Hearts...Valentines and a confession.

 ~ HEART ~

inside a horse barn near the village of Auvillar France

~ HEARTS ~ 

I've been on the hunt for a new make up bag for several months.

The cloth pouch with a zipper I was using for the past few years was not easy to use.

All the contents were jumbled together

 Plus I always seemed to need the item in the very bottom of the pouch!

I found this at Walmart

I was buying another item in the store and just happened upon it.

Can you see the HEARTS?

The top compartment has a place for brushes and pencils.

Top left, is a zippered are where I have some sharp scissors and tweezers. 

In the bottom on the right hand side ~

Andalou CC cream, Burt's Bees cream blush, Marcelle eye make up, 

mascara underneath and a magnifying mirror.

Much better for storage and travel.

I think I paid under $15 for the bag...well worth it.

~ HEART ~

Cracker 

Cafe Des Beaux Arts

Quai Malaquais

Paris France

Found a HEART shaped rock on the beach at Browning.

I was hunting for sea glass and this caught my eye.

While this doesn't really qualify as a HEART item, it lifts my HEART.

I use a basic everyday lotion from the drugstore,

 then decant it into a glass jar with a pump for ease of use.

Looking at a plastic bottle with a bunch of text all over it looks rather unsightly.

I prefer a simple sleek container that I can leave out on display.

I use lotion after my bath or shower and it helps to keep my skin soft and supple.

This shea butter lotion is a drugstore brand and has a light scent of orchid.

It is very reasonably priced and works well

the ingredients are recognizable and it is free of any nasty chemical additives.

I received pearls from my husband on a Valentines Day about 25 years ago.

Last summer I fell at the beach and sprained my wrist very badly.

 When I got home I noticed that my beloved pearl necklace was missing.

I was devastated...

as I was in terrible pain I had to dash off to the pharmacy

 to buy some Voltaren, Aleve and a wrist brace.

For the next few days I kept returning to the same beach to hunt for the pearls.

(perhaps they returned to the ocean with the tide)

I decided to replace the pearls and thought perhaps my husband would not notice.

I went to the jeweler who sold him the pearls way back in the day 

purchased this Akoya strand 

almost the same as the original strand...

(except for the price)

I have been wearing them almost daily, for the past few months.

Well dear reader, 

guess what?

He found out that they were not the original pearls, 

so I had to confess...

I don't expect that we will exchange Valentine's Day gifts this year...

but perhaps we will dine out close to Valentines and celebrate.

What do you have planned for your Valentine?

Something special from the HEART.

~ Happy Valentine's Day ~

Take care and thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Seeking Snowdrops ~ Shopping ~ and other things happening in The Humble Bungalow this week.

Snowdrops are poking up through the soil here in The Humble Bungalow Garden!

I am in search of some new varieties...

Those that I particularly seek are the Double Snowdrops and Everest.

My husband and I are planning a trip soon to Salt Spring Island 

where we will visit a nursery that sells rare and unusual plants.

I have heard that they may have some snowdrops in pots.

Tencel has been the softest way to add a denim look to my wardrobe.

I love the feel of it next to my skin and the way it drapes is so effortless.

This top has a "BoHo" vibe

the pintucks and woven accents remind me of tops that I wore in the 1970's

we called them peasant tops...

Love the elastic detail at the wrists...

very easy to push up the sleeves when cooking!

Really like the frayed hem on the bottom...

many of you wear ripped jeans but I cannot bring myself to buy or wear them.

(Mom's fashion advice and voice is still loud and clear in my head!)

this ragged edging is a vibe that I can abide.

I found this top at Marshalls for $40

I also bought a pair of black capri Yoga pants as my older ones were faded.

My exercise regime includes Yoga and now some Pilates and weights.

The weights were at the thrift shop on Pender.

I will be working up to heavier ones as I get stronger.

I am going to keep my eyes open for heavier ones at the local thrift shops.

