pawsitive identification...

Mother and I recently went exploring and found a hidden gem of a home decor store/ nursery/garden centre a few miles (kilometres) from the Bungalow.
A lovely drive in the autumn sunshine, a slight break from all this rain...a chance to chat and enjoy each others' company.
We had fun browsing and the shop keeper was very keen to show us around pointing out where he found the unusual wares. An unguarded banter was struck as we were the only two customers and we oohed and awed and pointed out and commented on what caught our eye...we were quite chatty and surprisingly loud...yet it felt comfortable.

Mother and I have very different taste in home decor, she leans to chinoiserie chic and I to simply crafted arts and crafts era furnishings.

Gardening was the major focus and garden accessories were in abundance...planters, seating, statues, birdbaths, sun dials...inside there were exotic scarves, shawls, handbags, candles, lights, fashion jewelry, table linens and all were displayed gracefully in colour vignettes.

Orchids and plants were interspersed throughout the displays.

The exotic and the common contrasted and collaborated to exude an elegant flair...a sensory delight that made it nearly impossible to leave empty handed...such a powerful tactic.
Illustrating skillfully just how objects can be combined to create artful and eye pleasing results that conspire and tempt even the strongest among us!

I am moving my accent pieces around the Bungalow and grouping them in different ways so they appear fresh and new. I have more bits and bobs than I can display at any given time so I am very prudent when it comes to adding more.

Mother and I both purchased...a plant that we were advised to water once a month...no name, no tag...
and were told it was a succulent.

 looks so unusual...

what is it?

anyone know this plant?

Mother had a bag full when we left

and I a single plant.

a few days later...

Mother met Pepper 

 Pepper purred like a bubbling motor!

she's won over another heart...

Pepper up to her usual mischief...

Pepper has got her eyes fixed on the strap of my camera

and she is doing her best

to cat-ch it!

she's swift

sure footed and pawsitive

her nails are razor sharp

(they have been recently trimmed)

sharp teeth

in the last couple of days 

she's taken to climbing up my pant leg

it hurts

and I must say I cannot ignore this behaviour nor condone it...

excuse me 

I must go and play with her or suffer endless scratches

and holes in my jeans.

Hope that you have time this weekend to indulge in something that you love...

be it a hobby, pottering in the garden or greenhouse,

sharing a meal with friends or family,

reading a juicy novel,

or simply soaking in a tub of scented or salted water.

Give yourself that time

a gift to yourself.

Lighting and the printed word...

The light here in the Bungalow inspired me to play

I changed the settings on my camera

I have forgotten how amazing Black and white images can be...

there are settings for fine detail

and blurring

settings for greener 

bluer

 redder 

 Autumn

a season of change

changing of the colours

time for warmer coats

boots

and

rakes

leaves

inevitably

float down

and settle

to become mulch

or

a warm blanket on the compost

I will spend

many hours outside

raking

the leaves do not fall all at once

they take their time

and many a gusty wind will blow before

this acaia tree

  is nude and stark 

probably 

sometime mid November

a light show

dancing

on the wood panel

in the family room

and the last image 

Pepper

as I closed the pages on The Bag Lady Papers...

you might glimpse I am clad in my apron

and ballet flats from France

I had a Cabbage Roll making marathon

I am happy to report that they were delicious

and I have frozen some for the future.

P.S. I have ordered a few books after my last post...

Bringing Home the Birkin

The Pursuit of love

and

The Secret Life of Eva Hathaway

and that's just the beginning...

I've been tagged...

Suburban Princess has tagged me...
go here. to see her blog and check out how she answered the questions.

What is your favourite dessert?

Creme brulee

Ever tried to cook something and fail miserably?

When I was first married I tried to make tomato fried rice using rice and Campbell's tomato soup...it was a complete flop and ended up in the garbage can!

Is there a dish you haven't made yet but really want to?

Not really, whenever I see a recipe that excites me I get all the ingredients and make it.

What's your favourite food?

Potatoes...mashed, scalloped, baked, twice baked and stuffed, roasted, boiled topped with salt, pepper, butter and mint leaves.

What is your least favourite food?

Lima beans, I've never warmed to them.

Do you have any seasonal meals you like?

Turkey dinner with stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, veggies, sweet potatoes, brussell sprouts, all the trimmings.

What is your comfort food?

Mashed potatoes with butter, salt and pepper...or gravy!

Chocolate: milk, dark, or white?

Milk and dark...not white.

This vintage bread tin has a chipped rim

but is completely usable

and hides the bread which is store bought

and the plastic bags

which I find unsightly, are hidden!

I am meant to tag 8 bloggers and ask them to answer all these questions.
I am afraid if I did tag 8 bloggers that they might not read my blog post and miss it altogether or they may see it and ignore it all together and I would be rejected... :(

My Christmas cactus is in bloom already!

I think I'll cheat a little here and suggest that if you want to participate that you voluntarily answer these and post them on your blog....link back here if you participate....:)

I love this pudding bowl

the vintage motif

and especially the crazing

the crazing is what charms me most.

Imperfections can be beautiful...

Books and thoughts after reading....

Last week I received my pre ordered books from Amazon...

we have had such rainy weather that I actually indulged myself

and read for long periods of time

The first book was Savvy Chic

 which is well written and had some very clever ideas that were new to me.

I particularly liked her gift and wedding chapters

food and entertaining and wardrobe strategies

her thoughts were fresh and based on personal experiences.

Thrift, frugality, and refined good taste...

spiced with her personal flair for vintage

help to create a polished image

and elevate the everyday to elegant.

I do not usually keep books unless they are worthy as my wee bungalow is low on storage

I will keep this as a reference

as it is a worthwhile guide.

The Bag Lady Papers

was in a word

"disappointing"

I was hoping for so much more,

and it could have been.

She hints at how it feels to have lost all her money

but doesn't really let us get up close and personal.

It feels as though she is sleepwalking through this experience...

detached from her feelings.

The article in Town and Country was more intimate on many levels than the book.

I decided to buy the book based on that issue and now feel that my money was ill spent...

This book will be recycled

and I truly wish that I could have been impressed.

Most books that I read are in fact borrowed or purchased second hand.

I have access to an amazing book shop in our Village

that takes trades and gives a credit for future purchases.

The contemporary literature area is chock a block with newer novels

there is also a "Staff Picks" shelf

I look there first

most of the staff picks have been Hostess approved!

I cannot get enough good lit...

be it chick lit or classics

Who are your favourite authors and any suggestions for future reads?

The westcoast rainforest weather forecast..."rain, rain and rain"

It's raining cats and dogs..
it's raining it's pouring and this old man is snoring...
all those rain jingles come to mind.

The rain is torrential...
it's drumming on the roof
the gutters are vibrating with the velocity of the downpour
the windows are spotted with drops and rivulets are weeping as they move south to the ledge.

The skies are grey and the puddles are vast...
it's a day for wellies and a slicker.

a beach walk

feel the wet in every breath that you take

I want a red or yellow slicker

and some serious wellies

those elusive Hunters have not yet made it into my life

(yet!)

Hot cocoa in a thermos

and a warm jacket

a pair of boots

and

a walk

beach combing

with a camera

naturally beautiful

simple

Pepper  peeking at me

as I blog...

you can see the "heart rock" at the left

I beachcombed that one from the beach not far from the Bungalow

colour in raingear

is a mandatory

 "mood shifter"

who needs to feel dreary in the rain?

I say dress up and boldly seize the day!

What are you wearing as you embrace the day?