OOTD ~ circa 2014 and circa 1974.

After much deliberation and a wee bit of anxiety I caved in and bought a pair of shorts...
I don't know why I feel so silly about wearing shorts, they are really not much more than a divided slim skirt.

Jumping on and off the boat docking in a skirt or dress just didn't make sense from a safety standpoint as there was too much fabric to get hung up on the rigging and made for a safety hazard....
Big Splash!  Hostess has gone overboard!

OOTD

 Santana black denim shorts

Tribal black and blue top

Born sandals  

This is as good as it gets 

 with my distinct aversion to shorts...

This Tribal ribbon top is actually one of my favorite tops.

I've got several other white tops which I can wear with the shorts.

We pack lightly on the boat in the summer time and use our large Lands' End totes.

I throw in a few pairs of pj's, bathing suits, pants, tee shirts and a few cool cotton dresses.

Polartec jacket, a sarong and a rain proof jacket round out the gear.

Speaking of shopping I did a quick turnaround in Sears and picked up a black one piece bathing suit so that I would have a second one on board.

I found that my bathing suit did not dry overnight and so I was squeezing into a damp suit for the morning swim...

not as easy as I thought it would be and much huffing anf puffing and wriggling was required!

I enjoy swimming in the outdoor pools in the heat and find two swims a day quite refreshing.

I love Audrey's writing and her novels are unusual and unique...

this one did not disappoint but I was not prepared for what would transpire...

I suppose the surprise is refreshing even if it is a bit strange.

My BFF loaned me this book when we were at Poets Cove on Pender Island this past weekend.

We enjoyed several lazy days of swimming in the pool and soaking in the hot tub...

a walk and dinner out squeezed in between sun bathing and reading rounded out the trip.

The funny thing was that when she showed it to me I said "Oh I am reading one of her novels right now!"

Niffeneger and Diffenbaugh...two distinctly different names and yet I thought I saw the same letters in the same order and yes I was wearing my sunglasses but I have no excuse as they are prescription Maui Jim's!

Sweet Peas

 a fragrant flowery fantasy in a vase...

Buying shorts might not seem like a big deal to you but for me it was a huge leap...

I have my fingers crossed that the Fashion Police are out of the country on holiday.

Shorts are what most boaters are wearing these days...

perhaps I have just come to the party late which is no surprise as that is my usual modus operandi!

OOTD

July 20th, 1974

Our wedding day under the rose arbour at Government House.

I cannot believe that we are at year 40 as husband and wife but it's true and yet it feels like yesterday 

when we stood in the church in front of over 100 of our friends and family saying I Do.

So young, so naive, and so completely in love.

With many dreams in our hearts for a future together.

My husband is a wonderful partner, a great friend and I am so grateful that we met.

I might call it fate how we met and my husband might refer to it as a mere coincidence.

We met when we were out boating.

 I was a guest on my BFF's family boat in the late 1960's...

so we've actually been a couple longer than 40 years.

We will be celebrating this weekend.

"Marriage is the golden ring in a chain whose

beginning is a glance and whose ending is Eternity."

~ Kahlil Gibran ~

Indulging in fabulous food...and more.

Despite all my walking I have gained 3 pounds and I think I know why...
maintenance on WW means a monthly weigh in so there is a wide window for (ch)-eating!
Yes I confess that I have been naughty!

I have been indulging a wee bit too much!

This short rib was nestled atop a soft garlicky whipped potato bed...

I LOVE potatoes.

My BFF ordered the halibut, it looked delicious.

My BFF's husband had the steak and lobster.

I have been eating lower point count meals since stepping on the scale a few days ago.

I am not in the habit of weighing myself everyday, once a week is plenty.

Spinach salad makes a hearty meal.

The colours all look so pretty before they get tossed in dressing.

Speaking of colour these delphinium blooms are over the top in hues of blues.

I had to stop and take a picture of this gorgeous Hosta and now I want one for our Humble Bungalow Garden.

I am wooed by the chartreuse shade of green...and can see this planted near the foamy flowers of Lady's Mantle.

Lemony yellow roses were right beside the sidewalk just waiting to be sniffed...

which of course I did and was rather disappointed as they were scentless.

How can such a beautiful rose be fragrance free?

Yellow fish swimming about in an aquarium at the mall.

I was on the hunt for some new children's books and found a few of my favourites.

