Feather your Nest Friday, 31st of January, 2025.

I had a really good week.  We had a break from heat,  I felt caught up in the house enough to do more work outside since the days were nice.  I also felt some relief... in my mind January had been something to get through due to it being both summer and Andy's anniversary.  It was causing me a lot of anxiety since it was an unknown.  Also last week the heat was the same as the week before Andy died and it was very deja vu ish.  Having survived this I felt elated this week that I got through it and came out the other side.

Some of you will know and understand without me saying more.

My mission this week became to get things done while the weather was better and while I felt good!  My helpers were here for three days.   They worked non stop of fire prevention because from Sunday it is going to be really hot again.  In fact today a fire broke out on my brothers property north of here but very luckily if was attended to before it could get far.   My helpers cleared tons (literally) of pine needles and debris away making a clearing and firebreak to widen my safety perimeter.   We tested my over head sprinkler system.  The animal droughts, water tanks, fire unit and so on....

I had a man and his son in law stay in the cabin on the weekend.  They brought me beautiful produce plus a cake.  

Also they booked in again then another man booked in and happily they both picked different long weekends!   More trades coming!   The trades remind me of mystery boxes if you ever watched that cooking show.

From the garden and also from a friend I had more produce...

This is the first year I have ever grown a great crop of cucumbers.  And they are so much nicer than store bought!

I both shredded and froze zucchini...

And freeze dried...

Then I threw tomatoes, zucchini, capsicums and onions into the slow cooker.  I don't chop them I just trim as needed and chuck them in.

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At the end I blitzed it, let it simmer some more with some oregano... then it went into jars.

This could go on a pizza or in a pasta sauce.  So full of goodness. ( I leave a fair bit of headspace as I freeze these.)

I made another garden produce bake with meatballs and it was delicious.

I saw Cheryl S mention (on Cheapskates Chatter)  that she has been weighing her garden produce and calculating what it would have cost.  I thought what a good idea!  I've had kilos and kilos of cucumbers, zucchinis, tomatoes, capsicum...  all kinds of things.  I had ten kilos of lemons at one stage!  How satisfying to see what this is worth to the budget, much like when we used to do The Vicky Challenge and add up our actual savings.   I just thought it adds appreciation and amazement to our efforts! 

The talk is of eggs prices and egg shortages.   I notice this is not just Australia.   Well, my girls are banging out almost two dozen eggs a day but still this interests me so I checked the shelves today while I was in town.

I consider each dozen I collect to be worth $8 since thats about the going price.  But greater... none of my family or Grandkids are going to not get their eggs!

Even if you can get set up with three chickens it is worth it. They add joy to your life!  They cost very little to feed since most households have enough scraps and weeds to 3/4 feed them.

This morning Chloe found a baby Guinea Fowl in her hen house... she has Geese, Ducks, Guinea's and actual chickens!   Previously these chicks don't survive.  So she caught it and Tom called it Hoodie Doody.   I brought him home and put him under my chick warmer as although the weather is warm he sat in his water dish and got cold.  Tom trusted me as I said he is shivering so he has to come to my place.

So everyone kissed Hoodie Doody including Lily and he seems to be ok now.  He will go back to Tom when a bit established.

Chase is following Tom and getting very keen on cooking.  They make baked egg custard from eggs they collected.

I'm not sure what he was whipping up here but he was happy about it!

I used up some eggs and lemons last week... I made some little deserts to take over to Chloe's and this time Lily got her very own.  😊

Now that I am set up and on a roll... I am sewing again for at least 15 minutes,  usually around 3 30 when I am wearing out.   Currently I'm on pot holders and drying mats are next.

I made four with the teapots...

Now Australian birds...

I have chicken and farmyard fabric to get to as well!

Tom came and helped Andrew pile up pine needles.  He can drive this little digger as far as hand controls go (and reversing) but luckily his legs aren't long enough so Andrew does that bit!

I finished some more crochet wash cloths and added them to the gift cupboard.

A friend gave me some lovely bottles with lids, the right size for salad dressings etc.

I am thinking on how just making the most of what is in your hands,  keeping your hands busy...  creating and making... they stop you from going crazy.  It can be really hard to carve out some solitude to work on something nice but it is so good.  Even fifteen minutes!  You just feel accomplished!  Turning produce into something delicious, filling your jars and pantry,  topping up the freezer,  it is all a good feeling!  

I tidied up my patio and prettied it up.  And added some touches to the garden, while watering I found some spaces which I filled with pot plants,  bird baths, shallow bowls to add water to the garden.    Now it is going to be hot.  That will slow me down!

I hope you had a great week.  How did you build up your nest?  Some of us are baking, some are freezing... but we are all working together! xxx