Feather your Nest Friday, 2nd July, 2021.

I have taken a break to look back over the week for years now.  I am so glad of it.  Sometimes so much is going on it is just good to consider how you are doing, what you achieved and where things are headed. 

This week Australia was a mess with Covid to the point that the leading medical advisors appeared on TV and totally contradicted each other.   Some said do get this vaccine and other said don't.  The Prime Minister ended up saying to believe who you think to.   Marvellous.   I say do your own research.   I would not trust any of this lot anymore!  With all this there were many empty shelves and travel, businesses and pretty much everything impacted in some way.   The upside is people who keep a well stocked pantry are not considered nuts anymore!  

Some of the ways I built up the home and pantry were:

I added wheelbarrows of hay into the hen house.  We had a lovely fine day and I did many trips up to the hay shed with the barrow and filled it up. as much as would fit without falling off!    Then down the hill with the full load to a new destination each time.  The cows got some.  The baby goats had their little shed filled up.  That was a circus as they goats hopped in the wheel barrow and I would empty them and some hay out and turn around and they were in there again.  I wish I had photos!    I will try and get baby goat photos for next week.    Teddy had his shed topped up,  Eddie (the goat) had some,  the chickens nesting boxes were topped up.   I found a nice old wooden box and created an extra nest with that.   Earlier today when I collected the eggs I thought no one had laid.    Then I checked the new box.  Every single egg was in there!  I guess they liked it!   That night I had achy legs and I realised how many times I walked up and down that hill.

While messing around in the hen house I caught my Wyandotte rooster. He was one of my free/traded for roosters.   Now he is in a smaller hen house with a Wyandotte hen.  Progress!  


During the day they can free range which they love.  I would love chicks from these two. 

We worked more on the chicken run.   The door is in so I can open and close it to let the grass re grow.

I made a couple of dozen sausage rolls.  These were shared around and some added to the freezer. 


The lambs have grown.  They are beautiful to watch as they play and sun bake when the sun is out. 


And we had another lamb arrive!   So now we have three.   


It amazes me as in the morning there was no new lamb.  In the afternoon it was running around the paddock.  By the next day it was playing with the other two. 

One more ewe is still due.  She is huge so it must be soon! 

Teddy is doing really well.  He runs around a lot with boundless energy.  


It's very satisfying seeing him fill out and be so strong.   The big cows come up to the fence to talk to him.

They know now about baskets and they just expect a basket is going to contain apples.   I usually hand feed them one apple at a time.   The other day I was feeling like "what the heck help yourselves." 




We had rain and I think the rest of today and the weekend will be rainy too which is really good for us.

At the store I found a good deal on frozen Turkey.  So we are having a roast dinner tonight and I will do extra veggies and gravy and plate up two more roasts for Sunday night.

Mum gave me lots of lemons.   

I made a couple of oranges I picked at Lucy's place into a gluten free cake.  This was so nice.



I am trying to resurrect my embroidery skills.   I am rusty but trying to do one small item a day.  These are fine gauze wash cloths.  They work out around 40c each (from Ebay) and so nice for a baby.


Next I will work on the little baby things I got for free and add them to my gift cupboards.

As usual I made some baby food.

I think that is my week!  It worked out well as all the hay into the animal houses was just before a really cold patch and the rain hit.   I'm glad I did that when I did!  I was moving actual hay while the sun was actually shinning!  😊

I hope you were able build up your home, pantry and garden this week.   xxx
























Comments

  1. Your embroidery skills leave mine for dead Annabel. A lovely week, as always. The whole lockdown bizzo is tedious, but whilst we have people who think rules don’t apply to them, it won’t change. Looking forward to having my vaccinations personally! Love, Mimi xxx

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    1. Thanks so much Mimi. My eyesight isn't what it was! I have been sitting right next to the window and got a little done today while it is raining. Have a lovely weekend! xxx

