Definitely not from Paris!

Hermes sends me regular updates

I am on their mailing list

I love the look of this new equestrian silk scarf!

I adore the colours

I could wear it when I go and visit my sister and see her horses.

Grammy-in-waiting here, that's me aka The Hostess, has started to buy a few little toys.

Grammy wants to have a collection of play things at the Bungalow

I found these two charming little finger puppets which were hand knit by women in Peru

I was smitten with their faces

I took an inordinate amount of time selecting just two

they all were so adorable!

LPC from the blog privilege recently returned home from a trip to Paris.
She showed us her designer mitt purchases and I realized that my mitts would be in the Hall of Shame!

Look at these disgraceful mitts!

I have washed them too.

Here are the new ones.

Not designer mittens

not from Paris

from the local cookery shop

I can feel much better now

I am Keeping Up Appearances.

Feeling a wee bit persnickety....

Oh my!

 June in the Library can be so taxing....

 sigh.

I am trying so hard not to be the cranky pants librarian...

the students are studying for finals,

catching up and finishing off their research papers

have deadlines to meet and are stressed out

AND have lost all respect for the space.

I have had to become a disciplinarian

and I so dislike this part of me.

Where is a magic wand when I need it?

I believe students should self regulate their behaviours with a minimum of guidance and support.

I've got a bag full of tricks,

and I might need to pull some of them out...

 they are not MAGIC,

they're TREATS!

(candies)

I am an optomist, not a pessimist...

 How can anyone have a bad day if they are wearing red shoes?

I am so glad to be walking everyday now

it puts those persnickety feelings far and away.

Peaches n' Green....

I love roses!

Abraham Darby is a top notch performer.

 Petals of peach

 with the chartruese of Ladys' Mantle.

Peaches n' Green

a beautiful pairing.

This is the pairing today.

Our new teak deck furniture arrived.

I enjoy walking in our neighbourhood.

We are a block from the ocean where I tend to walk most often.

 I love to breathe in the salty air

there is usually a breeze

  and fierce gusts of wind are not uncommon.

I find myself garden sleuthing

looking at and making mental notes of ideas and plantings.

The drought tolerant gardens fascinate me...

river rocks, wood features and masses of grasses.

There are the cottage gardens which stop me in my tracks...

I am compelled to smell the roses that are near to the sidewalk.

 The gardeners who are out digging and weeding their patch are easily engaged in conversation...

I wonder about the owners of the gardens where the weeds have grown large and the grass is not trimmed...I am not judging, just curious.

I think perchance an elderly resident

or possibly the home is vacant.

Thinking and breathing come naturally when walking....

meditative mulling of minutiae.

My posts may be shorter and less frequent as I am embracing the walking regime...

 less time sitting at the computer...

 more time pounding the pavement!

Children and babies....a family they make.

My darling children

born 21 months apart and all grown up now.

It's been over 30 years since I was expecting lovely daughter.

I can remember how I felt during my pregnancies.

Happy and content.

I remember feeling tired at times and napping during the day, 

something I cannot do now unless I am ill.

I was young and in good health.

I am so grateful that we were blessed with healthy babies early in our marriage.

I needed lots of energy to maintain the home and be a mom.

I look back fondly at our days of play.

We were very fortunate that I could be a full time stay at home mom.

We made difficult decisions and did without in order to facilitate this lifestyle choice.

I walked with the buggy everywhere...we had one car and Mr. HB used it for work.

I had to buy a second set of tires for that buggy as I wore the first ones down to the rims!

We lived very simply, partly out of necessity, but mostly because of the children.

I was devoted to them 100%

They were my world, my work, my pride and joy.

It seems like yesterday...

many yesterdays have come and gone.

Today as I sit here and write I can only wonder at the feelings that a grandchild will evoke.

I am certain that my emotions will well up and spill over.

The grandbaby could be born anytime now...the "official date" is June 9th.

Every time the phone rings I wonder if it will be my son telling me that the labour has started.

Grammy's ready and waiting.

What's in the black box? and it's time for a change.

Piaget, watches and jewelry...since 1874.

A watch brand of quality...they are still creating masterpieces...see them here.

It's a simple black leather box...

made in Switzerland the home of watchmakers for centuries

I do not own a Piaget, or a Cartier, or even a Rolex.

My timepiece is a humble one

and I do not wear a watch often.

I have an armful of sterling bangles jangling and dangling from my left wrist.

When I need to keep tabs on time I wear this,

A large dial which I can read without glasses!

The band is brown leather it is a Swiss made ESQ

If memory serves, it is a man's watch, and I bought it for a modest price.

I wear a vintage gold chain link bracelet or my gold bracelet with diamond hearts when I wear this for dressy occasions or if it's casual the watch is solo.

What do I keep in the box?

      ...an assortment of earrings...
my daughter made me some of these.

Others were made by friends,

 a few are as old as the hills!

My classic pearl studs were a gift from my dear mother...

they were worn non-stop until my first diamond studs made their appearance in 1984.

Some get more play than others, I have my favourites.

I just remembered that my heavy gold hoops are in a safety deposit box...

I tend to wear my diamonds every day....2 paris of studs.
Or a pair of studs and the channel set diamond U- shaped hoops.
I am wearing these now.

This weekend I plan to get into my new book...

It sounds like fun...I've read a few chapters already.

There's a wind of change blowing in here at the Bungalow and I can feel it.

I am drinking lots of water with fresh lemons as I am upping my hydration....

I am soon to start a walking regime.

I have been inspired by Janet

 (who BTW has radiant skin!)

over at The Gardener's Cottage

Enjoy your Weekend.