August snippets...

It's been a food fest this past week as we celebrated Mr. HB's birthday.
He loves pasta so we went to one of the best Italian restaurants Zambri's.
Family, friends and food...a winning combination!

We shared a Caesar salad and I opted for the filet of beef with polenta.

I only ate half of this tasty meal but every bite was delicious!

Mr. HB ordered his favourite pasta dish.

His dessert was a lemon gelato with cookies!

I couldn't help but think of something else when this arrived at the table.

Does it remind you of something?

The morning of the eclipse I stayed inside.

I had oodles of laundry to catch up on and a new book to read...

A lovely assortment of stories from well known authors.

A little armchair travel in the City of Light.

I made a tasty pasta last night with some of our homegrown tomatoes.

We like to eat our pasta out of bowls

using a fork with the aid of a spoon 

which makes it easy twirling the spaghetti noodles.

The recipe is from Monet's Palate Cookbook:

The Artist and His Garden at Giverny.

it's definitely

one of my favourite ways to use ripe fresh tomatoes.

Rich in flavour and simple.

Dinner is served!

Graham Thomas, a David Austin rose, 

is blooming in the "work area" of the Humble Bungalow Garden. 

This area is where we have our rolling bins 

that we use for garden cuttings and grass clippings...

we also have a wood pile in that spot so a beautiful fragrant yellow rose is a wonderful way of cheering up this area.

Good news!

 We have found a garden helper.

She is a well known local landscape designer 

who is studying at Great Dixter in the UK 

and she has graciously agreed to help us out.

I have high hopes....

We may avail ourselves of her expert design services 

and have her improve two of our overgrown beds.

The limelight hydrangeas are really in their glory this month.

I have been on a boxwood kick too...

buying them and popping them in pots randomly around the garden.

The construction of one of the two houses next door to The Humble Bungalow.

We chatted with the neighbours a couple of days ago

when they were looking at flooring samples and they have been told by the contractor that the house will not be ready to occupy until February!

Its no surprise that it is taking so long as the local trades are so busy.

There is a building boom happening here in town and our neighbourhood is just one of many that are buzzing with building projects.

The real estate market here has gone berserk!

 Prices have sky rocketed and I keep thinking that it has to stop sometime soon...

It makes it very challenging for young families and couples starting out to get into a condo or a home.

I have been diligently applying this cream 3 times each day.

It has reduced the red area on my knee...

from my nasty fall on the dock.

Instead of a Toonie sized angry red patch 

there is a small dime sized spot

which I think will fade and there will be no scar.

I met up with some girlfriends for lunch today and had a lovely long walk.

The weather continues to be warm and sunny...

Summer is drawing to a close...

and soon we will be thinking about sweaters and dressing in layers 

but for now let's savour the last few weeks.

What are you reading?

Have you been shopping for Fall and Winter pieces yet?

Hope that your week is off to a great start.

XO

Shopping ~ a wee bit of Retail Therapy!

When one has a closet that is curated and has the basics there is no real "need" to go shopping...I have not inherited Mother's lifelong passion for fashion
and the urge to be continually purchasing and filling up more closets with beautiful things has not been my top priority.
(roses on the other hand, can one have too many?)

Mom was wearing current and up to date outfits until a few weeks before she died...always taking care of her shoes, handbags and beautiful jewelry.
She dressed up everyday as if she was going to the theatre and her neighbours would always ask her in the elevator where she was going as she looked so well turned out...her response was "I am going downstairs to get my mail!"

Since Mom passed I have been in a bit of a rut...
I would not go so far as to say depressed, but definitely content to wear my walking and Yoga gear all day...I suppose I am seeking solace and comfort in cozy comfy clothes...perhaps being a tad lazy in the process.

So with these thoughts in the back of my mind I took myself out for a shopping expedition to Sidney where Mom and I loved to look for clothes.

So I took myself to the shops...

(Emma Bridgewater tote bag)

The French company Saint James makes a variety of striped tees.

I like a V neck as I am so short and this particular top has side vents at the bottom which is helpful when one is not at their slimmest!

They make lovely sweaters, coats, tops and shirts.

I purchased this top and am very happy with it...the fabric is weighty enough to skim the body and it is smooth and soft.

Amazingly comfortable which is a priority for me.

I bought a striped Saint James umbrella last winter and a lovey raincoat.

I am tempted to buy a sweater for winter...

I consider this to be an investment purchase as it is a tad under $200.

But it fulfills my desire to have a new striped top...

the one that I bought in Paris at the COS store 2 years ago 

finally wore out from frequent wearings.

My hairdresser told me that the COS store has opened in Vancouver's Gastown district.

 I plan to make a pilgrimage to peruse their stock sometime this Fall.

The weather has been glorious for my daily walks.

The scenery is so beautiful that it encourages me to walk 

and the ocean calms at the same time.

I read this fascinating book

The Primates of Park Avenue by Wednesday Martin PHD

a memoir.

It was a peek into the lives of the privileged mommies who live in the Upper East Side of Manhattan.

A world unlike anything I have ever known!

