Smokin' Sunday ~ I bagged a couple of bargains....

 

I planned to go for a long scenic walk on the waterfront...

but when I walked out the front door I was overcome with the smoke.

Forest fires are burning in the province and in Washington State south of Victoria.

I decided to go to the local Value Village store instead of my outdoor walk.

I perused the aisles for treasure...

many others were looking too!

I focused on housewares, clothing, boots and bags.

There were some used rain boots but seriously overpriced :-((

Some so worn out they were laughable...

I think I need to buy some decent new ones.

My last pair of rain boots lasted at least 10 years 

so even if I spend $100+

with any luck

the Cost Per Wearing will be amortized over many years.

I didn't spy any vintage pieces in the houseware section, it was pretty picked over.

I found a "funky denim" printed shirt which I just pulled out of the washer.

The tag inside says Reba Denim ??

I am going to wear it for my home keeping chore days

with my pearls!

The hydrangeas have been hanging to dry and are now ready for display.

I've been looking for a backpack for my walks.

Marshalls had several lovely Italian leather backpacks for $275 and $350 

but I didn't want to spend quite that much.

~ $11.49 ~

Leather backpack style purse.

Broken inside zipper, ripped leather toggle and lining, scuffed exterior.

~ DIY ~

Repairs are completed

I'm all set for hands free walking 

Not bad for the price...

the leather is very soft and the size is perfect for my needs.

(room for my wallet, extra glasses, IPhone, kleenex and stuff)

Am making progress on the Vest project...

After a busy day of laundry, baking bread and standing in line to cast my ballot for the local municipal election I popped the kettle on for a cuppa and knit for a bit.

Love the Rowan Felted Tweed Yarn 

part merino and part alpaca...

made in Italy.

Pope John Paul II

fragrant 

and

blooming in The Humble Bungalow Garden.

What's new with you?

Have you scored any bargains?

Please share your thoughts in the comments

I do appreciate them and it opens up dialogue which enriches our experiences.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Weekend getaway...and flowers in The Humble Bungalow Garden

Last weekend we were invited to visit long time friends who retired to Thetis Island.

They built their dream home on the water's edge in Telegraph Harbour.

Other long time friends made the trek across the big pond from the Lower Mainland and we had a reunion of sorts...

we were celebrating Mr. HB's birthday.

I found a wee bit of time to work on the Miriam sweater...

the view was a bit distracting as

there were so many gorgeous yachts cruising past 

that I had to keep looking up from the knitting!

Just knitting the garter stitch front border, it will be finished soon!

Enjoying the newly purchased Tonka and Oud candle 

from a wee shop in Chemainus near the ferry dock.

The scent is woodsy and rich.

A lovely fragrant rose at the Telegraph Harbour Marina...

an old rose scent with soft apricot petals.

When I posted the picture on Instagram of the unknown rose...

several readers identified it as Just Joey.

Thank you :-))

Pulled out the stack of my TBR books

had a wee gander...

there are far more than I remembered.

Now my dilemma is to decide which one to read next?

What are you reading?

Our hydrangeas are the current stars in The Humble Bungalow Garden.

This hydrangea was a gift from my husband's architectural firm 

when my dad passed away years ago...

it has grown and never disappoints with its variety of blooms.

These limelight hydrangeas are just one of the dozen or so that we have planted over the years.

Their shade of chartreuse green glows

it lights up and illuminates the perennial borders.

Lots to keep us busy in the garden at this time of year.

I plan to go out and pick some of the various hydrangea blooms 

with hopes of drying them to bring indoors for the Fall and Winter months.

The weather is still very hot but i know that it will change as the summer wanes.

I'll be wearing boots and carrying my brolly before too long!

(I need to buy new rubber boots too!)

Well I must close and make lunch for us...

How are things going with you?

If you have a moment or two

please leave a comment and share your thoughts...

I always appreciate hearing from readers.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

August ~ Hydrangea Season and a wee chat...

Candles with a woody fragrance add ambiance to our arts and crafts bungalow.

I love to sit and read or knit 

 a candle glowing and the scent wafting about in the air.

Our Annabelle Hydrangeas are putting on a spectacular show!

 The Humble Bungalow Garden is looking quite lovely this summer.

Some years are better than others for certain plants...

 I think it is a very much a stellar hydrangea season.

They do love water so we need to keep the soil moist...

Look at the size of this bloom...

a HUGE mophead almost threatening to break the branch

with its weight.

The Sea Glass haul that nearly wasn't...

I fell on the uneven rocky shore not too far from the Humble Bungalow.

