OOTD....flowers, friends and a fabulous book!

OOTD 

Ralph Lauren skinny knit tweedy pants

Black Symplii tunic top

Red Joesph Seibel ballet flats

(vintage carpet)

I like having a few colourful accessories 

they elevate the basic black and grey garments that I regularly wear.

Juicy red rose hips...

I have heard that when the hips form early in the season 

 it means we will have a cold harsh winter...

The sun is shining today and there are blue skies.

Yesterday I helped a new friend move into her new condo.

She is a lovely woman, a recent widow who is relocating from Vancouver to Victoria where she has family.

I admire her in so many ways...

she has left behind many friends but is embracing this move.

Her energy and enthusiasm is contagious!

This past month she has been discovering the amenities that Victoria offers

exploring new groups

cycling club, bridge, yoga, french lessons and a french conversational group.

We have met up for walks and coffee and there will be future lunches 

bridge games and perhaps we will go to the theatre.

I also discovered that she is a painter and has sold many paintings...

she is very modest about her work.

She plans to take a class or two this winter and I am considering joining her.

She will be unpacking for the next week or two 

fluffing and arranging her furniture and hanging her art in her light filled condo.

This pretty tea cup and saucer was a gift...

I love the gold polka dots.

This book is quite the page turner...

I am almost finished it and can recommend it

it is very intense and so well written.

I will finish it this afternoon while the white Ektorp slipcovers are in the wash!

Hope your week is off to a great start.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Purple pops of colour...

Look at this luscious artichoke flower!

It's growing beside the sidewalk in the garden of one of our neighbours...

We spend time looking for pops of colour as we walk.

Walking is such a great way to explore our city.

It was one of the highlights from my Paris trip...

walking and taking in the sights...

Women who walk and explore have been given the term "Flaneuse."

The feminine form of flaneur...

which means 

"a man who saunters around observing society."

This book caught my attention when I was at the local library...

I had read Eleanor's first book Weird Sisters 

the title sealed the deal!

I am halfway through it and am enjoying it...

I am trying not to rush the chapters so that I can savour the story.

How is your week going?

What are you reading right now?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

September routines...

September in The Humble Bungalow Garden
loudly and clearly signals the end of summer...

the days are shorter
the flowers fade

Cooler temperatures
salty ocean breezes
foggy mists shroud the garden
petals fall
plants change colour
leaves begin to fall from the trees

Jude The Obscure has put on such an amazing show this summer!

I cannot remember a year when our roses have performed so well.

There have been many hours invested in dead heading 

which encourages repeat flushes of flowers 

the effort has definitely paid off...

We may even enjoy blooms well into the fall.

I've noticed many spider webs in the garden 

which also signal that Fall is coming soon.

My energy and enthusiasm in the garden is waning...

the

new

season 

changes our focus 

moving hobbies indoors 

instead of outside.

A general tidy up is happening...

in the garden and soon the closet!

The wardrobe swap out was accomplished this weekend.

It didn't take long

(there are not many clothes)

the bed gets covered with spring and summer clothes

 waiting to go downstairs to the guest room closet.

Many garments are worn all year long...

denim, jeans, dresses

 quite a few tops span the seasons 

with the addition of a vest or cardigan. 

The fall and winter wear is brought upstairs 

then I scrutinize the condition of the items 

donating the pieces are tired or lack lustre.

(I filled a bag!)

Noting items that I need to replace...

I've already purchased Eileen Fisher black pants

a pair of Ralph Lauren tweedy skinny pants.

Last month new lingerie was purchased.

I like to put my sandals away 

bring out my boots and loafers.

I always give them a polish before wearing them

and 

clean and polish the summer shoes 

ready for storage until another season.

The handbags get a treatment too...

This neutral polish works with all of my leather accessories.

The strap on my watch is looking quite worn so I may have to replace it soon.

It is going on 4 or 5 years old so that is not a surprise.

This ESQ watch is so old I cannot remember what year I purchased it...

I do know that my parents gave me some money one Christmas when the children were small.

