Feather your Nest Friday, 5th July, 2024..
It is July and we are in the second half of the year, already! Night times have been really cold... this week we had frosts so the world is white in the morning.... but then we have sunshine and beautiful days.
There is a lot to report and so I am going to just jump in because I am too tired to think chronologically!
I know this much... on Tuesday I went to town and had lunch with my friends. It was a beautiful day and I was able to go to two thrift stores.
One of these had a heap of rustic containers full of succulents and I came home with several to sit on various flat rocks in my rock garden.
I also found some kids clothes and a whole bag of books... just what I was after. Harper and Scarlett are coming to stay next week. I wanted girls novels... the right reading levels... subjects they would be interested in. This is a sample...
They were 50c each... several classic boys books were put away for later. Harper does gymnastics and loves horses... Scarlett likes things that are funny. Reading for next week is organised.
I also found some fabric panels, suitable for making pot holders I thought...
I was given a couple hundred more lemons. The chooks are laying so this time I am going to make batches of Lemon Butter.
I did trade a dozen for Strawberry plants. I have spaces in pots and will plant these tomorrow...
The blanket I had not quite finished last week is complete. It tops a single bed in size. Also it is pretty thick and warm.
After this I picked up a blanket I started last winter... it is about one third made so it is an easy project to complete. Except I forgot to get a photo of that... and it is pitch dark now so that will wait until next week. BUT it feels really good to finish things.
I managed to sew. It is safe to say 2024 is year of the scallop. 😊 Next I wanted to conquer initials. You would think this was easy but selecting what letter and choosing the font... no not easy. I read the directions and the more I read the less I understood. I went to you tube and watched demos. This didn't really help either but gave me some hints I guess. In the end I sat with some scrap fabric and learned how to do letters and write a word. Trial and error!
It would be such a waste to have a machine that can do things and not use them. Especially that is why I bought it! But sometimes it just seems daunting and "not the right day" to even try!
Anyway I know it's not brain surgery but I am so happy to figure out one more thing!
Dear Bluebird Denise from England sent Lily a cardigan she knitted. The weather is so cold and it fits perfectly! 💗
The last time my Parsley was magnificent a goat got out and ate it. Learning from that this time I picked a basket and got it straight into the freeze drier.
I ended up with four large jars and it looks exactly as fresh when it comes into contact with moisture ie in the meal you use it in.
Also I dug up some potatoes. At this stage whenever I need them I just go dig up a few. More and more grow all the time.
I made a meal for Chloe and her family which used a few more of the last apples...
And I made a batch of Honey Gingerbread.
I made them Gluten Free as they were for Mum. This recipe for regular or GF flour will be my basics post on Monday.
All week I've had bon fires. There is only one thing better than a bonfire... a bonfire at night time! I can look out the windows and see them burning all night long.
Tim is pushing the fire together to keep it going and adding a bit more.
How did you build up your nest this week? We all love to hear! Little bits add up to big things! xxx
Annabel and Dear Bluebirds, Hi from Upstate New York.
ReplyDeleteAnnabel you had an amazing week of blessings and finds, so happy for you. I would be sitting on the porch watching the bonfires.
This week has flown by on me. We did 4 grocery stores to get bargains. It is getting harder to find a bargain and usually just a handful at each store, luckily my husband was willing to go to each.
We were able to add staples to the pantry and fresh veggies and fruit to the frig.
I have tried to make more dishcloths at night while husband watches TV. I took a break from deep cleaning due to time restraints and baking and cooking. My Son celebrated his 46th birthday on the 4th, so we made a large cookout and enjoyed a wonderful meal together.
I have been baking fruit breads, strawberry shortcakes and will be making a key lime pie as I had limes to use up.
I feel my best achievement was getting some more items into my pantry and making a few more gifts.
Prayers for all Bluebirds.
That was a great week Rosanne! Having a wonderful family celebration and the baking you did and the stocking up! We are gathering tomorrow for my first Grandsons 4th birthday!
DeleteCrochet of an evening sure adds up to a lot made. I hope the new week will be equally good! With love Annabel.xxx
I no longer have a garden, my knees just can't handle it anymore, but I still do process food for winter/out of season time. We have a produce stand close to us and tomatoes have started. You can buy the perfect expensive tomatoes by the quart box or, you can buy a half bushel of imperfect tomatoes for a much less expensive price. I've been buying the imperfect tomatoes and turning them into sauce and freezing it. I don't mind eating imperfect tomatoes so I have plenty to eat too. I've also been freezing blueberries for the winter. Green beans and sweet corn will be processed soon too.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your life with us, I very much enjoy reading your blog.