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  2. Always enjoy reading what you have been up to Annabel. I am finding it hard to get motivated, a hangover from lockdowns and uncertainty. Perhaps I need to take a leaf from your book and record what I do .
    Barb

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    1. Dear Barb, There was never a time to be building up your pantry and busy with handiwork etc than now! And also stocking up the gift cupboard. Plenty of projects to work on make lockdowns a lot better to get through. Having some goals for the week and goals for the day and writing down important points is a great help. I feel so much better when I can see I made progress. And it is so nice to sit down at night with something nice to work on. I hope this helps you! With love Annabel.xxx

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  3. I don’t know if this will go through but i wanted to tell you that i really enjoy hearing about your life in Australia. Your animals are such a delight to see and hear about your days. It gives us hope of what we can all accomplish in our little patch of home! Thanks, so much, for sharing and always being a cheerleader for the rest of us!
    Debbie

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    1. Dear Debbie, Thanks so much. Truly in your little patch you can do so much. It really does all add up. Even a meal ahead in the freezer here and there soon add up to a weeks worth of cooked meals ready if you need them. Never underestimate the importance of your work at home and what it all means to others! With much love Annabel.xxx

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  4. Dear Annabel, what a topsy turvy week. I have had family effected by the lockdowns/cases and I have been worried. It has put a dampener on my mood and I have felt a bit anxious. I have started working on crocheting my tea towel and written lists of what needs to be done in the garden- now to get it done. I am loving the school holidays. Lots of picnics, parks, and bike rides. Old family movies and reading kids books aloud have really helped. That is lovely. My little garden pots of seedlings are coming along nicely. Now to try and stay away from the news tomorrow....Love, Lily P.S. I love your animal photos and how you help your family

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    1. Dear Lily, I loved school holidays. We had so many projects and activities and also some completely lazy pyjama days! I am sorry you have felt a bit stressed with the family being affected by lockdowns. I know so many businesses affected and this indirectly affected us. Keeping busy and bright and happy, especially with the children is so good. I will tell you how at the end of school holidays we had a baking day so all nice things to be ready for back to school and stock up the freezer with things like little pizzas and pinwheels, cakes etc for the new term. That was a good day. It got the term off to a good start and the girls loved it (and over the years learned quite a bit of cooking.). Thanks for the lovely comment. With love Annabel.xxx

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  5. The animals are precious. I just love seeing and hearing about them. Stay well.

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    1. Thanks Cheryl. It is cold and wet but I am in near the fire most of the time at the moment. Have a lovely weekend! xxx

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  6. Annabel
    Teddy is beautiful! Thank you for the pictures and glimpses into your life there. Really lifts and encourages.
    We have had our share of craziness in this country with yet another person in 'authority' who is privy to all the data, flouting the rules they make. I can totally sympathise with you. I said to my family, my mind is made up on all of this -The Truth is never confusing :)
    Have a lovely weekend.
    With love,
    Heidi xxx

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    1. Dear Heidi, I did see about that scandal. I also saw another one where "leaders" were all caught before they thought the tv camera was on. They were all having a good old time and just before they thought the camera was on they put their masks on and presented to be wearing them the whole time. Before that they were all cozy and certainly no social distancing or any such thing. But for the camera well it all changed. So they think we are dummies. As you say truth is clear and simple and doest change daily!
      These are times to pray and be observant and wise. Being busy with good things too keeps us feeling happy when there is so much stress around us. With much love Annabel.xxx

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  7. Hi Annabelle, your rooster looks very much like mine which would mean he is a plymouth rock rather than a silver laced wyandotte. They are great roosters, very friendly

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    1. Dear Pam, Thank you for telling me this. The hen is a Wyandoote I know but I didnt know with the rooster so that was my best guess. I hope they make nice chicks both being the lacy black and white. When I got my batch of random roosters I didnt know what I was getting. He is very nice and also he is friendly which I appreciate! Have a lovely weekend! With love Annabel.xxx

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  8. In the USA, nearly all covid deaths are those unvaccinated. I'm sorry you're getting mixed messages. Depending on the selected news source here in the USA, that could also be said. Twisting facts isn't helping anyone make good choices.