My instinct was to put out my hand to save my face from hitting the ground

when I fell...

My poor wrist took the brunt of the tumble and I sprained it.

It swoll up pretty quickly so I zipped off to the local pharmacy

a tube of Voltaren

 (which is an analgesic and an anti inflammatory)

a right hand wrist brace

a week later

yellow bruising remains but fortunately the wrist is feeling MUCH better!

The sweet peas are still blooming so we have bouquets in the bathroom.

Such a delightful fragrance!

Did you know that sweet peas must be picked regularly 

to keep them from going to seed?

I am looking forward to getting back to my knitting project...

I haven't snapped a picture of the progress that I made until my mishap.

Am working on the yoke of the Miriam sweater.

It will be lovely to wear this in the fall and winter.

I have so few sweaters...

the cooler fall weather will be here before we know it and I will want to be cozy.

I've been staying pretty close to home as my husband is up on ladders sanding and painting the pergola above the sundeck.

He's not accustomed to this kind of work, but since he retired, he has taken on various projects that I would usually hire people to fix.

I posted this quote on my Instagram...

so worthy of reposting here on the blog.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

It is really unfortunate that your comments are not forthcoming...

I have tried to fix this on my end but alas it is beyond my scope.

I do hope that you will continue to stop by and read my blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

OOTD ~ Summertime ~ Linen Dress

Beach Walk a week ago in Oak Bay on a hot summer day.

Wearing an Italian linen dress with capri tights.

Thankful for my sunhat, sunglasses

 the

COOL sea breezes blowing across the sand

while I peruse the beach for treasure.

I found a smooth white rock, very much like an egg...

a simple find but it begged to be picked up!

A handful of sea glass.

Behold the 4 jars full...

Working on filling up Jar 5 and I am well on my way!

The dress is a super simple style

loose and easy to wear in the heat.

Pearls accessorize and elevate the dress and sweater.

Pearls are the ultimate gift from the Sea.

My newest project...

Knitting pattern for the Miriam Sweater is available on Ravelry.

Rowan Felted Tweed Yarn is a dream to work with on any project.

I LOVE the softness of this yarn.

The Beehive Shop in Victoria is my go to yarn and knitting spot.

The staff are so knowledgeable and helpful.

Started knitting the Miriam sweater a few days ago...

a quiet few days at Quarterdeck Cottage and I am indulging in some knit time.

PURE BLISS

The weather hasn't been overly hot and we're enjoying a slow rhythm to our days.

Having an engaging project is wonderful 

when we are not swimming in the pool

or out walking.

Took advantage of the sunshine yesterday and knit 

while watching the pleasure craft

boats and ferries as they made their way across The Salish Sea.

Holiday time is perfect for relaxing and engaging in activities that one enjoys.

I would never spend as many hours knitting if I was home...

the household and garden duties and chores would keep me busy!

Lovely beach vibe bowls from our friends...

perfect for the cottage!

We celebrated our 48th anniversary on July 20th.

I made a simple penne pasta dish with a gorgonzola cream sauce and freshly shucked English Peas from the Humble Bungalow Garden.

Penne Pasta with Gorgonzola and Peas 

Melt several tablespoons of butter in a shallow pan 

add a couple of cloves of chopped garlic and some red pepper flakes

cook gently.

Whisk in a few tablespoons of flour add a 1/3 cup of cream.

Keep whisking then add crumbled gorgonzola and simmer until melted

then keep warm on low.

Meanwhile...

Put a large pot on to boil

When the water is boiling add the penne pasta and cook until al dente.

Drain

add sauce to pasta and stir to coat.

Grate some fresh pepper on top and serve.

I've had an extraordinary amount of SPAM here on the blog.

Really it has come out of the blue and I cannot for the life of me figure out why?

Comments have been streamlined to not allow Unknown accounts to respond.

Anyone with a legitimate google account can leave a comment.

Hopefully this will stop the crazed spam artists and robots 

who seem to have nothing better to do than to invade a rather calm and gentle place.

If you are unable to leave a comment and want to connect with me 

please send me an email, the address is on the blog at the left hand side.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

Hope that you are making the most of the season wherever you are.

Be Back Soon!

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Colour Me Happy!

Bright Colours that POP make me feel HAPPY.

When I go for walks I seek out colourful things along my route.

It surprises me when on a rainy grey day that I can still find something bright to 

capture in a photo. 

I might have to look a wee bit harder but I definitely find something.

I love to accessorize with a pop of colour.

