Denim basics...and some new splurges.

Some serious work horses in my wardrobe are denim.

From left to right...

Cailey 22 shirt, no name thrifted denim jacket, Ralph Lauren denim shirt.

Soft tencel Levi's denim dress

I have been wearing this dress a lot this summer.

In the winter I pair it with capri length tights and my Chelsea boots.

Comfy boyfriend jeans by NYDJ

worn here with a striped top

Clark sandals.

I have been aware that my outfit choices have become quite repetitive...

perhaps because I have fewer items and I feel comfortable in the pieces that I keep.

It makes dressing so much easier with fewer things hanging in the closet.

Surprisingly 

I do not tire of the same clothes...

some are getting worn so much that the fabrics are softening!

I splurged on two new bras...

by

Prima Donna and Wacoal.

My "go to" black pants that I wear many times each week 

were looking rather tired...

I purchased a new pair of black Eileen Fisher pants which are really quite lovely.

They are what I consider an "investment" item 

but the cost per wearing will even out that expenditure

 over the next couple of years.

How do you feel about your wardrobe?

Are you a minimalist or do you like to have a full closet with many pieces?

Have you purchased anything for the Fall season?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Thanks to the bees...

We would be in serious trouble if it were not for the many hard working bees.

They work tirelessly pollinating flowers and crops.

I applaud their work and am grateful that they visit our garden every day.

Agapanthus

I grow these in the garden beds out front and in pots on the patio in the back of the Humble Bungalow Garden.

We grow white as well as the blue variety.

A multi coloured hydrangea

pink blue and mauve.

Busy bees

Purple hydrangea

Artichoke flower close up...

Bee on the Wild Chicory

Alliums

French Bee glasses

These are our everyday glasses

we also have a pitcher and two flutes for bubbly.

Bee close up on our Allium 

Deep inside the digitalis aka Foxglove

Bee on an allium

The bees in our garden buzz in large groups on the lavenders and the sea holly.

We have the local mason bees as well as the honey and bumble bees

in The Humble Bungalow Garden.

Hope you have enjoyed this post...

thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Bee Well and Bee Kind ~

Lovely linens...a luxurious purchase.

I am particularly fond of linen tea towels.

 We have quite a few that I keep ironed and neatly stacked in the drawer beside our farmhouse sink.

Lavender linen water is lovely spritzed on the towels before ironing...

I received a bottle as a gift on a birthday and I am hooked.

I had never thought of buying a linen towel for the bathroom. 

A few days ago, I was chatting with my friend Suzanne, 

she uses a large thick linen towel 

instead of the fluffy white cotton towels 

that we have been using for as long as I can remember...

my thoughts were the fluffier the towel

the better that they would dry 

but I have decided now that linen is far superior!

I was informed by the shop keeper that the linen dries fast 

 they never smell musty.

They soften gently over time...

I purchased a hand towel and a bath towel and have used it for a few days

it dries quite quickly 

plus I love the loofah effect of the linen on my skin.

One cap full of this fragrant linen wash is all it takes to wash a load in our machine.

The towels are sold by a Canadian Company called Linen Way.

I purchased my towels locally at a shop called Madison and Muse.

I am not sure if my husband will be as keen to switch to linen...

I am very happy with my recent purchase.

Have you tried linen bath towels?

What do you think of them?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Growing in a greenhouse...

Mr. HB

enjoys pottering about in the greenhouse.

He loves to grow tomatoes

cucumbers and radishes.

He tends the plants daily...

Halls English Greenhouse 

shade cloth is installed to protect the plants from the strong rays of the sun.

Tomatoes

beefsteak and cherry varieties.

Cucumbers growing in a pot.

Fresh tomatoes are SO MUCH tastier than those found in the shops.

We have been eating them in salads, in sandwiches,

 I am roasting some in the oven as I type...

I rinsed the tomatoes before slicing 

popped in a few cloves of garlic

seasoned with salt and pepper

and drizzled with olive oil.

Roast slow at 275 degrees for several hours.

Pop into a container and freeze for future use 

in soups, stews and pasta sauces.

The house smells divine...

Thank you Mr. HB for your bountiful crop of tomatoes

and I look forward to the next harvest!

Do you grow any food crops?

What are your favourite things to grow?

Do you can or preserve or make jam?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Hydrangeas and hair...the view from here.

Hooray the limelights are blooming!

The hydrangeas are taller this year 

which is good news 

as the deer love to munch on the tasty leaves.

Sadly the deer have eaten most of the hosta leaves 

out front in The Humble Bungalow Garden.

Frothy creamy blooms act as a backdrop to the side patio

providing privacy

 a place to sit and sip a cup of tea while reading a book.

I loved this book and read it in two sittings!

They are making it into a movie.