Dear Gretchen, Getting the tomatoes this way is fantastic! I would love the produce stand near by! Beautiful tomato sauce frozen would be a great asset. Blueberries, beans and sweetcorn will be amazing too! Thank you so much for your kind comment, with love Annabel.xxx
DeleteYou always have such busy weeks and accomplish so much! The sewing that you did is so cute and what a lovely gift for Lily!
ReplyDeleteI added a few more supplies to my first aid bin - there were some good sales (plus Loyalty Point offers) so it made sense to add a few more items such as Tylenol, Polysporin & antihistamines. I also added mouthwash and deodorant to my non food pantry - there are some good sales on this week for toothpaste & tooth brushes so I will stock up on those as well - I like knowing that all of these sorts of needs are met for a good number of months so that if money is extra tight I can use what I do have for food.
Also added to my bar cart - I was gifted a large bottle of rum from friends who had been to Cuba and two friends gifted me with bottles of wine when I hosted a luncheon. Aside from the occasional glass of wine, I'm not much of a drinker but I do like to have things on hand for company - plus one of the types of vanilla essence that I make uses rum so I am now well supplied. I use vodka for the normal mixture but find that one made with rum adds a special touch to fruit cakes and even my rice puddings.
I had a couple of dozen eggs that needed to be used up so I made a crustless quiche (I think this is your impossible pie) - sliced it up and added it to the freezer for quick breakfasts. I also hard boiled a few of the eggs for egg salad sandwiches and will do some baking this weekend to use up the last few.
We are going up to 28C today but with the humidity it will feel like 34C - but - we are expecting another thunderstorm tonight so all the rain has kept things very green here - despite the Summer heat. I hope that you get some rain this week and the grass keeps up for your animals.
Have a wonderful week everyone.
Dear Margie, I think the same... all these areas of our pantry are important. Like money in the bank we can fall back on living on supplies if money is tight.
DeleteThe over the counter meds are very good too. Many times we have seen shortages and restrictions on all of these things.
Well I love rum, brandy, whiskey etc... I use them in my fruit cakes and I think that is why they keep so long... also making essences. I am currently saving eggs... because I have so many lemons I am going to make a few batches of Lemon Butter and use up 40 eggs and 40 lemons!
We are hoping for rain! It actually feels like something is coming in now... (Sunday afternoon). Have a great new week! Love Annabel.xxx
My mulberries and black currants are ripe so I am picking berries to freeze and to can juice with. I also just harvested early potatoes and was impressed to get about 25 pounds from a short row. I failed to hill the potatoes so wasn't expecting much. I also have the dehydrator going -- right now with store bought carrots but this week I have also dried green onions and a variety of herbs. Today I plan to powder up some older dehydrated items, mainly mushrooms and zucchini to use as cooking powders. Julie V
ReplyDeleteDear Julie, I wish I could tell you what Mulberries and Blackcurrants would cost here in Australia... but blueberries for instance are over $20 a pound! Plus they are so good! Well dont on so many potatoes! The dehydrator is such an asset too and getting onion, herbs and carrots preserved is great. Mushrooms... I love to use dehydrated mushrooms when you make a casserole and you realise it has a bit too much liquid. Some dehydrated mushrooms soak it up like little sponges! You had a very good week! With love Annabel.xxx
DeleteDear Annabel, I wish I could send you some rain over from Germany. We are getting too much of it and temperatures are too low.
ReplyDeleteIt is interessing to get a glimpse of your life in Australia.
Alles Gute Marion
Hi and welcome! Thank you so much! We hope for some rain this week! xxx
DeleteI love your scalloped edges! You accomplish so much. Lemon curd sounds so delicious. Lily is such a doll and so wonderful to find those books for the girls. I watch More than Farmers UTUBE videos and she has her kids have quiet time and read every afternoon. A great alternative than being on phones. You sure do find wonderful buys at your op stores. I miss being able to do that. I am in NW Indiana and have been picking my beans out of the Greenstalk to freeze. We have been having sunny but hot days. Love reading your letters every Friday........Nancy
ReplyDeleteDear Nancy, Thank you! I am now saving 40 eggs to make 4x my lemon curd... which takes 40 eggs and 40 lemons! I wont do it all on one day maybe 4 batches over 4 days!
