Feather your Nest Friday, 4th December. 2020.
It was a lovely week! We were blessed with mild weather and I was able to stay home mostly and just get things done. This includes most of my Christmas wrapping and my tree is up! I feel I got a little ahead and was able to do some sewing in the afternoons. It was so nice!
My first Lilies are out. Wendy gave me bulbs and I have so many buds and the first few out.
Because of the sudden lockdown recently I got busy making more masks to top up my supply.
Later I packaged them up in cellophane bags.
I made a baking dish Christmas cake which was my usual recipe doubled. This was inspired by Stephanie in The Tuesday Afternoon Club who instead of making lots of small cakes she makes a huge one and slices it into smaller ones.
I will have to show how this worked out next week as I am still working on them but I got nine small cakes. They will all be gifts. The recipe is back on the old blog Christmas Cake. I have been making this for years and years.
I also made Coffee Liqueur. Some is still maturing and I will bottle it up for more gifts.
Another project took a long time! I had some Fiddle Leaf Fig trees that outgrew the house then out grew the patio. I read that you can propagate them. I took to them and cut them up and left long stems in water for a few months. Sure enough they grew roots. Now I have a dozen new plants! This is one in its new pot...
These are ridiculously expensive in nurseries and florists. And all you need is a cutting! I have enough I can pot some up as gifts also.
My kitchen has been scented with roses drying and rose petals in a bowl. Even faded and drying they are still beautiful.
I have to say this week went well and I am using Laine's methods of setting a timer, going fast and aiming to get on to other things I have been wanting to do. This has worked and I got many more hours to sew and create. Also a cooler week makes the garden work quicker and easier. So I took full advantage of that.
This week I made a batch of yoghurt. I submerged chicken pies in it for the day then in the evening I took each bit out and dunked it into gluten free bread crumbs. Into the air frier they went. This is the simplest thing and is beautiful every time!
I made two chocolate cakes. One of those went to Chloe and Luke to help with work lunches.
In the garden I added some Potash and planted another 12 tomato plants. My first tomato plants have lots of tomatoes but still green. It won't be long!
We have new covid rules. There is a lot going on everywhere I look. I mean world wide not just our state. It seems to me like a straight out battle of good vs evil. I personally have never known so many stories of hardship and worry. This week I have done better than usual. We can be busy and watchful and pray at the same time. I sing a lot. I cannot sing to save myself but I don't care. I sing to the dog and the cows and the lambs. I sing stupid words to tunes I know because I forget how it really goes.
We can have joy in our hearts and we know how things turn out in the end! And it is Christmas. We can make some Christmas miracles happen and enjoy the planning!
How did you build up your home this week? I love to hear. xxx
Oh my goodness that cake looks yummy.
ReplyDeleteSo glad to hear you say you sing silly songs to your animals. It is me and the cats and I do that all the time. Familiar tunes and made up words!! LOL Thought maybe I was going a bit loco!
Have a great weekend.
Dear Cheryl, Thank you. I got the cake cut up and decorated and it gave me nine little gifts. I am glad I am not the only loco one! With love Annabel.xxx
DeleteI love that you sing to the cows! Yesterday the kids and I had to go out and I brought an old cd along and we had a fun time in the car singing at the top of our lungs. I am a terrible singer, but it just added to the fun since my older girls can all harmonize with each other, then there’s me, just shrieking along, haha. Your week sounds like it was nice, I hope next week is too!
ReplyDeleteDear Just got to eat... Well that sounds lovely and also that you have bigger girls that harmonize. These fun family times are worth a lot. Being silly is good too. A lot of our good memories are about laughing so hard you can barely stand or your face hurts from luging too much. Pure joy! You have a very good new week too. With love Annabel.xxx
DeleteDear Annabel,
ReplyDeleteThat cake looks delicious. Sadly, the cases are still rising in the U S. I am well prepared if we should have to go to lockdown. Two states did the last couple of days. I made a quick store run to pick up a few perishables . Already have all the fixings for Christmas dinner. The odd thing is scaling back the baking to almost nothing because there we be no family over to share it with and wee can't eat dozens of cookies ourselves and mailing them isn't practical or thrifty since postage is expensive.
My dear friend was diagnosed with Covid just before Thanksgiving. We haven't seen each other this entire year which has been sad. Blessedly, she is already on the way out of the woods. Her only concern is that she will not be allowed to return to work at the school for a month. I will be sending a Christmas package to her regardless. Blessings, Laura
I agree about singing. I love to sing and now is the perfect time to sing all the Christmas carols as we work.
