Adding a wee bit of polish to my days...

The New Year is here and with it comes the opportunity to make some changes.
What changes might those be?
For starters,
getting back on the Weight Watchers Point Program with continued walks is my top priority.
Over the holidays too many sweets and treats have been savoured and despite the walks I am up a few pounds...it is not the end of the world but I do not want to let it get out of control.
I feel better when my clothes have a little bit of "breathing room!"

But I digress...
this post was titled adding a bit of polish.

 My hands and nails have never been given much thought...
I am a no nonsense kind of gal...and have thought of my hands as tools in the domestic arena.

As a result of neglect and my haphazard way of wearing gloves when I wash dishes and clean house
I have had to invest heavily in hand creams and slather them on throughout the day.
(L'Occitane Shea Butter... and I buy the small size to keep in my handbag and the car)

I have been inspired to make a wee change...
at least for now
while the New Year is fresh and new.
(will see how long it lasts!)

For now I am enjoying taking extra care of my hands and my nails.
My gloves are handy right beside the sink
as a reminder to put them on when I am immersed in domestics, which I am on a daily basis.

Purple Playtex Living Gloves

endorsed by This Hostess.

Workhorses in The Humble Bungalow

Base coat, polish and a top coat are applied so that they last longer and resist chipping.

This OPI shade is called Chocolate Moose...

I love how they choose creative names for their polish.

 I think this is a neutral versatile colour.

Looking for some pretty pink shades in the OPI,  Essie or Butter lines to add to my collection.

Perhaps something soft...and light, maybe in a blush pink.

or a deeper fuchsia like this Camellia.

Blues and greens and blacks are popular 

I am not sure that they are suitable for my 60 year old hands...

 though they are fine on my toes in the summer months.

Speaking of trying new things...

Cheryl, my friend from France, taught me how to make duck confit.

We browned the duck legs in a hot Le Creuset pan and then heated them in the oven.

We de-glazed the pan with a bit of Sancerre and added about a half cup of marmalade and let it simmer and reduced it until it was thick.

The wee potatoes were roasted in a bit of the duck fat in a hot oven until they were golden and softened.

The green beans were steamed until they were almost tender...

(I like a bit of resistance when I bite into a green bean)

~ Dessert ~

tasty lemon tarts from the bakery.

You can see why I am up a few pounds as we enjoyed many rich meals 

while our house guests were here in The Humble Bungalow.

So it is salad daze and healthy eating for the foreseeable future.

If you are looking for some inspiration and a fresh way of starting your New Year

Janet at The Gardener's Cottage has a week of healthy menus posted on her blog.

Chat soon

until next time...

~ Be Kind and Take Care ~

Turning a page.....

New Years is a fresh start...
just by simply turning a page in my day timer it is 2016
blank and waiting...

You might be surprised in this day and age of IPhones and computers that I still use a day timer...
Mother gives me a new one every Christmas just like my Father did.
There is hope and newness in those blank pages...
waiting for a year of scribbled appointments, dates, lunches, dinners
opportunities offering new experiences.

Growth

both personal 

and in the garden.

await...

A brave little pink rhododendron blooming in the frosty cold of January.

Putting a cheery face forward despite the weather.

Icy patches on my walking route 

hazards that have not yet been melted by the sun...

slippery 

I must be mindful with my steps.

Sunlight warms 

the icy breeze...

that chills my face and hands.

The familiar route beckons...

the seafront and the cemetery.

there is a curve in the road up ahead

where will it lead?

It is so quiet

not even my footsteps make a noise.

Until stepping off the beaten path...

Frozen grassy patches offer resistance and crunch beneath my feet.

A mossy mosaic on a grave

reminds me of the intricate pieces of a puzzle.

Life can be complicated

there are surprises 

both good and bad.

Weathered patterns on stone...

keep your eyes open.

You do not want to miss anything!

Walk in peace

contemplate

and 

consider 

the possibilities that lay ahead 

as the year presents itself fresh and new.

What will the New Year bring?

As the sun sets on a cold New Years Day

I wonder and am in awe of Mother Nature and all her magical moments.

Looking forward

but no too far

what will 2016 bring besides blank pages?

Thank you for stopping by my humble blog...

Hostess

Christmas snippets...

Long time no blog posts...
It has been a busy time here this Christmas in The Humble Bungalow!
We have been totally immersed in the festivities...
lots of food, family and fun.

Gifts from afar...

unexpected and so welcome.

