

If you've got any sage advice about inflammation and diet...

or arthritis 

or hip replacements...

I am all ears.

Don't be shy...

Share your thoughts.

Women need to stick together and share their wisdom.

These fluffy clouds felt like waving handkerchiefs at sunset..

were they waving hello or goodbye?

I appreciate you 

stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog :-))

In this vast world which is undergoing uncertainty,

we need to focus on making a positive difference in our daily round.

If you are able...

Do something nice for your family, friends, neighbours.

It need not be a BIG thing...

simple gestures can be such a welcome gesture.

OK that's all from me...for now, until next time.

~ 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 ~

Shopping ~ a mix of items....some surprisingly good quality and much more economical than expected.

 

Crisp George brand Cotton Shirt 

White Athletic Works Tee

(Walmart)

Baroque Pearls from Hong Kong

(a mix of high and low)

Athletic Works Black Shorts

(Walmart)

First pair of shorts in at least a decade.

Will be worn on hot days at the cottage...

Comfy Vessi Sneakers

waterproof

(Nicholas Randall)

~ Casual Chic ~

Shirt is longer so will be a good pairing with the shorts and the Tee.

Canadian Marcelle Mascara

My favourite kind of mascara wand...

basic black and the formula is free of clumps.

~ Little Black Dress ~

I spied this dress on the sale rack at our local Marshall's Shop.

It looked loose fitting, easy to wear and cool for this heat wave that we are having...

I wore it twice this past week and it was a winner!

The Debra K handmade necklace has been in my jewellry collection for about 17 or 18 years...it is a black plastic "FIMO" type base with vintage clear crystals.

Very versatile and a fun piece that makes a statement.

It was an "investment" piece at the time of purchase but if you factor in the CPW

(Cost per wearing) 

it has been a real bargain.

Cupid's Dart 

happily blooming on the patio

growing and thriving in a big terra cotta pot.

I love the colour.

More lavender sachets...

these ones are smaller as the Dollar Store had sold all the larger gauzy bags.

Great for gifts and perfect to pop into a lingerie or sweater drawer.

Our lavender is having a fabulous year!

The bees are abuzz and so busy collecting pollen.

At any given time there are about 3 different types of bees hard at work.

I tried to get pictures of all the different bees but they were too fast!!

New backpack bag...

great for picnics, beach combing, walks, shopping and holiday time at the cottage.

Lots of compartments, zippered sections.

 Ample room for all my basics, a book, water, snack, and some treasures...

hands free shopping!

As I was leaving to go to my Yoga Class....

I spied some hungry visitors.

Twins that were busy munching the Alstromeria and some Hostas!

Too cute to scare away...

as soon as they get bigger they won't fit through the openings in the front gate.

Went to my hairdresser today for a CHOP!

I haven't seen her for several months and my hair was a MESS!

She cut the back up shorter in a wedge (as per my request)

then left the sides a bit shorter 

but long enough for the hair to fall in waves and curls.

I look so much like MOM.

( I miss her so much)

Would love to walk along the Esplanade, then go to the Willows Tea Room with her.

We used to do that so often on a sunny afternoon.

XO

Hope that your summer is ticking along nicely...

what are you up to?

Travel, picnics, garden parties, teas, lunches out with friends and family?

Cottage time, boating, camping, day trips, adventures, staycations?

Take care and thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

Until next time...

~ BE WELL AND BE KIND ~

~ Sweet Peas ~

Matucana Heritage Sweet Peas 

(1680's UK variety)

from Westcoast Seeds.

Mr. HB is so clever...he keeps me supplied with these fragrant flowers.

Thank you darling..

XO