Diversions ~ under smokey skies...

 Feeling restless while stuck inside under a poor air quality advisory...so much smoke and particulate in the air...ash falling from the sky.

The fires to the south of us continue to burn...devastation to homes, businesses and wildlife. It is difficult imagining losing eveything one owns. People have had to evacuate and leave behind many treasures and family heirlooms. It is heart breaking to see this in the news.

In the meantime, I am needing a diversion...there is only so much news that i can absorb without going down that rabbit hole! Let's start off with some roses, books, cooking and later some retail therapy!

Jude the Obscure on a sunnier smoke free day in The Humble Bungalow Garden.

HOORAY!

The local library has re-opened.

We are encouraged to put holds on the books that we want to read.

Several stands are placed near the self check out with assorted random books.

I returned a book and grabbed these 3 as I was leaving...

Everybody Rise was a fun read and I have started reading Montauk.

Dinner prepared and served to our son and the 3 grandchildren.

Heirloom Tomatoes

Salmon, heirloom tomatoes, red cabbage slaw, twice baked potatoes.

Rosemarie a long time reader from Vancouver sent me the seeds.

(Thank you!)

 Here is one of the sunflowers.

Standing about 12 feet tall.

Under sunnier skies...

Rudbeckia 

a giant variety 

 from the plant sale at Government House many years ago.

My neighbour is painting rocks during Covid.

She has a "take one leave one" area in her front garden.

I left a plain unpainted rock...

(what a trade)

I think I got the better deal though...

You never know what you might find on the boulevard in our neighbourhood.

Painted it black 

that is the colour of all our outdoor wicker and metal French bistro tables.

The garden is fading as the summer season comes to a close.

There is always something to see on the street.

The deer seem to be very comfortable here.

They saunter along the sidewalk

dine in our gardens.

They sometimes even sleep in our front yard! 

My husband is building a fence...he started with the front gate.

He still needs to install the latch.

Hubby had to reinforce the pergola and straighten it with beams...

he has temporary bracing on the sides as he needs to install two more hefty beams.

While hubby was busy sawing and building 

I took the grandchildren back~to~school shopping.

Grammy got a couple of tops too...

a white shirt to wear with my pearls, black pants and red ballet flats.

Red lippy of course, 

 just not when I am wearing my mask!

The striped top will pair well with my black Yoga pants.

So this short diversion has helped me get out of my afternoon funk.

Not being able to get out and walk in the "fresh" air

has been a frustration, which leads to grumpiness.

(and baking!)

I cannot wait until the smoke dissipates...

hope those wildfires are contained and extinguished.

I'll close with another image of Jude the Obscure.

How are you doing?

What are you reading?

Have you been shopping at all during Covid?

What new purchases have you bought or are considering for Fall?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

August My Stylish French Box delivery...

A beautifully curated box of French items recently arrived on my doorstep.

My Stylish French Box is always a luxurious treat.

A wee bit of French chic to add to our home.

Beeswax candles ~ Apis - Cera

Salad servers ~ Sabre

Pottery oil jug ~ Digoin 

Dijon mustard ~ Pommery

Vintage brooch ~ French Brocantes

Pretty tray ~ Au Bain Marie

Table runner ~ Charvet

I've opened the mustard it is yummy.

Lovely flavour in a homemade salad dressing.

Decanted some quality olive oil into the Digoin jug

placed the cork stopper inside...

it works well and is much nicer to use that the plastic olive oil bottle.

We eat a lot of salads here in The Humble Bungalow.

The servers will get used daily and they are so very pretty.

I look forward to using the candles.

 I absolutely LOVE the fragrance of beeswax as it burns.

The wee tray is now in our guest room on the table,

The colours work exquisitely with our red 

 Toile du Jouy bed linen.

Sharon and her team at My Stylish French Box are planning a festive holiday box for November.

If you are interested in a lovely gift 

(or one for yourself )

please click the link here and it will direct you to the site.

Hope that you are staying well.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Thank you for popping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

OOTD ~ September meet up with friends

 Most days since Covid happened I have been wearing casual clothes. I work in the garden, go for walks and clean the house. Life is very quiet and simple around here.

