Hello June !

 

Welcome June...

We spent the past week at the cottage.

Beautiful scenery...a surprising mix of weather...Sun, Rain and HAIL !

Our favourite sailboat went out for a brisk sail...

quite a few sailboats took advantage of the gusty winds.

There was a sailpast ceremony for a recently passed member of the Pipe Band.

A bag piper was on the point and all sailors dipped their flags as they passed...

I love the sound of bagpipes.

We went to the Legion for the Saturday night meat draw...

met some nice people and won some snapper!

(not meat but FISH! and a $100 gift card at the local grocery store)

We sat on the deck when the weather was nice...

watched the ferries as they cruised past the cottage.

Observed the cloud formations...

Swam in the refurbished pool. 

It is now a "salt water" pool but it isn't "sea water."

Much more eco friendly and we felt much more boyant!

I am embracing the colours of blue and white at the cottage.

Vintage blue and white ironstone and yellow flowers are a great pairing.

I found this crinkle shirt at the thrift shop...

$3.00

I seriously cannot believe the prices!

I found 2 pound weights!!

$2.00

So excited as my recent diagnosis with osteoporosis recommends weight training...

Found a seated chair routine with Lauren ~ Senior Fitness on YouTube.

The session is 10 minutes so I do it twice.

Hopefully I will have more toned arms for summer sleeveless tops and dresses.

But most important I will be building BONE.

Greek style yogurt...high protein and rich in calcium no added sugar.

Read Mireille's book French Women Don't Get Fat again...

I have gained weight since I broke my ankle.

Inactivity is the culprit and maybe some naughty mood lifting eating :-))

There was a French Theme in my book choices this week...

Read this book written by David Lebovitz...

I have read several of his books.

He documents his Paris apartment purchase and the extensive renovations...

definitely not an easy thing for an Anglophile!

Found this one in a wee library kiosk...

read one of Janine Marsh's books before and enjoyed it...

am not quite finished but her stories of village life are very vivid and funny!

One of our feasts...

Marinated Pork tenderloin on the BBQ

roasted zucchini, peppers and carrots

half a baked potato with sour cream and bacon bits.

Marinate a pork tenderloin in a glass bowl

~ Marinade ~

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup soya sauce (I use Braggs)

1 clove chopped garlic

3 tbsp. honey Dijon mustard

salt and pepper

Marinate for at least 2 hours.

Heat grill on BBQ

cook until no longer pink

slice on the diagonal

Enjoy!

When we got home...

We were surprised to see my husband's latest project in full bloom!

He dug up all the grass on the boulevard...

planted a lawn alternative and VOILA!

The pollinators LOVE IT!!

OUR 

Climbing Royal Sunset Rose is in bloom.

This rose is so fragrant and repeat blooms all through the summer.

I love the orange shade...

We had a really rainy day today...

we stayed pretty close to home as our elder cat Pepper is unwell.

She has been diagnosed with idiopathic cystitis.

She is on pain medication and staying pretty quiet.

Her appetite is great so that is very encouraging.

Poor Girl...

Quite stressful for us adults...

if you are a pet owner you will know this feeling.

Baked my sourdough boule today...

such a rewarding and healthy habit.

Easy too...it sounds daunting 

once you have made one boule you will be a PRO!

Do you bake sourdough?

Do you know that it is lower in gluten, 

is easier to digest and has amazing probiotics?

Well that about wraps up our news...

Thank you for popping by The Humble Bungalow Blog

I will close for now...

we are going to watch some Acorn TV Mystery shows.

Stress can make us want to seek solace and escape...

English Murder Mysteries are just what we need tonight!!!

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~ 

Snow Day, Flowers, Candles, the Gym and I could use your help...

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow.

The past post on women generated numerous comments, emails and there was a wee bit of controversy.

The blog posts here in The Humble Bungalow are varied and focus on 

beauty, joy, cooking, home keeping

are polite 

rest assured

the mood here is peaceful and calm.

This week has been a busy one and I have done a little "fluffing" in our home.

Scented candles and fresh flowers are two of my favourite affordable luxuries.

 Its the little things that make life at home more enjoyable.

Flowers and fragrance

light and warmth.

TEA!

Time for a cup of Tea 

decaf Yorkshire blend is my daily brew.

I enjoy sipping from a pretty mug like this one from Emma Bridgewater.

Snowdrops are dainty, sweet and we have planted then in our garden.

Yes that IS snow...

it was falling most of the day.

The black mondo grass is peeking through the blanket of snow.

You may be surprised to hear

I've taken the plunge and joined a gym.

Dominique, a reader of my blog, 

emailed me and suggested this particular gym

  I am very grateful.

