En route to French class....

A crisp and sunny morning greets me as I walk out the front door of The Humble Bungalow.

The cats look through the window as I descend the steps...
If they could only talk.
I wonder what they might be thinking.

Oh look she's leaving us alone again...where is she going and how long will she be gone?
Lets nibble that new white hydrangea that she has on the counter in the kitchen!
No I think we should roll around on the new bed cover and leave as much hair as we can on it...
oh forget that...
let's just sleep until she gets home and then act aloof as if we could care less that she even went out!

I had to stop and take a few pictures en route to French Class to share with you...

Two varieties of clematis were happily tangled and twined along a cedar fence spilling forth toward the sidewalk.

I love the pretty combination chosen by the green thumbed gardener who tends this lush green space.

Wisteria loves to climb and demands a strong reinforced structure or it will pull down eaves and drain spouts.

Ah look at those delicate pendulous tendrils of mauve flowers.

Their scent is soft and fragrant rather evocative 

and I think most exotic and sweet.

We have some new class members for our new session of French.

The core group have returned and it is wonderful to be reconnecting with this eclectic group of women.

Their stories are interesting and romantic...

many are seasoned travellers, 

one has a French family whose children attend SJD in French Immersion

 several, myself included, are planning trips to Paris, 

another is marrying a Frenchman and will soon be living in France!

Our instructor is kind and gentle and encourages us to speak freely in French.

My ability to speak the language is very weak, although my comprehension and writing are much better.

Madame does not judge us harshly or laugh at our expense.

We laugh at each other as we struggle to find the right words which are not easily found.

I highly recommend taking a course in something out of one's comfort level 

as it forces you to get creative and use those brain cells.

"Use it or Lose it!"

Meeting new people is a bonus and easy when you have something in common...

it's surprising how fast we have connected as a group...

united by the simple desire to learn a new language.

I'm hoping to continue taking these lessons until I am fluent.

My goal is to be speaking, reading and understanding French.

I'd love to explore and expand my study of France and reading blogs is an easy way to further broaden that knowledge.

Do you have any favourite blogs that focus on French Life or travel in France?

Perhaps you'd be kind enough to share them.

Take time to stop and smell the flowers...

Bloggers Meet Up...

It's a quiet rainy soaked Sunday and I have been snugly cocooned in The Humble Bungalow indulging in a Louise Penny novel...
Inspector Gamache is experiencing post traumatic stress disorder and he is on leave recuperating from a gunshot wound as is his trusted sidekick Beauvoir...and it might not come as a surprise but there is another murder!

Penny makes it extremely difficult to put her books down...

that's what good authors do!

The cats are snoozing on the bed and there is a hush of quiet in the neighbourhood...

compared with the sound of lawn mowers and weed whackers on Saturday it is quite peaceful.

Very conducive to rest and moments of mindful meditation.

I've polished all the silver ware and used up an entire pot of Twinkle.

Many people cannot stand to own silver because it tarnishes...

I have inherited a lot from my Mother who still has a considerable amount.

 I think she got tired of polishing so much of it that she gave a lot of it to my sister and myself.

My sister does not polish hers...she likes the vintage look of tarnish.

I almost wish I did too because that would save me hours of work at the sink.

Yet there is a satisfaction when I look upon the gleaming results...

The garden is flourishing...

you can see one of our new dwarf apple trees to the right of the chairs.

It has a red tie on the post. 

We purchased two trees and are hoping to keep them pruned so they bear loads of fruit.

The woolly thyme is not looking so healthy between the stones right now.

I wonder if some of the plants have died as they usually bloom with wee purple flowers.

Maybe they are just slow to flower this Spring.

I'm looking forward to meeting up with Dani BP The Mop Philosopher later this afternoon!

She is in town this weekend to meet her new nephew and we are meeting up at The Bengal Room.

I was not too sure what she would look like as I have not seen too many pictures of her on the blog.

She recognized me though and I was able to meet her husband and youngest daughter.

We had a brief chat before they went off for a walk and then Dani and I settled in for a drink.

The Bengal Room is located in The Fairmont Empress Hotel.

I love the decor!

 You feel like you've stepped back in time...to those Edwardian days of exotic travel and adventure.

