Beautiful pops of colour on my radar...

 

~ Camas ~

My husband and I ventured out to Playfair Park 

to have a peek at the gorgeous Native Plants that are in full bloom.

Fawn lilies, Shooting Stars and Camas

absolutely stunning!

A meadow of blue Camas under the canopy of The Garry Oaks.

My ankle injury is slowly improving...

I think it is what Google says is a grade 2 sprain.

Torn ligaments on the outer side of the ankle.

Estimated Recovery Time 

3-6 weeks

Wearing the compression brace which really helps and not going for long walks.

Having said that...I am slowly increasing the number of steps that I do in a day.

Yesterday it was almost 6,000.

Met with friends for Tea at the Union Club.

We spent a few blissful hours sipping bubbly, tea and treats.

Such a beautiful spot, views over the Inner Harbour...

great food and superb service.

In other news... I have been replacing lipsticks...

nothing like a fresh pop of colour to lift the spirit.

~ Rouge de Germain ~

Red is my go to colour for lipstick...

when I was in Paris the first time in 2015 I stayed in the Saint Germain area.

The chic Parisian women walking in the neighbourhood all wore red lipstick.

Not wasting any time, despite being jet lagged, I high tailed it to

the nearest Monoprix!

There I discovered a fabulous selection of red lipsticks...

 so dear reader I bought one!

Paris holds a very special place in my heart.

I went back again in 2019 and who knows...perhaps I will return :-))

My make-up bag was falling apart so I purchased a new one...

instead of a vinyl one, like my old bag, I chose fabric which I much prefer.

While at the Pharmasave in Oak Bay I bought 2 new lipsticks.

I am test driving a pink shade...

Softsilver Rose

These Revlon lippies are very creamy and go on easily and last!

They were also on sale, which was rather fortunate timing.

I finished knitting The Easy Goes It scarf...

worn here with my old red lipstick...

will be much better with the new rose pink shade.

New fragrance...Honey Tobacco

locally made here in Victoria.

I am enjoying this new scent very much...

body wash, cologne and other honey tobacco are available on their website.

I took a bag of clothes to the Salvation Army and then had a quick browse.

Oh my goodness...I couldn't believe my luck!

I have a Burberry scarf that my husband gave me, maybe 15 years ago. that I love.

It is the traditional beige and wine plaid colourway...

it goes with my quilted Burberry jacket.

The new to me scarf will pair well with my black coats!

New silk skirt from House Of Savoy on Oak Bay Avenue.

Made by San Tropez

This will be a fun skirt for summertime.

Love the texture...

I am thinking of outfits based on the skirt...

 a simple white top, my distressed vintage jean jacket and white sneakers

Dressy black tank top, white shawl and my white bow toed Bueno sandals.

Oh and my BIG pearls!

I love a versatile garment!

Do you like thrift shopping?

Consignment?

What is new with you?

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Week of Fun!

My husband and I hopped on a small BC Ferry and went to Salt Spring Island.

Weekdays Monday through Thursday seniors travel for free.

We only had to pay for the car...so an inexpensive day to travel.

There are numerous galleries, gift, clothing and thrift shops.

In the summer on Saturday, they have a huge open air Market.

I found this soft Gap top at the thrift shop behind the Ganges Pharmasave.

They carry a wide variety of clothing and accessories.

Their vintage and boutique rack was amazing!

Most of the items were in small sizes.

After I went to Pod Contemporary, a favourite of mine...

I love their clothing and some of it is quite expensive.

Very carefully curated and the displays are wonderful.

It was very busy when I visited.

Lots of women having fun shopping.

A basic white tee top.

Nubby texture and a great looser style that flatters amd skims my midsection.

We had lunch at Moby's pub with a view of Ganges Harbour.

My salad was enormous! 

I managed to eat the chicken, avocado and maybe half of the greens.

Hubby had a rich short rib ramen dish...

I had a wee nibble and WOW!

So good.

We really enjoy avocados...

they have been on sale lately at the Root Cellar in the Cook Street Village shop.

For a quick lunch 

I will make avocado toast using the homemade sourdough bread that I make weekly.

