March ~ ing onward into Spring.

 

This Andalou cream has been my "go to" night cream for the past few months...

a little goes a long way. You may be able to see that the jar is still half full.

Can you see the grey pearl stud beside the diamond stud that I wear most days?

My husband gave me a pair for my birthday the year Mom passed away. 

I haven't worn these pearls as often since Covid hit

(need to wear masks)

I almost lost an earring taking my mask off.

I already had a pearl fiasco losing that strand at the beach...

must take more care not to lose things!!

My new FUN skirt from a thrift shop.

Knife pleats in a black grey print.

I will dress this up with a black rayon sweater and a camisole.

Dress it down very casual with a tee and my denim jacket.

I am already thinking of fun things to pair it with...

it is made by Zara, the only thing I own from the company.

Finally got a copy from the library...it had been on the Holds for a LONG time.

I read it in two days...another stunning mystery from Louise Penny.

Birthday flowers and vase from a friend.

I have such lovely friends...

so thoughtful 

the range of unexpected gifts was amazing.

Soaps, tea, a beautiful hand knit dishcloth, books, an apron, 

flowers, and some sourdough starter!

Thank you for ALL those kind email messages and birthday greetings 

from the Blog and Instagram... feeling very grateful.

My first attempt at a sourdough boule.

Was delicious with the homemade chicken soup!

Dinner out at Zambri's

Dessert

Brunch and dinner out with the family rounded out the weeklong celebrations.

They spoiled me too :-))

Thank you ALL 

Murchies teas and a gift card at a favourite restaurant.

Vintage silk hand rolled scarf and a Wedgewood clam shaped white porcelain plate.

We zipped off to the garden centre to buy two flats of these cheerful tete a tete's.

On sale half price.

We planted them out in front of the deer fence 

to fill in the gaps from the ones we planted last year.

Such a pretty pop of colour and they bloom earlier than our daffodils.

The Oscars are on TV tonight...are you going to watch them?

I like to see the fashions...and the jewels.

Making a pot roast, potatoes, carrots and a lemon torte for dessert.

Comfort Food for a cold rainy Sunday.

Hope that you are keeping healthy and staying sane with all the crazy stuff that is happening in our world.

Vintage Bread tray

might come in handy?

Crocuses blooming out front in The Humble Bungalow Garden.

Thank you for popping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

March 3rd ~ 68 years and thoughts on being OLD, clothes and such.

 

Well I guess this is what 68 looks like...

I still remember how excited I was when I turned 13.

I don't FEEL 68, 

but that sounds strange 

as how WOULD a 68 year old feel?

My idea of 68 (when I was younger) was that at the age of 68 one was OLD.

OLD 

crotchety...

wrinkly and worn out.

Well I can attest to having grey hair, wrinkles and feeling weary on occasion.

But my idea of an OLD woman has changed :-))

Perhaps because I am here and at the age of 68 years OLD young.

I do have aches and pains and cannot do all the things that I used to do in a day.

My flexibility is not what it once was...

 but I am working to regain some of what has been lost.

My eyesight has weakened and I wear glasses to see properly.

I've given up wearing high heels, and only own two pairs of "kitten heels."

I opt to dress for comfort most days...

(apologies to MOM)

I am very much like her in looks and demeanor 

but I don't have that "dress up everyday" gene.

I am wearing a warm and cozy "new-to-me" wool vest with cap sleeves.

I found it at the thrift shop on Pender on my birthday.

What you cannot see are the Hudson knit tweed pants and black Chelsea boots.

You'll have to use your imagination :-))

~ OOTD ~

Snow day at the cottage.

This very old Gap denim shirt gets worn a LOT.

It is soft and comfy, a desert island garment.

Layered over a black lace camisole, black lined leggings.

Akoya Pearls just because...

I am enjoying watching fashion reels from style savvy gals on Instagram.

The Street Style snippets are fun and the tips are great.

Some days I want to rush out and buy a bunch of new clothes!

But seriously, I have to consider my retired lifestyle...

where would I wear a sequin skirt?

I did buy a rhinestone bracelet before Christmas that I must start wearing for fun.

On days perhaps when I meet friends for coffee...

A mystery...

love the description of the book.

