Feather your Nest Friday, 10th January, 2025.

 Hi everyone, welcome to or second Friday for the year!  Today was my birthday and I have to give the game away so I can show you the cake Chloe made me!   Tom helped and was busting for me to see it!

Both our gardens are full of these Sulphur Crested Cockatoos.  Hence the real feathers!  Everyone knows I am a bird nut.

Chloe had unwell kids all week so it was extra kind that she did all this.  The pastries are all gluten free too!

As she is having a guest I helped her with a big lasagne made last night.   In went lots of grated zucchini.

I also made Mum a gf lasagne...  and she went home with left over cake and pastries (as did I) so she has a few meals!     Mum in turn made me a pineapple pie!  

Tomorrow, when I muster the energy, I will freeze up portions of all these treats.

Mum also gave me a plate I have always loved that has been in the family for generations.

This is a real treasure to me.

Chloe made me a book mark and card.   She said it is funny to make a card with pumpkins but yes, I absolutely love pumpkins!

I was also given beautiful books and essential oils.  I had particularly wanted Thieves and a sleep or relaxing blend and Chloe and Mum combined to give me a basket full of good things.

I also had a birthday gift to give to a special friend and made her softest face washers.   These are so soft regular face washers seem really rough after you try them.

Now it often amazes me how God truly cares about the desires of your heart.  I said nothing to anyone  but this basket came to me...

It was even delivered.  It is huge. The reason I've been wanting a flat bottom basket is I am always carrying cooking... a cake, casserole, lasagne etc.   It is perfect! 

Along the same lines.... in the thrift store I found two huge old tins. It was $5 for both.   I thought they would look nice and be functional in my pantry/shop.

I have always loved tins!

I was given a whole box of apricots!   Apricots are one of the best things about summer!   I washed them and sorted them in to some that will keep a few days in the fridge and some that needed using right now.

With those I made jam and stewed some as in hot weather stewed fruit is still one of my favourite things.

In the garden I am thrilled to be now picking cucumbers every day!   And they are a great size...  just beautiful!  I am sharing them around but soon I think I will make pickles.  These are just todays...

For several years I have tried cucumbers.  This is the first true success.   My raised beds and soil improvements seem to have hit the right balance, plus a lot of water.   It is hot and today I watered them three times.    But it's worth it!

This week I started to give the cows a bale of hay.   The goats got one too and one or the other has to stand on top at all times.

Do you remember my Valentines Day chicken?  Well, I had had eggs that belong to my niece and her boyfriend... in my incubator. It's a long story.  I guess that makes me some kind of surrogate mother.   Well what day do they hatch!?  Yes, my birthday.   How amazing is that?

At this moment there are six.  Three are in the brooder others are still in the incubator.  

Maybe in the morning some more will have hatched. 

Tomorrow I need to get back to work on Apricots.  I gave a jar of jam to Mum and Chloe and another as a thank you gift.   I will stew some more also as I ate stewed fruit and yoghurt for breakfast every day.   So nice.  I also need to process some zucchini.   It is going to be hot so indoor jobs like these are best.

That was my week!   I was very blessed all up!  My older Granddaughters are coming to stay Monday so it is going to be busy!  I am planning our crafts.  💗

How did you build up your nest this week?  I hope you had many opportunities! We love to hear! xxxx