I dressed up much more when I was going to my weekly bridge games, out for dinners and social gatherings with friends. Most of these things have been curtailed due to Covid. When we gather, we are mostly outdoors...walking, having coffee or dining outdoors.

A small group of friends get together regularly for a walk and have coffee or tea and perhaps a treat after we have walked.

This past week a reader mentioned that I had not posted many OOTD posts and it's true! My everyday work clothes are not that exciting to look at...I do put on make up and frequently wear my pearls but there is no one around to see them except the cats!

Here's what I wore on my walk and coffee meet up with friends.

OOTD

The white top, jeans and khaki jacket are by Eileen Fisher.

Scarf from My Stylish French Box

Vintage Bag by Due Fratelli

Hope that you are staying safe and being mindful of your interactions with others.

Masks are mandatory most indoor places here.

I plan to buy some fun ones soon.

                     Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

                            ~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

September...

The second flush of rose blooms ~ always a welcome sight.

The repeat blooming roses will bloom again after being deadheaded

a job 

while time consuming...

is rewarding!

Yesterday I was super busy dusting, vacuuming, doing laundry.

These domestic chores need to be done regularly...

once accomplished are so satisfying.

I blitzed the bungalow and by noon I was pretty much knackered!

I stopped for a break and decided what I would cook for dinner.

The planning of meals is very much a priority here in The Humble Bungalow.

The view from our laundry room...

the patio plants and garden beyond.

I peek through the French door when I am folding laundry or ironing.

Natural beauty helps keep me grounded and sane.

The Covid upswing in numbers here in BC is rather unsettling.

We will have to keep our bubbles small moving into the cooler weather.

How will we manage to be social when it gets cold?

Sales of outdoor heaters and marquis tents might be in demand.

I plan to walk regularly with a couple of friends.

Thankfully

I have a long down coat which will keep me cozy.

We enjoyed a tasty lunch on our boat last week...

so simple and full of flavour.

Bagels cream cheese, lox, capers and red onion slices.

Have you been busy making meals?

Are you baking bread?

I've been cooking regularly since early March.

The number of times we have been out for a meal on a patio are few.

Happy Hour with friends outside have been our safe social dates.

Our dinner...

Chili and baking powder biscuits.

(I haven't baked biscuits in years)

Martha's recipe from the Goward House Cooking Club.

Sadly we are not able to meet up due to Covid right now.

Harvest this morning.

Fresh tomatoes from the greenhouse.

Yellow beans from the raised bed.

I blanched the beans for 3 minutes then plunged them into ice water until they were cool.

Dried them with kitchen towels

 packed them in Ziploc bags ready for the freezer.

Almost finished Akin by Emma Donoghue...

I am enjoying the story.

Emma is a very creative and gifted writer.

She's Canadian.

What are you reading?

How are you keeping your spirits up while in isolation and staying safe?

Have you been inspired to be creative?

New crafts, projects, redecorating?

Hope that you are being careful and staying safe.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Snippets, tidbits and good books...

Holdays are such a gift...
time to relax, cocoon and embrace the good things in life.

We sleep well here at the cottage.
There is a gentle calm pulsing throughout our days...

As we spend a lot of time outside in the fresh air...
dining al fresco, walking, swimming, reading.

These slow days contribute to our well being and we are usually in bed asleep just after 9pm...
we wake and watch the light as it brightens and moves across The Salish Sea.

The bark of the arbutus trees are peeling which reveals a limey green layer under the rich amber colour...these are a feature in our views as we have several of these lovely trees growing at the edge of the sea.

Birds flitter about, gather and sing...
they seem to be drawn to the limbs of these trees.

I read this engaging mystery novel in a day...

a real page turner set on The French Riviera.

You might enjoy it!

The old stove died a few days ago and the general manager was able to order a new one and have it delivered to our small island in a day!

This is quite remarkable and we were very happy as we have no local access to shops and the ferry service is limited.