This is a new title to me and it comes with three stretchy frogs to play with...sounds like fun.

Hope the little Miss will enjoy it.

Found this cookbook at the thrift shop and my goodness Rachel Ray is an inspiration...

she put a lot of work into this book and I have a great new source for weeknight meals.

I don't know about you but I do get rather bored with my cooking repertoire...

nothing like a new cookbook to get me out of my rut!

Rune Tennessmed necklace...

I have a few mid century moderne pieces in my collection that I am hoping to sell.

Guy Vidal, Tennesmed and now I just need to figure out how to sell them...

Ebay?

Etsy?

I welcome thoughts from you much more savvy and technically gifted readers.

Meanwhile...the cats are at play and I am trying to stay cool.

What have you been doing these days?

A Gulf Island Garden Tour ~ Tuesday's bits and bobs...

What a wonderful coincidence and joy to find out that a gorgeous garden was open for visitors the very same weekend that we were on Thetis Island.

A couple of women who live on the island year round joined me on the tour and we spent a lovely hour walking about the acreage sniffing roses and taking pictures.
It is no small feat keeping manicured lawns and perennial borders on an island rife with deer and the annual summer water shortage. The owners went to great expense erecting deer proof fencing and installing a watering system and you can see that it has paid off.

The waterfront estate looks out onto Clam Bay and has an expansive view from the patio of the architecturally designed residence.

The couple who have built the home and garden have sold and are moving off island due to health concerns.

One of the drawbacks of living on these smaller islands is that there are very few services so one needs to leave to see a doctor, buy supplies, groceries or do any banking.

This picture looks over the herb garden which is conveniently located adjacent to the kitchen door.

Love the riot of poppies.

The weather was sunny and warm, perfect for a stroll in the garden.

I liked this wee vignette of sea shells and coral on the granite counter top by the BBQ that sits centrally located in the outdoor kitchen space which I think must be great for entertaining.

I'd wished that the poppy seed pods were ready for picking as I'd love to sprinkle some of them in our garden.

There were lots of flowers but it seems that I focused primarily on the poppies and of course the roses!

All the roses were fragrant and I stopped to sniff each one.

Lilies looked lovely and stood tall under the canopy of trees as if to greet the sun.

Lily pads and flowers floating on the pond...

such a tranquil place to sit and ponder life.

It reminded me of Monet's painting.

Leaving a place of such beauty and a home with so many memories would be difficult.

I understand the couple have purchased a waterfront lot not far from Thetis on Vancouver Island and will be building a new home and designing and planting a new garden on a much smaller scale.

Their estate necessitated a full time gardener who coincidentally lived in the gardener's cottage on the property.

Our Graham Thomas rose is blooming in the back garden of our small but cozy Humble Bungalow.

I cannot imagine living in a mansion, can you?

Perhaps you live in one now or possibly you did when you were younger.

Just the thought of cleaning all those rooms and keeping everything tickety boo is daunting.

I polished the candle stick on the left and left the right one so you can see the difference...

please ignore that chunk of cat food in the strainer my "assistant" had the day off!

Just keeping my modest silver collection polished is an ongoing chore.

I wonder how I would handle being the lady of such a house.

I'm reading a fascinating book about the life of Huguette Clark.

"The Phantom of Fifth Avenue" by Meryl Gordon

Huguette was born in 1906 and grew up in a 121 room Beaux Arts mansion in Manhattan.

Her father William Andrews Clark was a copper magnate, the second richest man in America.

When Huguette died in 2011 at 104 the heiress left behind three sprawling apartments on New York's Fifth Avenue, a 23 acre oceanfront compound in Santa Barbara, and a battle ensued between her caregivers and long lost relatives over her 300 million dollar estate.

Curiously she lived as a recluse for the last 20 years of her life in a hospital even though she was in good health.

Money doesn't buy you happiness, nor health, nor friends.

Our hydrangea plant out front is so full of blooms that I am expecting to see the branches snap anytime soon.

This plant was a gift in 2007 when either my father or Mr. HB's father passed away.

When it was finished blooming indoors I popped it in the ground with my fingers crossed that it would take and it has flourished...

a lovely gift that keeps on giving.

Walking along the seafront has been wonderful in all this glorious sunshine.

I wear my hat to keep the sun off my face and pack along a bottle of Perrier as I am surprised how thirsty I get.