Thank you!

The gym is for the over 55 group and located not too far from The Humble Bungalow.

 A personal trainer is teaching me how to use the equipment and is assessing my levels and recommending how long and at what levels I need to be working.

I have worked out 3 times this week and my muscles are slightly tender.

It feels good to be actively working out to change my shape.

I have come to the gym somewhat reluctantly...

I was hoping not to pay for fitness but I have not had much success recently with my walking.

The weather has kept me indoors more often and I have gained weight.

The weight training should speed up my metabolism and I am hopeful that the scale will reflect all my efforts in due course.

The trainer told me to stay off my scale for the first month...

muscle weighs more than fat and she does not want me to get discouraged.

My goal is to go to the gym 2-3 times a week.

The people are friendly and the staff are knowledgable.

The space is clean and the atmosphere is quiet and relaxed.

After my work out I went to the mall and bought a new bra, two magazines and a new mascara.

My mascara had passed its use by date and I thought I would try a less expensive brand but I still want to use one that is free of nasty ingredients.

Physician's Formula makes this one so I will test it out and see if it delivers on the promise of fuller lashes.

My workout has left me feeling weary tonight and I am happy to relax on the sofa and watch some TV with my husband.

I have a question for you...

It is my hope that you can help me find a perfect 

or close to perfect 

basic white Tee shirt.

I want one that is simple and very plain

no logos or writing or pattern on the front

in a cotton that has some weight to it 

so it does not cling.

I have spent so much time trying to find one in the local shops

 so far I have come up empty handed...

it should be easy to find

 I am not sure why I am having such trouble.

So I figured you might have the answer and be able to steer me in the right direction...

Thank you for dropping by and I hope that you have a wonderful weekend.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Clothes Shopping has become a problem....

"You have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince..."
                      ~  The Frog Prince ~
                                        by Brothers Grimm ~

That is how I feel about clothes shopping...

It may be due to my mid life figure,
my current budget,
my colour preferences,
my age,
my personal taste
or that I have the basics currently hanging in my closet.

I can stroll through a store and easily dismiss about 95% of the items.

So when I spend an hour perusing the store and end up with only 5 or 6 things to try on that may or may not work, that is a considerable amount of time and effort.
Am I being too picky?
Am I looking for a needle in the haystack...that hidden gem?

OOTD

Style and Co. top

NYDJ

Clark boots

(Excuse the hair - weather was so icy that I had to wear a hat.)

I resorted to do my walking in the mall for several hours.

The blue Calvin Klein puffy vest on the hook in the change room is mine.

I like this swing shape of this top (above) as it camouflages all manner of sins.

I bought this blue top when I was in Vancouver last year.

Here is a 

Calvin Klein soft soft sweatshirt...

not loving the overall look

BUT 

oh how I LOVED the feel of it...

almost like sleepwear 

and 

I could wear this around the house.

Do I want to spend $60 on it just to wear it at home?

No I don't think so...

Skinny striped swing top

Style and Co.

cozy

reasonably priced

($25)

(covers the hips)

can be worn with skinny jeans, leggings or pants.

I didn't take pictures of the other tops as they were total rubbish on me.

You can see here how height challenged I am at 5'1

in clothing terms that makes me a "petite."

Not skinny though...

Let me be honest I'd like to lose 10 pounds.

So its working out with the kettle bells, walking,

and

monitoring what I eat and drink.

At my age, almost 62,  results take longer and I need to work harder so

it might be a few weeks away before I see significant results.

Drove to Willows Beach after the ice melted and walked along the Esplanade.

The fresh air cleared out the cobwebs and I felt energized.

Later I stopped for a skim milk latte.

A low WW point indulgence.

I will often take myself out for a coffee.

I don't mind being alone at a table in the coffee shop.

Years ago this would have felt very uncomfortable.

  but now 

perhaps because I am older 

or that I spent time in Paris alone at the street cafes

I feel relaxed and I am able to just be calm and enjoy the experience.

Back to shopping...

 wish that there were more petite shops in our town.

I do not like online shopping very much.

It costs so much to send back garments that do not fit

and one does not get to feel the fabrics or try on more than one size.

Oh and while I am wishing,

 how about some petite shops that cater to women of a certain age?

Travelling to Vancouver or Seattle to buy petite garments is expensive!

Are you a petite or tall woman?

Are you "average?"

Where do you like to shop?

What do you think about sourcing clothes for us over 60 gals?

Do you have a seamstress or do you sew clothes for yourself?

Do you find it frustrating to find things that fit and flatter?

Please chime in on this discussion

 I would love to hear from you on this topic.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~