This wine coloured vintage leather bag adds just the right amount of OOMPH

to the simple neutral outfit here.

Black pants ~ Eileen Fisher

White top ~ Eileen Fisher

Khaki Jacket ~ Eileen Fisher

Look at how beautiful these tomatoes look resting on a bed of basil leaves!

I added some sea salt and ground pepper with a light drizzle of olive oil.

~ FRESH ~ 

Summertime salads are a healthy addition to our meals.

I love to add other ingredients to our daily salads.

diced red onions

avocado wedges

black olives

radishes

garbanzo beans

sprouted pea shoots

fresh shelled English Peas

beets

cucumber slices

capers

blanched green beans

There are SO many options when making a salad.

I regularly have on hand a homemade vinaigrette in a Bonne Maman Jam Jar.

Easy Peasy Vinaigrette

6 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp vinegar

2-3  Tbsp runny honey

salt and pepper (to taste)

Bold yellow Italian Linen Dress

this loose fitting dress is perfect for the heat and sun of SUMMER.

Add sandals or flip flops and a straw hat and sunglasses...

and a

French Market basket. 

I absolutely LOVE linen!

There is a great shop here in the Cook Street Village called Mercedes Lane Too...

I have purchased several tops and dresses from them 

 they are easy to wear and cool in the heat.

I wash them in lavender scented linen soap on the gentle cycle and hang them to dry.

In case you missed my post on the Doocot Sweater I knit I am sharing the photos.

I chose a bright Chartreuse Green Yarn

Rowan's Brooklyn Tweed

The sweater sits slightly above the natural waistline.

It took me 3 years to knit this sweater!

For some weird reason I didn't work on it in the first 2 years of Covid 

 really it should have been a delightful diversion but I couldn't seem to concentrate!

Now I am contemplating knitting the Miriam Sweater 

(on Ravelry)

I think it will be a fun project.

 Knitting in the cooler weather this Fall and Winter will be relaxing.

I am thinking of a charcoal or dove grey yarn.

I originally thought of black yarn but an experienced knitter friend said that black yarn is quite hard to see.

Must get myself off to the Beehive and see what they have in stock.

I need to buy needles too...

There are so many needles in my stash but none are the right size.

The Brooklyn Tweed yarn is lovely to work with, it is super soft.

Knitting and Tea go so well together!

We are kept very busy here in The Humble Bungalow Garden.

The roses are riddled with black spot this year which means that most days we are picking off the spotted leaves...

then we must keep up with the regular deadheading.

The rewards from all our efforts are numerous lovely bouquets 

for the house and to take to homes of friends.

Well I think it is time to close this post and head outside.

Thank you for popping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

Hope that you are enjoying the gifts of the season.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Snippets from Quarterdeck Cottage

 

Beautiful view from Medicine Beach

the walks along this rocky beach are breathtaking...

~ A soothing scene helps to unkink the knots of anxiety ~

The seas were so quiet and calm that I could feel my body relaxing.

The views toward Vancouver Island remind me of a Tony Only painting.

The weather here has been a mix of sun and fog.

No wild winds or rain.

Feeling grateful for these gifts...

The glorious sunny afternoon was an invitation to enjoy happy hour on the deck.

Evenings are dark and lighting candles adds ambiance and warmth.

These "Ethel Wood" scented soy candles are lovely.

They are sold at a farmstand on South Otter Bay Road here on Pender.

I purchased some for our home and cottage and they have quickly become my favourite.

These wee fungi remind me of that quote from Mary Engelbreit...

"Bloom Where You are Planted"

I finished The Doocot Sweater that I started knitting before the pandemic!

The project was a steep learning curve for me...

It was quite easy knitting baby blankets, dishcloths, shawls and scarves.

Sweaters are much more complicated... 

as I found out!

I have learned many new techniques and have gained confidence.

You Tube Videos and The Vogue Knitting book 

helped me 

as in person tutorials were few and far between.

Now I am excited to get going with my next project...

a simple sweater, very much like a shrug.

It is knit mostly using garter stitch.

 When we get back I plan to go shopping for the yarn...

I am just not sure what colour to use?

Basic black always calls to me...

I discovered that knitting in a cheerful colour has been such fun! 

especially using the Brooklyn Felted Tweed yarn 

and 

their yarn colours are brights and brilliant.

Seen on my beach walk at Port Browning...

a chain of rusted iron juxtaposed against a weathered log.

Seeking out and finding something on my daily walks

helps keep me motivated to continue taking steps.

Hope that you are staying healthy and finding inspiration in your daily round.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~