More snapshots...OOTD

We are going for a walk along Hollywood Crescent.
It is the street that snakes and curves along the waterfront past Dallas Road.

Ross Bay Beach just across the street from the Ross Bay Cemetery.

This beach is open to the Straits and fierce storms are common in the winter.

The beach is vulnerable to the gale force winds and the crashing waves.

Large rocks were brought in and placed on the beach to help alleviate future storm damage.

There was a serious threat that the road and the graves would be eroded and washed away.

You would never know that this idyllic scene could be whipped up into a boiling frenzy of white caps and rolling waves...the water crashes over the seawall and onto the road.

When there is a storm of this magnitude the road is blocked off.

Logs are thrown high up into the air like match sticks and land "willy-nilly" on the sidewalk.

Driftwood is washed ashore along the beach.

An artist carved this on the roots of a huge log.

Art for all of the beachcombers to enjoy! 

Beach combing on a calm day is very meditative.

The sound of the waves as they greet the shore

the call of the gulls

the gentle salty sea breeze

many interesting stones and logs intertwine in muted shades

stones feature prominently in this garage

look at the "green" roof

this structure has been here as long as I can remember

A fence of flowers...all dahlia blooms.

the stone wall along the boulevard

inside is a large vegetable garden

This enchanting home and garden just oozes charm.

I like to think of it as "Dahlia Cottage."

The couple who live here are often seen tending their garden and flowers.

Geraniums run riot in the Spring and Summer and come Fall the Dahlias are the stars.

I stepped on the scale after the weekend and my heart nearly skipped a beat...

I have to get back on track and count my WW points!

OOTD

Saint James Top

Eileen Fisher Ponte knit pants

two strands of Opera length pearls

Coach loafers

Hope that your week is off to a great start!

Jennifer L. Scott's giveaway...

I have been slow in posting who won Jennifer L. Scott's book.

The reader who commented and was randomly picked is Rosie.

Congratulations!

Thank you to all who left comments and I hope that you will get the opportunity to read Jennifer's newest book.

I will send Jennifer an email when I have your mailing address Rosie.

Please send it to me at bungalowhostess@gmail.com and we will send you an autographed copy of her book.

I'll be back next week with a new post so please come back soon.

Hope that you are enjoying the weekend.

Blogging can be a tonic to what ails you...

There have been so many interesting and beautiful scenes along my walks these past few days.

I think of these images when sitting in the chair at the dentist.
I am not very calm when I am at the dentist, especially when having my teeth drilled and prepped for new crowns...for an hour and a half!
I tense up.

My dentist is a kind and gentle practitioner...he works efficiently and talks me through any procedure.
Thankfully today my visit was short as the permanent crowns were put on and I hope that this will be the last major work that I will need...at least for a long while!

My jaw is sore and the crowns are feeling rather sensitive right now,
so writing a blog post should be a tonic and help take my mind off the discomfort.

An absolutely stunning view looking across Juan De Fuca Strait towards Washington State.

I could sit and stare at this vista for hours

 watching the light on the ocean and the changes in the tide.

Deep blood red Hollyhock blooming in a garden nearby our Humble Bungalow.

I would love to have a few of these tall plants in our garden 

they don't seem to thrive where I have tried planting them...

or maybe our soil is not to their liking.

This pretty pink flower caught my eye...

I am not too sure what type of plant this is so I will settle on "beautiful!"

Ross Bay Cemetery

a great place to wander

heritage trees

busy squirrels

song birds

deer

Emily Carr is buried here and people come by to adorn her grave with flowers and natural offerings.

She was a very prolific artist and quite the eccentric character...

she led a very interesting life and has written books as well as her paintings and pottery.

You can read more about Emily Carr here.

She was an amazing woman and one who was quite independent at a time when women were expected to lead traditional lives that consisted of marriage, motherhood and domesticity.

In my bridge group there are several amazing "older" women...

one woman in particular stands out

I am going to call her M.

M is head and shoulders above most women her age that I have met.

 M is 94 years old. 

(maybe I should say 94 years young!)

M plays an excellent hand of bridge, 

she counts and keeps track of ALL the cards that are laid and played.

M will critique a bid or a response if she knows it was not the best choice.

M freely compliments when a great play is made or a contract is bid and made and especially when making over tricks! 

M dresses in classic clothes and wears beautiful vintage gold jewelry.

M wears several diamond rings on her left hand...

they glitter as she plays.

M sits tall in her chair, has great posture and walks gracefully.

M's eyes sparkle and twinkle and when she smiles her wrinkles all crinkle together!

M shares funny and cute jokes and tells us about her past.

I have a lot of time for M and am eager to learn more about her.

 M is a wonderful and gracious example of how women of a certain age can be

 vibrant, energetic and intelligent.