    Beautiful handwork. LOVE all the animal pictures. I missed lambing season here. They are so fun to watch. And oh that beautiful bottle-feeding calf. I've been in the city for nearly 40 years but my heart is still on the farm!

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    1. Dear Elle, Yes it is very mixed messages. The news on Fauci and the lab all are very disconcerting. And as you say the media are all over the place. I can imagine how you will always have your heart in the country. I had some city years in between. I was just a country girl in the city still with chickens and making jam and so on! Right now we have lambs and calves everywhere, like when I drive to town I see so many it is beautiful! Have a lovely weekend! With love Annabel.xxx

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    2. Annabel, you don't need to allow this post; it's just between us...but, lots of deaths in the US and elsewhere are from the vaccine, too.

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    3. Annabel, you don't need to allow this post; it's just between us...but, lots of deaths in the US and elsewhere are from the vaccine, too.

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  9. Love those animal pictures!

    I live 300 miles east of Seattle. We have been sweltering here. We have had temperatures over 100F for a week...so far. It topped out at 109F on Tuesday. We're still in the high 90s and will be, for awhile longer. We have stayed home and enjoyed a shady yard and the air conditioning. We are using ceiling fans to reduce some of the need for AC. We are leaving the lights off and letting the laundry pile up because our electric utility is having short, rolling blackouts in an effort to protect the grid (they have never done this before).

    I picked another 3 lbs. 12 oz. of strawberries this week, for a total of 15 lbs. 5 oz. to date from a small raised bed. I am expecting another decent picking this weekend, then a few late berries as they ripen. I made another batch of strawberry freezer jam as well as strawberry shortcakes, strawberry pie and lots of sliced berries morning, noon and night. I am getting a little weary of picking and cleaning strawberries, but still enjoying them!

    I read The Huntress by Kate Quinn (about post-WW2 Nazi hunters) and reserved two more books from the library (I did this online). One came in, along with 2 other books. I'm halfway through the second book.

    I am mindful of rising prices and stocking up when and where I can. The 4th of July sales, usually among the best of the year...are dismal. At Winco, which doesn't advertise, I found barbecue sauce for .99 and had a coupon for $1 off three. Also, they had 12 ounce packages of bacon for $1.88, but the shelf was empty. I asked (it always pays to ask) if there was more in the back room, and there was! I bought 7 packages. A few days later, I bought 10 lbs. of butter for $1.99 lb. at Fred Meyer. But no meat bought this week....

    Our church has an espresso stand called HeBrews (love that!). The profits are donated to international clean water projects. We ordered coffees Sunday and discovered that someone had paid it forward and bought our drinks! (We will do this for someone this Sunday).

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    1. Dear Maxine, Im sorry it is so hot. Heat is very wearing. One everyone plus the animals plus the garden.
      I love the name of the coffee shop. Genius! I also heard from other ladies the meat deals for the BBQs on your 4th of July weekend just arent there. Someone was telling me the prices they saw on beef which were about as bad as our prices!
      It is beautiful to be binging in so many strawberries. And to have some good reading when its too hot to be too busy.
      My friend in California she is used to rolling blackouts now and sometimes they go days with no power. Very hard on many people especially the older people and families with little children I think too. We took electricity so for granted for years and now it is so expensive and heading towards luxury rather than basic!
      You did get a good deal on butter and bacon! Good work there and asking if they had more out the back! With love Annabel.xxx

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    2. As it turned out, we did not have any rolling blackouts, but they did in Spokane, WA (30 miles away) and Lewiston, ID (100 miles south--we used to live there and it gets VERY hot every summer because of low elevation). We got an e-mail last night from the regional power company explaining the outages and thanking everyone for using as little electricity as possible.