Thank you so much. I am keeping track as much as I can of news in the US. I saw some states in lockdowns as Laine is in one of them. Christmas is a giant modification for most of us. But we are determined to still make it special and celebrate what is truly important. And we need that Christmas feeling!
DeleteI am glad your friend is going well. It would be lovely to send your friend a parcel. That is a hard time for her. Laura keep singing. We can have happiness in our hearts and if we keep our spirits up this helps us keep other peoples spirits up too! With love Annabel.xxx
Hi! I love that you sing! Years ago when I was in band in school, of course we were given music I had never heard before with no words. I played the trumpet so obviously couldn't sing, but I always made up words to go with the music. It was so much easier for me to learn the music and keep the rythym with words in my head. As I grew older and from time to time heard the real words with the music, I was sometimes surprised and thought "that's not the way that song goes" or "that's not the way I learned it." Then I would laugh as I realized my way was the wrong way and I was hearing the real way for the first time. And for what's it's worth, sometimes I like my own way better. LOL!
ReplyDeleteDear Linda,
DeleteThis is funny as I make up dumb rhymes to remember things like peoples names. It helps!
It seems hard to not be happy when singing. I think we have to consciously try to be happy and content. Everyone has been stressed. This builds up over time too. So now is time to sing Christmas carols! With love Annabel.xxx
Singing certainly is good for the soul, and your spirits! Everything looks so good Annabel. How long do you bake such a large cake and at what temperature? I would be worried about it not cooking to the middle.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a little girl I used to watch my mother preparing her Christmas cake tins. She would grease and line them with grease proof paper first, then she wrapped brown parcel paper around the outside of the tins, nice and tall to protect the top of the cake, and finally she stood the tins on a baking tray full of cooking salt to insulate the bottoms. I think she cooked them for several hours , at a very low temperature, but I can’t remember the details now.
I am dehydrating some citrus fruit slices, and some roses over the wood stove, and enjoying some rather challenging knitting for a change! Our first really settling snow has arrived, it helps with the light levels in the daytime, which is about 6 hours only now.
Dear Gill!
DeleteIt sounds lovely that your settling snow helps with your levels of light!
The picture you paint of citrus and roses drying by a winter fire, and of you knitting contentedly, is a beautiful one!
Rachel
Dear Gill,
DeleteThe really large cake is not terrible thick in the middle. I guess two inches. Some cakes when they are in a really deep dish these can take a long time to be ready in the middle. Once I added icing they were good. So this kept it to about two hours on a family slow oven..
My Nan and Mum prepared the cakes as yours did. Not going too dark on top is important. Insulation I think is good. I do several layers of non stick baking paper.
I have never experienced a short day ldaylight wise as you do. I imagine it being cozy inside and the fire going would be lovely and the snow sounds so pretty. Have a good new week Gill. With love Annabel.xxx
Dear Everyone!
ReplyDeleteI do believe that singing is a key for hard times! Can we think of songs about times of basics that just make us smile?!
Combine music with scripture, and we have real treasure!
I like it when I know that everything has been placed into the Almighty’s hands, that He is all that we have, even when it means being pruned back well, and seeking our great Shepherd and His ways afresh. Hard times are a gift.
Rachel
Dear Rachel,
DeleteSinging is a good way to get verses into your heart and think on them. And words come back to you even years later. I hope it will be a good week for you. We have rain here so that is a big gift right now! With love, Annabel.xxx
Your lilies are just beautiful and pink is my favorite color for flowers. I am hand sewing binding on a quilt for grandson for Christmas and trying to get Christmas cards ready to send out. Kitchen duties have gotten neglected. Thank you for another encouraging blog. Nancy
ReplyDeleteDear Nancy,
DeleteI just love pink flowers too. The quilt will be a beautiful gift. I hope you are on track with that and your cards. Yes other things have to wait sometimes! Have a good new week. With love, Annabel.xxx
Hello lovely Annabel and Bluebirds,
ReplyDeleteLife at Kalahari Homestead is busy.
My beautiful veggie garden has been smashed by heat for days! Up to 40deg and lots of hot wind. I could cry to see all my beautiful produce
and hard work ruined.