 I shopped the sales after the holidays and bought it for half price.

It has kept good time all these years...

the style is classic 

which makes it so versatile.

The limelight hydrangeas are the current stars of the Humble Bungalow Garden.

They have been so happy in the warm summer sunshine...

I must remember to pick some to bring inside to dry.

Soon they will crisp up, fade and dry to the colour of straw.

Their shape will hold up through most of the fall and winter 

giving the garden some interest

until they will be cut down in the early Spring.

How is your garden shaping up?

Have you swapped out your clothes for a new season yet?

Have you perused the September issues of Vogue,  Elle or Bazaar?

Do you want to buy some new pieces for Fall?

Have you seen anything in the shops that might tempt you?

I'd love to hear from you!

Well I must close for now and get some chores done around here.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Garden.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Colourful tidbits...flowers, a book and a recipe for a comforting meal.

The rain and fog have set in and there is a definite chill in the air...
a perfect time to cozy up in a chair and read a wonderful book.

Frances Mayes latest novel "Women in Sunlight" is set in Tuscany

it revolves around a group of women who are renting a Villa 

 exploring new possibilities...

I am enjoying the descriptions of the food, wines and the countryside

if you liked Frances Mayes previous books this one will not disappoint!

The dahlias are providing us with some bright colour on this misty morning.

When the weather changes and the skies turn to grey 

I opt for pops of colour to infuse energy and positivity.

I do not grow dahlias in our garden.

The road side stands and local farmers markets 

are a great place to find these colourful gems...

many varieties all so different and some the size of a dinner plate!

We went beach combing on Pender Island last weekend 

look what we found!

A HUGE amount of beach glass

a few pieces of porcelain

The aqua vintage Mason jar on the left

was empty

waiting 

for a few pieces and now its almost half full!

We invited dear friends to share the cottage with us this past weekend...

we had oodles of fun 

both my husband and I remarked that we had not laughed so much in a very long time.

"A good laugh heals a lot of hurts."

~ Madeleine L’Engle ~

Last night I roasted a chicken in the oven

it was so tasty that I want to share the recipe...

Roast chicken

 Wash a roasting chicken inside and out then dry with paper towel.

Cut a whole lemon in half and stick inside the cavity add a few cloves of garlic

lightly baste the outside of the chicken with olive oil

sprinkle with a generous amount of fresh pepper

then lay a few sprigs of fresh rosemary on top

Roast in a moderate oven (325) for about and hour and a half.

Make a simple gravy with the drippings 

whisk in some flour and stock.

I served our chicken with roasty potatoes and fresh green beans.

It was a wonderfully comforting meal...

I am planning on making some soup with the leftovers.

Hope that your week is off to a great start.

Thank you for popping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~ 

Rebelling in white...OOTD

Do you follow rules?

How about the rule about wearing white after Labour Day?

I am NOT obeying that rule!
The fashion police might ticket me...but really I don't mind.

White NYDJ 

Saint James striped Top

 Growing out a pixie cut is not for the faint of heart!

Some days I can coax it into a curly state and others it just will not cooperate!

I love the Bumble and Bumble Don't Blow It and also the Aveda Brilliant gel...

they both help immensely.

After washing my hair I use the Bumble and Bumble

 then next day 

(when my hair does not get washed) 

I use the Aveda gel.

The children are back to school today and summer feels like its about to come to a close.

Climbing Royal Sunset Rose

A fresh flush of flowers are blooming.

  I so love this rose for its heady fragrance...

impossible not to pick a few blooms 

to bring inside The Humble Bungalow.

September is a hopeful month

one that brings with it possibilities...

I am pondering many options...

 taking a class

Yoga

aqua fit

rejoining WW

trying something new

looking for a volunteer placement

going back to the club for bridge after the summer holidays

Lots of things to pursue and many new books out to read

a knitting project that has been put on the back burner will be revived.

Are you looking for new possibilities this month?

What things are you considering?

Take care

 thank you for popping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

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 ~