      If we lived in California (and we did in the early '70s) I would definitely have a generator, at least to run the freezer...and maybe a fan. Even though we have central air conditioning, I think our ceiling fans help us stay cool without as much AC.

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  10. Your blog is a place of beauty for me to come to. I love all the pictures and reading about your life. This whole Covid19 thing is just nuts world wide. My husband and I have been vaccinated, as has most of our family, but I do worry with the new Delta variant that has made it's way all over the USA also. Our cases are on the rise once again, shortages in grocery stores are very much evident due to transportation issues because there are not enough truck drivers, and food crops are either burning up in the heat or being drowned out in many areas of our country. Having a stocked up pantry is such a blessing with all this going on!

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    1. Thanks so much Debbie. A friend in the US, her husband is a truck driver and all the truck drivers talk about what they are seeing. So this is a good source of some info. This shortage of drivers is a big deal and right through to shopping containers stuck at sea and not being unloaded. Then just as you say crops failing and other issues in the mix like covid restrictions etc. It all adds together to be not one or two things impacting normal supply chains but many and world wide. Well done on being stocked up and ahead. Keep doing what you can. I always say take every opportunity! With love Annabel.xxx

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  11. Dear Annabel,
    Always look forward to hearing about your week. I hope Mr. and Mrs. Cluck Cluck give you little chicks. their feather are beautiful. Oh, another sweet lamb and one to go. Just precious! Teddy is just so very cute. I'm sure you just love him.
    Your embroidery is gorgeous. I think I'll get back to doing some of that myself this coming winter.
    Blessings, Laura

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    1. Dear Laura, Thank you! I used to embroider so much! But that is going back over 20 years. Then I went more to crochet and all kinds of things. So now I really notice my eyes are not as great! I have quite a collection of wool and silk threads so I really want to get back to it! I do love Teddy and all the babies. I kind of have my hands full but in a good way! Enjoy your weekend! With love Annabel.xxx

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    2. Annabel, it is normal to become farsighted as we age and to need glasses for reading and close work. Starting in middle age, most of us get presbyopia, which is a normal part of aging. I started wearing bifocals when I was 45 for this reason. Try on a few pairs of reading glasses at the drugstore and see if you can find a pair that helps. Tip: the very cheap magnifiers from the dollar store are not nearly as good as those with ground glass, which usually cost $10-$15 pair.

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  12. Yeah, it's crazy down there...sky news Australia said "they" were even wanting people to be tracked by their phones?!! Big Brother anyone?? Heaven help us! I don't trust the Fauci-Big Pharma Bozos either. They're not out for our best interests...just lining their pockets. Okay, enough politics for now.
    A new lamb - yay!! and it's already playing with the two "older" babies! How cute - I can just picture it. An apple a day...you have such healthy animals - it's just wonderful.
    That is rusty embroidery? Oh, my! Do the baby cloths come with the pretty zig-zag edging or do you add that?
    Those Wyandottes are beautiful!! Hope you get some chicks from them.
    Sunday is America's 4th of July~God bless America (and Australia, New Zealand, etc...)! We surely need His intercession.
    Much love,
    Mary

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    1. Dear Mary, Well I saw Fauci was busted for many serious lies. He might end up in jail maybe. They worked on gain of function and gave money to further it! And they knew the treatment and lied about that too. How many died because of this? It is a time to pray for sure.
      Mary these cloths come with either the blue, pink or lemon edge. I get them in packs of 10 for about $4. If you want a link let me know. They are so soft and nice. Anyway that edging is on them.
      Have a wonderful 4th of July. I love the USA as I have so many beautiful USA friends we are like sisters! With love Annabel.xxx

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    2. Dear Annabelle, could I have the link to those beautiful gauze cloths also? Nancy

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  13. Your blog is a happy place and provides a ray of hope in a sometimes ugly world. Your livestock are beautiful. The care you give them shows in their coats and demeanor. That fresh hay is so beneficial and you had your exercise getting that job done so ...win, win. The sausage rolls look mighty tempting. The embroidery is lovely. What with eyesight diminishing and neuropathy issues in fingertips, it's more challenging to keep up handwork skills in old age; you're not there yet!