DeleteThe books are really perfect. I will keep watching and collecting. We always had the afternoon nap when the kids were little but after that quiet time instead. I have seen that you tube channel and it is really nice!
I hope you have a good new week! With love Annabel.xxx
I don't often post, but I so enjoy reading about your life and adventures! That knitted cardigan is exquisite, wow. And your blanket is beautiful! I have a bunch of granny squares I need to assemble.
ReplyDeleteYou can bring us dinner anytime!!
Thanks Debby! Sewing or crocheting together the granny squares is the hardest part but the end result is worth it! xxx
DeleteWhat an incredible week as usual Annabel. No wonder you are tired, I think this week you have surpassed your usual efforts so that is saying something!!
ReplyDeleteWe have had rain rain and more rain this week in the Northern Rivers. It’s cold and it feels like a proper winter. I’m picking beans and coriander from the garden, and oranges and mandarins galore!
Hubby and I are spending time planning big projects. So there is no work to be seen yet, just the foundations.
Life is good at the moment. I’ve been kicking some bad habits lately, and the phrase “God helps those who help themselves” has never been more meaningful 🙏
Have a lovely week Annabel and Bluebirds. Keep the momentum going, it’s important 🐦🪹
From Cheryl
Dear Cheryl, Thank you! Wow we would like some of that rain! Having so many mandarines and oranges is great also the greens. Planning is good! And so is kicking habits. We all have them! Some are costly in money and some in health, some in both! The only way Ive ever really managed to kick a habit I dont want is to replace it with something I do like/enjoy that makes it not so hard. But keep going! You are right about momentum too! With much love Annabel.xxx
DeleteThat gingerbread looks DELICIOUS!
ReplyDeleteRecipe is coming up! Thank you!xxx
DeleteDear Annabel, love the blanket ! I want to learn how to crochet as nothing as usual on tv here in Sydney ! Lucky Lily she looks warm and happy ! I have been sick myself with a bad virus type thing and causing me to cough a lot. Despite wearing my mask everywhere in winter !! I think I will make soup ! When is your dental surgery ? I hope you get sedation. I am anxious with any kind of medical procedures myself and sedation is a god send ! You have accomplished so much this week ! We have had two weeks of rain non stop ! With love, Sonia in Sydney Australia
ReplyDeleteDear Sonia, You tube will have you crocheting in 24 hours! Just do lots of chains then learn single and double and you basically can make anything!
DeleteI am sorry you are sick! Yes I will be having a sedation. It is in a couple of weeks still. Yes please send that rain to us down here! With much love Annabel.xxx
Dear Annabel, what a productive week! Today my husband and I tackled a long put off project - replacing the silicone in our daughter's shower. It took a lot longer than I thought to remove all the old stuff. I have scrubbed and scrubbed and now will bleach it (I googled this) to hopefully kill off any remaining mold before we re-do the silicone. I also pruned my roses, cleaned my oven, cleaned out my chook house and got a few little extra jobs done that make me feel better. This week I also picked up a few bargains while waiting for my daughter's supermarket shift to finish. This included two Christmas gift items. Yesterday a friend asked me for eggs because their local supermarket had none in stock. I only have one hen (Brenda) laying me a green egg every second day at the moment and I have used most of them in cooking this week, I wasn't able to help them out this time. This morning I made a batch of sausage rolls to take to young friends this afternoon who have just had their second baby. Love Clare
ReplyDeleteDear Clare, It is very satisfying to get those jobs that we really put off done! You got heaps done in lots of different departments! If you can possible get some chickens do... eggs might be so valuable and vital! Sausage rolls sound delicious! What a nice gift of help to take to your friends! With much love Annabel.xxx
DeleteI love the succulents Annabel! I meant to do something like that for Christmas gifts last year but it didn’t happen. I’m inspired again! If Scarlett
ReplyDeletelikes funny books then the treehouse books at the top of your picture will be perfect. Denise what beautiful knitting! Lily looks so lovely and happy.
We are now into school holidays and yesterday got some weeding done, cleaned cars and tidied up the garage.
I used up some apples given to us that had gone floury in muffins. I’m going to make more because they went down a treat. I also have bananas to use up so I’ve been baking a lot this week!
I found a buy one get one free deal on some cute character night lights, so that is four birthday/Christmas presents sorted. Also some Disney princess
t-shirts on clearance for 97c!!
