Feather your Nest Friday, 12th November, 2021.

 It has been a lovely week.  I was able to stay home it was so nice.  


Every day I have a routine starting with going outside to survey the situation.   Then I begin with letting the chooks out and watering garden beds.    Then I give water to the goats and move them,  collect eggs, harvest some greens or herbs,  plant some seedlings and so on.   
I do some watering in the orchard and check how the fruit is going.   My little buddies accompany me on my tour. 

Molly absolutely loves the goats.  



During the day I usually have a list of jobs and goals to work through then at 4 pm I begin the whole routine in reverse,  rounding up chickens to put them away,  feeding everyone for the evening etc.   It is light here now until about 8 pm and this is my favourite time to walk around the garden.  It is just beautiful and very noisy with thousands of parrots getting ready for bed.   A day like this is a perfect day. 

Some of the ways I got ahead, got things done and added to the pantry were:

I dehydrated some cherry tomatoes that needed using up.   Later in the week they went into two Impossible pies.  I gave one of these to Chloe.


I also made two baked rice custards with one for my Grandson.   I made Scones for when Mum came by.

My Calendula seeds are up and I have been planting them out in various spaces in the garden. 

We were given two huge bales of fresh wheat hay.  


Andy put them out into the paddock for the cows.  We have lots of feed right now but later in summer we will be glad of the extra.

Our bee keeper came out.   He cleared some honeycomb out of the shed where bees have been.   


We sat out on the deck with coffee and fruit cake.  I thought well this is a learning opportunity and asked him to teach me how to get beeswax to make balms etc from the honeycomb.   I learned a lot.  This produced about a quarter of a cup of beeswax and now I know what to do.

My flowers I've had drying are mostly ready to start making into arrangements, posies and packaging up.


The whole house is full of flowers.  Every vase is full.  Then I started filling buckets and baskets.


Chloe gave me a hanging air drier.  Finally it is up in a place I can keep it all year round.  I went Dandelion picking as my first addition to it.


I hope to have this full in the next couple of weeks!

Every day I have worked on Christmas cards and presents.  I made enough headway that most of my craft room is reclaimed and I am sewing again.  I want to stick to 15 minutes of sewing minimum per day as this really works to get stuff done.   

In the evening I am working edges on wash cloths.  When I am tired that is something that takes no concentration.

I put together a heap of gift packs... these each have a bottle of Vanilla Extract,  a packet of Bay Leaves and a packet of Parsley seed.  


I have really been thinking a lot about what resources I have, what I can make and what is useful.  Also what I COULD make if I grew certain things... like the Calendula.

It was a beautiful day and a beautiful week.  I hope it was good for you.  How did you get ahead with your home, pantry or garden?  

Have a very nice weekend! xxx























Comments

  1. Annabel, I think this is the most relaxed I have ever 'heard' you in a blog post ...how absolutely lovely this week was for you, and what a bounty of blessings and beauty, sweet friend!! xxxxxxxx

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    1. Thanks Jenny, I love my days at home. I know you do too. We are so blessed! xxx

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  2. Molly is just too cute! Oh how I miss darkness at 8PM. It gets dark so early here.
    Sounds like a lovely week. Such a positive post!

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    1. Dear Cheryl, In winter it can be dark at 5 pm... the days seem short then. In Summer it can be light till round 9 and I love being outside after dinner. But I like the seasons and the changes too. Different foods and activities go with each phase. I hope you have a very good new week! With love Annabel.xxx

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  3. Debby in Kansas USA12 November 2021 at 06:32

    I found myself smiling while reading your post. Your little buddies are too precious for words! I had two questions. Do the goats help keep your brush down? And, could you please identify those beautiful dry flowers?
    Congrats on your beautifully productive week!

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    1. Thanks Debby, The pink flowers I think are Pink Heath. The purple are from my garden is Statice. The tall pink I dont know... I picked it on the side of the road and Im not sure the name either of the white flowers. It has been an experiment to find which ones dry well. xxx

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  4. I enjoyed hearing about your day on the farm. It is so nice to have a week at home.

    Our big push this week has been topping up supplies here as shelves continue to be more and more empty and more items are not available We got two more tanks of propane for our generator and feel we have plenty now for a long power outage. We also added to our water storage and grocery items as well. Bread flour is not to be found here. We have a large supply but experimented with using part all purpose flour and it worked perfectly so we will use 2/3 bread four and 1/3 all purpose for the foreseeable future.

    Have a lovely weekend!

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    1. Dear Lana,
      It is great to have the extra propane. Actually you added a lot to several areas, this is very good. When I couldn't get bread flour I added a spoon of powdered milk to my flour... as yeast likes protein this gave it a boost! Half and half is a good idea. Thanks for your local observations too. I am glad you got so much done! With love Annabel.xxx

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  5. Your photographs are always so lovely!