We sipped our cocktails and chatted...

We have both been blogging over 5 years and read some of the same blogs. 

Conversation flowed easily with so much to talk about and we could have kept on talking...

over an hour later we said our goodbyes.

It was such fun meeting her and putting a face to the voice of Dani BP Mop Philosophy.

I was struck by her radiant beauty and her fabulous personality.

It was an honour to spend time with her and perhaps if the opportunity arises we will do so again in the future.

Thanks Dani for taking the time to meet up with me.

I look forward to reading about your Victoria trip when you get back home.

When I left I walked out through the convention centre.

You can see the puddles if you look closely.

The bright flowers look so pretty in the planters.

The First Nations totems are spectacular in this space.

This morning life is pretty normal...

the bed linens have been changed, the laundry is going through the cycles,

the cats are chasing each other through the house and there is some French homework to do.

It's raining again and there is a Louise Penny book waiting...

I hope that you had a fun weekend and that your week is off to a great start.

Beauty matters....

Last week I gave Mother a bunch of tulips and unfortunately they drooped within a few hours...we tried the penny in the vase trick and poking a hole through the top where the bloom joins the stem but nothing worked.
Mother decided that she would simply display the blooms in a silver compote...
when we arrived at her condo tonight these gorgeous blooms greeted us.

I blurred the edges and enhanced the colour.

but they are equally beautiful in their natural state. 

Beautiful aren't they?

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...

Beauty makes all the difference...

"A tulip doesn't strive to impress anyone. 

It doesn't struggle to be different than a rose. 

It doesn't have to. 

It is different. 

And there's room in the garden for every flower. 

You didn't have to struggle to make your face different than anyone else's on earth. 

It just is. 

You are unique because you were created that way. 

Look at little children in kindergarten. 

They're all different without trying to be. 

As long as they're unselfconsciously being themselves, they can't help but shine. 

It's only later, when children are taught to compete, 

to strive to be better than others, 

that their natural light becomes distorted."

~ Marianne Williamson ~

I have been thinking a lot about beauty these days.

Beauty matters.

In spite of the bleak winter weather the garden is coming alive.

The flowers are budding...

the birds are singing in the morning before first light until the sun sets in the sky.

There is much to be thankful for in the day.

Those little bits of beauty that surprise us when we least expect them.

The flowers growing in the cracks of concrete by the seashore.

A kind smile from a stranger that you pass in the street.

Picking up the phone to hear the voice of your best friend...

the sound of the kettle as it whistles when it boils.

That sweet taste of tea from a china cup which brings with it a sense of joy.

Beauty matters.

These simple everyday things are never taken for granted...

the "attitude of gratitude" is the simply the most empowering tool that I have embraced as an adult

if you have never thought about it you might like to start now...

it will change your life forever and for the better.

Look for beauty that will enrich your days...

I hope that you find some beauty this weekend.

Walkabout....Victoria's Chinatown.

Your sensitive and thoughtful comments and emails continue to surprise and amaze me...

I am grateful and truly humbled.

Now moving forward after that anonymous rant and getting back to the business of blogging.
Blogging in the manner to which I am accustomed.

My Volvo was in being serviced at the dealership and so I had a few hours in town to do some exploring.
My first stop was Value Village as I do love to peruse the books and china tea cups...I found myself looking at handbags and found a vintage Furla leather bag in chestnut brown leather.

It's a bit of a monster in size but I do like a bag with lots of room for a book and a bottle of water.

I like the tied handle details...

I've been looking for a bargain bag in brown to go with my watch strap for several years.

Our local Value Village is a vast warehouse full to the brim with all kinds of goods.

I find it an amazing place to find everyday basics and clothing.

You'd be surprised at the quality of some of the items...

I think a lot of people, myself included, declutter and are too lazy to have garage sales!

I am on maintenance at WW and went to their new location in Royal Oak for my monthly weigh in and was down half a pound...so far I have not fallen off the wagon!

Salads are so satisfying especially when they have some protein added like the blue cheese and nuts here.

This combination was delicious...apples, blue cheese and nuts atop of baby romaine lettuce.

A simple vinaigrette which I sparingly drizzled over top.

I ordered a decaf Americano coffee to go with the salad from The Grindstone across the street from Value Village.

