Feather your Nest Friday, 15th September, 2023.

We are mid way through September already!   It has been beautiful Spring weather here.  Absolutely perfect gardening weather.   I have lots of seeds coming up,  my pumpkin patch planted and I bought two trays of seedlings to boost things along!

Going to the nursery was so much fun.  They had a great selection and everything looked just beautiful.  Our nursery has a cafe and I sat and had a cup of coffee and went through my list.  It was heavenly!

My container gardens have been so much more successful than any of my earlier "in the ground" attempts at vegetable growing.  Over time I have collected and salvaged old water troughs,  an old copper,  a cast iron bucket from a mine,  huge pots (the last two years when Andy asked me what would I like for Christmas I said big pots please!) and a huge plastic tub that was Dad's.    I have brought things in from near and far.  Then I got my stack planters and they are all planted up now with lettuces and herbs.   I have had my eye out for more containers I can use but I think I have run out of options.  At the nursery they had several pretty big planter boxes...  I ordered two of them.    So now I can expand the garden again!  

My trays of seeds are coming up fast now.  I have Zucchinis and two types of Pumpkins coming through.

Today I got most of the seedlings planted out.   I built up some good soil next to a big old rainwater tank where the ground is always damp... I planted pumpkins and used a mesh basket to keep the birds away and still let the sunlight in.

In the orchard I planted five patches of pumpkins and a huge planter box (down near the fruit trees) was filled with zucchini seedlings.

A spot with drip irrigation was filled with cucumbers and I used a big metal tree surround as the support they can climb on.

Then I got everything watered in and fertilised.   It was a great day!

I took a tray of Parsley seedlings into the trading table.  

Little lettuces are popping up everywhere so I potted some up to give to a friend.

I had bananas to use up so I made three dozen banana muffins...

I sliced the bananas I had left over and put them in the freeze drier.

I still had a lot of lemons and a few oranges so I made Lemon Butter.

I got six jars.  It turned out the brightest yellow ever and then I realised I had used two oranges.  It was so bright!

There were still lots of lemons left so I started juicing.   I tried freeze drying the juice.  That worked but is very weird.  The juice of 25 lemons was reduced down to a powder that was about 2 inches deep in a jar.  Like it shrank to nothing!   I have been using a tiny amount each day in my drinking water.  

My cook up for the week was Enchiladas.  I made four trays full and they were really yum. 

This tray is going to Chloe over the weekend and the rest into the freezer.

I went through my Spring/ Summer clothes and had a wardrobe clean out and re arrange.

I managed some sewing.     More veggie bags ...

These went into the present cupboard.  

I made myself a bag.  The bling was in my craft odds and ends and the velvet is a colour I love.  I lined it and made two huge pockets inside.

I shared in The Tuesday Afternoon Club how some people change bags to go with different outfits.   If you have a bag the same colour as your hair it always looks good as if you are coordinated and it really doesn't matter what colours you are wearing.   So I am not a person to have a lot of bags,  just a couple. Well, three now!    I have some beautiful extra plush pink velvet that I am going to make into bags next.  

Andy fixed the incubator ready for the next round.  The chicks have grown.  The bigger chicks are huge (the rescue chickens) and the hens are now laying about 10 eggs a day.

In the store I found a heap of discounted focaccia and other flat breads.  I get them,  carefully cut them in half to give me two large "pizza" bases.   Sometimes I call them door stops.   Either way this is a super easy meal!   

I also found laundry liquid that I normally would never buy but it was reduced by $18 per bottle!  I got six!  

I packed up all of the venison, labelled it and Andy hauled it all into the freezer.

Loads of weeds went to the chickens so they are very happy.  The abundance of free food for chickens is amazing.  

Thank you to everyone who encouraged Vicky!  Everyday she tells me what she managed to do  (and as for us all)  whether it is a little or a lot consistency really adds up to amazing results! 

How did you build up your home, pantry or garden this week?   Have a lovely weekend! xxx