OOTD ~ I've been digging deep into the closet to dress for a meet up with a blogger!

Do you get rid of clothing or hang onto it hoping that it may be back in the spotlight?
I have hung onto a few gems from my past...most are accessories but a few are garments.

I still have my wedding gown hanging in the closet and that was only worn once in 1974.
I cannot part with it for sentimental reasons and I know in my heart that I will never be 106 pounds or a size 6 again. But that's another issue so let's not get too far off topic shall we.

J Crew necklace

Symplii black tank top

Lands' End black cashmere cardigan

Stuart Weitzman bow patent leather flats.

(many seasons ago)

Gelco wide legged trousers

several (many) seasons ago!

I met up with the savvy shopper and local fashion blogger Sheila from Ephemera this week.
We enjoyed a salad at a local brew pub/restaurant before hitting the aisles of Value Village.
I love to shop with Sheila as she has a trained eye for quality, can hone in on fabulous finds and "by touch" can "feel" if the fabric is worthy of purchase.

If you have been following my blog for awhile you might remember that we met up to thrift shop once before and had some serious fun, you can read about our adventure here.

I tried on several beautiful things which would have been wonderful additions to my meagre wardrobe but they were too tight across the chest. It is disconcerting when one is a size 10/12 in every area except the bust...that is where a clever tailor could come in handy...but I digress.

Sheila had a basket full of options and chose a colourful silk skirt and a great pair of shoes.
I came home empty handed but had a lovely evening and we parted planning a meet up next Spring.

Thank you Sheila!

A scarf appears out of the corner of my eye....

Some lovely things just pop up, even when I am not looking.
Last weekend as I waited for our house guests to arrive I snuck off for half an hour to browse a hospital thrift store. It is the same store where my daughter found her genuine leather Hermes belt.
Darling daughter has a real gift for finding treasure.
I enjoy looking at the vintage wares...
they each have a story and I like to think about who owned them and where they have been all these years.

This bright and cheerful scarf caught my attention out of the corner of my eye.
Vibrant, bold and beautiful colours spoke loudly and I couldn't help but turn my head.
It is in mint condition...made in England of 100% pure silk, has exquisite hand rolled edges and is signed by the designer Frankie Welch.

Worn here with my Lands' End cashmere cardigan which is several seasons old.

I think this is the 7th purchase this Fall.

For the first time in my life I am tracking what I buy and how much I spend.

Skinny Jeans, black dress pants, 2 Merino wool Tee's, a Barbour vest and the Chillox walking coat.

I'd never heard of Frankie Welch so being naturally curious I looked on the internet.

 It turns out that she designed thousands of scarves and has designed many around the political arena and many have The White House architectural details in their designs.

She wanted to study with Frank Lloyd Wright but he refused her request saying that he did not teach women!

I do not recognize this building or if indeed it has any significance.

Perhaps it is a Virginia landmark.

I love the bright tones and how they perk up my basic greys and blacks.

Knotted twice ~ it's so simple.

I plan to pair this scarf with my red ballet flats.

~ ~ ~

"Your attitude is like a box of crayons that color your world. 

Constantly color your picture gray, and your picture will always be bleak. 

Try adding some bright colors to the picture by including humor, and your picture begins to lighten up."

~ Allen Klein  ~

Frugal Fish Chowder and my OOTD.

I am embracing frugality this Fall.
In and around the kitchen preparing soups as a weekday meal with leftovers for lunches.
Soups are so soothing when the thermometer dips and the chilly winds blow.

Befriend your local fish monger and ask for some fish bones...
I prefer to use salmon as I love the strong flavour it imparts to the stock.

Here are the frugal fish fixings.

"Humble Bungalow Frugal Fish Chowder"

Boil the fish in water for about 30 minutes.

Cool and remove bones and skin.

Set aside.

  

In a large pot saute 1 large diced onion and several stalks of celery sliced until soft.

Add water to cover and then add 2 or 3 chopped potatoes and 2 large carrots sliced.

Simmer until cooked, about 20 minutes.

Pop in a cup of corn kernels and a small can of tomato paste.

Add the fish stock, season with salt, pepper and dill.

Simmer for an hour and serve.

Hearty and delicious.

Weight Watchers friendly!

Serve leftovers for lunch or freeze for future use.

Mother will be getting some of this chowder!

Grey sweater coat with ruffle detail at front.

Betty Barclay Collection.

Kate Spade Quilted handbag.