Three retired primary school teachers who meet every Thursday for coffee

solve the mystery of a friend...

Yes this is something I need to wear more often...

it has a bit of bling to elevate these cold and blustery days.

My new book is calling my name and I am going to pop the kettle on for a cuppa..

hope you are feeling good and making time for fun.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Sunday ~ Sunshine and Snow

 

This candle is not what I expected...

it is melting in a rather unusual fashion.

The shopkeeper where I purchased this candle

assured me that they were quality imports from Europe.

I think I will go back to buying beeswax candles.

They burn cleanly and look lovely and are fragrant while they burn.

Reading Mick Herron's book Slow Horses the first in the series.

Mr. HB is on book 5 London Rules...

he has the next one and will purchase the new one when it is published this April.

We do not usually read the same books but this series is an exception.

My reading corner at the cottage.

The weather is freezing cold and we had some snow overnight.

Just a dusting.

It is a beautiful sunny Sunday here at the cottage!

Another vintage sealer jar...almost full.

We managed to get out for two beach walks and gather sea glass.

Fashionable OOTD at the cottage are rather non existent!

I pack a Lands' End tote with cozy casual sportswear during the fall and winter.

What I pack for the week:

Nightgown and Ralph Lauren terry robe

thick alpaca socks (instead of slippers)

Lingerie:

bras, panties, camisoles

Two long sleeved Lands" End cotton tops 

Yoga pants and a pair of black lined leggings

32 Below black velour zip jacket

Black quilted Eileen Fisher vest

distressed and much worn Gap denim shirt

Jeans 

Long sleeve Eileen Fisher boiled wool sweater 

Boots:

Warm lined Reiker boots in a tobacco shade

Black waterproof Josef Seibel Chelsea Boots

Columbia blue puffer coat

Burberry plaid scarf

You might be curious, I do wear my Akoya pearls...

my vintage burgundy leather Due Fratelli bag

I also bring a small black leather Roots bag for hikes and walks.

Our cottage time is laid back and casual.

Hope that you are keeping warm and cozy if it is snowing where you live.

We'll be spending most of the week with our noses in our books and going for walks.

Meals will be simple and the weather sounds like it will warm up.

Thank you for popping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

Many of you are frustrated that the email service Blogger offered is no longer working...

You can try Feedly or check in most Sundays for the post.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

OOTD ~ Fashion Police "look away" and some thoughts on hair...

 

It's Sunday again...

I am trying to continue with my weekly posts and it seems like Sunday is THE day.

You might be surprised if you saw me today :-))

Honestly...

The Fashion Police would definitely be citing me with an infraction.

most certainly it would be an enormous fine.

After showering I put on my body lotion, washed and moisturized my face...

added some mascara and tinted lip balm.

I am not going out.

OOTD

A pair of indigo sweatpants

black camisole

 dove grey hand knit Miriam wool sweater

 slippers

&

Akoya pearls

This morning I am baking bread, doing laundry and tonight I am making a roast beef.

There will be some reading and knitting...

I am giving myself permission to stay home and cocoon.

In other news...

I found a cute top at the Win Thrift Shop

I used to see a lot of garments made by Joseph Ribkoff.

I think this will come in handy for the summertime.

I can pair it with pants and that blue linen skirt that I purchased last year.

The neckline is perfect for the pearls :-))

The sun was shining a few days ago...

today there are moody clouds blanketing the sky.

Must be craving summer with my shopping habits...

purchased a new straw tote.

a great size for our Pender trips.

It can be loaded up with my laptop, books, and a few other bits.

It will come in handy at The Farmer's Market as well.

Hubby and I went to the Tapas on Oak for dinner.

Our son and the grands gave us a gift card so we wanted to try it out.

The food was good and the tapas portions were perfect for two.

It was busy and the wait staff were super friendly and efficient.

I wore a casual outfit...

tweed Hudson pants

this black crinkle top and my Chelsea boots.

I have no idea who made this top?

it has been in  my wardrobe for ages, it must have been a thrift shop find.

I took it travelling to France and Italy as when washed it dries overnight.

Great for layering !

I post on Instagram daily and several readers mentioned my hair style...

"straight and flat ironed"

the texture of the salt and pepper grey has changed and my hair is much thinner.

