Feather your Nest Friday, 19th November, 2021.

 It was a lovely week if you don't count yesterday!   We had our first fires of the season started by lightening.   Fires sprung up across the district.   We were soon in a blanket of smoke, a gale wind picked up and I went from a normal morning to running to bring the animals in close to the house,  watering,  driving up the hill to see where the smoke was coming from.  The wind was so strong at one point I thought oh no... it was blowing the fires towards us.  I was moving the goats and I started to panic and feel sick.  I realised this was not a good time for a panic attack.   

We were very lucky.  My brother wasn't so lucky as he lost a lot of pasture but overall we came out of it well and the wind dropped, the temperature went down... and today it has rained!   

So apart from that hiccup the week was very good!    Some of the ways I got ahead, added to my pantry and garden were:

I was able to pick roses at my daughters place.  She has a very old garden full of the most beautiful scented roses.  

I filled the basket with lemons as well.    At home I made up vases of roses for the table and next to the bed.   It is the pink ones that are so scented.  They truly are heavenly. 

Each week I have picked flowers and filled the house.  I have to say I feel so happy having so many flowers around me.   I will save every bud and petal from these.

I make two chocolate cakes.   One was for the girls and the other for our lunches and snacks.

Most days I did some sewing.   I am so happy about this.   Normally about now I would have too much of a mess of presents and wrapping to sew.  This year most of the presents are wrapped and my craft room is pretty good so I can cut out when I have time and sew for a little while in the afternoons.

I started on cleaning cloths.   They have a pretty cotton top and a microfibre bottom.

When I get three that coordinate I tie them up in a bundle.  

 

Into the gift cupboard they go.  (The garden print was a set of panels from the op shop.)

In the evenings I am crocheting edges around wash cloths.   

It is amazing how these add up.  I just keep at it and at the end of the week I have something to show and add to my present cupboard.  I feel strongly that as well as being self sufficient in some areas (ie eggs) I want to be producing something.  Something lovely and also useful.  I am thinking a lot on this... I think in the new year I will get stuck into some soap making.  Be a producer not only a consumer, this might really help us in the future.

In a group I belong to Angela shared a verse today. 

"Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations." Proverbs  27, 23-24

There are so many verses around this and one of my favourites I try to follow is: 

"Invest in seven ventures, yes eight,  you do not know the disaster that may come upon the land."  Ecc  11.2

This is another way of saying don't put all your eggs in one basket.   I paid attention to this even down to not having all my chickens in one coop... lest a fox break in...  so my chickens are across four locations! 

Another thing I noticed this week was the massive flood damage in Canada and seeing whole roads, bridges and railways just gone.  I don't think I have ever seen anything like it.  In the comments someone said a lady was asking where could she get candles....  it was a shocking reminder that we need the candles before the disaster as it is too late after.   Candles will not be arriving at any shop any time in years from the looks of it.  

So speaking of checking your herd... 

My "babies" have grown just huge.  They are in a good paddock as Dad would say. 

I also picked grasses.  I saw these in a boutique and I thought "WHAT!? I have a paddock full of them!"

So they are something else for my dried flower collection.  I am going to work on seed pods next. 

I was able to get Turkey and Ham.  Last week I couldn't get them so when I went to town I was truly Turkey hunting!   I came home happy and have both in the freezer.    

I invested in coconut oils to keep for essential oil blends and soap making.

In the op shop I got some cotton waffle weave fabric to make wash cloths.  It makes wonderful kitchen towels too it is thick and absorbent.   It is washed and ready to cut into.

I hope you had a good week,  found the things you are needing and added to your pantry.  xxx