OOTD

Bridge is one of my favourite card games.
It helps keep me on my toes.

I love that it challenges my brain by utilizing those "grey cells."
Scientists keep reminding us to use it or lose it...

Our club hosted a fund raising bridge luncheon last weekend and I got a wee bit dressed up for the event. It puts the fun into fundraising.

Many of the ladies who attend are much older and they take such care to dress in smart outfits, beautiful pearl necklaces, silk scarves and pretty rings.

On a regular weekday bridge game I wear..."casual clothes."
Like this black top and dark denim skinny NYDJ rolled up at the cuff
with short boots.

JCrew tassel necklace with a simple black top adds a little bit of oomph.

Clark boots  NYDJ

For the luncheon and the afternoon I wore...

Amalfi shoes with Nygaard velvet dress pants.

Burberry print scarf

Wilfred top

We had a fun afternoon and raised money for the club.

~ Win Win ~

Our darling grand daughter Isla came over on the weekend.

We had fun "playing school" made some banana bread and walked to the park.

She jumped in the leaves, swung on the swings, slid down the slide, climbed on the monkey bars and rode on the merry go round.

We collected some of the leaves...

Isla picked this "special leaf" for me...

I placed some of the leaves under the white pumpkins on the table 

on the front porch of our Humble Bungalow.

As I sit here tying on my lap top  I am wearing a new ring...

Darling daughter who is gifted at finding gems and jewels found an eternity ring in my size and we met up for coffee so that I could try it on...

It fits and was such a great price that I could not resist...

Hope that your week is off to a great start...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Fall Friday in The Humble Bungalow...

Meow!

Isn't this a bodacious looking feline?

The sculpture sits in front of the wool shop Boutique de Laine in Oak Bay.

(I am remiss in not making note of the artist)

I am close to finishing the Church Mouse poncho that I started early in the year.

My knitting project was stalled when I developed a frozen shoulder 

which after months is in the thawing stage.

 I am so grateful as I have not been very stoic with the chronic pain.

As I am able to knit again...

and the cooler weather inspires knitters.

I have joined a local knitting club.

We meet once a month at a local cafe and drink tea, chat and knit.

A wonderful group of women who gather to share their projects, 

help each other with knitting techniques and show off our finished items.

My next project...

which looks like a simple pattern by Church Mouse.

One that can be worn as a scarf or a shoulder warmer.

It is time to get out the sweaters and woolly scarves and socks.

Fall is bringing with it some cool and foggy days.

The light is changing...

foliage is taking on a new patina...

the leaves are rusting...

roses are wilting...

Spiders are coming out to play...

eek!

it is time to cocoon inside.

Our Humble Bungalow interior is dark with all the wood beams and wainscotting 

 we need to turn on many lights during the daytime.

Task lights are crucial to illuminate areas in which we read or knit.

~ Pepper ~

sits on the arm of the Morris Chair and blocks the light!

Both cats like to sit close when I read or knit, they are great companions.

I need to hide my yarn and knitting bag as they think it is a toy!

Hope that you have a great weekend.

Thank you for popping by the Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Waking in Sunshine...but not for long!

I awoke surprised to see the sunshine pouring in through the blinds last weekend.

The other surprise was the time...
9AM!

Sleeping in is so rare these days that when I realize that I have slept in
it comes as a SHOCK!

My morning luxury is to brew an espresso and serve it in a bowl with foamed milk.

This habit started in Paris and I have never looked back.

For me this starts my day off on a positive note.

I take a few minutes to check out Instagram, Facebook and read blogs.

After my shower I dress in my walking clothes...

this helps me stay motivated to go for my walk.

If I dress up in "going out" clothes right away 

I can find a million excuses NOT to go for a walk!

black yoga pants

a long top

puffy vest or puffy jacket 

(choice is dependent on the forecast)

sock and athletic shoes

 I took an alternate route

and ventured into the Ross Bay Cemetery.

It is very beautiful, peaceful, and full of all kinds of wildlife...

birds, squirrels, deer.

Heritage Trees form a canopy over the lanes.

The seafront is just beyond the edge of the grass...

you can see the seawall and ocean if you look closely.

Spectacular Autumn colours

Inside a crevice in a tree 

I spy fungi...

Not sure what kind of toadstools or mushrooms these might be but they look quite happy here...if fungi can actually be happy in its environment.

I would like to think that happiness on some level can be felt by all living things.

Speaking of happiness...

I must confess that I had my knickers in a twist...

not my usual comfortable happy place and I had to snap out of it.

I started going for my walk...

on the regular route.

Dozens maybe Hundreds

 of people running towards me.

Dear reader I had encountered a marathon!

A loud rock band was playing under a tent at the corner

there was a water station set up where runners were grabbing cups 

guzzling down the water and then tossing the cups willy nilly on the street.

I feared that I would be knocked over so I grumbled a bit under my breath and took off in another direction...the direction of the cemetery.

All in all it was a lovely walk and I felt totally refreshed when I came home.

~ Crunch crunch crunch crackle ~

the sounds under my feet as the dried leaves collapse.

~ water droplets on a leaf ~

~ the veins in these leaves are so pretty ~

There is so much beauty in the ordinary 

it is worth looking closely at every day things that we encounter.

What surprise might we see?