I love the marled look of your crochet blanket, did you use more than one strand of wool with this one as well?
Mine is growing slowly. I have also been making granny squares with wool that is too short for anything else. I enjoy finishing a stripe in one blanket and being able to add the leftover wool to the granny square stash!
I hope you get some more rain next week and have a lovely week with the girls!!
Jen (NZ)
Dear Jen, Yes this blanket was a use it up project... all through out was a five fly cream (was given loads of balls of this and they are huge... the whole blanket only used two!) and each row has an added 2 or 3 ply colour which have all come from op shops.... and I probably would never use them being so fine but they were pure wool... and so most rows added up to 8 ply.. I have a lot more of both the cream and various colours in fine wool. I found this worked out as I liked the look of it.
DeleteYou found sound great deals for the gift cupboard! Jen the muffins would freeze well if you were to ever actually out cook the kids! Good use of the apples! School broke up here Friday... hence the girls are coming tomorrow! Have a good new week! With love Annabel.xxx
A beautiful week! We are travelling slowly, Wayne has been sick so only a few hours a day before he's had enough. We've had fires too, a little smaller than yours. My time has been spent crocheting, lots to add to the present box when we get home. We are racing the rain, don't want to get stuck if we can help it. Looking forward to getting home and getting the spring garden started, or at least the seeds started.
ReplyDeleteDear Cath, I am sorry Wayne hasn't been too well. Travel is really hard when you're sick. I am glad you are getting restful crochet time. It amazed me we are already in mid winter! We finally have some rain which makes it feel more convincingly wintery! Hope your week has gone well. I am lagging behind due to school holidays and kids but it has all been worth it. With love Annabel.xxx
DeleteThis week I canned another 24 pints of corn and bought another $2.99 watermelon for us to enjoy. The weather cooled down for a few days from our oppressive heat and humidity, but it is back so we work outside from sunrise until about 9 or 10 and then stay inside working the rest of the day.
ReplyDeleteI finished another client quilt- https://pin.it/6Wxs9RAKc, so I will be getting paid for that tomorrow!
I found 2 packages of sirloin pork chops marked down on Flashfood to $1.15 and $1.34. They each have 3 large chops in a package. Their original price was $8! One package went into freezer while the other is being cooked up for Sunday dinner tonight with our son!
Also on Flashfood, I bought 3 pounds of ground beef (mince) for $3 and 2 pound packages of sliced Provolone cheese for $4.
We feel like it has truly been a week filled with opportunities and blessings!
Dear Gardenpat, Flashfood is amazing! Good shopping there! Also on the corn!! You steadily smash out the quilts from your stash and for clients. You always inspire me with what you get done in a week! With much love Annabel.xxx
DeleteHi Annabel and Bluebirds
ReplyDeleteSchool has just gone back this week so it is a week of catch up on all things that get neglected, washing, shopping, cleaning extra bits and putting away things that were pulled out in the holidays, making appointments. Next week will be filling the freezer with some cooking. Holidays was a mix of being home and some outings thrown in along with sleepovers and a craft day that the girls went to as this was catch up birthday that was missed due to Covid for Miss 14
We had rain in the first few days of school holidays, so much so that the cane farmers were over it as the crushing season is underway and the mills couldn't crush which put things so far behind.
Annabel your finds in the thrift stores are beyond amazing. You find some many useful items and the most gorgeous materials.
I think from the happy face on Lily that she is delighted with the cardigan that Denise made for her.
The sunsets in your photos are so beautiful. I have been taking some recently myself as I send a friend different sunrise and sunsets in a photo collage for her Christmas presents as she loves them.
Our little fur baby is growing fairly quickly and will be 7 months old by the end of this month. He is so entertaining it is hard not to just sit and watch him each day. As I type this he is sitting inside the back door amusing himself with a bug flying around on the outside.
Hope you have a fantastic week
Take Care
Aly xxx
Dear Aly, We are still mid school holidays here... it has been a busy week! I remember very well how first week back at school was a massive get organised week. But it was worth it for all the things we did and enjoyed in the holidays. I think pets are maybe the best therapy of all. The joy of animals is amazing. They are so loving. They complete a household!
DeleteI cannot believe A is 14. I remember when she was tiny! This is happening too fast! I am in a collapsed state after taking Harper and Scarlett home! With love Annabel.xxx