Wednesday, October 5, 2016

October sunshine...a day in my neighbourhood.

If you are tired of seeing pictures of the seafront where I walk you maybe want to click away now...
The views are the same but the colours and subjects that frequent the area change throughout the day. I never get bored and always find something of interest to capture. I feel very fortunate and grateful to be able to walk in such beauty.


The temperatures were hovering around 13 degrees Celsius this afternoon when I went for my walk. I wore a long sleeved T shirt, jeans and my Barbour vest and I was very warm once I got going...I had to unzip my vest and other walkers were in short sleeves!


There was enough of a breeze to launch the hang gliders off the cliffs.


I've often wondered what the views would be like from a glider.


Can you see the freighter out on the water?
That has been sitting there for weeks as the company that owns it apparently has gone bankrupt. I wonder what will happen to the boat? I would think it could be a hazard to navigation as it is very close to the shipping lanes.
With the foggy mornings of Fall it could be a disaster waiting to happen.




After I came home from my walk I noticed how dirty my windows were...
I started to wash them and dear reader I am absolute RUBBISH when it comes to cleaning windows!
Then I got onto my hands and knees and washed the kitchen floor 
which I am much better equipped to do!


I picked some hydrangeas this week and popped them in one of our arts and crafts vintage vases.

We are hosting Thanksgiving dinner and I am going to be busy preparing the family feast. 
We are looking forward to having everyone here in our small bungalow to help us celebrate.


A friend recommended this book...
it is quite different, 
not sure what is going to happen 
but it all takes place over dinner at a high end restaurant 
two couples and something terrible has happened involving their children
 that is about to be revealed...


Nerine Bowdenii blooming in various beds in Our Humble Bungalow Garden.
Thank you for stopping by my blog today.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Monday, October 3, 2016

Shopping success!

Oh dear me, the "shopping pump" has been primed...
after not buying much I have been finding all kinds of things to tempt me and I need to save for my travel plans to France!!!

Darling daughter and I met up this past week for an afternoon of thrifting...
it was a lucky day for me.


~ a crisp white shirt and a vintage leather bag ~


 ~ a white shirt and pearls are classics ~


the shirt is made of cotton and is not too sheer
it has seams in the back so that it is flattering and not too loose
I think this is going to be a versatile addition to my wardrobe.


Love the colour of this bag...
it reminds me of a fine wine
perhaps a burgundy or a claret.

It is made in Canada.


I could not resist this Imari jug...
I was out for my walk and as I often do I wandered into Kay's Korner in the Cook Street Village and lo and behold I spied this sweet vessel.
Currently I have a few pens in it but who knows 
it may have many uses...
a  few flowers would be lovely arranged in this jug.


I stopped on the way home from the village to take a photo of this enormous dinner plate sized dahlia.

The weight reduction focus is front and centre 
progress is going VERY VERY slowly despite the continued walking and the sensible eating.
I am almost ready to scream!
(that would be such bad form)
So I am trying hard to keep my eyes on the long term goal.


Story set in Provence...
a lovely book by a writer who is new to me.
I would recommend this book and say after you read it you might just want to join us for a month in Provence!


I have never owned a pair of Jessica Simpson flats.
They are made of soft leather, are comfy and very cute.
Sadly my Sam Edelman flats are scuffed and looking tatty...
"'So needs must!"


The bows on the toes were a selling feature...
just wish that they were available in red!


Please excuse me now for it is time for bed and a few chapters in my book.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Saturday, October 1, 2016

Seasonal snippets...


I love how one of our neighbours has decorated the path leading up to her home.
Did you notice the half eaten apple on the left and the glove at the right?
Which leaves me with the thought that perhaps perfection is over rated...


Chestnuts are falling from the trees in our neighbourhood.
Inside this prickly pod there was a small delicate edible chestnut.
These are harvested by many locals who roast them and eat them hot with a sprinkling of salt.


These chestnuts also known as conkers are not edible.
They have a rich "chestnut" colour and a woody appearance.
Mother collects these to bring inside as she says that they keep spiders away.