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    1. Dear Rita, Thank you! Well I am adapting and sitting in good light and I think I will get some of the magnification glasses from the cheap shop to see if that helps my embroidery!
      Thank you for your kind comment about the animals. Scouts coat is very shiny and I think the eggs she eats help that. Teddy he is really filling out and getting some condition on him and that's quite fast as he was skinny and malnourished at first. It is beautiful to see them pick up. Many thanks, love Annabel.xxx

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  14. Annabel, thanks again for your wonderful posts and the animal updates. Seeing your posts always brighten my day! Oh how I would love to see how the animals come to you for biscuits and apples ;). Congratulations on getting the hay distributed before the rain, that was certainly a miracle of good timing! I live in the US, desert southwest part, so your photos are a wonderful change.

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    1. I will try and get a video for you! I have posted a few before but I will try to get some new ones. The cows gallop and they are so heavy now the ground vibrates under you! While it is probably hot there for you it is cold and foggy here this morning! xxx

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  15. We've had a week here, lol. I've made bread, John has repaired a mower...not sure why, as it will never mow again but the engine is now running so there must be a purpose. He cut a tree down that was nearly dead and I finished off the flower bed weeding etc at the house in town. I got weed mat down on one big bed. Now to go buy more weed mat and get mulch. I made all meals at home. We had a big roast chicken dinner one night, and I have made enchiladas and sandwiches, still have a little meat left and put the frame in the freezer.
    We've spent the week slipping out on the front porch or standing at the front windows watching the two doe who must have fawns down in the bottom. They graze the front lawn like cattle and are so beautiful to watch.
    I've harvested lilies, herbs, coleus, and hydrangea. Some to make a floral arrangement, some to root, some to dry and preserve. No flowers in the one bed where I have poured and poured seed this year. However our little tomato has taken off and grown a half foot this week and the coleus shot up so tall that I could easily trim those to try and root.
    I am focusing on pantry/freezer stock up this week. I walked around a local grocery to see what they might have for pantry that was reasonable. Our local stores are small and don't carry much but what they do carry is really high. I am so grateful we can drive to another town to shop! Much more for my money and not nearing expiration either as turnover is better.
    All in all a great week.

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    1. Dear Terri,
      How lovely to be able to watch the deer! I would rather sit outside and see sights like this than watch TV any day!
      The flowers sound just gorgeous. I live flowers in the house. '
      I am glad you have a town you can drive to for better deals. Im glad you are stocking up and hope you find some good deals! With love Annabel.xxx

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  16. Hi Annabelle, I love the picture of the little lamb and the calf feeding on the bottle. I am not adding much to my pantry but drying thyme both regular and lemon and dehydrating more strawberries. My material boxes are a mess so have been trying to straighten one a night. Rosie still takes a lot of time but is improving. She is afraid of people, dogs, noises, etc. They have encouraged us to get her out more to meet people so will try to do that. I had another vein procedure done on my leg today. The last one on that leg. I am trying to dry dill weed. I just laid it on a sweater dryer and then will cut it up small. Hope that is the way to do it.

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    1. Adding to the pantry is always good. I love Thyme. I have one plant but its going ok! Yes get Rosie out ad about and confident. She soon will become less nervous. xxx

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  17. What lovely embroidery Annabel! It turns something so basic into something very beautiful! Sausage rolls in the freezer is a great meal, anything with pastry during Winter is a win.

    It’s been another messy week here, but I think that’s just what to expect at the end of a school term. One more week of school and sport and then a much needed break.

    I don’t have much to report this week, some weeks I feel like all I achieve is keeping people fed and in the right place at the right time! I guess some weeks that’s enough.

