Feather your Nest Friday, 25th Feb. 2022.

Each week I pretty much have the same goals,  they just get broken down into smaller goals,  that I can set for the next few days.  I wanted to keep going with my container garden,  manage the pears coming in, build up the pantry and garden as I can...   

I was blessed with two more chickens hatching this week.  This hen only hatched two chicks last time!  Two must be her speciality!   

When a hen goes broody and I give her eggs I write in my diary the date they are due to hatch.  This sees me on the last day with my ear pressed against the outside of the coop listening for "cheep cheep."   On Wednesday I could hear!  So then I lift the lid and have a look!    I waited an extra day for others to hatch but the hen gave up and so did I.  So two chicks it was.  These little guys are now eating a drinking and running around very happily.

They are completely tame as they don't know not to be.   I love them!

Some of the ways I got ahead, added to the garden and pantry included...

Mum gave me some jars,  meat for the dogs and scraps for the chooks.

I made Gluten free Melting Moments.  They were delicious... Mum liked them too.

I planted up another bucket of potatoes.

To get better at growing veggies in general I have been watching Hollis and Nancys Homestead.   They are so helpful!  I am getting so many tips!  Also a joy to watch.   Another good gardening you tube channel is Australian Self Sufficient Me.  He is funny and very good!    We need to DO and learn.  It is so exciting when we find something that helps and we have success! 

Also I turned a big old cast iron bucket into a planter.  It now has two types of basil in it.   I had chook manure,  egg shells and started filling this bucket with compost.   Then I remembered all the eggs that didn't hatch so they went in too.   

I collected a bucket of chook manure to mix in with some compost to start some new good soil for any future big containers I find.  And I am watching out for such containers! 

On top of that I was given a whole trailer load of huge bags of shredded paper.  I was given four big bags last week.   The hen houses and nesting boxes are full of fresh clean bedding but I have so much more!  

Molly got a new bed.  

In my quest to make Zackie's coat shiny they each get two eggs every night. 

I mentioned last week how her coat has improved.  Her happiness has just skyrocketed.  She is such a character!

The pears have been ripening.  I got to work and did 80 in one day.  

These became puree which I froze in baby food sized portions.   Since then I have cooked some more everyday.   

The second tree of pears are still not quite ready to pick... which is good it gives me more time!

Mum had given me an old wheelbarrow.  I got that planted up with cuttings of some of my succulents.  I think when they grow it will look really nice.

I also managed to collect a few more succulent cuttings. 

Hundreds of tiny seedlings have come up in my kitchen garden.  I think they are chard.  I have watered them and re located some so they are not too crowded.  A lot of bonus plants! 

I went to town and did a big stock up shop.   The store had some empty shelves but overall I got what we needed.  As I always chat to everyone I come home with a heap of information.  The lady in the supermarket told me that they are shipping groceries to Perth as the roads and rail have been so impacted by hold ups.   Perth girls this is Woolworths,  she said they are sending a ship!  

The lady also told me some other tips and what items have been hardest to get, these included meat and cheese.    Overall my impression of the supermarket reminded me of something Vicky said to me.  Over time things have just declined. It isn't all at once.  It isn't instant.  There has just been a general decline in availability and quality and at the same time and big increase in prices.  We are more or less used to expecting to see some empty shelves.   We shop now more with an "I'll see what I can get and I'll see what looks good and how the prices are" attitude rather than a set list.   The lists I do make I try to think of several options as plan A might not work out.   And this is what we have to do.  Adapt.  Deciding to not buy anything until what we want returns could be quite a bad idea.   I am getting what we use, the things I know Mum looks for and the girls look for and glad to add them to the pantry as no longer can I assume they will be there next week.   From what you all report this is pretty much the same far and wide. 

Yesterday I was just home from town when Vicky messaged me that war had broken out.  I am struggling to put words together here.  It is too massive to "comment" on.  I know that the Ukraine is the "bread basket" of Europe, rich in grain production and minerals and much more....   I thought of Laura immediately and she has sent a comment that bombs are falling 180 kilometres from her,  that people are fleeing and are on the border near her trying to get out.  I am sorry, I really have no words that do a good job of saying how sad I am and what this might mean for the people of Ukraine, Europe and the world.  We do not know what tomorrow holds.  

I do not want to promote fear in any way.  I have always encouraged everyone to be watchful, to be prudent, to look after your family the best you can.  To be prepared for when there might be too many bills, job loss or a storm.  Week by week that is what we do!   Having hands that are busy with what we have to work on makes us generally happy and content.   If we are ready for "winter storms" we can help others also! 

Preparing so much since about 2016 I have considered maybe I am just plain crazy.  It is not that much of a stretch.  But then a lot of people have told me they had the feeling, the prompting... and many say they have it now.  That feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop.   That thing like when you KNOW YOU KNOW a name or word and it is on the tip of your tongue but you just can't quite get it out!!  Ahhh infuriating it is so close... but I don't know it.  I will know it in a minute, just hang on!   Well,  that is my feeling.  I don't know what it is but it is something.   

When 2020 started I had that feeling. So did many of you here,  Vicky and Glenda both said to me the first week of January 2020 they knew we must busy ourselves and be prepared.  While I might be crazy these are trusted, sensible, reliable friends.  Others have said to me similar things.   And here we are.  

In my opinion God has been so good to place it in my heart to become as self reliant as we can and give me so much opportunity to actually do it.  So much time to learn and get stuff done. 

Some time back on my old blog Mel shared a beautiful story of her Grand Mother.  I hope Mel will not mind re sharing it here....

"When they feared the coming war my great Grandmother advised my Grandmother on what had become in short supply during WW1 and what to stock up on. Namely soap and other toiletries, sugar, fabric, wool, first aid goods and luxury items such as stockings etc. Now with plenty of other things to spend their money on my Grandparents took this advice. My mother tells me all their clothes were taken out of their drawers and a layer of cakes of soap was laid down and then their clothes put back on top. This happened in every room (this also deters moths). Then my grandmother bought a barrel of sugar and old jumpers second hand from the markets to unpick. She also stocked up on cottons and went into overdrive in canning her home grown goods.

There were other things they did like finish off everything needed doing in the house and prepare their garden. It is great to grow fruit trees but we all know they often take a few years to take off. Vegetable garden was increased and Golden syrup stocked up on. As well my Grandmother had a stockpile of sheets and towels. Now we know how helpful extra sheets used for fabric or bandages or many other uses can be but at her age it would not have been my first thought.

During the war my mother and her sister were always clean. Soap was grated to wash clothes, and for bathing. My Grandmother made pulled candy and all the local kids got a few pieces on their birthday during the war and when sugar was rationed. My grandmother was able to feed and clothe her family simply because she listened and took in this advice which I must say I might have shrugged off in her position. Six years is a long time to struggle through without many basics and also rationing went on for a while after simply because many things were in such short supply."

I loved this story! From listing to her Mother in laws advice Mel's Grandma put a plan into action that benefitted the family for many years. Just amazing. I certainly hope we are not facing a world war but I am trying to show that prudent planning can make a world of difference to your households future. Not just your household but maybe giving you the chance to help many others. All for taking action and opportunity wisely as you can. At the end of the day I would rather do what I can than worry. It is not fearful to be prepared. The rest I pray about.

How was your week? Did you build you pantry or garden? All you are doing is inspiring to others and we all need encouragement! We are friends across the world and I look forward to knowing how you did this week.xxx