Feather your Nest Friday, 22nd August, 2025.
Last Friday I was unpacking a big box of produce. I went on with that on Saturday, washing everything up. It was so much lovely fresh stuff. And timely, while I am doing the #everybitcountschallenge. I had faith that even though it is winter here there would be a way to do it and that has been true!
I needed to figure out a plan of what to use, what to preserve and what to store. Leeks were first and quick to put through the food processor then the freeze drier.
Lots that would keep a while went into the fridge...
I decided to roast a turkey... (from freezer) and cook up heaps of veggies to make as many roast dinners as possible.
This used up the whole cauliflower and broccoli. Cauliflowers never keep very long so I wanted to get that cooked.
When I had dealt with all the meals I cooked the turkey carcass with veggies for 24 hours in the slow cooker and ended up with loads of stock.
Winning!
Then just when things were going well my fridge/freezer (side by side) died. Truly it is God's hint to get my freezers in order. But I kind of lost a day dealing with this. Now I have a plan and I can re start with much better organisation. The fridge side was mainly my cold drinks fridge... so not too much was lost. The chooks had a feast of frozen stuff that had to go.
I shredded cabbage and freeze dried that.
Yesterday I was travelling. We did an overnight trip to the city. I am very happy to tell you Chloe is expecting baby number 4! Now I am allowed to tell. Talk about hard work keeping a secret!
In the yard where we stay there were a number of giant thistles. This one is the tallest one I have ever picked!
Chase helped me get a good photo! I took the photo on Wednesday. The next morning when I picked it I noticed it had grown about another inch! It wasn't done yet. But too bad.... they all came home for my chickens.
Back at home... I got several butternut pumpkins, some Queensland Blue, 2 sweet potato and a couple of onions into the slow cooker. I was really tired today. Turning on the slow cooker and gradually adding things all day until you finally fill it is my method.
This is a true case of making hay while the sun shines. I have lots to share, cook, preserve and keep me going for all next week. I think a cauliflower cheese might be a good idea. But tomorrow, just like last week, I will figure the plan out. (Oh but...there are red onions so I am going to make Frugale Tabithas pickled sliced onion.)
I did some cutting out but no sewing. Because I have bought bed linen as a way of getting fabric to back quilts and other projects I am ending up with brand new lovely pillowcases. I decided to make it a project to embellish them with a trim or embroidery and make each one special to go into my gift cupboard. I love a pretty pillowcase!
That is my week!
I am not finished unpacking... but I just need to vegetate tonight. BUT tomorrow I have a project... (another one...) I was give four litres of cream! I am going to make butter! Butter has become a very expensive item but I will not use artificial foods. I am not sure how much butter I will get from four litres but I will report back! Maybe I should make scones with the buttermilk? If you do this please tell me what is the best thing to do!
How did you build up your home? I hope you had your pantry eyes open! xxx
Annabel, What a lovely productive week you have had. The vegetables look amazing. So sorry on the loss of your frig/freezer. I know the soup will be delicious.
ReplyDeleteI had an up and down week, things breaking, not working, highway department running into our mailbox and truly crumpling it. Through through it all, I was able to make the best of it. I learned how to take a shower with cold water that goes burning hot and back to frigid cold.
I had purchased 9 lbs of peaches and turned them into jam, I was worried I would have to purchase jars, though husband found some buried in the storage room.
I made carrot muffins using up leftover roasted carrots, husband made a pizza with leftover tid-bits from frig, grilled zucchini is now one of my favorite toppings.
I am still working on the free yarn afghan, I was able to crochet 60 squares together in one direction, I have 40 more squares to make.
To save money my husband is going to try to fix our on-demand water heater, he has never worked on this type of water heater before, or one with circuit boards, praying it all goes well.
I am hoping today I start reorganizing and cleaning the storage room, I already know i will find long lost items.
Prayers all the bluebirds have a blessed and wonderfully productive week ahead.
Dear Rosanne, Renovations are always really hard to live through. The peaches were a big highlight though! Thanks for the tip on the grilled zucchini! That sounds good! You are doing well with the crochet squares, that will be finished in no time! With much love Annabel.xxx
DeleteJust wonderful! So much goodness! Another thing you can do with pretty pillowcases is to make pillowcase dresses for little girls. There are directions on the internet. They are so cute!
ReplyDeleteyes, they are so cute and easy to make, i have made many of them for operation christmas child-samaritans purse. if you do not have pillow cases they take about 3/4 yard of fabric or use kids sheets from the thrift store. bonnie in south pa.