One of the reasons that I decided to add weights is that Mom had osteoporosis...

when she passed away at almost 90, she had 4 fractured vertebrae in her back.

They were very very painful and she suffered quite a bit.

I have osteopenia, which usually progresses to osteoporosis.

Weights can build bone mass as well as toning arms.

I have been working out watching weight training pilates videos on You Tube.

There are so many free sites which makes it easy to add them to my routine.

Do you use weights?

These dark mornings will be replaced by lighter ones very soon.

Spring is not that far off...

snowdrops, hellebores, crocus are blooming in The Humble Bungalow Garden.

Daffodils are not far off!

Well I must close for now and get some dinner started...

am making a new recipe that I saw on Instagram

 ~ Mezzeta ~

One Pan Spaghetti and Meatballs

I have never tried to make a one pan dish like this so I am hoping it works out!

until next time...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

The Year of the Rabbit...and other Stuff

 

Last week I took flowers to a board member who had undergone surgery.

I usually opt for white and green bouquets but it was a rather dreary grey day

so

I chose a colourful assortment of blooms.

My favourite florist was not answering their phone so I ventured out and found a lovely assortment at a local grocery store.

After assessing their stock I grabbed a few bunches and found a clear glass vase

then had the clerk put together this pretty arrangement.

I drove out to my friends home and planned to drop the flowers on her doorstep but she greeted me and invited me inside for a visit.

I didn't stay long...

just long enough to hear about the procedure and how she was doing.

She looked remarkably well and was in very good spirits.

Not at all what I was expecting considering the nature of her situation.

The next morning I was busy packing up for the cottage week.

The forecast was for colder than usual temperatures 

so I packed sweaters, wooly socks, hats, scarf and my down puffer coat.

The weather was windy and then a storm rolled in...

bringing down trees on the power lines 

resulting in a power outage that lasted about 20 hours!

It was VERY cold...

we kept the small gas fireplace going but the minus temperatures were powerful.

Once the power was restored we fortified ourselves with hot soup and went out for a brisk walk on the beach.

There was quite a lot of seaglass to be found...

one piece of aqua glass was too big to fit in the vintage sealer jar 

so I plan to bring it home and see if the new empty jar has a bigger mouth on it.

Our current jar is almost full!

We've been reading our books of course!

 Back to the Cazalet Chronicles for me after a year hiatus.

Confusion is book 3 in the 5 book series.

It is a charming account of family life in England that spans the wars...

I enjoy the "voice" that the author, Elizabeth Jane Howard, uses to narrate the story.

The books have been reprinted due to popular demand...

Many people LOVE this series...you might enjoy it too.

Went to the community centre here for a Yoga class which was fun.

Am doing online Yoga to augment my practice when I am not at the studio.

It is with a modicum of optimism that I mention 

my "aches and pains" are easing 

somewhat 

since I returned to the practice...

my goal is to be more flexible and move with ease.

Have you taken on any new hobbies or made changes this month?

January can be a great time to embrace some new habits

it feels like a month that invites fresh eyes to analyse the routines.

Waking up and seeing the possibilities feels quite empowering.

A fresh new awareness...

February awaits...

what changes will it bring?

Chinese New Year 

~ The Year of the Rabbit ~

The rabbit has a quiet personality that hides their confidence and strength

they may often be seen as soft and weak.

In fact, they steadily move towards their goals 

despite the negativity that they receive from others.

With good reasoning skills and attention to detail they make great scholars.

They enjoy being social and often turn to escapism...

Plain routines are not to their liking

despite being conservative and careful they need and crave surprise

to spice up their life!

Happy New Year

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Blues ~ Tea, clothes, books and knitting

~ Tea ~

The Elixir of the Gods

I partake in afternoon tea each day.

It might be served with a silver service or poured over a bag in a humble mug.

Tea is good accompanied with a small snack...

a cookie, an apple, or a few bites of chocolate.

Decaf tea is my go to brew after 4pm and later in the evening, after dinner.