Hush Puppies Boots.

Black Top by Carilyn Vaile

Black ponte knit pants RW and Co.

I'm dressed for an outing with Mother.

She is taking me to The Tea Room for high tea.

Let me know what you think of this fish chowder.

Think of what you might do with the money that you save by cooking frugal meals!

You might balance your budget or splurge on a luxe item.

What would you choose?

The roses are in full flush...and I am linking up with Jane's Flower Party today.

The weather is damp and foggy...and it looks like it might hang around for the foreseeable future.
The garden is putting on a fabulous show despite the weather and surprising for October.
Spurred on by a patch of sunshine I popped outside...
Sunshine has a way of making everything look better and brighter.

Jude the Obscure

my favourite of all the David Austen roses grown in The Humble Bungalow Garden.

Peachy perfection and a scent that is sweet and strong.

I've already put the cushions away for the season but the porch and chairs are still in service...

in fact they beckoned me to come out and sit for a bit with my mug of fresh brewed Earl Grey Tea.

I sat in the stillness and let my gaze wander.

Birds are chirping and flitting about scavenging for food in the soil.

There's a hush and it's almost eerily quiet for this time of day.

It's a great time to gather one's thoughts and mull things over.

I find that pausing for a tea break does that for me...

it's rather magical how it transports me to a calm place.

I sauntered lazily around the garden, stopping to look and smell the blooms.

The McCartney Rose

a sweet scent...very heady, typical of an old fashioned rose.

Climbing Iceberg

a few blooms putting on a brave show.

Mushrooms growing in the grass where our heritage apple tree used to grow.

The King Apple was prolific in it's size and quantity.

 The bounty is sorely missed by our family as the great harvest meant apples for eating, cooking, and to share with our friends and neighbours.

Mr. HB and I have ordered two dwarf Apple Trees for next spring.

Liberty and Chehalis.

If they thrive we'll add a King the following year.

As it is a triploid type of tree it needs two diploids to pollinate the flowers allowing the tree to bear fruit.

Who knew that growing apples was complicated?

Gertrude Jekyll

unknown rose

Our backyard seating area by the garden shed.

Isla's pool and slide have been stored until next spring...

she looked out the window and said "Grammy Can I go on the Slide?"

I must think about what to prepare for dinner tonight.

It's one of those days when I cannot quite decide what to cook!

 By not deciding dinner might be a slapdash cobbled together affair.

Wish me luck.

I am linking up with Flower Jane's floral party today.

Pop over and see Small But Charming to see what other bloggers are posting.

Thank you for stopping in to visit today.

Please come back soon.

Shrouded in Fog, my OOTD and a surprise!

Fog horns are droning out on the strait...
it's a day to cocoon indoors with the heat on.
Fog is damp and dreary...kind of spooky too and it's not even Halloween.

I whipped around The Humble Bungalow so fast my domestic chores were done in a flash.
So I had some time to play around with scarves and type up a new post.

A white and grey drippy almost foggy Hermes here today...

A bright punch of orange always seems to perk things up.

I like to layer a sweater or jacket over this look as the scarf draws the eye upward.

Here I am mixing up a luxe Hermes scarf with a pedestrian Tee.

I probably wear my scarves tied simply as seen here most frequently.

The Cowboy is great if you want to focus on a certain part of the scarf's design.

Merino Tees from Costco

made in Canada!

Priced to sell and I think it's wise to buy in multiples.

Great for layering and oh so cozy and warm.

I opted for one in grey and the other in black.

I went up a size as they fit snug.

I have washed both and they hang to dry in no time.

I'd say these are going to be the workhorses in my winter wardrobe this year.

Calvin Klein candle in Fig.

I don't know about you but I do love a scented candle in the Fall and Winter.

I picked this one up at Home Sense.

My OOTD

included jeans and shoes.

Miz Mooz ballet flats.

DKNY jeans

Gelco vest

I think the weather influenced my OOTD!

It looks like FOG.

Look what Mr. HB found today!

I have really missed not having this cleanser.

The company has redesigned the label and it is back in Canada!

You know it really is the small things...

Thank you to my friend LA for suggesting where to search and thank you to Mr. HB for doing the legwork!

A huge thank you to the American readers who offered to send me some Bon Ami cleanser.

I'm so grateful for your kindness.

Have a fabulous weekend!

I'll be off for a couple of days as we have guests staying in our Humble Bungalow.

Until next time...

Be Well.