Deletehi annabel, you sure have been so busy this week. it is a good thing and makes us feel good to be doing things to prepare our pantries for emergency times. there is a great blog called "homesteading with the zimmermans" that will show you how to make butter and how to use the buttermilk for other things. this lady lives on a farm in iowa and has many hints and good recipes for simple living. hope you enjoy;) bonnie in southern pa.
ReplyDeleteHi Bonnie, Yes I follow Ruth Anne! She is lovely! I love their family! The butter worked out and I learned a lot! Have a beautiful new week! With love Annabel.xxx
DeleteGosh all that lovely veg, it could be quite overwhelming. I am trying to preserve my harvest and put up some ready meals before I have my hip replaced in September.
ReplyDeleteFirstly scones, I leave out the egg and milk using buttermilk instead as in my Grans recipe. This brings me to another job for next month to write out all my recipes to pass on to my children and grandchildren.
Next fridges and freezers. You are the second person with a dead fridge on the blogs this morning.My husband worked on the change to natural gas in the 70s . When they had a fridge that would not work, was to disconnect it, place it in the van and find a very bumpy road to drive up and down a few times, then plug it in and turn it on again. 9 out of 10 times the fridge worked. Hubby did this to our a while ago. Viola it's still going 40 years on. Hopes this helps someone.
Chris
Dear Chris, I think so many electronics would probably respond to the good shake therapy! I hope your upcoming surgery goes very well! Good to be prepared ahead! Writing out the recipes would make a wonderful Christmas gift! Also maybe a good thing to work on when recovering from surgery.
DeleteI am working through the veggies! And I did use the buttermilk in scones too! Have a great new week! With love Annabel.xxx
Whew! Am I bushed (exhausted) after reading about your week! You are the busiest lady I know! I love the red-headed thistle in the yard. (Ha, ha.) Congratulations to Chloe!!! So exciting.
ReplyDeleteBusy here with green beans, swiss chard, pickles, and now the apples have started. No rest for the wicked, as they say!
Have a wonderful weekend, and hope you have lots of fun butter making!
xx Jen in NS
Dear Jen, Do you have wildfires near you? I hear this in the news. I hope not and you are all ok. I am so glad you have a lot coming in, especially the apples. There are just so many things you can do with apples.
DeleteThe butter making was very fun and now I hope I can secure this cream regularly! Have a great week! With love Annabel.xxx
So many lovely veggies, Annabel. Well done on the many roasted meals and stock! Congratulations on the new little one! God is blessing you with a 7th grandchild! No wonder you are quilting.😉
ReplyDeleteMy week has been full of applesauce making and keeping up with the needs of the family.
I rope my husband and youngest son into peeling apples with me. They go into my huge turkey roaster for the evening. Before bed, I turn off the roaster. I wake up to finished applesauce in the morning. I warm the applesauce and can it. This method has yielded many quarts of applesauce with relative ease.
I am so thankful to the Lord this time of year! If I didn't grow it, He makes sure someone blesses me with it.😁
I'm happy to report that I am back to working on my daughter's quilt. I had hoped to finish it before school. But time wouldn't allow it. She should have it before cold weather sets in.
Ooo, I wanted to share with you all about my egg money. I have been selling eggs to friends and neighbors for $3 a dozen. It has helped tremendously on gas money. Also I bought a $5 cross body purse, on sale, to replace my worn one. So glad I had my egg $ and waited for just the right purse!
Love to you all,
Leslie in Ohio
I am glad about your egg money! I was smilling while reading, you know I do the same with my eggs and then use the egg money wherever I need. Last year I put away the egg money and paid the taxes with it. This year I still put it away in the envelope for rainy days. Love from far away, Laura
DeleteDear Leslie, I am so happy about your egg money too! I aekd Rosanne and she said in NY eggs are $7.99 a doz. I am not sure about Ohio. Vicky is I Ohio I will ask her but I think you ca put your prices up a bit. I love how you make the applesauce! How beautiful! And how food comes in for you on top of what you grow. Your daughters quilt will be beautiful. I really hope to see it when it's complete! I am so pleased for you about your new purse! With much love Annabel.xxx
DeleteCongratulations to Luke and Chloe and all of you and what a blessing for the family to continue to grow!
ReplyDeleteI am so thrilled to see all you have done to preserve this beautiful food, and how creative you are, and that you are committed to not wasting. So sorry to hear about the side by side dying but now you can start over with peace of mind.