I drizzle the avocado with some Worcestershire sauce 

top it off with a fresh grind of Pink Himalayan salt.

Nutritious, delicious with high fibre and healthy heart fats.

Do you like avocados?

I made a "bowl" of food for lunch.

It could have been healthier if I had served brown rice or quinoa...

I love these "bowls" of food that local restaurants are serving.

My grandmother used to put out a variety of things for lunches at her home.

Cut up fresh fruits, veggies, cheese, pickles, sliced meats

served with her freshly baked homemade bread.

I loved the smell of her kitchen...

bread baking, soups or stews simmering on the stove.

Such fond memories...

Went for a walk at Butchart Gardens with my BFF.

She brings her dog and we have a look at all the new flowers and enjoy a coffee or tea on the patio after our walk.

Love these double daffodils (Narcissus)

must try to get bulbs in the fall when the shops still have some in stock!

In other news..

Feeling encouraged that my hair is growing longer 

I want to put it up for aqua fit class so it doesn't keep falling into my eyes!

Most of the participants wear updos or have short haircuts.

With a minimalist wardrobe I rely on accessories.

Here I am wearing a whisper thin huge scarf (sarong size)

Folded it into a triangle wrapped it around my neck front to back

brought the ends in front

tied them underneath the front of the scarf.

Simple and it adds colour and interest to my old vintage faded denim shirt.

Pearls help to elevate the look...

wearing Michael Kors black pants.

New from Marshalls...tag said retail was $165 and I paid $49.99

They have a texture and gold button details at an angle near the waist and hips.

They are so comfy and way nicer than my old Yoga pants!

Am reading The Best Laid Plans by Terry Fallis.

He writes with a lot of humour.

I have read two of his books and can recommend them.

My week hit a snag on Sunday when we went to the beach at Cordova Bay.

 We parked and tried a new beach access...

it went sideways in a heartbeat.

The bottom of the concrete steps said BIG DROP.

I looked and thought I would step down slowly and carefully...

well I twisted my ankle and fell on the rocks!

I heard a snap.

People nearby came to help.

(I was so embarrassed)

I have twisted my ankle and am hobbling.

I thought it may have been broken but it appears to be a snapped ligament.

I am taking it easy and avoiding stairs.

Have been able to cook and bake as it only involves standing for short periods of time.

Knit a cotton dishcloth and am reading my book.

Feeling like a prize idiot...

thinking I was a younger agile girl instead of an aging senior lady.

Well I have learned a valuable lesson.

Thankful that my injuries were not worse.

So tell me, have you had any mishaps lately?

How have you handled them?

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog!

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Wardrobe Basics ~ A symphony in Black and White, a recipe and our Star Magnolia

 

Our Star Magnolia

is

blooming out front of The Humble Bungalow.

I love the elegant waxy white flowers.

They emerge from fuzzy cocoons...

if you look closely you can see one as it is about to pop.

The tree was planted many years ago and has grown quite slowly.

It is in the middle of a bed and makes a bold statement.

My linen skirt has an asymmetrical detail that makes it more interesting...

I like a flounce and it sways as I walk.

I can dress it up or wear it simply 

with a casual white top and my distressed denim jacket.

I actually wear it with my white "trainers" or tennis shoes and lacy white socks.

The length is longer on me so I don't feel I NEED to wear capri tights.

My legs are not at their best...they have scars and marks which I try to hide.

One cannot live to 69 and still have pristine unblemished skin.

This white blouse is a favourite of mine.

I love the texture and the fabric is pure white.

The shape is forgiving especially for my mid section 

which is where I now carry most of my weight.

Nice detail on the cuffs.

I wear this with black Eileen Fisher pants, and often with casual denim jeans.

The Big Baroque Pearls add an interesting touch.

I feel so much more "dressed up" with pearls.

Black and white wardrobe basics are so easy...

I can get dressed for almost any occasion and have a lot of mix and match options.

Recently I found a lovely Saint James black sweater which has a good structure.

I purchased it second hand for a fraction of the original price.

It is almost like a sweater jacket...

