Beautiful pops of colour on my radar...

 

~ Camas ~

My husband and I ventured out to Playfair Park 

to have a peek at the gorgeous Native Plants that are in full bloom.

Fawn lilies, Shooting Stars and Camas

absolutely stunning!

A meadow of blue Camas under the canopy of The Garry Oaks.

My ankle injury is slowly improving...

I think it is what Google says is a grade 2 sprain.

Torn ligaments on the outer side of the ankle.

Estimated Recovery Time 

3-6 weeks

Wearing the compression brace which really helps and not going for long walks.

Having said that...I am slowly increasing the number of steps that I do in a day.

Yesterday it was almost 6,000.

Met with friends for Tea at the Union Club.

We spent a few blissful hours sipping bubbly, tea and treats.

Such a beautiful spot, views over the Inner Harbour...

great food and superb service.

In other news... I have been replacing lipsticks...

nothing like a fresh pop of colour to lift the spirit.

~ Rouge de Germain ~

Red is my go to colour for lipstick...

when I was in Paris the first time in 2015 I stayed in the Saint Germain area.

The chic Parisian women walking in the neighbourhood all wore red lipstick.

Not wasting any time, despite being jet lagged, I high tailed it to

the nearest Monoprix!

There I discovered a fabulous selection of red lipsticks...

 so dear reader I bought one!

Paris holds a very special place in my heart.

I went back again in 2019 and who knows...perhaps I will return :-))

My make-up bag was falling apart so I purchased a new one...

instead of a vinyl one, like my old bag, I chose fabric which I much prefer.

While at the Pharmasave in Oak Bay I bought 2 new lipsticks.

I am test driving a pink shade...

Softsilver Rose

These Revlon lippies are very creamy and go on easily and last!

They were also on sale, which was rather fortunate timing.

I finished knitting The Easy Goes It scarf...

worn here with my old red lipstick...

will be much better with the new rose pink shade.

New fragrance...Honey Tobacco

locally made here in Victoria.

I am enjoying this new scent very much...

body wash, cologne and other honey tobacco are available on their website.

I took a bag of clothes to the Salvation Army and then had a quick browse.

Oh my goodness...I couldn't believe my luck!

I have a Burberry scarf that my husband gave me, maybe 15 years ago. that I love.

It is the traditional beige and wine plaid colourway...

it goes with my quilted Burberry jacket.

The new to me scarf will pair well with my black coats!

New silk skirt from House Of Savoy on Oak Bay Avenue.

Made by San Tropez

This will be a fun skirt for summertime.

Love the texture...

I am thinking of outfits based on the skirt...

 a simple white top, my distressed vintage jean jacket and white sneakers

Dressy black tank top, white shawl and my white bow toed Bueno sandals.

Oh and my BIG pearls!

I love a versatile garment!

Do you like thrift shopping?

Consignment?

What is new with you?

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Drugstore ~ Skincare and Make Up

 

When I was in Paris I made a pilgrimage to the "Pharmacie."

(easily identifiable by the large neon Green Cross)

Many seasoned travellers suggested the local Paris Pharmacies as a must see.

I was surprised by the popularity of these local shops.

Some actually had a line up out front !

I visited several Pharmacies in different arrondissements.

Some were larger and had more skincare products.

Citypharma at 26 rue du Four in the heart of Saint Germain des Pres has the reputation of being the BEST.

I stayed in the 6th arrondissement so this was closest.

(It did not disappoint)

The pharmacy is often crowded as it is very popular with locals and tourists.

Shelves are loaded with jars and bottles of serious skincare products.

Staff are happy to consult with patrons and are readily available to give advice.

The Pharmasave on Oak Bay Avenue 

has a wide variety of reasonably priced products with trained staff on hand to help.

One needn't spend a fortune to get good quality skincare products...

For example

Andalou Natural Products...

the company make product lines to suit most skin care needs.

I have enjoyed using the Andalou Rose products in the past.

Recently I have switched up to the Age Defying series.

I like the rich formulas...my skin soaks up the moisture.

I like to keep my skincare regime very simple.

Wash, tone and moisturize.

An intensive moisturizing enzyme facial mask is used once a week.

I have added a serum which helps particularly in the winter.

Derma-E Vitamin enriched serum is my favourite.

Rosehips and Grape Seed Oils 

Vitamin A and E

(4 drops morning and night ~ this bottle lasts a few months)

I wait 10 minutes before doing my make up 

to allow the oil to sink in and be absorbed.

My make-up routine is minimal 

5 minutes tops.