    Have a lovely weekend
    Jen (NZ)

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    1. Dear Jen,
      You are nearly there now! I know how it is when everyone is tired and need the break. Some sleep ins were always the first thing in the holidays! You are doing a good job jeeping things going, everyone fed, homework done and all of it. These are busy times. Hang on only two days to go. With love Annabel.xxx

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  18. :) Annabel I like that you were moving hay while the sun shined. The embroidered wash cloths are adorable and the orange cake and sausage rolls look delicious . All the animals look happy and healthy and how lovely you have another little lamb.
    Glad too that those who stockpile aren't considered nuts anymore either :) .

    We have also had lots more rain this week so mainly it has been indoor pursuits but that is wonderful too as we get to catch up on other things I have been meaning to get to.

    Our Vicky challenge added up to $698.77 in savings last week :) .

    In the kitchen -
    - Cooked 3 loaves of wholemeal white bread in the bread making machine saving $10.47 over buying them locally.
    - We cooked all meals and bread from scratch.

    Home spring (winter) cleaning and organising -
    - Damp dusted the entertainment unit in the lounge room ,all the skirting boards and stair bottom rails to get rid of the fireplace dust and dust from high winds here that had blown in.
    - We also cleaned the furniture on the back patio and got rid of spiders and webs underneath them and swept part of the cemented area that was dirty.
    - DH sorted out his summer clothing and packed it away in vacuum seal bags and replaced them with winter clothing.
    - I also sorted through my summer clothing and packed it away in vacuum seal bags and swapped them in the wardrobe with winter clothing.

    Purchases -
    - On special at BigW we purchased 2 x dvd's & used $10 off rewards points to save $26 in total.
    - From EB games we purchased 2 x PS4 games on special saving $29 on usual prices.
    - From Rivers for $3.60 ea we purchased 5 pairs of thick cotton military pants and a black skirt for me saving $303.30 or 93.35% on usual prices.
    - On eBay we purchased 20 pairs of wool blend socks for DH and 10 pairs for myself saving $276.30 over buying them in local stores.
    - Saved $4.50 or 3% on usual prices buying a grocery e-gift card through RACQ.
    - On half price special for Woolworths we purchased Old Gold Chocolate saving $30 on usual prices.
    - From IGA on half price special we purchased 4 x 1 kg Epsom salts and 4 x 500g harvest cauliflower, broccoli and carrots saving another $19.20 on usual prices.

    Hope you all have a wonderfully productive and frugal week ahead :).

    Sewingcreations15 (Lorna).

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    1. Dear Lorna,
      I took a leaf out of your book and damp dusted a lot today. Oh boy now I started I cant stop. You had a very productive week. Your clothing deals from Rivers were particularly good! I am amazed at what you find on Ebay and how much you save there.
      I am not sure but thinking you are using the Epsom salts in the garden? There are so many good uses for Epsom salts.
      It has been the same here, more indoors jobs done with the rainy days. We have to work with the weather! Hope your new week is off to a good start, with love Annabel.xxx

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    2. Annabel thank you and I am using the epsom salts for baths and for the gardens as well :) .

      With the magnesium in the epsom salts it is great to relax in the bath and it relieves the muscle spasms and soreness after a hard day.

      Sewingcreations15 (Lorna)

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  19. Dear Annabel,
    I love the embroidered wash clothes and would love to have the link to purchase some. The little lambs just steal my heart. Teddy's head in the apple basket just made me laugh. Animals are so smart.