This would appear to be an aging issue...

many women complain of thinning hair 

my 69th birthday is a few weeks away
so I guess it is my turn...

but no complaints :-))

Do you colour your grey hair or have you gone au natural?

Was it a gradual process going grey or did you just stop dying it?

Has the texture changed like mine?

Have you changed your hairstyle?

I know many women keep their signature style over decades...

rather like a signature fragrance, many never ever stray.

I am not unhappy with my hair,  but I regularly change things up.

Covid happened and I grew my hair long.

Two years later I had it cropped in a short layered bob.

Now it appears that I am growing out the layers and wearing it straight.

I haven't been to my hairdresser for a few months.

Shall we chat about our hair?

Leave a comment to chime in...

Well I guess I better get on with my day...

lunch will not make itself

plus I want some tea...

then there is bread to bake and laundry to fold!

Hope that you are all well...there seems to be a lot of illness about.

Be Well and Be Kind 

Hearts...Valentines and a confession.

 ~ HEART ~

inside a horse barn near the village of Auvillar France

~ HEARTS ~ 

I've been on the hunt for a new make up bag for several months.

The cloth pouch with a zipper I was using for the past few years was not easy to use.

All the contents were jumbled together

 Plus I always seemed to need the item in the very bottom of the pouch!

I found this at Walmart

I was buying another item in the store and just happened upon it.

Can you see the HEARTS?

The top compartment has a place for brushes and pencils.

Top left, is a zippered are where I have some sharp scissors and tweezers. 

In the bottom on the right hand side ~

Andalou CC cream, Burt's Bees cream blush, Marcelle eye make up, 

mascara underneath and a magnifying mirror.

Much better for storage and travel.

I think I paid under $15 for the bag...well worth it.

~ HEART ~

Cracker 

Cafe Des Beaux Arts

Quai Malaquais

Paris France

Found a HEART shaped rock on the beach at Browning.

I was hunting for sea glass and this caught my eye.

While this doesn't really qualify as a HEART item, it lifts my HEART.

I use a basic everyday lotion from the drugstore,

 then decant it into a glass jar with a pump for ease of use.

Looking at a plastic bottle with a bunch of text all over it looks rather unsightly.

I prefer a simple sleek container that I can leave out on display.

I use lotion after my bath or shower and it helps to keep my skin soft and supple.

This shea butter lotion is a drugstore brand and has a light scent of orchid.

It is very reasonably priced and works well

the ingredients are recognizable and it is free of any nasty chemical additives.

I received pearls from my husband on a Valentines Day about 25 years ago.

Last summer I fell at the beach and sprained my wrist very badly.

 When I got home I noticed that my beloved pearl necklace was missing.

I was devastated...

as I was in terrible pain I had to dash off to the pharmacy

 to buy some Voltaren, Aleve and a wrist brace.

For the next few days I kept returning to the same beach to hunt for the pearls.

(perhaps they returned to the ocean with the tide)

I decided to replace the pearls and thought perhaps my husband would not notice.

I went to the jeweler who sold him the pearls way back in the day 

purchased this Akoya strand 

almost the same as the original strand...

(except for the price)

I have been wearing them almost daily, for the past few months.

Well dear reader, 

guess what?

He found out that they were not the original pearls, 

so I had to confess...

I don't expect that we will exchange Valentine's Day gifts this year...

but perhaps we will dine out close to Valentines and celebrate.

What do you have planned for your Valentine?

Something special from the HEART.

~ Happy Valentine's Day ~

Take care and thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Seeking Snowdrops ~ Shopping ~ and other things happening in The Humble Bungalow this week.

Snowdrops are poking up through the soil here in The Humble Bungalow Garden!

I am in search of some new varieties...

Those that I particularly seek are the Double Snowdrops and Everest.

My husband and I are planning a trip soon to Salt Spring Island 

where we will visit a nursery that sells rare and unusual plants.

I have heard that they may have some snowdrops in pots.

Tencel has been the softest way to add a denim look to my wardrobe.

I love the feel of it next to my skin and the way it drapes is so effortless.

This top has a "BoHo" vibe

the pintucks and woven accents remind me of tops that I wore in the 1970's

we called them peasant tops...

