OOTD...new shoes

I've been to several shops looking for some new sneakers...
Comfy, casual shoes to wear with my current spring and summer outfits.

I tried on maybe a dozen different styles...what a fabulous selection they have this Spring!
How does one decide?

With so much variety...
everything from a classic Keds sneaker,
to a Converse Chuck Taylor
and more...

I opted for a metallic slip on.

They are a bit bling-y

Will the "Fashion Police" give me a ticket when I wear them?

Do I really care?

 Is this the look of disapproval from Chester?

I plan to wear these with jeans, white linen pants and striped boyfriend cuffed ankle jeans.

They inject a little bit of fun

which I like when purchasing clothing.

A rainy day OOTD

Saint James raincoat

black tights with Chelsea boots

underneath 

 V neck Black Goat cashmere sweater and a Jigsaw mini skirt.

I am in the process of putting my winter clothing downstairs into the guest room closet

then bringing up the summer clothes.

This process has been slowish because I check each item carefully,

launder and iron them

and discard anything that is pilled or looking tired.

I try all the summer things on to make sure they still fit

look decent

  that they are pieces that make me feel confident.

There are a couple of dresses

several pairs of white pants

(white NYDJ jeans, dressy white UPP pants, and a cropped linen pair)

a few tops, most are white and a couple are blue

 a longer white linen top with grey stripes 

shirt style with abalone buttons which I layer over tank tops.

White V neck Eileen Fisher sweater

grey short knit jacket

I keep my denim shirts, skirt, jeans and a jacket in rotation fall and summer.

I need to find a black skort as I do not like wearing shorts anymore.

Other than that I have very few things to buy.

My hair is undergoing a messy growing out stage...

as my frozen shoulder is in the thawing process 

I can now use the blow dryer 

 so with my hairdressers' help 

we will be teaming up and working through the tedious process.

My goal is to grow it back into a wavy bob...

it may take months but I am willing to put in the time.

Here's the Ann Taylor straw bag that I ordered from Etsy.

It is not exactly the same shade of red as my ballet flats but it works...

In order to kick up my exercise

I've been walking farther and in different areas of town.

Trying to increase the pace of my walk without exacerbating shin splints.

I think the change of scenery is energizing!

What have you been up to these days?

Are you enjoying the weather?

Thank you for popping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Black and White....

Black and White seems to be the colour theme here right now...

OOTD

Hermes scarf

Saint James striped top

Barbour vest

NYDJ boyfriend jeans

Red shoes !

Josef Siebel ballet flats!

New lipstick in a brighter shade...

inpsired by Kathy KSL on Instagram.

(she is the talented artist from whom we purchased our most recent piece of art)

I love it!

Not always easy taking a selfie...

but you get the idea of the new shade of lip colour.

Hope that your week is ticking along nicely and its nearly the weekend.

Do you have something fun planned?

Thank you for popping by my Humble Bungalow Blog...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

A Passion for Gardening...a peek inside our back garden.

Gardening is a passion of mine...

I've been pottering about in the dirt 

planting and growing things 

since I was a little girl.

Now that I am in my 60's I find my muscles get tired after several hours.

I used to be able to garden for hours on end...

Ah! 

Those were the "giddy days" 

when my escape from the stresses of work 

was simple

 get into my gardening clothes and totally lose myself in the garden.

Last year we hired a gardener to do the lions share of the work

 I am still very involved just not so much hands on...

I do so love the creative process...

finding pots, plants and placing them in the garden.

Hand watering allows me to evaluate what looks good, 

what may need some TLC 

what changes that I might consider making...

Flowers over grasses

as the blooms elevate the ordinary...

variegated foliage 

lime green

whites

mixed with

black plants

are my preferred shades

On Pender I noticed many bright and cheerful flowers in bloom.

Pretty purple blooms absolutely POP when juxtaposed with the grey of the rocks.

A few more pieces of beach glass to add to the jar 

from a beach near Port Washington.

I found a lovely urn at Renaissance Studio Antiques on Pender Island.

It was a beast to move...

it took two people to wrangle it into my Volvo

and another two people to unload it once I returned home!

Popped a hosta plant into the urn...

behind the urn are planted several mop head hydrangeas in a creamy shade.

They get quite tall and bloom for most of the summer then dry into a tan shade

which look very sculptural and add interest in the Fall months.

At the opposite end of the patio are a mix of hostas and black mondo grasses.

We purchased tomato plants for the greenhouse

and 

a rather wonderful rusty coloured metal orb.

Claire Austin David Austin white roses with a boxwood edging.

Raised Asparagus bed

roses and hydrangeas in the middle

pots with Hellebores and Black Mondo Grass on the exposed aggregate pavers.