    We've had very high heat and humidity here, some days reached 104 F, and then the strong storms came. It's now a little cooler but the heat will return next week. Tomorrow , July 4th, is my husbands birthday so today I'm baking his favorite brownies with chocolate peanut butter icing. We will grill his birthday dinner tomorrow night. Despite the heat and humidity we got a lot done. Getting up early in the morning and being outside before 7 a.m. we were able to work in the garden and do some re-planting and harvesting. We harvested more chard, lettuce, radishes, and herbs. With the sun and the rain the garden now looks like a jungle, as do the container portion of the garden. I harvested more lavender and it is drying. The hydrangeas are just starting to bloom and I will be picking some and drying them as well. The remainder of the frozen bananas were baked into 30 banana chocolate chip muffins. We went out to the farm to get vegetables that we don't grow and also got a farm raised turkey. We cut it up and I roasted half a breast for dinner that night and the rest was wrapped and frozen for other meals. I had a huge bag of cranberries in the freezer and made cranberry sauce. There were some apples in the freezer from last year's harvest and I dried them to make more room in the freezer . l worked on die cutting embellishments for cards. We watched free movies on TV that were comedies. I finished the book "Goodnight from London", about WWII and an American journalist who covered the war in London. I'm now reading a book by Ken Follett that takes place in Scotland in the 1700s .
    Happy 4th of July to all of the US ladies.
    Blessings,
    Cookie

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    1. Dear Cookie, I hate humidity! It makes me feel like limp lettuce. And not look much better!
      You did a good job being up early and avoiding the worst of the heat and still working in the garden.
      The brownies sound really good. I just love cranberry sauce and have never made it as we dont get Cranberries. But a favourite of mine.
      I am sad to say the price of the wash cloth has more than doubled since I last got them which was January! So now it is up to about $1 each. If you go to Ebay and type in Muslin facial cleaning cloth several sellers have them. The seller I used was Joinhu. You will see they come with a pink, yellow of blue edging. They are really nice but Im shocked at the price rise. I shouldn't be we are seeing this with everything but wow!
      I think watching comedies is a good idea! With much love Annabel.xxx

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  20. The USA is just as mixed up and contradictory. The thing that bothers me is that I feel like the news is being manipulated in favor of the vaccines and the truth about the number (over 600,000 now) of injuries and deaths from it are not being told. Then there is conflicting advice on vaccinating 12 and up. Teens are dying from the vaccine and it is being swept under the rug! All the data also says that those who have had Covid do not need to be vaccinated and that is possibly dangerous to do so but that is also being hidden from the general population. The entire thing just makes me sick. Politics and money should not play any part in this. For awhile it seemed that things were going to go back to more normal but what is that?

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    1. Dear Lana, I agree with you. We have seen enough blatant lies from our media that is it frightening. I think they have been bought and paid for and no longer tell the news but more a kind of social engineering/propaganda. Worse they and social media persecute and silence even world famous doctors and scientists who dont agree with them. So powerful they are they can control what we believe. Some truth has broken out here and there because people are starting to wake up about the media not being trustworthy. If I dont have the tv on I do better! Im a late night reader and researcher. But its a wonder I can sleep! Lana I use my essential oils and I believe in lots of sun shine and fresh air. We will have to make our own normal the best we can. With much love, Annabel.xxx

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    2. For years I was told to stock the oils and that they will keep almost forever because one day we would need them. I am so comforted to know that I can treat almost anything with what I have here. (BTW Lavender on the feet kills coronavirus easily.) And you are absolutely correct about the fresh air and sunshine! It is the best healer we have!

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  21. My husband and I both got the Pfizer vaccine after talking to our individual doctors. My doctor told me that as a Juvenile Diabetic, getting COVID would be far worse than any vaccine problems. My husband's doctor recommended it because of his age (my husband is older than I am and in his 70s). You are right, I don't hear people scoffing about "stocking up" these days.