I'm so glad that I discovered this amazing almond milk.

I slather it on my arms, legs and feet before I put my socks on for my walks...

it has a subtle fragrance and delivers lots of soothing moisture.

I love all the L'Occitane almond line.

It's a little bit of luxury that is worth cultivating.

A rose posy always cheers me up.

To keep cool I have been wearing dresses.

This cotton one is in it's second season and evaded the clothing cull.

A little bit large and loose is cool when the temperature soars.

I don't know about you but I am really enjoying the fresh seasonal fruit that is available locally.

Topped with a dab of yogurt and it makes a delicious breakfast or dessert. 

Well I must close for now as I need to get outside and water the garden and the planters.

I planted a new jasmine whose fragrance is sweet and exotic and I will hope to train it up our back deck so that we can savour it's scent when we are sitting outside.

Embrace beauty everyday...

Hostess

OOTD a domestic post that rambles on willy nilly...

Many days are spent in The Humble Bungalow flitting about actioning simple domestics.
Now that I am retired I am quite content wearing comfy clothes and padding about barefoot!
The bar has been set very low as there are only the cats to impress...

Skinny jeans, a simple tee top in white are my "in house uniform."

The linen apron is a necessity as I am a messy messy cook.

Love this one by Now Designs.

The flooring in the kicthen is fir and has been patched and repaired and is cool underfoot.

I have an antique rug on the floor by the farmhouse sink as I spend hours doing the washing up.

I love gazing out the window above the sink...

it makes for a lovely opportunity to contemplate all that is good in life.

Trying out new recipes is great fun.

I do so love to cook for company and Mr. HB.

If I lived alone I think I'd dine on salads and eggs exclusively.

I used the Lemon Souffle recipe from the Best of Bridge.

It requires lots of whisking and stirring and that pairs perfectly with a CBC talk show on the radio to keep me company.

I used the trifle crystal bowl as the yellow lemony concoction is so pretty.

I'll be serving this with some chocolate brownies and fresh raspberries for dessert.

We have a small dinner party planned...

Time to wander about and pick some flowers for the house.

Jude the Obscure, my favourite David Austin rose is putting on a good show and there are many blooms to pick.

I love the chartreuse of the Lady's Mantle with the soft peachy yellow roses.

I usually have fresh flowers in the bathroom.

The cats can be quite pesky when it comes to deconstructing the bouquets.

 but they usually avoid those installed in the powder room.

Thank goodness for small mercies.

I picked some fern fronds to pop in this antique claret jug.

No one I know seems to drink claret anymore...

sherry, port and wine seem to be more in favour.

If you look closely at our Humble Bungalow you'll notice that with age comes many imperfections.

 Some parts of our home are looking very tired...scratches, dents, and blemishes and I often cringe when I see them but must accept that they are honest reflections of a 100+ year old home.

If I were to gaze at a 100+ old woman would I focus on her lines and wrinkles or would I see the sparkle in her eyes and the determination and sturdiness with which she carries herself despite the passage of time?

I've been toying with the idea of painting these chairs black.

I love black set against greenery and garden plantings.

These chairs are very worn and have quite a few years left in them so I think a coat of paint might be exactly what they need to see them through the next decade should they survive that long.

What colour would you choose to paint them?

Chester is up to his usual tricks...

a box or a bag left unattended quickly becomes a place to hide!

French classes are finished for the summer and I am reconsidering whether I'll be taking them again in the Fall.

I have discovered that there are classes in conversational French specifically for the traveller in Oak Bay.

I might investigate those and see if they are more to my liking as I have found the other classes a bit daunting.

Wore my pearls the other day with my Chanel "wanna be" jacket when I took Mother out last week.

I do dress up to go out and especially when I take Mother out...

I love this vintage pin with a genuine baroque pearl in the center.

It was a gift from my daughter and it seems to go well with this tweedy fabric.

Whenever I wear it I think of her...

Abkhazi Gardens and a vibrant orange azalea,

 an image from the archives...

Abraham Darby has me thinking orange thoughts...

Hermes signature shade for their boxes.

Alas it's been too warm to wear my Hermes scarves...

or any scarf for that matter.

It's been too hot for Pepper too and she has a fur coat!

It's certainly gin and tonic weather....

a cool refreshing summer drink will find it's way into my hands later this evening.

 after all the domestic chores have been completed...it's thirsty work.

Hostess