    It's always so fascinating to see how life is waking up on your side of the world as it's falling asleep here. The fall colors are absolutely beautiful where I'm at, and we're expecting our first snow flurries tonight. It's been a flurry of activity for me this week, trying to get the house in order and starting some new routines, but it's nice to feel so productive, and staying up and on my feet helps keep me warm on the chilly, windy days we've had a lot of recently.

    I hope you have a lovely, relaxing weekend! :)

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    1. Dear Stephanie, Thank you! I do love Autumn. It is my favourite. Spring has been pretty nice here though up until today when its been warm and windy and we have fires!
      Being busy does keep you warm... I like winter here as I have the fire going and it is so cozy. We have to work with the season we are in. I hope it has been a good week for you we are nearly at the end of another one! With love Annabel.xxx

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  6. Annabel that really does sound like a beautiful week! What a perfect follow up to a busy week last week. The flowers look absolutely lovely, and so professional. I know you’ve explained before but what changes do you make to regular scones for gluten free please? I’ve only this year managed to make scones, before now they’ve come out like pancakes lol.

    I’ve kept on selling things this week and will make at least another $300. I find listing things a bit tedious, but $1000 of sales in three weeks has definitely been worth it. This week the money is going towards school uniforms for next year so that will be excellent. Pretty soon my family will start hiding things so I can’t sell them!

    I got all the Christmas cards heading to Europe posted. And some small Christmas items ordered online. I’m really happy with where I’m at with Christmas prep.

    Our local greengrocer had huge heads of broccoli for 25c so I bought heaps and have been blanching and freezing. They can be $3 at other times so this will be great.

    Other than that a little knitting, a little cross stitch and just the general day-to-day stuff.

    Have a lovely weekend!!
    Jen (NZ)

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    1. Dear Jen,
      Well I never was good at scones I was dreadful... then I re learned... doing it all wrong. All wrong works! So for GF I use a full kilo pack of GF SR flour, I still add in 1/2 season baking powder, I melt around half a cup of butter and get my mix master going with the dough hook. Add 2 cups of milk... and I add one egg. I just get them to rise so much better with an egg. I keep it a soft dough and pat it out gently nice and thick at least 3 cm ... use a bit of flour so the cutter doesn't stick. I brush them with milk... all this will horrify people who make scones properly but this gets you beautiful fluffy gf scones! If you want add sultans, cheese, dates or even some mashed pumpkin...
      Good work on selling more stuff!! Wow you have done so well. You are already ahead for next year with the uniforms organised.
      That was an amazing deal on Broccoli. I have seen in a couple of FB groups prices in NZ... some are even worse than our prices! So this was amazing. I would have done the same thing. Also we love Broccoli.
      You are doing well with Christmas too. It feels good to be organised. I am happy as yesterday I finally found turkey and I got a ham as well.
      The new week is almost over already. This time of year is just crazy how fast it goes! With much love Annabel.xxx

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  7. Wondering what will you use the Dandelions for?

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    1. Dear Lynd, Dandelions are a really good useful plant with uses such as good for the liver... but for me I am using the flower in a salve... which is good for skin irritations but also it is anti inflammatory and the salve is good for aches and pains in joints. I was studying Calendula and found all along I had Dandelions which I could be using! When I make this up I will show you how it turns out! Love Annabellxxx

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  8. Dear Annabel,
    Sounds like a lovely week. Molly looks so sweet with her goat friend. The beeswax is wonderful and your dried flowers are just beautiful. The hanging air dryer is fantastic. Would you mind asking Chloe if she found that online as I would love to have one to use on the porch or sunroom. Thanks so much! Blessings, Laura

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    1. Dear Laura, I had a look for you and Ebay have them if you look up Air Herb drying rack... in different sizes and colours even. I am loving mine. I hope to have it nice and full by next week! Many thanks, have a lovely weekend! With love Annabel.xxx

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    2. Thank you, Annabel. Obviously, I should have said this will be for next summer's garden. We had our first snowfall this morning. Thursday, here in Ohio, I was still fine in just a sweatshirt. in the yard. We did have a long summer and fall though

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  9. You had me at flowers filling your home! It sounds so lovely, especially as we have damp and cold here in the northern hemisphere in the USA. Your puppy and goat are just adorable too!