Minimal coverage and a light touch work best for my older skin.

Drugstore Make up products...

Andalou Age Defying BB cream

Burts Bees Aglow blush

Physicians Formula eyebrow tint

Annabelle eye shadow

Maybelline Great Lash Mascara

Eucerin Aquaphor Lip Repair

Miss Pupa Lip Gloss

While writing this post I have been sipping tea and nibbling some dark chocolate.

Afternoon Tea and dark chocolate

my afternoon ritual.

One of life's little luxuries!

Found a pretty vintage silver cake server this afternoon.

I met up with a friend who came over from the mainland for a visit.

We walked along The Avenue popped into the shops and had a lovely long lunch.

Joanne surprised me with a blue tote bag and a book AND she treated me to lunch.

We always have a lovely time chatting.

Thank you Joanne!

“Joy is the best makeup. 

But a little lipstick is a close runner-up.” 

~ Anne Lamott ~

Well I must close for now and get dinner started.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

Until next time...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Current Topics ~ What is on my radar and mindful walking.

Greetings from The Humble Bungalow Garden.

The Muguet des Bois are blooming...

SO FRAGRANT!!!!

I invited a couple of friends over to dig up some lily of the valley plants.

We have so many :-))

Gardeners like to share their plants with other like minded enthusiasts.

The Auriculas are blooming and they are so charming...

I have several plants and could repot some of them as they have multiplied over these past couple of years.

I see many new varieties in the UK which are so tempting...

not that many are here in the garden centres 

unless they are already in private gardens!

Haven't actually seen many of these auriculars locally at all this year.

I am not moaning here on the blog about my health but I am being proactive...

I've been online researching arthritis...

there is a lot of information to sift through.

Basically I know now that I need to keep moving...

take pain medication and get some physiotherapy.

I've got my appointment lined up and will see the specialist in June.

My walks are around 3 km and am getting 5,000-6,000 steps in during the day.

That number may not be totally accurate because the step total is from my IPhone

I don't have it on me the entire day.

I suppose I could buy a watch that counts the steps...

but does it really matter?

Two 3km walks might be the way to walk now...

a rest in between seems sensible and will help with the pain.

I'm taking Advil and it helps.

In other news I have switched up my skincare routine a wee bit...

I don't tend to spend a LOT on products.

Skin care basics need not break the budget.

Andalou make a sensitive line which works well for my everyday skin regime.

These lotions and potions are very affordable and free of nasty ingredients.

I love using the CC cream as it goes on easily and has SPF

it evens out skin tone and adds a dewy healthy glow.

The Great Lash is an iconic mascara and is often on sale...

The Burts Bees glow stick is a creamy blusher that I use on my cheeks and lips.

It takes me about 5 minutes to do my daytime make-up.

I tried an organic glow stick

 which developed a rough grainy texture

which I did not like at ALL :-((

(I returned it)

Burt's Bees All Aglow is lovely...

it is creamy and very easy to apply.

The shade gives me a soft natural looking blush.

~ Simple make up ~

My favourite red lippy from Miss Pupa of Milan.

Fresh haircut...

(in a bob style)

My thinning hair needed a makeover so my hairdresser gave it a blunt cut.

I can wear it wavy or flat iron it...I like the versatility of the style.

It will be easy to maintain.

Saw this gorgeous iris at Government House on one of my walks this week.

I love to wander about in the local gardens here...

so many great flowers and plantings that inspire.

The weather forecast is for hotter temperatures...

unseasonably hot, or so we are told.

I have swapped out my winter clothes for the spring and summer cottons and linens.

I found a few things that were no longer useful.

Dropped a bag off to the local charity shop, 

had a good browse and came home empty handed.

I replaced a white linen top that I donated with a fresh new one from Marshalls.

It is a simple basic...

Under $30...

will wear it a LOT.

I DO love a bargain.

Well I must close for now and get some stuff done here...

hope that you are enjoying your weekend so far.

Happy Mother's Day!

I will think of my dear MOM...she was one of a kind.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Hearts...Valentines and a confession.

 ~ HEART ~

inside a horse barn near the village of Auvillar France

~ HEARTS ~ 

I've been on the hunt for a new make up bag for several months.

The cloth pouch with a zipper I was using for the past few years was not easy to use.

All the contents were jumbled together

 Plus I always seemed to need the item in the very bottom of the pouch!

I found this at Walmart

I was buying another item in the store and just happened upon it.

Can you see the HEARTS?

The top compartment has a place for brushes and pencils.