Lunch out is a treat and I don't mind dining alone.

After lunch I decided to take a walk in Chinatown.

There are guided tours of chinatown which are really interesting.

 On the tours you visit the Mah Jong parlour and go inside the temples and some of the buildings and the shops.

I highly recommend going on a tour if you are visiting Victoria.

The Gate of Harmonious Interest

the entrance to Victoria's Historic Chinatown.

Fisgard Street is chock full of shops, cafes, markets, temples and buildings.

One of my favourite spots to browse...

there is a resident cat that frequently snoozes in the window but he was not there this afternoon or I would have taken a picture of him as he is quite a handsome and very large feline.

There is a sweet little garden out through those french doors...

if they had been open I would have stepped out and taken a picture.

I popped into Silk Road Tea Company on Government Street which is around the corner from Fisgard.

They were serving Lullaby Tea a new blend which is a sleep tea.

The roller ball of aromatherapy oils is reported to induce sleep as well.

It smells lovely!

It seems that many women suffer from sleep issues.

I do not want to rely on any pharmaceuticals so I am experimenting with these.

I also picked up a tin of Japanese Sour Cherry tea...it is a particularly refreshing tea served over ice in the hot weather.

It's another glorious day here and I must close for now as I am going to take a walk.

I'll see what I can find to share with you as I wander about in the neighbourhood.

Do something nice for someone today...

you'll feel better for it.

Anonymous rants and a day of beauty....

I am wondering why on the previous post anonymous at 11:33 felt the need to vent.

It's curious too that all the rude comments are signed anonymous...never a name to stand behind their words.

It's so easy to throw stones when one is invisible.

My blog voice has never been one that aspired to anything too serious...

"elevating the pedestrian to equestrian through Hermes scarves"

 should give the reader the notion that it is not a blog dedicated to frugality or that I am trying to change the world.

I am curious why the commenter thought that he or she might see pictures of our fair city here.

It's true that I randomly showcase a bit of the scenery but that is not a regular occurance.

I think that the reader must have stumbled here quite by accident.

I considered removing the ability for anonymous comments but decided against it.

This brought out some great support by readers who found the comment completely out of line and unfounded...and I must thank those readers who addressed this on the blog and those who emailed me privately.

You are so appreciated and I am very grateful!

Anonymous if you are reading, perhaps you would like to elaborate on your comments.

I would be happy to openly discuss your comments here on the blog.

I could not pass these pretty tulips by without taking a picture.

Do you think Mother Nature had a red brush in her hand when she made these blooms?

The boulevard on this quiet byway in Oak Bay has been planted with bluebells.

I stopped the car to take a picture...

the oak tree overhead cast it's shadow on the road.

I think the deer have been nibbling these tulips...

well we all have to eat.

I chose a Cobb Salad when Mother sister and I went to the Oak Bay Beach Hotel Pub for dinner.

It was delicious!

We went for a walk along McNeil Bay after dinner.

Mother told us that she wants her ashes scattered here when she passes on...

Father's ashes were scattered here 7 years ago, she showed us where she put them.

We were not invited to that farewell to Father.

Mother just up and decided that because she was his wife she would do it by herself.

 She never told my sister and I until after the fact.

We now know what is expected and she is working on her obituary for the newspaper.

She is thinking of her mortality more often these days...

Views to Trial Island and the Olympic Mountain range in Washington State.

Signage in Oak Bay is quite creative.

Talk about the dog whisperer!

Wild sweet peas...at least that's what we think they are...no scent to speak of but they look like they are related.

OOTD 

Grey lambswool beaded cardigan

white Coldwater Creek tank top

dark wash skinny jeans G21

Mee Too black ballet flats

I wore these to meet up with a reader from Salt Spring Island this afternoon.

We met up at Pure Vanilla and chatted for over an hour about books, gardens, blogs, travel and France!

It was a wonderful opportunity to connect with a lovely reader...

I think I will hop on the ferry and pop over and visit her before we take the boat over this summer.

I think that there is much to see and do by car and I would be delighted to visit her mediterranean styled garden.

Thank you A for taking the time to come across the pond and spend some time with me.

It was an honour to meet you!

Hope that your week is off to a great start!