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    1. Dear Debbie, I follow a You Tube Channel called The Elliot Homestead and she had an episode where she brings the very last flowers and produce in before the snow. She just filled her home with flowers and herbs many hanging to dry. I always have remembered that, to have summer, spring and autumn all through your home through the winter months to cheer it up. Just lovely. It is funny to be at opposite seasons... as we are warming you are cooling. I would love to see a white Christmas! With love Annabel.xxx

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  10. I agree with Jenny, Annabel! It sounds like you had a wonderful week, productive yet relaxing. Isn't that we are all striving for? It reminds me Ecclesiastes 4:6, one of my favourite passages. We are still very busy here with everybody back at school. The weather has been wild and although the plants are growing, so are the weeds! Hoping for some dry days this week to get out there and do some weeding. Have a lovely weekend,
    Kirsty

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    1. Dear Kirsty, I found the week the kids went back to school was always so busy. I would have the biggest clean up and reorganise and get back into school routines.
      I hate the weeds. This is the hardest part of gardening! A few a day helps as this adds up surprisingly! Have a good new week! With love Annabel.xxx

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  11. I agree with Jenny, Annabel! It sounds like you had a wonderful week, productive yet relaxing. Isn't that we are all striving for? It reminds me Ecclesiastes 4:6, one of my favourite passages. We are still very busy here with everybody back at school. The weather has been wild and although the plants are growing, so are the weeds! Hoping for some dry days this week to get out there and do some weeding. Have a lovely weekend,
    Kirsty

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  12. A wonderful post! Love a ll the things you accomplish and learn. I think the air drying rack needs to be put on my wish list! Your puppy is getting so big. So is ours. Not much accomplished as hubby got out of the hospital Sunday and we are doing a five hour drive to Pt. Huron MI for an Uncle's funeral.

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    1. Thank you! I hope your long drive went well. Sorry about your Uncle. The week has flown by already, I cant keep up! xxx

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  13. Love the photos of your new puppy playing with the goat! How Fun!! Your dried flowers are beautiful! I’m always amazed at how resourceful you are! You must have a lot of friends and family to make so may gifts!
    I’ve been trying to think what I can do or make for special gifts this Christmas, but so far am coming up blank, except for a scrapbook project I’ve been working on. Then I tripped and fell and broke my ankle last week, so that has really slowed me down! You sure never know when something like that throws a wrench into your plans and schedule!! My hubby has been a lot of help, but it puts more work on him! Ahh well! Such is life, sometimes!

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    1. Dear NanaC,
      Thank you so much. I am so sorry about your ankle! That must be painful. I hope you are doing ok. Yes everything can change in a moment it is scary. I am glad your husband is so helpful to you. There are lots of Christmas ideas over on the Tuesday club but also Pinterest is good. While you rest your ankle have a bit of a look there. With love Annabel.xxx

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  14. Dear Annabel!

    I can sense the peace of your work outdoors, and of bringing your harvests indoors!!

    Shalom!


    Rachel

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    1. Dear Rachel, The chickens and the garden... it is lovely to be out there enjoying it. We have had such good weather I seem to be outside most of the time. I know it is very good to get the fresh air and sunshine. Have a very good new week! With love, Annabel.xxx

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  15. Annabel the flowers are just divine and such a delight to cheer up any room in the home with :) . Molly looks in her element with the goats and they seem like great pals. That will be a very handy skill to have to extract the beeswax from the honeycomb too as it is so dear to buy. Glad you had a week at home to get lots done.

    We did the opposite to you and had lots of days away from home with medical appointments and we chose to make another trip as well. While at the appointments we decided since we were already out to do some more stockpiling as I had 10 x points promo at Woolworths for purchases over $150. With a lot of the staples grocery items we buy being sporadic to find it felt good to stock up on those and also a lot of half price specials.

    Boy we have had rain most of the week without stop until yesterday so I set about catching up on all the backlog of laundry we had here to take advantage of the solar power while the sun was shining.

    Our Vicky challenge added up to $650.87 in savings last week :) .

    In the kitchen -
    - Made 3 loaves of wholemeal white bread in the bread making machine saving $10.47 over buying them locally.
    - Made a 1.293 kg double batch of white sauce premix for $7.68 saving $41.45 over buying it premade in the supermarkets.
    - With some the white sauce premix we made a quadruple batch of chocolate pudding and a lemon cheesecake saving $57.37 over buying them in the shops.

    Home organisation -
    - We purchased 3 more 5 shelf heavy duty storage shelves for the walk in pantry so we can complete the room and store more food in a better organised way. We also shuffled things around some more in the pantry so like things are more grouped together.

    Purchases -
    - Bought 6 x 50 + UV cotton work shirts, 3 for DH and 3 for myself, in a different brand that we usually buy saving $60. We haven't bought work shirts for either of us for about 5 years so they were all getting pretty worn and it was nice to get a few different coloured ones for me too. Likely we will buy more in the coming weeks too while we can get them at a good price.
    - Bought 2 more Woolworths e-gift cards from RACQ saving 4% or $40 on usual prices.
    - On half price and other specials we purchased lots of tinned long life harvest and vegetables, women's disposable razors and vitamins and minerals saving $187.05 over usual prices.
    - By using our Rewards $ from our 10 x points promo we saved $80 on usual prices of our groceries.
    - Saved another $134 by buying harvest and more vitamins and minerals on specials and half price specials.
    - On markdowns I purchased a 3 pack of sourdough croissants for 0.80c, another 3 pack of spinach, cheese and herb croissants for 0.80c and a roast chicken for $3.30 saving $13.10 on usual prices.
    - Saved another $67.23 by buying more half price vitamins, breakfast cereals and Samboy chips.