A few doors down the street these raspberries are growing.
They hang out over the sidewalk and are very tempting...


A few blocks away this tall Hollyhock blooms.


The leaves are turning into their annual autumnal colours.


The sun is setting earlier
 the shadows in the afternoon seem to wane
nights are cooler
I have started wearing socks.


Cauliflowers were on special at the market for an unbelievable price.
 So naturally I bought one and made curried cauliflower soup.

Curried Cauliflower Soup

Saute a large diced onion in a wee bit of oil and cook until soft.
Add a large chopped cauliflower and 6-8 cups of vegetable broth
2 tbsp. of curry powder (or to taste) and simmer until cauliflower is soft.
Use the immersion blender and process until no lumps remain.

The bonus is that this soup is Weight watcher friendly!


I took myself out for a wee bite of brunch after strolling in Oak Bay.
 I finished this book.
Really enjoyed reading Vita Sackville-West
The Edwardians was the first of hers that I read and it was quite a few years ago.
Now I need to get my hands on a book about her lovely home and garden...
Sissinghurst.

The young royal family are leaving today...



It has been a busy time for William and Kate making appearances while touring BC.
 Prince George, Princess Charlotte and their nannies have been out and about.
They have been seen enjoying our local parks.

 The Beacon Hill Petting Zoo has oodles of goats 
George reportedly loved seeing them.
There was a children's tea party on the lawns of Government House
local military families were invited to join in for some fun.
Balloons, bubbles, bunnies and ponies were on site for the celebration.

What a fabulous opportunity to get to meet the family.


Anemone's are still out in full force as are our roses.
It has been a stellar summer for the Humble Bungalow Garden...
but I can see the hydrangeas are fading and many plants are droopy.
The leaves are gathering on the lawn and spider webs are woven in every corner
and hanging onto most of the plants.
Where have the spiders been hiding all summer and why do they suddenly come out at this time of year?

I must close for now and get some things done around The Humble Bungalow.
Hope you have a fabulous weekend.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Enchanted April....Dare I dream?

A few weeks ago I posted a pork tenderloin roast recipe and I have another one in my repertoire...
This one has an asian tangy taste and while I LOVE it Mr. HB is not as enamoured with the flavours...not sure why, but we all have our favourites.


So here it is if you would like to try it...
cook and baste the tenderloin about an hour at 350 degrees.
If you try it and like it please leave me a  comment.


My favourite bridge player Meg at the club has had a serious fall...
she is 94 and she broke both her hip and her arm
her mind is a sharp as a tack and we are missing her so much.
She is in rehab and we are planning to go to the hospital
and play some cards as soon as she is able.

I am hoping that she will recover from her injuries.
Her bidding and advice on bridge is so valuable...
she has been playing bridge since she was a teenager 
she encourages us when we are bidding our hands and nudges us to bid game.


I always wear my wedding rings...
one notices hands when seated at the bridge table.
My hands have been dry of late and so I have made a point to keep the hand lotion by the sink to remind myself to use it.


This vintage art deco diamond does not get as much wear as it should.

I don't own a lot of jewelry...
unlike darling daughter, 
who has oodles and oodles of the stuff!

She works hard to find the most amazing pieces...
AND 
she has a full time job!

I have very few pieces of "costume" jewelry and opt for real gemstones.
Sterling silver bangles, pearls, vintage, ethnic, and modern artisan jewelry.
One need not break the budget when choosing a new piece,
 there are so many gorgeous jewels on Etsy and Ebay and in antique shops.

At my age I wonder if I should acquire more gems or save for holidays abroad?

Recently I met up with a friend for lunch.
 We both LOVE France and have fond memories of our trips to Paris 
we got to talking in between bites of our salads
and mentioned that we should arrange to have our own 
"Enchanted April" 
 perhaps Provence would be our destination...

Can you imagine a group of women sharing a home in Provence?
Savouring the countryside for a month?
I can!
 I am dreaming about this possibility.