Love the elastic detail at the wrists...

very easy to push up the sleeves when cooking!

Really like the frayed hem on the bottom...

many of you wear ripped jeans but I cannot bring myself to buy or wear them.

(Mom's fashion advice and voice is still loud and clear in my head!)

this ragged edging is a vibe that I can abide.

I found this top at Marshalls for $40

I also bought a pair of black capri Yoga pants as my older ones were faded.

My exercise regime includes Yoga and now some Pilates and weights.

The weights were at the thrift shop on Pender.

I will be working up to heavier ones as I get stronger.

I am going to keep my eyes open for heavier ones at the local thrift shops.

One of the reasons that I decided to add weights is that Mom had osteoporosis...

when she passed away at almost 90, she had 4 fractured vertebrae in her back.

They were very very painful and she suffered quite a bit.

I have osteopenia, which usually progresses to osteoporosis.

Weights can build bone mass as well as toning arms.

I have been working out watching weight training pilates videos on You Tube.

There are so many free sites which makes it easy to add them to my routine.

Do you use weights?

These dark mornings will be replaced by lighter ones very soon.

Spring is not that far off...

snowdrops, hellebores, crocus are blooming in The Humble Bungalow Garden.

Daffodils are not far off!

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

am making a new recipe that I saw on Instagram

 ~ Mezzeta ~

One Pan Spaghetti and Meatballs

I have never tried to make a one pan dish like this so I am hoping it works out!

until next time...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

The Year of the Rabbit...and other Stuff

 

Last week I took flowers to a board member who had undergone surgery.

I usually opt for white and green bouquets but it was a rather dreary grey day

so

I chose a colourful assortment of blooms.

My favourite florist was not answering their phone so I ventured out and found a lovely assortment at a local grocery store.

After assessing their stock I grabbed a few bunches and found a clear glass vase

then had the clerk put together this pretty arrangement.

I drove out to my friends home and planned to drop the flowers on her doorstep but she greeted me and invited me inside for a visit.

I didn't stay long...

just long enough to hear about the procedure and how she was doing.

She looked remarkably well and was in very good spirits.

Not at all what I was expecting considering the nature of her situation.

The next morning I was busy packing up for the cottage week.

The forecast was for colder than usual temperatures 

so I packed sweaters, wooly socks, hats, scarf and my down puffer coat.

The weather was windy and then a storm rolled in...

bringing down trees on the power lines 

resulting in a power outage that lasted about 20 hours!

It was VERY cold...

we kept the small gas fireplace going but the minus temperatures were powerful.

Once the power was restored we fortified ourselves with hot soup and went out for a brisk walk on the beach.

There was quite a lot of seaglass to be found...

one piece of aqua glass was too big to fit in the vintage sealer jar 

so I plan to bring it home and see if the new empty jar has a bigger mouth on it.

Our current jar is almost full!

We've been reading our books of course!

 Back to the Cazalet Chronicles for me after a year hiatus.

Confusion is book 3 in the 5 book series.

It is a charming account of family life in England that spans the wars...

I enjoy the "voice" that the author, Elizabeth Jane Howard, uses to narrate the story.

The books have been reprinted due to popular demand...

Many people LOVE this series...you might enjoy it too.

Went to the community centre here for a Yoga class which was fun.

Am doing online Yoga to augment my practice when I am not at the studio.

It is with a modicum of optimism that I mention 

my "aches and pains" are easing 

somewhat 

since I returned to the practice...

my goal is to be more flexible and move with ease.

Have you taken on any new hobbies or made changes this month?

January can be a great time to embrace some new habits

it feels like a month that invites fresh eyes to analyse the routines.

Waking up and seeing the possibilities feels quite empowering.

A fresh new awareness...

February awaits...

what changes will it bring?

Chinese New Year 

~ The Year of the Rabbit ~

The rabbit has a quiet personality that hides their confidence and strength

they may often be seen as soft and weak.

In fact, they steadily move towards their goals 

despite the negativity that they receive from others.

With good reasoning skills and attention to detail they make great scholars.

They enjoy being social and often turn to escapism...

Plain routines are not to their liking

despite being conservative and careful they need and crave surprise

to spice up their life!

Happy New Year

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~