Suzanne Rindell is a screenwriter...

she has two other books and I plan to read them.

In other news

the "growing pains" continue...

My hair is growing...

slowly 

the wavy curls are coming back.

I have been on Pinterest looking at hair styles...

there are so many lovely women with salt and pepper and grey hair.

just wondering how long I should let it grow

what style will work with my hair type and face shape.

A conundrum 

 I have weeks or possibly a few more months to wait.

Patience has never been my strength...

I'd like to be able to grow hair as fast as that Tressy doll!

She was the doll that had a long pony tail with emerged from a hole in her head...

a screw attached to her back controlled the length of her hair!

Do you remember the doll?

The TV ad...

"Short or long or in between

Tressy's hair makes her a Queen!"

Happy Weekend!

Do you have any special plans?

We will be celebrating the 3rd birthday of our darling granddaughter Mira.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

The Humble Bungalow ~ keeping cool in a heat wave...

We have just returned from our holidays to our beloved home and garden...
the greenhouse is full of fresh home grown tomatoes
ready to be harvested and eaten.

a bounty of tasty tomatoes

I will be making tomato salads, perhaps indulge in some tomato sandwiches,

will also plan to roast some for a pasta dish and may freeze some.

BC is immersed in a heat wave...
the temperatures are rising
and with that, my plans to work outside in the garden are shelved for a cooler day.

The blinds are closed and the windows have been opened a crack
(otherwise the cats escape!)
The overhanging eaves, a typical feature of an arts and crafts bungalow,
help to keep the sunshine out.

So I am staying inside attacking my long "to do list"...
it's only 10:30 and I have done 3 loads of laundry,
the last load of slip covers are spinning in the LG as I type.

The farmhouse sink has been bleached,
the mail opened, bills paid ready to be posted.

I plan a quick manicure
a beach walk
need to return something to the store
stop by a friends' home
start a new book.

My summertime favourites...

Eau Thermale mist by Avene to help refresh the skin

I also keep a cool bottle of water on the counter by the sink 

 take one outside with me when I garden...hydrating from the inside out!

Sunscreen

SPF 50 for my face and exposed arms and legs.

I try to wear a light Tencel long sleeved shirt for extra sun coverage.

Spritz of Roger and Gallet light rose scent to refresh throughout the day.

The new favourite Sally Hansen diamond tough polish which lasted an entire week before showing signs of wear...

the shade is called Love Bug.

I'd better get back to work...

my break is over! 

Thank you for stopping by the Humble Bungalow Blog.

What are you reading and how is your summer going?

Is it hot where you are right now?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Pender Island Snippets...

We have been relaxing here at Quarter Deck Cottage and our days are moving very slow...
We have a simple routine, slow walking, swimming in the pools, beach combing reading and we try to eat healthy meals.

We spend a lot of our day and early evenings on the deck 

 the weather has been marvelous

even HOT!

I posted a picture of these pretty periwinkle blue flowers on my Instagram page

and a reader mentioned that they were called wild chicory.

They grow tall and line the roadsides here on Pender Island.

So delicate and I love the colour...

they remind me of the South of France 

where the doors and shutters are painted a similar shade of blue-y mauve.

Queen Anne's Lace grows wild

 it is frequently growing right next to the wild chicory.

Another plant that thrives here is Yarrow.

I love the mustard shade and the bees like it too.

This bush is found dotting the landscape...

I must find out its name...

if you know its name please leave me a comment.

I have been enjoying fresh fruit and yogurt for breakfast.

It is so quick to prepare and the juicy nectarines are full of flavour.

Dahlias and fresh strawberries from the Farmers Market

I read both of these books and I highly recommend The Lost Vintage...

if you enjoyed The Nightingale I think you will love Ann Mah's book.

The Three Things about Elsie is about the elderly...

  it delves into dementia but it is actually a fun read.

The characters are interesting 

plus a mystery is woven into the text with an unexpected outcome.

I really liked Joanna Cannon's first novel The Trouble With Goats and Sheep 

which I also recommend.

I have started reading Kristin Hannah's Home Front...

will share more on that when I have finished it.

We discovered a sandy beach at the bottom of a steep trail...

I found more sea glass here than on any other beach so far!

I love the aqua glass chunks as they are not as common as the brown and whites.

I am test driving a new nail polish...

this one claims to be chip free and I am tough on my nails as I garden so much and my hands are rarely idle.

I indulged in a wee bit of pampering yesterday afternoon.

A lovely pedicure by a delightful young woman who lives on the island and runs a small business.

 The shade that I chose is a vibrant pinky OPI polish called California Raspberry.

It's a breezy day here...

the laundry is whizzing around in the machine.

I've tidied up, watered the outdoor garden by hand and am about to put my nose back in my book.

Hope that you are enjoying some restorative lazy days of summer.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~