Feather your Nest Friday, 14th October, 2022.

It has been a big week.   It started off with lots of Spring cleaning and sort of gathered momentum as the week went on!   I was happy with fresh clean windows and the WHOLE HOUSE pressure washed.   These kind of things always make such a big difference and are exhausting but worth it! 

My Grand daughters came to stay as it is their school holidays.   With Guinea Fowl and Duck eggs in the incubator I was a bit disappointed the timing was out and nothing was due to hatch until next week.  The girls though still peeked into the incubator every five minutes.   They knew not to touch or lift the lid just peek in the perspex lid.   Scarlett came to tell me one of the eggs was hatching.  I thought this was because she is five and has wishful thinking but she was very insistent.   So I eventually went to investigate.   She was right!   I had in my diary the date I started incubating the eggs....  this was a good eight days early.   Two other eggs were also hatching.  So I guess when I collected them and brought them home they already had been incubating for a week.  I had pre heated the incubator so they were only a short time from nest to my place...    And so amazingly the girls had the most fantastic time seeing ducklings and one Guinea hatch (so far) and were absorbed in every detail.

We did a lot of listening to eggs.   It is the funniest thing but you can hear action in the egg long before you see anything.   So you stand there with an egg next to your ear, listening, listening...    and most of them you could hear chip, chip, chip.

More amazingly they start talking before they are out.   It was probably the same with me.   We helped some hatch as the membrane on some was tough... this is an incubator issue to do with humidity levels.  From previous batches I learned to just help.   So it was like we were doing duck surgery and in each instance we did end up with a success!

Everything we did was punctuated with checking the ducks.  Last thing at night, first thing in the morning, between dinner and desert... "lets just check the ducks."

We also gave ducklings a swim in warm water in the bathroom sink.    It was beautiful, the ducks loved it and the girls were just beside themselves.

The first three were named Bill, Daisy and Quakers (which has been used before) but we ran out of names after that point!

Our neighbours also have puppies and the girls got to hold them as well.   Heavenly puppy snuggles.

We did lots of crafts in between the normal farm jobs.   We also went over the "worst road in the whole world" (according to the girls) to see Nana Pat.   I did have to hose my whole car down when we got home as it was a mud slide most of the way.  But Nana Pat made a chocolate cake and had pressed flowers so we had another craft to do.   These were Harpers,  Scarlett did a great job as well with lots of concentration and made a heap!

I had the most wonderful luck at an op shop (thrift store) with a sweet Dressing gown in a small size... Peter Alexander brand.  I am putting it away for one of the girls to grow into. 

The buttons sparkle and it is so soft.

AND I always look for silk.   I actually run my hand through the scarves and along the evening wear and dressing gowns feeling for silk.  But I spotted a scarf hanging up and immediately loved it.   I felt it and knew it was silk.   Then found the label and yes 100% silk and sooo luxurious.   I love it!   Oh...  it was $3 for the dressing gown and $3 for the scarf. 

I had seedlings come up which gave me more to plant out.   Trying a few things in different locations.   Also it rained again this week and things look so lush! 

I took a carton of Quail eggs and a carton or Chicken eggs to the swap table.  I came home with Silverbeet seedlings and Lemons!  Very happy! 

I invested in a vac sealing device for jars.   So far I have been able to easily seal smaller jars in a canister set up but unable to seal the bigger jars.  And I have a lot of big jars full of dry goods and my dehydrated produce.  Now I will be able to vac seal them all.   I will show and demo this in Mondays post.

Andy made a swing under one of our big Gum trees.  The girls loved it.  I think we could also have some tyre swings as we have plenty of places to hang them.   I think the boys would like these as they get bigger too.

Because I spent so much time with the girls and concentrated on them (and ducks etc!) I am really behind on replies and correspondence but I will catch up!   You would not believe how much I think of you all as I go about my day.   Many of you have become my friends and we are like a team cheering each other on.  When I have something good to report I am so glad to have someone who will understand the happiness of my beans producing,  my cucumbers beginning to climb up the frame and adding jars to my pantry.   Likewise I am happy hearing of your efforts to build up your home and family as this is really the most important job in the world.   xxx