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    1. All your years of wise pantry building have come into their own Brenda. Thanks to you probably many people had gradually become well stocked and well prepared. That is a great teaching ministry as it makes people think, learn and hopefully do! xxx

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  22. Thanks again for blogging about your week, I so enjoy hearing about meeting the challenges of living in your corner of the world. I am inspired so often by your hard work and success in your endeavors. I got my second covid shot and will have my surgery after it being cancelled 3x over last year . I can't do a lot but my husband and I take pride in keeping going getting our regular chores done for ourselves. Thanks again for sharing

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    1. Im so sorry your surgery has been cancelled so many times. I hope now it will be soon and a big success. Thank you for your kind comment! xxx

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  23. Annabel, thank you so much for sharing your life on your farm with us. I really enjoy hearing about all the lovely little farm babies! I am always amazed at all you accomplish in a given week - you are an inspiration. When I've gotten anxious from following the news too much, I find it helps to make lists of things to get done and then DO THEM. I've also cut way back on the news I follow! ;) My newly-retired hubby and I have been busy getting chores around the house done. I put a third coat of paint on the bedroom floor and will give it a week to completely harden before putting the furniture back in place and taking a pic. We're back in the humid high 80s and 90s here in central WI, so the little room ac unit we have on the first floor is chugging away. We close off the downstairs (our bedroom is down here, too) and it's comfy enough until the weather breaks. Hubby has been collecting raspberries from the bushes and freezing them, and I hope to make some jam when the weather is better. We did some grocery shopping last week and are seeing gaps on some of the shelves, too, making me glad that I do keep a deep pantry year-round, and that despite my family's gentle joking over the years, they have been grateful for the freezers and totes of groceries I would stock and rotate for use. (We don't have a grocery in our village, nearest one is about 20 miles away, so we plan "errand days" to make trips worthwhile.) Your sausage rolls and orange cake look divine! I keep reading all these posts about sausage rolls - I MUST look up a recipe for those as they sound so good. I made a batch of granola last week and enjoyed it with yogurt and fresh strawberries for breakfast. I hope everyone has a lovely week!

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    1. Dear Jill,
      Thank you so much. I agree with you, action reduces stress. We can be frozen in a crisis and to me this just makes you feel much worse. We can do so much to improve the situation for ourselves but that also improves it for the whole family. It is great you are both working away at so many household projects.
      It is 50 miles for me to go to the stores. So like you I plan everything in one trip. This does require good lists and planning. I cant afford to forget stuff! I will book appointments on the same day and shop in between. Another one is that if for some reason we pass through town (like we do to visit Lucy) then we always do a shop stop and save another trip.
      Sausage rolls are good! Jamie Oliver has good recipes for them! With love Annabel.xxx

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  24. Annabel, Teddy is beautiful, and your baby goats are adorable! Have you thought of names for them yet? I love your cute embroidery too. I wish I could be as productive as you, but I just don't have it in me these days. So hot and humid here in Texas, it just sucks the life out of me. I'm a winter person for sure. As for stocking up, my husband jokes at me every week and asks if I got the toilet paper - I get a pack almost every week whether we need it or not. I'm not going to be the one panic-buying for sure!

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    1. Dear Kathy,
      Thank you! The brown goat that is smaller is Honey and the Black and White one is Billy (the kid) and over the weekend we built them the start of a goat castle/adventure playground course. I dont know who had more fun! haha! Well done on being ahead with the basics.. better than money in the bank! With love Annabel.xxx

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  25. We've been quarantined for the last week and a half, because my daughter tested positive. She's nearly over it now. Her main complaint is taste and smell. (She's 23).
    Fortunately, the rest of us have tested negative.

    Our garden is beginning to give us plenty of cucumbers and zucchini with just two plants each. We should start picking cherry tomatoes this week. Looking forward to fresh tomatoes of any kind. We still have some lettuce as well.
    Be blessed!
    Here is my thrifty week post on my blog.
    https://harvestlanecottage.blogspot.com/2021/07/a-thrifty-week-at-harvest-lane-cottage.html

    Laura

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    1. Dear Laura, Im glad your daughter is doing ok. It would be weird to lose your taste and smell although that can happen mildly with some colds and flu. I am glad your daughter is almost over it.
      Your garden is sounding really productive. I will come over and read your post! With love Annabel.xxx

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