I would recommend you read it if you are at all interested in how the uber wealthy young moms dress, eat and exercise...

and the lengths they go to to be the best that they can be.

A day in the garden spent in peace and quiet 

dead heading the roses and then taking some time to sit with a glass of lemonade on the front porch of The Humble Bungalow...

Feeling grateful.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

Roses and the quest for the perfect scent...remembering Mom.

Humble Bungalow Garden Roses

Pepper seems to enjoy their fragrance.

Samples of rose fragrances sent from the Vancouver Nordstrom store.

The list of rose scented samples that I am testing and there are more suggested by readers of the blog.

Chester enjoying the box that held the samples.

William Shakespeare and Jude the Obscure 

David Austin roses from the Humble Bungalow Garden.

If I could bottle these scents I would.

I had a weepy day yesterday.

It was a combination of things...

the noise from the construction next door.

Power tools and the jack hammering of the road out in front of our bungalow 

I was thinking a lot about MOM and how much I miss having her around.

I have been frequenting some of our favourite spots:

The Willows tea room

W&J Wilson

The Esplanade

Nar bistro

Matticks Farm

Adrienne's Tea Garden

Barbara's Boutique in Sidney

This just brings it closer to home that she's gone and so I had a wee bit of a meltdown.

Fortunately my husband understood and he listened while I talked and wept.

There will be more days like this of that I am sure...

 I'll let the feelings flow along with the tears.

How's your week going?

Thanks for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

A new colour for my Fall and Winter Wardrobe...and shopping for a new perfume.

Last week after the stonemason finished his work I decided I needed to get out of the bungalow for a bit of fresh air and sunshine and clear my head of cobwebs.

The list of errands for the week had multiplied and filled an entire page on my notepad so it was a great opportunity to get some things accomplished and then go for a walk.

First stop, the pharmacy on Oak Bay Avenue...
I was running low on my Avenue products and my lipstick.
The friendly staff and great stock keep me coming back and I love chatting with the two gals at the cosmetics counter. They have so much experience between them and their knowledge when it comes to skincare is the best!

On our boat holiday I tripped going up the dock and scraped my knee quite badly on the metal grate that helps boaters from slipping in wet weather. It was a nasty abrasion that required diligent cleaning, antibiotic cream and band aids.
My excuse is that I was wearing flip flops and somehow took a misstep...
it occurred in front of a patio full of evening diners...so not only was I hurt
but my ego was bruised and I was embarrassed. I scurried away quickly blood dripping down my shin.

The antibiotic cream helped but I could see that once the scabs came off that there would probably be some scarring. I was advised by one of the gals that Avene make a product specifically for healing called Cicalfate and she advised me to apply it three times every day and it should minimize, if not prevent, scarring...so I bought a tube and will see how it works.

I also needed to buy some birthday cards...

Picked up the latest Country Living UK from Ivy's books and there I got to chat with Heidi who shares the same taste in books and she suggested a few new titles for me...one which I purchased right away as she was so excited that she is on the 3rd book by the author.

I went for a walk a little farther along the Avenue to Newport by Windsor Park and popped some cheques in the mail...

here's where things went a little sideways!

I hadn't actually planned on buying any clothes...

but there was a 50% off rack out front and a SALE sign in the window

 that's what initially lured me inside.

I tried on a few things and then I spied this Betty Barclay blush pink down vest for Fall.

It's reversible.

It will be super cozy when the temperature dips and I love a vest for layering over tees.

My favourite L'Oreal lipstick Pink Peony and Bobbi Brown's pink blush in Antigua 

will help pull this all together this fall when I wear this vest.

New fragrance samples arrived from Holt Renfrew.

With my love of roses I decided that I might like to wear the scent 

So I am on the hunt for a rose perfume...

First contenders are by Jo Malone

Red Roses

Rose and Oud

Next to try are Le Labo's Rose 31

Frederick Malle Une Rose

Diptyque eau rose

Acqua di Parma Rose Nobile

surely there will be a rose fragrance out there that I can wear.

It will be fun to try something completely different.

What fragrance are you wearing?

Do you stick to one scent or do you dabble in others?

Hope your week is off to a great start.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow.

Veggie Freekeh salad...Weight Watcher style.

Have you ever eaten Freekeh?

Freekeh are roasted green wheat grains that are high in fibre...triple that of brown rice.
The grains are also a good source of potassium and iron.
Once the grains are cooked they taste rather nutty and are a great base for a vegetarian salad.

My fridge had several small containers of leftover veggies that were just waiting to be transformed into something tasty and so I made a big batch of Freekeh salad to use for my lunches.

Here is the recipe for fridge clean out 

Veggie Freekeh salad "Hostess Style."

Chopped squash

cubed beets, 

a handful of shredded carrots, 

6 diced sun dried tomatoes

chopped cilantro

(I use kitchen shears to do this messy job!)

1/2 a small diced onion 

salt and pepper to taste

Feta cheese adds a lovely flavour 

but as I am watching my WW points I left that ingredient out.

3 WW points for half a cup of this salad.

I ate a full cup for a total of 6 WW points.

This stays with me and helps keep me satisfied until dinner time.