So with that in mind I am off to find more local French language classes...

BTW
if you know of anyone who has a home to rent in Provence or has rented one that they enjoyed please email me bungalowhostess@gmail.com
merci beaucoup!

 ~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Monday, September 26, 2016

Royalty amongst other things...

The young royal family Kate, William, George and Charlotte are here in Victoria for the week and they are staying at Government House.
Government House is on Rockland Avenue just a few blocks north of The Humble Bungalow.
Government House has a tea room where Mother and I go to in the summertime and where we sit on the patio to have lunch and share a pot of tea.
I love to walk through the rose gardens and smell the beautiful roses...
the gardens are tended by an army of volunteers and it looks splendid.

The gates are closed for security this week while the Royals are in residence...
our SIL is busy working on the tour providing audio tech support.

I did not take the following picture but wanted to share it with you...
it is a wee bit fuzzy and I think it must have been taken with a zoom lens.


Kate looked radiant in her Royal Blue dress and exquisite hat.
She wore sapphire (I have been advised that they are actually tanzanite) and diamond earrings with her lovely sapphire engagement ring.
On her dress she pinned a diamond studded Maple Leaf borrowed 
from HRH Queen Elizabeth.
It was a gift from Canada to honour Queen Elizabeth (another error on my part, they were given to the Queen Mother) on one of her visits to Canada.

I apologize for these errors as I took the information from the local news reporter who obviously had not done her homework...
we have amended the info thanks to reader and royal watcher Patricia!

Helicopters are in the sky in our neighbourhood
hovering above the motorcade.  
Security is serious business and there are strict protocols in place.


One of our orchids is flowering and the rest are dormant...

We have settled into a slower pace 
as Fall nudges its way into The Humble Bungalow...
the garden will be put to bed in the next few weeks and then I plan to pull out my knitting.


I made a lettuce soup.
Have you ever heard of lettuce soup?
I had a tub of lettuce that was almost wilted and knew that we would never eat it all by its best before date so I looked online and found a recipe.

So quick and easy and really low in Weight Watcher points!

Cook a diced onion in a wee bit of oil until soft.
Add 6 cups of veggie stock and 1 cup of diced potato
simmer for about 20 minutes until potato is cooked.
Add 6-8 cups of mixed salad greens and cook a few more minutes.
Season with salt, pepper, and 1 or 2 tbsps. of a good curry powder (to taste)

Use the immersion blender and process until no lumps remain.
Serve hot topped with a dollop of yogurt if you desire.



I wore my collection of bangles out to lunch last week.
Darling daughter, Savvy son and Mr. HB met for a family lunch.
Talk about one for the memory books...we cannot remember the last time we went out just the four of us!


Mr. HB and I enjoyed a recent date night.
We went out for dinner and a movie...
we saw the new Bridget Jones film and I laughed out loud so much that I had tears rolling down my face.
It is a light comedy and a "feel good" film.


Darling daughter and I went to Aritzia and perused their new stock.
I love their lines of clothing as they are very classic, simple and are suitable for the young and the old.

I purchased a simple off white Wilfred top that is very soft and cozy.
It has a low V neck which is perfect for featuring pearls or a scarf.
I will layer this when the weather gets cooler under my black leather vest or a sweater or jacket.

Darling daughter purchased a fabulous pair of jeans by Citizens of Humanity.
She referred to them as"mom jeans" and we laughed because I was wearing my NYDJ.
(Not Your Daughters' Jeans)
Coincidentally we both had our leather "moto" jackets on with our jeans and tops.
This is the second time in a few weeks where I have found myself dressed in the same style outfit as my companion when out and about!


Today and I have a few chores on my list which will keep me busy
and I am trying to decide what to cook for dinner tonight.
When the weather gets cooler I like to make a cozy meal of roasted veggies and possibly cook a roast of beef.

I need to go for my walk and I may just pop into the grocery store on my way home and see what inspires me...
Keep cozy people.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~