Tea goes well with my knitting :-))

The Miriam pattern sweater (available on Ravelry)

Rowan Felted Tweed yarn.

Italian wool and alpaca blend, so soft.

You may remember that I knit one of these casual cardigans in soft grey and love it!

I chose this turquoise shade as I think it will pair well 

with my classic denim and black wardrobe.

My chunky pearls and the new shirt...

Caught my eye while shopping... versatile soft Tencel shirt

 inexpensive and will fit in well with my minimalist wardrobe.

I don't buy a lot of clothes,

 but when I see something that meets all the criteria that I have for garments I pounce!

Life continues to be busy...

lots of social opportunities and meet ups are on the calendar.

Being a social being I quite like the flurry of activity.

I do enjoy quiet time and spend part of each day here in The Humble Bungalow 

tidying, cooking, doing laundry, knitting and reading.

Am immersed in this story set in Tuscany...

loving the characters and the setting.

It spans several decades and follows the lives of a group of friends

and acquaintances on their adventures.

Apparently it was named number one of the "best books" for 2023. 

I've got quite a few books on my TBR list...

have some Holds at the library and a few on my bookshelf.

Reading continues to be one of the luxuries that I really enjoy since retiring.

I used to be too busy when I worked full time to really get into a novel.

Holidays were the only time that I could devote a chunk of my days to books.

I was such an avid reader as a young girl growing up...

I always had my nose in a book!

I was a regular at the local Carnegie library downtown.

It all started with Nancy Drew mystery books, 

then L. M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables series.

I graduated to more serious fiction in High School 

reading various authors among them: 

Aldous Huxley, 

Fyodor Dostoevsky, Leon Uris, Ayn Rand, Leo Tolstoy

Walt Whitman

I have read and continue to enjoy many genres.

Reading is definitely a passion of mine and I always have a book on the go.

Are you an avid reader?

Who are your favourite writers?

What are you reading now?

It is time for me to close this post and get busy with dinner.

Hope that you are well and enjoying the start to the New Year.

~Be Well and Be Kind ~

January ~ Busy days and a time tested favourite recipe

The weather has warmed up a wee bit but I am still wearing cozy clothes.

This plush velour zip top by 32 Degrees is very warm 

paired with the felted hand woven wool scarf I was dressed for the windy day.

The scarf was found in a thrift shop on Pender and it was very reasonably priced.

My week has been surprisingly busy!

Two Yoga in person classes at the Studio.

Trivia night at the pub, dinner here after school pick up with the grandchildren.

Errands, cooking and cleaning, 

lunch out for sushi with my husband and another couple

watching Stay Close on Netflix.

Then on Friday I met up with a friend for lunch and a walk.

Then we met two couples for dinner at The Snug at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel.

My weeks are not usually so full of events...

Fresh Orchid arrangement in the Lobby of the OBBH.

The Snug Pub is getting a new floor

 so we dined in front of the fireplace in the hotel foyer.

Got my steps in...

so much easier and more enjoyable when a friend is on the walk!

I slept late Saturday morning and read a couple of chapters in my current book.

Looking For Jane by Heather Marshall is a page turner...

Set in Canada it weaves a story of three women linked by a common thread.

An important book which I am very glad that I picked up.

Did some grocery shopping and laundry...

took a book to a friend.

Making a pot roast, carrots and roasted potatoes for dinner tonight.

I have shared the recipe before on the blog...

it is SO SIMPLE!

In case you want a comforting meal...

here is the recipe.

I like to make a gravy 

remove the roast to the carving board

Mix 4 tablespoons of Cornstarch with an equal amount of water 

in a jar and shake to mix

 add to the wet ingredients and whisk quickly

you remove the roast to the carving board.

ENJOY!

In other news...

I purchased a new mat and a small bolster for my Yoga practice.

 January is ticking along quite quickly here...

How are things going for you?

Well I better close and get this roast ready for the carver!

I have gravy to make...

I think Sunday might be a day of rest!!

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~