Top left, is a zippered are where I have some sharp scissors and tweezers. 

In the bottom on the right hand side ~

Andalou CC cream, Burt's Bees cream blush, Marcelle eye make up, 

mascara underneath and a magnifying mirror.

Much better for storage and travel.

I think I paid under $15 for the bag...well worth it.

~ HEART ~

Cracker 

Cafe Des Beaux Arts

Quai Malaquais

Paris France

Found a HEART shaped rock on the beach at Browning.

I was hunting for sea glass and this caught my eye.

While this doesn't really qualify as a HEART item, it lifts my HEART.

I use a basic everyday lotion from the drugstore,

 then decant it into a glass jar with a pump for ease of use.

Looking at a plastic bottle with a bunch of text all over it looks rather unsightly.

I prefer a simple sleek container that I can leave out on display.

I use lotion after my bath or shower and it helps to keep my skin soft and supple.

This shea butter lotion is a drugstore brand and has a light scent of orchid.

It is very reasonably priced and works well

the ingredients are recognizable and it is free of any nasty chemical additives.

I received pearls from my husband on a Valentines Day about 25 years ago.

Last summer I fell at the beach and sprained my wrist very badly.

 When I got home I noticed that my beloved pearl necklace was missing.

I was devastated...

as I was in terrible pain I had to dash off to the pharmacy

 to buy some Voltaren, Aleve and a wrist brace.

For the next few days I kept returning to the same beach to hunt for the pearls.

(perhaps they returned to the ocean with the tide)

I decided to replace the pearls and thought perhaps my husband would not notice.

I went to the jeweler who sold him the pearls way back in the day 

purchased this Akoya strand 

almost the same as the original strand...

(except for the price)

I have been wearing them almost daily, for the past few months.

Well dear reader, 

guess what?

He found out that they were not the original pearls, 

so I had to confess...

I don't expect that we will exchange Valentine's Day gifts this year...

but perhaps we will dine out close to Valentines and celebrate.

What do you have planned for your Valentine?

Something special from the HEART.

~ Happy Valentine's Day ~

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

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Victoria ~ September Tidbits and Snippets

I walked past the church today and observed a crowd of people 

talking animatedly poised with clipboards.

There will be a commemorative service held here in Victoria 

at Christ Church Cathedral to honour Queen Elizabeth.

Many of us are saddened by her passing...

I have known no other Queen in my lifetime.

She visited Victoria BC many times.

She stayed at Government House in Rockland a few blocks from our bungalow.

I remember once that we were able to go down to the Inner Harbour 

to watch her disembark from her royal yacht The Britannia

She stepped gracefully into a launch to come ashore 

making her way to the excited throng of onlookers.

Girl Guides gave her fresh bouquets of flowers.

She had a lovely smile and wore a colourful outfit and matching hat.

She was a hard working monarch with a strong sense of duty...

steadfast in her determination to do a good job

she was kind and compassionate.

She will be missed by many.

Her funeral will take place in Westminster Abbey on Monday September 19th 

The Federal Government has just announced that the day will be a holiday.

The Queen loved Sweet Peas...

Our local Pharmasave in Oak Bay offers many wonderful skin care products.

They carry some exclusive make up items like Pupa from Milan.

I enjoy shopping there as the clerks are so knowledgeable and helpful,

plus they have a wonderful exchange policy.

The Andalou CC cream is easy to apply,

rich and creamy which offers nice coverage without being cakey.

I am test driving a new serum from Derma E.

Ther Andalou Brightening Renewal Cream is a new product.

I recently had a facial at the Boathouse Spa at The Oak Bay Beach Hotel.

After the 60 minute treatment my skin felt wonderful...

I want to continue to take care of my skin and keep it supple.

Hydration and sunscreen are my two top priorities...

I also try to buy "natural" products.

I look a lot like my mom...

the older I get, the more that the resemblance is evident!

Mom loved her pearls and I love wearing mine too...

I snapped this selfie while waiting in a long line up at the car wash today.

was getting a wee bit bored as I forgot my book.

I picked up this book by Maggie O'Farrell

The Hand That First Held Mine won the Costa Award in 2010

Want to read all her books as I so enjoy her writing...

I loved her novel Hamnet and Judith.

The Marriage Portrait that was published in 2020 is on my list.

What are you reading?

Are you planning to watch the funeral of Queen Elizabeth on the telly?

It will be broadcast here at 3am...

Well I must close for now...

Mr HB has been harvesting the Jalapeno and Anaheim Peppers

SO

 I am making a big batch of Salsa.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~