Dressed up

painted my nails

put on some vintage bling.

Went out to an annual Christmas Eve Open House at the home of dear friends.

The National Lampoon Christmas Vacation Moose Cups were on hand 

to sip single malt scotch from if that is your preferred tipple.

(Mr. HB likes it)

I polished the silver and dusted off the crystal goblets.

Christmas Crackers were on the table as they always are...

the only time we ever had a Christmas without the crackers was when we went to Palm Springs 

 we could find none despite scouring the town...

I was convinced that Jurgenson's would have some....

sadly not.

Simple setting with our Sophie Conran china.

Adults only for dinner as the grandchildren would be with us on Boxing Day.

The turkey was delicious...lots of veggies accompanied the "bird."

I was spoiled with lovely gifts.

Pearls and cashmere.

An Espresso maker and two new Emma Bridgewater bowls to replace the one that chipped.

Thank you Santa!

We met friends for lunch at The Bard and Banker.

Wine

Salad...

the first of many.

Statue of Emily Carr 

on site at The Victoria Fairmont Empress Hotel.

My walking partner and I met up for lunch downtown followed by some shopping.

R convinced me to invest in a new pair of jeans...

(long overdue I might add)

so I now have some new NYD jeans that fit and flatter.

It often takes a friend to persuade you to spend some money on yourself.

The Riviera yogurt glass jars have been re purposed as spice jars.

Tops were sourced online at the company's website and I wasted no time in getting the spice drawer organized.

There will be a lot more tidying up around here in January 

but for now we are readying the Humble Bungalow for house guests...

I will be away from the blog for a few more days

but will be on Instagram every day at least once if not twice.

Happy New Year

Cheers!

Wishing you a Joyous Christmas

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow.
I appreciate all your comments and would like to extend warm wishes to you at this time.

Our Humble Bungalow

Glowing with the white fairy lights strung on the tree and the beams.

Just a few finishing touches and I am ready...

adding a bit of OPI polish.

One more sleep!

Christmas brings with it a mix of emotions...

memories bubble up and are powerful
thinking of those no longer with us
of those who may be ill or suffering

it is a time to spend with friends and family
and often we find ourselves far away from home

Christmas expectations might be set too high
you might be short of money
you may be lonely

I hope that you have someone that you care for to share your holiday with and that you are Joyful.

An unexpected gift arrived in the mail today

from a friend that I met on The Ooh La La Paris Tour

Merci Beaucoup!

Wishing you a Peaceful Holiday.

Hostess

3 days to Christmas ~ OOTD

Our weather has been a mix of sun and showers...

walking just the same as usual but wearing a warm down coat and carrying an umbrella.

I had to stop pull out my Iphone and capture this image so I could share it with you!

"HI"

The scenery has been quite varied and the evidence of the recent gale force winds is obvious on the beach...

Huge logs are lying on the beach 

making it a challenge to walk close to the waters edge.

I have never seen so many logs washed ashore.

They are stacked right to the top of the seawall in some places...making access to the beach difficult.

After the rains there are puddles...

Here you can see the sky above in the reflection...

There is a Christmas rose blooming by our front porch.

This is very unusual for this time of year.

The yellow rose bush beside the pink climber has several buds on it too!

I bought a bouquet of yellow roses to perk up the kitchen.

With the grey skies looming overhead Our Humble Bungalow just begs for a pop of cheer.

Nothing like a little splash of colour to brighten up a dreary day.

Light a candle and add some fragrance while we are in the mood.

My walking partner and I ventured out for a 5K walk and stopped for a delicious and healthy lunch when the weather became so blustery that our umbrellas were blowing inside out!

OOTD

Black Nygaard slim ponte knit pants

Grey Eileen Fisher top

Black Clark booties

(image taken with a goofy looking smile)

Three Days Left...until Christmas and yes I am counting!

Catching up on the laundry, finishing wrapping gifts, reading my favourite blogs and sneaking in a few chapters of my current novel.

Wee poinsettia perfect size for the powder room.

A pop of red and green... a classic festive flower.

Things are looking very Christmassy here in The Humble Bungalow.

Our tree is up and decorated with white fairy lights.

The beamed ceilings are all dolled up with strings of white fairy lights and there is a warm and cozy glow here in our home.

It is freezing cold outside 

the Stellar Jays are chattering with each other

we have suet hung for the birds and the hummingbird feeder is a busy place these days.

Hope all is Merry and Bright in your home.