Saint James make lovely clothing...I visited one of their stores in Aix en Provence.

I have my sourdough boule baking in the oven as I write this blogpost.

The kitchen smells wonderful...

I just finished making Hamburger Soup.

It is a recipe that I have been making for many decades...

I used to make a big batch and freeze it in containers for my lunches when I worked in the schools.

We had a bowl for our lunch today with a couple of small pieces of sourdough toast.

I try to make soups once a week...

the soups is quick to heat up and works well on my aqua fit days.

I arrive home hungry and my husband has soup and toast ready when I get home.

Do you like to make soup?

Have you tried making sourdough bread?

I got my starter from a good friend and I have given batches of it to many people...

she has shared hers with many others as well!

We both use the recipes on Alexandra Bakes.

I have recently discovered Farmhouse on Boone and am enjoying Lisa Bass's site.

She lives on a large farm and has 8 children!

I wear a vintage rhinestone brooch on my wool beret and other hats.

Wearing vintage pins are a bit of a habit of mine. 

I don't seem to find many but I always look!!

Do you enjoy thrifting?

Thank you for popping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

I appreciate your comments and invite you to share your thoughts.

Take care and until next time...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Dinners In and out ~ OOTD...

I bought this simple black Eileen Fisher dress a few years ago...

it has become a real workhorse in my wardrobe.

I have worn it with a white long sleeved top underneath

tights and black Chelsea Boots.

Last night I wore it as it is and added a soft wool Petrusse scarf as a shawl.

This is a surprisingly warm scarf despite it being rather sheer.

I received this in one of the My French Country Boxes from France.

It has had a few years of use and still looks new.

I thought about wearing my Ferragamo shoes 

but in the end I decided I should test drive the new Coach loafers.

I wore sheer black hose for the first time in ages...

fortunately I have a few new packages in my drawer.

I added the vintage rhinestone bracelet and wore my simple princess cut diamond necklace and studs.

It felt strange not wearing my pearls 

I thought that I should keep it simple when adding the BLING.

We had a delicious dinner at Zambri's our favourite Italian restaurant.

I forgot to capture our appetizers, main course but here is dessert!

Passionfruit Panna Cotta

so delicious!

We had a lovely evening out and it was such a treat.

On Friday evening we hosted a small dinner party here in The Humble Bungalow.

The table is set and ready for the guests.

Appetizers ~ cheese plate with Olives, pickles, antipasto and candied salmon with assorted crackers in the living room in front of the fireplace.

The main course ~ Beef Daube, mashed potatoes and green beans.

Dessert ~ large brownies topped with fresh raspberries.

I wanted to host a casual dinner before everyone got busy with the seasonal events.

Have you noticed that people are out in droves buying Christmas presents?

I too am trying to get my shopping done early.

I need time to bake some cookies and the annual Christmas Tourtieres.

Hope that you are all staying healthy...

I have heard that the viruses are making the rounds.

One of my friends has been hospitalized and she's been in for a week and only now starting to feel better.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

A quick post ~ Sunday

 

~ Shopping ~

My Play day involved a purchase...

Marshall's dressing rooms are quite small...

there are many of them so one never really needs to wait to get inside.

I had a good look around the store and found 

only 2 items that I was interested enough to try on.

~ Casual OOTD ~

I am wearing my Lands End denim shirt and some black Yoga pants.

The barn coat is Ralph Lauren and was recently found here at Marshall's.

Warm Hoodie to wear to and from my aqua fit classes at the pool.

I feel cold after I have been exercising for the hour in the water.

I have a shower and slather on body lotion then get dressed.

It is a herringbone pattern in my favourite color combo!

So soft, very cozy feels so warm.

Rachel Zoe

Pocket detail

Nice hood and there are snap details on the cuffs as well.

I've got the family coming for dinner tonight so I am going to be busy in the kitchen getting ready...hence the short post.

On the menu...

"Stringy Beef" Roast

Scalloped potatoes

Carrots

Broccoli Wild Rice Casserole

Peas

Blueberry Pie and ice cream for dessert

Must get cooking!

Bye for now...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~