Saturday Snippets...

 

~ Autumnal Accents on The Porch ~

The garden centres are a riot of orange...pumpkins galore!

Foraged a few fir cones in the cemetery.

Decorating for the season is mostly from Nature.

Using "real" organic items...they are often free and eventually biodegrade.

Boy do I love going to Homesense.

 Leisurely browsing but don't usually buy a lot of the seasonal items.

I tend to purchase towels, linens, bedding and pillows.

Candles and lotions.

Soaps are my weakness...

fragrant, handmade sold at the Farmer's Market.

These Nude Bar soaps are made on Pender Island and come in a variety of scents...

this one is French Lavender.

~ Pure Bliss ~

This sunset was spectacular...

went for a walk after dinner last week and WOW.

Made pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving Dinner.

Followed the recipe on the can of the pumpkin puree.

Our son hosted this year...

I made veggie side dishes and he made Yorkshire Pudding and Roast Beef.

Created a bean salad one afternoon when I realized we had used up all the lettuce.

I sauteed green beans and then plunged them into icy water.

Chopped mushrooms and walnuts.

Made a simple oil and vinegar vinaigrette with some Dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste.

Mixed all the ingredients and added some grated Parmesan Cheese.

Made a frittata to go with the salad and it was a very easy dinner

and there were leftovers for lunch the following day.

Have been doing a deep dive into de-cluttering.

Took 2 boxes of stuff to the consignment shop.

I thought maybe I could use the money to buy something we needed...

will see if the items sell first :-))

I've got my eye on a small kitchen island at IKEA.

It would give me extra counter space and storage which seem to be at a premium.

De-cluttering usually involves some rearranging...

like moving this ironstone tray from the coffee table to the kitchen trestle table.

Is this the habit that some call FAFFING?

If so...I FAFFED away an afternoon...

needed to sit for awhile sip a cup of tea and gather up my energy to make dinner!

Who knew FAFFING was so exhausting?

Did I share the thrifted LBD with you?

This darling knit dress skims the body and is heavy enough for Fall and Winter wear.

Have some thrifted black leather boots and a black lacy cardigan...

Black Tights 

A La Mode Consignment 

RED SOCKS

(for the thrifted Sandro black leather loafers)

Socks found at

Oak Bay Pharmasave

You know the weather has cooled off a bit when you put on a wool sweater.

I've got all my warmer clothes out of storage...

the cool cottons and linens are back in the off season closet.

We've had some glorious sunny days but mornings and evenings are cool.

Frost is frequently on the car at dawn.

Our heat pump has been coming on during the night...

Robes and slippers are necessary again.

Seasons definitely dictate what we wear on any given day.

I've been unsubscribing to many companies emails 

as the ads have been far too frequent.

(some are daily)

There seems to be a Push to Purchase 

but seriously 

over consuming seems wasteful.

We don't need to be constantly inundated with ads...

I find it stressful.

How do you react when you see multiple emails and ads in your inbox?

 BUY THIS ~ BUY THAT

JOIN THIS  ~ JOIN THAT

No Thank you!

TRY TO

~ Keep Calm and Carry On ~

Hope you are enjoying your weekend.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

Until next time...

~ 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 ~

Forced relaxation....Simplified Easter Weekend

Sunny bold yellow chrysanthemums...

cheap and cheerful.

Just what I needed to perk up my spirits.

My ankle injury is slowly on the mend...the swelling has gone down.

Bruises remain and I am now able to move it in a more "normal" way.

I've taken smaller slower beach walks.

My Inner Hippie Vibe was activated when I spied a bamboo cane on the beach...

The bottom of the cane was split so I used duct tape to reinforce it.

I purchased a roll of sisal at the Hardware store.

This DIY project was easy and fun.

My walking Aid is ready for the beach walks.

It really helped my stability as the sand and rocks along the seafront are unpredictable.

I used it for every walk and have it in my car for local beach walks.

We are home now...

came home early as I have a medical appointment for a bone density test.

I have been on the wait list for almost a year!

Our medical system is overloaded...fewer family doctors. 

Many people are waiting to be assigned a doctor.

A nursing shortage, an aging population, long waits for treatments and surgeries.

It is a national crisis.

My Eddie Bauer sun hat must be over 30 years old...

you can see my walking pole.

We collect feathers...not sure why?

 But it is definitely a thing.

Our cottage partners participate too.

I got my husband more involved in meals this week...

we had quite a few BBQ dinners.

Easter Sunday dinner was this big fat burger!!

Boy was it tasty...I had made quick pickled red onions.

 I mixed up some beef patties using ground beef, egg, salt, pepper and Panko crumbs.

We added some cheese, lettuce, tomato slices and condiments.

Dinner was quick and easy.

Just the two of us.

It is OK to keep it simple.

We like to keep things relaxed at the cottage.

Thanks honey :-))

My husband likes to take sunset pictures at the cottage and post them on his Instagram Page.

We had some lovely sunny warmer 

weather at the cottage.

What a gift to be able to sit outdoors.

It felt like a luxury.

I am knitting a shawl...

"Easy Goes It" 

Using Rowan's Felted Tweed in Pink Bliss.

The pattern is not difficult but it changes a lot.

I keep track by using a book and make note of where I am in the pattern!

My lipstick matches the colour of the yarn!!!

I was able to keep my mind off of my ankle by knitting and gazing out across the Salish Sea watching the ferries and boats as they floated past the cottage.

We went to the Market...

the new soap company Island Soul Soaps had a variety of interesting soap.

It was a tough choice to choose!

Perhaps I will need to sample many more to discover my favourite!

They have interesting combinations and I love the names that the owner has chosen.

Last night, Wednesday, I snapped this image.

Hubby was taking his photos and copycat me decided I can do that too!!

I didn't notice the birds until after I looked at the photo.

Lots going on this coming week...

things often get super busy and before I know it my daytimer is FULL.

Hope you all had a lovely week.

Do you celebrate Easter?

Did you have a big Easter dinner?

What did you serve?

Thank you to those who have sent me emails 

or commented on my Instagram 

sending positive and encouraging words that help during my time of healing.

I will be back in action very soon.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~