My tomatoes have Blossom Rot and I feel like I’m waging a war against the insects, rats and mice that are eating my veggies. Two rats were found to be eating my corn and my spinach is full of holes. Even my strawberries have withered in the extreme heat. No amount of watering morning and night can help. Hubby’s going to put up two big shade sails once he feels up to it with his bad back.
So I just keep picking our zucchini- now there’s a fantastic cropper. I’ve eaten as much as I can, given away loads, dehydrated and shredded so much to freeze in 2 cup lots.
Zucchini bread and slice and pickles are next to be made.
I did manage to save a good amount of beans and blanched and froze. They were so delicious steamed with our meals as well.
I have successfully mastered the dehydrator! I’ve done celery, silverbeet and leeks I grew. I can’t wait to use them in winter cooking.
I’m still adding to my pantry each fortnight shopping and being frugal with the mfood I have in fridge by using up every bit I can.
I check my dockets every time I shop and the last two were incorrect.
Woolies charged me $11 for an $8 cheese and $4.70 for disposable gloves that were $3.50
So I had my money refunded and the two products to use for free. It really pays to check your docket.
I happily shared my abundance of eggs, 5dozen and zucchini with 2 friends which was much appreciated.
My friend gifted me a jar of delicious mustard pickles.
I have been busy making handmade Christmas cards for the special people in our lives, finally getting my card mojo back.
Have a happy and fruitful week everyone.
Love your posts, as always Annabel. They are the highlight of my week, hugs Lorraine OOO
Hello lovely Annabel and Bluebirds,
ReplyDeleteLife at Kalahari Homestead is busy.
My beautiful veggie garden has been smashed by heat for days! Up to 40deg and lots of hot wind. I could cry to see all my beautiful produce
and hard work ruined.
My tomatoes have Blossom Rot and I feel like I’m waging a war against the insects, rats and mice that are eating my veggies. Two rats were found to be eating my corn and my spinach is full of holes. Even my strawberries have withered in the extreme heat. No amount of watering morning and night can help. Hubby’s going to put up two big shade sails once he feels up to it with his bad back.
So I just keep picking our zucchini- now there’s a fantastic cropper. I’ve eaten as much as I can, given away loads, dehydrated and shredded so much to freeze in 2 cup lots.
Zucchini bread and slice and pickles are next to be made.
I did manage to save a good amount of beans and blanched and froze. They were so delicious steamed with our meals as well.
I have successfully mastered the dehydrator! I’ve done celery, silverbeet and leeks I grew. I can’t wait to use them in winter cooking.
I’m still adding to my pantry each fortnight shopping and being frugal with the mfood I have in fridge by using up every bit I can.
I check my dockets every time I shop and the last two were incorrect.
Woolies charged me $11 for an $8 cheese and $4.70 for disposable gloves that were $3.50
So I had my money refunded and the two products to use for free. It really pays to check your docket.
I happily shared my abundance of eggs, 5dozen and zucchini with 2 friends which was much appreciated.
My friend gifted me a jar of delicious mustard pickles.
I have been busy making handmade Christmas cards for the special people in our lives, finally getting my card mojo back.
Have a happy and fruitful week everyone.
Love your posts, as always Annabel. They are the highlight of my week, hugs Lorraine OOO
Dear Lorraine, I really feel for you. When it is both hot and windy it is a nightmare. Also we are both relatively new in our locations. Tania at Outback Tania has some good systems for extreme heat and many ideas. I am probably going to face days like you have here. Some of my garden will suffer. I hate days like those!
DeleteIt is fantastic how you are using your dehydrator. I am also really loving what can be dehydrated. And how space wise this is! It is great about the eggs and zucchini. And checking your dockets! This is a good reminder.
Now I hope you can conquer those rats. Sometimes we really have the elements to battle.I do need more shade that can withstand wind. Just now we have rain so I have a reprieve!
Have a very good new week. With love, Annabel.xxx
I love that you sing to your animals. I have long and drawn out conversations with Miss Cobber Dog. Bluey thinks it's hilarious as he hears me ask her questions and then discuss her silent answers. I have solved many an issue with Cobber's help.
ReplyDeleteIt has been really hot, humid and often smokey here. Today the strong winds are blowing away from town. This is great for us but not for Fraser Island. The fires have been going for 8 weeks now, and 50% of this beautiful World Heritage listed Island has been burnt out. I so hope that it can come back from this. The winds today would be whipping up the fires.