Orange and yellow dinner plate sized Dahlia 

still blooming in mid October in a garden on Hollywood Crescent.

This is Chester 

the little rascal will not stay off the table.

This is where I have my lap top and where I write my blog posts.

Perhaps this pose is his way of saying I am cute, really I am, 

and you know that you love me despite my hi jinx.

There are 3 storms forecast to hit our coast in the next few days and the weather experts are advising us to charge up all our devices, buy extra food and batteries and brace ourselves for power outages and possible flooding.

So if you don't hear from me for a few days 

you'll know why!

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Seasonal snippets...

I love how one of our neighbours has decorated the path leading up to her home.

Did you notice the half eaten apple on the left and the glove at the right?

Which leaves me with the thought that perhaps perfection is over rated...

Chestnuts are falling from the trees in our neighbourhood.

Inside this prickly pod there was a small delicate edible chestnut.

These are harvested by many locals who roast them and eat them hot with a sprinkling of salt.

These chestnuts also known as conkers are not edible.

They have a rich "chestnut" colour and a woody appearance.

Mother collects these to bring inside as she says that they keep spiders away.

A few doors down the street these raspberries are growing.

They hang out over the sidewalk and are very tempting...

A few blocks away this tall Hollyhock blooms.

The leaves are turning into their annual autumnal colours.

The sun is setting earlier

 the shadows in the afternoon seem to wane

nights are cooler

I have started wearing socks.

Cauliflowers were on special at the market for an unbelievable price.

 So naturally I bought one and made curried cauliflower soup.

Curried Cauliflower Soup

Saute a large diced onion in a wee bit of oil and cook until soft.

Add a large chopped cauliflower and 6-8 cups of vegetable broth

2 tbsp. of curry powder (or to taste) and simmer until cauliflower is soft.

Use the immersion blender and process until no lumps remain.

The bonus is that this soup is Weight watcher friendly!

I took myself out for a wee bite of brunch after strolling in Oak Bay.

 I finished this book.

Really enjoyed reading Vita Sackville-West

The Edwardians was the first of hers that I read and it was quite a few years ago.

Now I need to get my hands on a book about her lovely home and garden...

Sissinghurst.

The young royal family are leaving today...

It has been a busy time for William and Kate making appearances while touring BC.

 Prince George, Princess Charlotte and their nannies have been out and about.

They have been seen enjoying our local parks.

 The Beacon Hill Petting Zoo has oodles of goats 

George reportedly loved seeing them.

There was a children's tea party on the lawns of Government House

local military families were invited to join in for some fun.

Balloons, bubbles, bunnies and ponies were on site for the celebration.

What a fabulous opportunity to get to meet the family.

Anemone's are still out in full force as are our roses.

It has been a stellar summer for the Humble Bungalow Garden...

but I can see the hydrangeas are fading and many plants are droopy.

The leaves are gathering on the lawn and spider webs are woven in every corner

and hanging onto most of the plants.

Where have the spiders been hiding all summer and why do they suddenly come out at this time of year?

I must close for now and get some things done around The Humble Bungalow.

Hope you have a fabulous weekend.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

The raptures of Spring...

Our Humble Bungalow Garden comes alive every Spring.
So exciting to see after cool wet Fall and Winter seasons...

Dewdrops and raindrops look so pretty resting on these leaves.

Pots of pansies and tulips make for a happy marriage.

Tulips are a favourite meal with our local deer population do they have been relegated to the area of the garden that is protected by the fence!

I have not bothered to dig up the tulip bulbs in the front garden 

so the deer just happily munch on them as they stroll by...

our garden must be on "their feeding route" 

as other gardens on our street have masses of tulips and they have not been nibbled.

Spring has come early...

Muguet des Bois

we started with a small clump and these have spread like mad in the garden.

I love their scent and love to pick a handful as gifts.

Their fragrance dissipates shortly after picking 

but for a few days a wee vase filled with them can fill the bathroom with the most amazing scent.

Looks like a wonderland of white bobbing bonnets...

Ah and the lilacs...

such beauty and another intoxicating fragrant flower.

The bees are back and busy pollinating the flowers...

one does need to be mindful and rest.

I am enjoying

slow mornings sipping my cafe creme

a good book in hand

often stopping mid sentence and staring out the window.

Pondering

appreciating the beauty of the garden

the blooms of Spring

and the sounds of the birdsong and of the bees buzzing.

I had my cortisone injection last week and it was not a very pleasant experience.

I must confess to being rather nervous.

I read up on the procedure at the Mayo Clinic website, 

the only one that I trust to give honest information 

so I had a vague idea what to expect 

but I had not really prepared myself for the sensations involved...

after three wee pricks for the freezing

a larger needle filled up the shoulder joint with what felt like goop...

thick play-dough like goop.

My shoulder is sore but I am told it should be better as time passes...

I am such a wimp when it comes to medical procedures.

How do people manage to find the strength and courage to deal with long term medical issues?

My utmost respect goes out to people who deal with disease with grace and dignity.

And there are many people out there who face these challenges everyday.

But for now I am giving myself permission to just be in the moment.

Allowing myself some moments to quietly contemplate the beauty of Spring.

Nodding as I embrace gratitude 

and

wait for the rest of the garden to burst forth with the raptures of Spring.

Take care and thank you for stopping by and visiting my humble blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~