Do you know any amazing older women?

Please enter the giveaway from the previous post before October 30th.

Good luck!

Polish Your Poise with Madame Chic...a new book giveaway by Jennifer L. Scott.

Jennifer Scott kindly sent me an advanced reading copy of her new book "Polish Your Poise."
I enjoyed reading her other two books "Lessons from Madame Chic "and "At Home with Madame Chic."
If you don't already know Jennifer, she writes the blog The Daily Connoisseur and has You Tube videos online. You can pop over and read her posts on her classic 10 item wardrobe...and she's recently been speaking about the tendency that some people have towards dressing too casually for events like weddings, the theatre and when dining out.

Jennifer is a very wise and talented young woman, married, with two young daughters.
She's busy taking care of her home and family, yet makes time to write for several hours each day...

I brewed a big pot of Lapsang Souchong tea and devoted a couple of relaxing afternoons to her book.
Her thoughts on poise reminded me of my upbringing...
I can recall the same advice being taught by my Mother, and similar thoughts echoed by the elegant and poised woman who led the Saturday afternoon Charm School that I attended!

I think our society has moved away from teaching these lessons...being polite and poised is never out of fashion.
The book would make a nice gift for a young woman just starting out in the workforce...
I can envision a mother giving a copy to her teenage daughter.

Manners, cultivating and developing personal style, being a good neighbour, dressing appropriately, how to handle social media, maintaining an air of mystery, and more topics are discussed in the book.

One thing that I took away from this book is that we have strayed away from the etiquette and manners that were an integral part of my 1950's and 1960's upbringing and that it's never too late to teach these values to the next generation.

Jennifer has graciously offered to send one of my readers a signed copy of her book.

If you are interested in this giveaway please leave a comment.

Please enter by October 30th at midnight PST.

Good luck and I hope that you have a very pleasant week!

Activities ~ Senior Style ~ OOTD

Life is busy... and I'm finding it a bit of a challenge to sit down and blog.
Instagram is quick and easy and I am falling under it's spell.
Time is ticking along quickly...my days are full.
It could be the dental work, Mah Jongg, Bridge lessons and games, the walking, domestics, gardening and lunches out with friends. I am really enjoying meeting new people and exercising my brain cells!
I've joined Goward House, a seniors centre ( 50 years +) that is housed in a heritage home with several acres of woodland walking trails. A wide variety of classes and courses are offered and special interest clubs meet on site.
There is a small tea room set in a lovely room with vast windows overlooking the gardens...
soup, sandwiches, tea, coffee and sweets are reasonably priced, and the tea room is open to the public.
There are wide expansive decks that have tables and chairs which are used in the warmer weather...
weddings are frequently held here in the summer. It's a quiet and peaceful location for a celebration.

I think it is just lovely, such a relaxed atmosphere, antique and comfy furniture, beautiful artwork hangs on the walls, fresh flowers in vases, it feels like you are in the home of a good friend.

We purchased a beauty berry bush last weekend and planted several dozen purple allium bulbs around it's base...we plan to add a bunch of black mondo grass in the same bed.

Purple and Black sound like a interesting pairing.

I spied this super hero on my walk in our neighbourhood.

I wondered if it was making a statement and if so what was the message?

It's probably some one's idea of "garden art."

Moss covered rocks seen on Moss Street!

Creepy spiders are lurking in the trees....

Ghosts

Yikes!

Halloween decorations are more popular than they have been in the past.

We live in an area with good schools that offer French Immersion and so there are a lot of families with young children.

I'm reading this book right now and it's an easy and entertaining story.

If you liked The 100 year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared,

 I think you'll enjoy this one too.

I've used up all my old lotions and potions and have switched up my skincare regime.

Andalou Naturals 1000 Roses for Sensitive skin.

An organic and cruelty free line.

I love the rose scent of all the products.

It's scent lingers long after you put it on...

(some people would not like to smell like a rose)

I'm new to eye gel and find this product has helped plump up and fills in the fine lines.

The exfoliator is gentle and does it's job without causing irritation or redness.

The oil is great for cuticles, hair and after shaving.

The Heavenly Night Time Moisturizer is so rich and soothing...I use it for daytime as my skin is super dry.

I'm going to invest in their serum for winter as my skin usually gets drier and needs more moisture.

I draped this Hermes scarf around my neck...

for the afternoon of Bridge.

Blue top  ~ Style My Way

Black denim jeans  ~ g21

Black loafers  ~ Coach

Sitting playing Mah Jongg or Bridge there are lulls in the game where you notice what the other players are wearing...

rings, necklaces, bracelets and scarves.

"Any opportunity to adorn oneself is human, and accessories are an easy way to do it."

~ Marc Jacobs ~