I have been on a clean it up and clear it out drive this week. The laundry, which is only small, was so overloaded with so much it was untidy and beginning to be a trip hazard for Bluey. It is now cleaned out with all cupboards gone through. I had dishwashing liquid on the blackboard shopping list but have now removed it. I have 5L of dishwashing liquid concentrate, that was sitting in the back of the laundry cupboard. Whoops.
The guest room had become a dump zone. I had taken everything out of the wardrobe/present cupboard, when I was going through all the gifts that I had made over the year. I was able to package up everything and get what needed posting done. However I hadnt put anything back or tidied anything up. If we had someone turn up, a common event here, I would have a huge amount of cleaning up to do before they could get to the bed. That has all changed. A bit of rearranging has seen a mobile air con installed and the space can now be cooled down quickly. The bed looks great, being all clear of clutter.
I have been doing the washing for an elderly neighbour. He has been quite unwell lately and just doesnt have the strength to lift the heavier items, like wet sheets and towels, up to peg on the line. Bluey has been doing his shopping. Sam knows I use Brandy in my Christmas Puddings as I always make him a small one. He gifted me a bottle of home brewed Brandy as a thank you for us helping him out.
This afternoon I plan on going into the sewing room and turning the air con on. I dont know what I will be working on just yet, only that I want to be nice and cool whilst I do it.
Stay safe and cool and enjoy belting out your tunes for your animals.
Life is sweaty good.
Dear Jane, Scout patiently listens to some pretty interesting conversations with me. She knows a lot of words. This is to the extent we have to spell some things haha!
DeleteI cannot believe that fire is still going. Now I have heard 60% is gone, if that is right. Wind won't help at all.
You are lovely helping your neighbour and he obviously appreciates it very much.
Well done on the guest room! My spare bed is covered in wrapped presents. Hopefully I will get it back in order soon though.
You did a great job on the laundry. You had a very busy week all up!
I really hope the fire and smoke subside. I am glad you get work inside and give your lungs a break. With much love, Annabel.xxx
Annabel you have had such a productive week with all your lovely sewing, decorating, baking, gardening, saving and drying rose petals and making coffee liquor too.
ReplyDeleteI so agree that Laine's setting a timer way of doing things is working for us too as DH can only work in no more than 30 minute increments while he is recovering and then he has to take a break. So we plan ahead on what we can do in the way of jobs both in the home and outside in the gardens too. I must say it is amazing what we can accomplish in half an hour.
Our Vicky challenge added up to $93.38 in savings last week :) .
Earnings -
- DH and I earned $80 for a gardening job.
In the kitchen -
- Cooked all meals from scratch.
- Made 2 loaves of bread in our bread making machine saving $5.18 over purchasing them locally.
Purchases -
- Bought 12 x 250g blocks of Philadelphia cream cheese on half price special and coupled $10 off rewards dollars we had on our card for buying normal groceries saving $38.20 on usual prices.
- Purchased a brand new demo model vacuum cleaner saving $50 on usual prices to replace our vacuum cleaner that died. Got to say that the vacuums with the power heads and turbo upholstery brushes work so much better in getting up the dirt/cat hair off carpets and lounge covers too.
Hope everyone has a wonderfully productive week this week :) .
Sewingcreations15 (Lorna).
Dear Lorna,
DeleteI think if DH can do 30 mins at a time he is doing really well! I know how 15 minute sets get so much done so 30 minutes is great. He may not feel he is doing well but he is. Major surgery takes a lot of recovery. General aesthetics do too just in themselves.
It is great about the new vacuum. A good one is fantastic. It sounds like it is doing a wonderful job for you.
You had good grocery savings and well done on the gardening job!
I hope the new week will be a good one for you both. With love, Annabel.xxx
Hi Annabel
ReplyDeleteWell what a week it has been and let me tell you I have never been more grateful than being fairly prepared.
I had an appointment with a surgeon for what my dentist assumed to be something, only to have the surgeon look at my scans and say "no I think it is your wisdom tooth and it is possibly infected and I can operate on you in a few hours" as I had not eaten since breakfast. So a pile of paperwork to fill in, organise DD10 to be picked up from school and organise for DP to come home from work as I needed a carer for at least 24 hours. The pre made meals were great for DD10 but as I don't usually eat ice cream and custard (being a diabetic) these had to be store bought. Let's just say I am over both of these now. So my week was spent mainly on the lounge watching Christmas movies....I am wondering if someone was trying to tell me I needed to slow down. I only ventured out again yesterday to pick up a few gift cards whilst DP was with me.