Hosta in the urn!

Variegated Iris, Hostas, Black Mondo grass and bluebells

beneath the fragrant pink 

Montana Ruebens clematis

Some new plants...

which I will pop into pots early this week when the rain stops.

These two characters Chester and Pepper follow me around the house 

like a couple of dogs.

They are great company too...

Chester wants to come out and help in the garden...

There will be lots more to see once the weather warms up and the plants start blooming.

The Humble Bungalow Garden is at its peak in May and June. 

Hope you enjoyed this wee garden tour.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Savouring the good things in life...

We are surrounded by beauty...
one need not look too far afield to glimpse these special gifts that cross our path.

Embracing the positive, simple things in life, keep me grounded and content.

If I get on the "I want this, I want that" tangent
I am not at ease...stress and anxiety are sure to follow.

Simple living...

getting back to nature
walking
taking time for peaceful pursuits
mindful healthy eating

valuable self care tools
that really nurture and feed my soul.

"Highlights" worth sharing from the past weekend...

Roesland Park

on

Pender Island, BC

a lovely walk with an abundance of natural beauty.

Calypso Bulbosa

aka

Lady Slipper Orchids

Lilies

A bench on which to sit and pause...

 count my blessings 

while surveying the views across The Salish Sea....

Skunk Cabbage

The Nature Sanctuary at Medicine Beach

we were there for the Earth Day beach clean up.

Fresh radishes from Raven Rock Farm stand 

at the Farmers Market

love these "red ravishing radishes"

Speaking of red...here is the Encore Red.

We went to the award winning Sea Star Vineyard for a wine tasting...

we purchased some red and white wines.

We invited our neighbours over for a drink and a nibble...

Sitting on the deck later watching the sun slip behind the mountains

taking note of the light 

the subtle changes 

of the intensity and tones.

The sunrise and sunsets are the gentle rhythms

that guide us through our days here at Quarter Deck Cottage.

Hope that your week is off to a gentle start...

Enjoy the gifts as they present themselves to you on your daily round.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Silk...and French Inspiration

Vintage Silk scarf by Vetter of Switzerland

easy to wear and so soft...

Silk and cashmere are two of my all time favourites.

When I think of lovely lingerie 

 France comes to mind...

the selection and sumptuous styles for women 

of all shapes and sizes 

are plentiful in the shops of Paris.

The lingerie sections at

Galleries Lafayette

and 

The Bon Marche 

are two that stand out.

It is so easy finding beautiful intimates in France...

there are lingerie shops in the smaller villages too!

I've been lusting after some new lingerie...

it is on the top of my list.

I love wearing this

Nougat Silk Camisole

soft mauve shade with purple lace.

Silk feels sensuous 

wearing a silk nightgown or camisole makes me feel very feminine.

I've juxtaposed the silk with denim here for a day of domestic chores and cooking.

Cooking new dishes has become a bit of an obsession of late...

Julia Child has some amazing books and You Tube videos of her PBS shows.

I have to smile when I watch some of these older videos...

she is such a character!

I felt like I was in a bit of a "cooking rut"

 so kicking it up a notch and trying some new recipes feels so energizing.

I made a jar of Julia's basic and very simple vinaigrette and loved the flavour.

In the movie Julie and Julia the scene from the Paris Cafe 

where Julia, played by the talented Maryl Streep, is served sole 

 seriously resonates with me...

that incredible dish is Sole Meuniere.

I plan to make this dish for my husband...

 I am substituting fresh halibut 

as it was the freshest fish offered at the fish monger.

The butter needs to be clarified ahead of time.

So

I spent the afternoon prepping dinner.

I made an endive leaf salad with crumbled bacon, sliced cherry tomatoes, scallions and grated parmigiano Reggiano

which is covered and is chilling in the fridge.

The vinaigrette will be drizzled over top just before serving. 

Asparagus will be steamed and served with the fish dish...

a few slices of a baguette will be at the ready to sop up any of the juices.

I will boil up a few waxy yellow potatoes to serve with the halibut.

Dessert will not be served...

as neither of us have "sweet teeth"

besides it will be a "big" meal...

enough to satisfy our humble tastebuds.

I sharpened all our knives too...

they were getting incredibly dull.

We have an electric sharpener by Chef's Choice 

I have practiced on several knives I think I have the hang of it.

Boy having a super sharp knife is so wonderful.

I'm kind of proud of myself for learning a new skill...

This book is quite a fun read...

am only into a few chapters so far as

I sat down for a few minutes to put my feet up and have a cuppa...

almost didn't want to get back up and put the book away!!

Bon Appetit!

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~