    Have a great week ahead everyone :).


    Lorna.


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    1. Dear Lorna,
      The heavy duty shelves for your walk in pantry will be just fantastic. I love everything I have heard about this room! So good to have. The way prices are rising it is a very good investment/savings to be stocked well ahead.
      If you have to be out and about I think the same.. combine in anything else in that area. It makes for a tiring day but worth it... get everything done at once.
      It is amazing you had so much rain! The tanks will be all full! Your savings were fantastic. It will be lovely to have new work shirts. I think if you got 5 years from the last ones they did last very well. It all added up to be a wonderful week! With love Annabel.xxx

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  16. Your week sounds heavenly, Annabel! We all need an occasional cosy week where nothing exciting or unexpected happens, and days just pass in a gentle rhythm that fills our homemakers hearts and souls with peace.

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    1. Dear Gill, Quiet days at home are my favourite. If I get time for a little sewing I love it too. I think we are blessed with contentment! With love Annabel.xxx

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  17. Dear Annabel,
    What a lovely idea to do with your flowers! I am slowly harvesting & drying herbs. Though it snowed today, my herbs are in pots next to the house so they won't freeze too soon. As the temps drop, I am working steadily to prepare for winter. I got some strawberry plants into the flower bed next to my porch. It is so much fun to have strawberries and rhubarb tucked in between my border plants! Have another relaxing and fulfilling week!

    Blessings,
    Leslie

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    1. Dear Leslie,
      I think it is lovely having a mix of flowers and plants that are producing. They are all beautiful. I hope you get lots of herbs yet before the snow gets too much. We can get frosts... and I put things right against the house as that will protect them from the frost. Snow I dont know much about! But I am happy knowing you are preparing well for winter! With love Annabel.xxx

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  18. Hi Annabel

    Well those beautiful pictures of your animals get me everytime. They are so gorgeous. Hopefully Scout is not to put out by Molly wanting to be in the photos.

    You are always so productive and well organised that this week I have even started my list to work through. It has general housework with a bit extra added in and Christmas card writing as well as sewing items to finish hand stitching while watching a movie as a reward if I get this far.

    Last week was a mix of extremely hot weather on very overcast days with some storms thrown in. One night the temp only got down to 27. Torches were on hand all the time due to the storms but only used once. It really does pay to be prepared. We had lots of roads around cut due to flooding and this has impacted the delivery trucks from getting through and we saw this last week with lots of empty spaces on the shelves. I looked in the milk fridge an it was looking very sad with about no more than 20 bottles of milk in it.

    We recently had a day where the local council and SES were handing out free bags of information on being prepared as they do every year for cyclone and storm season. I think that this is a great service to remind people and those that are new in the area to help them be prepared. I know we are often cut off from services when these events happen.

    Christmas shopping is underway and there seem to be lots of lights springing up around our area early this year. We have decided to make some wooden Christmas trees for our garden adding hooks to string the lights around this year.

    DD11 and I attended a Glass making Christmas Ornament workshop over the weekend so we will pick these up in 2 weeks. A friend and I have also booked our kids into do a Galaxy painting workshop in the first week of the school holidays as both kids love their arts.

    Well with that I best go and get on with my day. Hope you have a wonderful week.

    Take Care
    Aly xxx

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    1. Dear Aly, Thank you. You had some good demonstrations about why we need to be prepared! Things can happen os fast. It is a shock when the shelves are empty. It is really good what your local council do.
      A glass making workshop sounds just fantastic! I bet DD loved that! The painting workshop sounds wonderful too! Really good they get these opportunities!
      I hope your week has gone well we are are nearly at the end of another! With love Annabel.xxx

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  19. Sounds like a perfect week! And you accomplished so much. We snuck away for four days, took the Tvan and went up to the river, parked on the bank and let it rain, howl, hail - it was bliss! The weather didn't bother us, we were away and out of Melbourne and it felt amazing. I took a big bag of cotton with me and came home with lots of dishcloths. Some for me, some for Hannah and some for the present box. And I came home to two Christmas cards! Oh joy - that means it is officially Christmas to me so this week is cleaning the house and getting ready to decorate next week. I can't wait! Have a wonderful week. xxxx

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    1. Dear Cath, I am so glad you got away as I know how much you love it. Im glad you took your cotton too! I would do exact same.
      It sounds like this was so good for you. I think we need to continue to pray for a non Melbourne property! With love Annabel.xxx

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