Three days left of school and during the night DD10 decided it was the perfect time to come down with a head cold, so home on the lounge watching TV as there is no school work for her to do as today is their Christmas party.
Your Christmas cake looks delicious. We are heading home for Christmas so my Sister in law will be making her pudding this year. Between my DNiece 22 and DD10 I am constantly reminded how long it is before we set off on our journey.
As today was my day to wrap presents for DD10 I will now go instead and wrap presents for others. Our Elf on the shelf is in quarantine as we don't need him getting sick at Christmas . Our tree is up but is only the small one this year as we will not be here to enjoy the big tree.
Hope everyone has a wonderful week
Take Care
Aly xxx
Dear Aly,
DeleteSounds like there is a lot of excitement building. Ten years old is still a lovely age for Christmas. So exciting! I am sorry about your tooth. An infection is dreadful. And makes you so ill. So I am glad it was attended to really quickly. But yuk! Yes rest is needed after something like this. I hope you are feeling heaps better now.
I hope too you got the presents wrapped! With love Annabel.xxx
Maxine in IdahoUSA here--I guess I am signed out.
ReplyDeleteI suffered with clinical depression for about 15 years before it went away overnight just before Christmas last year. (That's the power of prayer!) Everyone can tell I'm having a good day when I'm singing the chorus to "I Got the Sun in the Morning" from the old Irving Berlin musical Annie Get Your Gun.
Got no diamond, got no pearl
Still I think I'm a lucky girl
I've got the sun in the morning and the moon at night
It's a snappy tune and I usually do a little dance, too! I'm sure you can find a recorded version and listen online. If this doesn't make you happy, there's something wrong with you, LOL.
We just found out that the person we spent the day with on Friday now has a severe cough and congestion. She was fine when we saw her, and she stays close to home. She's getting tested for Covid tomorrow. We are quarantining at least until she finds out. We are both in our mid-70s and my husband is diabetic. (I probably won't be singing much until she gets her results).
God bless you, Maxine. I'm so happy for you that the depression has let up! I pray you continue to be free of it. How cute you sing your tune and kick up your heels :)
DeleteMary/San Diego
Dear Maxine,
DeleteI love those old movies and songs! I am so happy that you came out of the depression. I have suffered a few times. Even now in Winter I get into the vitamin D and need to be outside a lot. (our winter lets this happen!) I hope your friend didn't have covid! With love, Annabel.xxx
What a beautiful color your lily is! I can imagine you singing to your animals - what a sweet thought.
ReplyDeleteWe've been having high winds here in the Southland; they blow in stuff that really messes with my sinuses and eyes...don't.want.to.get.sick! Our friend with covid had to enter the hospital as her blood pressure was high, as was her fever (104+) and her oxygen saturation low. She missed going to her son's college graduation. Praying for all of us!! Including Fraser Island occupants. I didn't know there was a fire there, again! 🙏🏻 I did get our Christmas cards done and mailed out - it was fun...even made Christmas-y address labels :). I wrapped a few of Mike's presents yesterday while he was at work. His b-day is Christmas Eve, so I'm looking for making his day special, too. Can't do much in the way of sweets as he has diabetes and I don't need the sugar either. I do miss baking :(
Oh, well - so much to be thankful for. Mike got all the Xmas dex down for me (from the rafters in the garage) and I've been bringing in pieces, little by little. He put up the lights outside....our neighborhood is looking festive.
I've been fighting depression, too. Changed my med for anxiety/depression over the Summer and it takes a while for it to do it's thing. I can really feel the prayers that have been going up, though, thankfully.
The fig tree is just beautiful, clever you!! And your Christmas tree is lovely✨🎄✨
You're so right about the battle between good and evil going on....we are praying our hearts out about the election, etc. The contrast between the love and gratefulness we feel for our President and the hatred of the left is just unbelievable. I remind myself that the battle belongs to the Lord and He is in control...
You're an amazing gift-giver; I love all your ideas and makings! Lord bless you and your family and animals, Annabel❤️
Mary in San Diego
Dear Mary,
DeleteWind is just nasty, messy and unsettling. Hot and windy here is our worst weather and most dangerous.
I hope your friend is doing better. It is awful she had to miss her sons graduation. 2020 is the year that keeps on giving eek.
Mary I am still praying and following the news. It is actually like a political thriller type movie only more far fetched!
I hope you have had a good week. We have to think on good things, keep going and pray! I know you are doing all of these! With love Annabel.xxx