Local Sea Star Vineyards make excellent award winning wines.

Their Encore is a rich full bodied red wine...

perfect with a BBQ steak, baked potatoes and green beans.

Things break...

My Fit Bit battery died and I went online to get a replacement and was surprised to learn they are not available!

OH NO!

You are meant to purchase a new FitBit...

well that was a shock, 

so I have decided not to replace it.

My husband says I should buy an IWatch but I am reluctant...

I am wearing one of the vintage sterling bangles that I have in my collection...

this one a sweet gift from our darling daughter Jennifer.

Campus Queen from 1968

Fresh halibut, steamed broccoli and wild rice with sauteed mushrooms.

Yummy Halibut

To cook the halibut I dip it in flour, salt and pepper

saute in a wee bit of oil and butter

cook until skin is somewhat brown and fish is white and flaky

squeeze the juice from a fresh lemon overtop and add a tablespoon of capers.

Easy and so flavourful

Enjoy!

Read this gem yesterday.

A real binge read..

could not put it down

  I am considering re-reading all of the Jane Austin classics.

Am heading to the bookstore today as I have read all the books that I brought for our holiday.

Hope that you are staying safe.

Our Covid case numbers have increased here over the past few weeks.

It is alarming and we continue to keep our "bubble" small.

We wear our masks when we are out in the shops.

Hand washing and sanitizer are used constantly.

Feeling so thankful for the fresh air and sunshine.

The ability to be out safely in nature

soaking in all of the beauty that surrounds us

is soothing during these uncertain times.

Stay Safe.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Holidaze...

We are on holiday at the cottage and have our boat at the marina...

son and grandchildren are up at the cottage and my husband and I are on our boat. We have great weather and the pools are open.

Lego is a favourite with the grands.

Doctoring up a patient.

Side walk chalk

Very busy days...
3 excited youngsters to entertain.

Lots of food to prepare...snacks and meals.
Their favourite pool time swims, complete with floaty toys!

I will be back blogging after they return home.
Will need to try and figure out the new blogging formats...

Wish me Luck!

Take care, stay safe...

                       ~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

OOTD...spa time and lunch out.

Welcome to The Humble Bungalow Blog.

Blogger has introduced a new interface which is proving to be quite quirky.
If it continues to be problematic I will give up and post only on Instagram.

Vintage Coach bag and Maui Jim prescription sunglasses

Summertime Basics

Chaus of New York Polka dot top.

I found this at Marshalls and it is a comfy loose longer length top that I can wear with my casual black Yoga pants or dressy Eileen Fisher skinny black pants.

I have done very little shopping since Covid arrived.
When I do shop I wear a mask.

Except for a new pair of black Yoga pants and a blue pair of linen trousers by Ellen Tracey both sourced at Marshalls. I have only ventured into Toys R Us to buy birthday gifts for the grandchildren.

Our cases of Covid are up a bit more here in BC and both my husband and I remain very vigilant in our efforts to stay safe. Our ages put us at a higher risk and I have had pneumonia 3 times, the last bout kept me bedridden for 6 weeks so I daren't take any chances.

                       Pepper, our elder cat,
                       loves to find a ray of sunshine and have a nap.

My sister and I went to the Spa last week at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel.

We were celebrating her 60th birthday.

It was a beautiful sunny day and we really enjoyed soaking in the mineral pool.

We enjoyed lunch at Faro the new pizza spot in the hotel.

Sized for sharing

I met a long time reader Rosemarie for lunch last week.

She and I exchanged gifts.

Rosemarie is a vivacious and kind woman who sends me cheery emails.

She sends me sunflower seeds at the anniversary of my Mom's passing...

she has also sent me tea, earrings, and more recently some polka dot socks!

My current book stack...

Just finished The Guest List by Lisa Foley, an Agatha Christie type of mystery.

I never guessed who the murderer was, with so many twists and turns.

Well that about wraps up this post...

I hope Blogger can give us a tutorial on the new format.

It is difficult trying to figure it out withour much help!

Stay Safe

and 

Please 

Wear your Mask

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~