Breakfast was yogurt and fruit for 2 points 

which leaves me 18 points for dinner which will include a glass or two of wine.

I am trying very hard to shift the scale without feeling miserable.

You know how that goes...if one feels deprived that sabotages the whole regime.

Thankfully WW knows that and allows for the occasional treat.

Tomorrow I may add a dollop of this salad to my hummus wrap.

The sun is shining and the bees are buzzing and the birds are chirping.

Artichoke flower in bloom in the neighbours garden down the street.

I am off for my walk so I'll say goodbye for now.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

XO

Summer roses...and the goings on here in The Humble Bungalow

Summer is my favourite time of year...
the weather is usually sunny and warm and the garden is looking its' best.
I find my days slip away quite quickly at this time of year.
Busy with the garden chores,
keeping up with the domestics, walking, and cooking.

There is a feeling of weariness after a long hot day and so I am content to sit and read or watch some TV.

The roses are at their peak of perfection...

Days are busy spent dead heading the spent blooms to encourage repeat blooming.

Black spotted leaves are removed and discarded.

So important that they do not come in contact with the soil and spread to other roses.

One of the luxuries of growing roses is that you can pick a bouquet for the home or to give to others...

The fragrant arrangements that I share are always well received and appreciated.

Jude the Obscure and William Shakespeare mingle together and make for a frothy marriage of petals and scents.

Our garden helper has moved to Sooke 

(which is about a 45 minute drive out of town)

she is not longer able to help me once a month 

and I have come to rely on her...

I am in the process of searching for someone to come once a month 

 help with the heavy work, weeding and generally tidying up.

The hydrangeas are making a big statement this month.

These are by our north patio and there are many more limelight hydrangeas 

out front of the Humble Bungalow.

Last weekend our son took us to Sidney Spit in his new speedboat.

We arrived one day after our prime minister Justin Trudeau was there kayaking.

Cuddled up with two of our grandchildren...

we are ready to scoot across the Salish Sea to Sidney Spit.

And we did scoot...40 mph!

Fortunately my hat has a strap under the chin or it would have blown away!

We found a lovely little pool of water near the beach 

Our beach umbrella stuck in the sand, beach towels laid out and the cooler at the ready.

Beach combing, wading, a few games of Frisbee and horse shoes followed before we tucked into our picnic lunch.

Isla and I are chatting and taking in all the scenery while waiting on the bench. Henry, Grampa and our son will bring the car and trailer back to the boat launch.

The bungalow is super dusty right now as we have a stone mason on site.

Our chimney was in dire need of some repair and he is installing a new liner to make it safe for us to light fires in the fireplace.

He is almost finished...

while I have had to stay home more

 I have been busy 

washing the slipcovers and sorting through our linen drawers

rearranging some bits and bobs

gathering up a bunch of things to take to the charity shop.

Oh and I started a new book!

When I was donating at the thrift shop I took a few moments to cruise through the aisles...

I found something that I could not pass up.

a silver tray

love the intricate details

I must close for now and get dinner started...

thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow.

How is your summer going?

Have you found any treasures at the shops?

What are you reading?

Saving money, lingerie, quinoa salad and my poor sister.

I love lingerie and seem to be drawn to the boutiques that sell French lines like Chantelle and La Perla, but my goodness, I find them to be quite expensive.

Saving money,
while still buying decent fitting and pretty undergarments
has been a bit of a tedious job.

Fortunately I found some great basics at Sears and Marshall's
and they were purchased at budget friendly prices.

My all time favourite rose

Jude the Obscure is in full bloom out front in the garden.

I would love a soft peach blush bra and pantie set.

This Bali bra was found at Marshall's for just under $20.

It is a serious workhorse in the undergarment world!

Thank goodness for the architects of bras!

The "granny panties" are by Jessica from Sears.

The lace is pretty and the stitched panels help keep the wobbly bits in check!

I purchased 6 of these and I usually hand wash and hang to dry all my lingerie as it lasts much longer that way.

These were very reasonably priced...I cannot remember exactly what I paid for them but I think all 6 were about $35.

I feel very feminine when I am wearing nice lingerie.

Do you read Jennifer's blog "A Well Styled Life?"

She recently wrote a post about granny panties.

You can read it here.

The Eres panties she used in her post cost a LOT of money!

Can you guess how much they cost?

$255 a pair!

Would you pay that for a pair of granny panties?

I suppose if money grew on trees I might but alas it does not and I am very mindful of expenditures since retiring.

My poor sister was thrown off her horse when they rode through a wasp nest on The Galloping Goose trail near Metchosin.

She sustained complex fractures in her arm that requited plates and pins and she is now recovering at home.

I made a tasty quinoa bean salad from the Whitewater Cookbook for her...

and I'll bring a rose bouquet, chocolates and magazines.

We plan to go out for lunch and I will be the driver as she has her arm in a cast and will be wearing that cast for about 8 weeks.

She is already going squirrelly at home...

it must be so frustrating

I totally empathize.

I'll do my best to cheer her up.

My morning espresso was wearing a Happy Face today!

Hope that you have a great weekend.

Thank you for popping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

XO