The cauliflower can be grated fresh/raw on top of a big salad. It looks like Parmesan. Cauliflower can also be boiled with potatoes and leek and pureed into a soup. Then add crumbled bacon on top and cheese.
The books are the find of the year. They are so expensive new, so I always buy them second hand. Your dear mother must have been so happy to get them.
I am so happy for you in all the ways the Lord blessed you, and He is no respector of persons, He blesses all His children.
We have just finished making jams, (peach and also strawberry) and harvesting the first round of grapes. I will steam the grapes 🍇 and make juice. We can drink this, it's delicious with a little ginger ale added, or turn the juice into jelly in January after Christmas when it slows down.
We've had a difficult gardening year here in the US with the heat waves and many things seem delayed but we are harvesting one thing at a time as they are ready and being grateful for all of it.m I think with the prices of meat being so completely out of control many of us will make more soup this fall and winter and just use a small bit of meat. And honestly it's healthier for us. A package of two steaks were over $40. More than doubled.
Congratulations again!
Blessings, Elaine
Wow is my thought! God has blessed you! God has blessed my courtyard garden too and I am especially getting tomatoes and cucumbers. Love the Friday newsletters. Have another great week........Nancy
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful new Annabel! Congratulations to you all. I hope Chloe is feeling well, I’m sure she appreciates all of the cooking you do for her family to help out.
ReplyDeleteYour week sounds so lovely, and I think it is fair enough that you’re tired! I’m so happy for you that the cabin trading has worked out so well. It feels so wholesome that your guests turn up with big boxes of produce!
Last weekend I did a full freezer and pantry stocktake and I have a list of things to use up. We are saving up to replace a car and so I’m trying to reduce our grocery spend for the next two months. Now that I know exactly what we have I can buy with the intention of using up the meat in the freezer. I still have money set aside for bargains, you’ve trained me well lol.
I made a hummingbird cake which used oil rather than butter for a staff morning tea and it went down a treat. Butter is very expensive here too so I’m reducing our use as much as possible. I look forward to seeing how you get in making it!
Have a lovely and restful weekend
Jen
My husband is the baker in this house and he makes delicious scones using buttermilk - usually donated by a friend with a shop when it is going out of date. They always turn out really light and fluffy and freeze beautifully.
ReplyDeleteHe uses 450g Self-raising flour, 1/4tsp salt, 100g cold butter, 85g golden caster sugar, 284ml or 1 cup of buttermilk and 2tsp of vanilla essence.
Mix the flour and salt together. Rub in the butter to produce 'breadcrumbs'. Add the sugar. Heat the buttermilk and vanilla essence together in a saucepan over a low heat. Decant 1/3 of the flour mixture into a new bowl and mix in 1/3 of the milk mixture. Gradually add more flour and milk. Shape into scones and bake for 10-12 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius in a fan oven.
Work on a cup of butter per litre.
ReplyDeleteHello from Iowa!
ReplyDeleteYour posts always inspire me! Use the buttermilk to make banana bread or blueberry muffins. It really ups the “yum” factor in recipes instead of regular milk. Also, pancakes! Make them and then freeze them ; )
Dear Annabel, congratulations to Chloe and Luke and the whole family on the wonderful news. I love how you have used produced and I’ll be excited to see how you use it. Your pillowcases are beautiful. I used a whole cauliflower in Mac and cheese this week- blitzed in the sauce. I sometimes think I’m not doing enough and then I remember the small things, like mending the blanket, cutting up the brown bits for the compost, fertilising plants and I think this is the beauty! Small things add up! Lots of love, Bridget
ReplyDeleteHi Annabel
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! Another grandbaby, what a blessing. Hope Chloe is keeping well.
I love the fabric for the pillowcases and all the fresh food you were given, what a great trade. You have to move quickly to preserve things or use them up don't you.
For the challenge this week I picked five containers of blackberries and put them in the freezer, also we have started picking and storing our cooking apples. I prepped and froze some runner beans and picked and froze elderberries, I will turn them into cordial for the winter when I have time. I froze the leftovers of a chicken and bean stir-fry for a ready to eat meal. I had two surplus lemons in the freezer, I defrosted and juiced them and whizzed them with soft butter. Then I shaped it into small patties and froze again, separated by small pieces of greaseproof paper. A patty of lemon butter put to melt on top of steamed vegetables is yummy. I have seen flavoured butters recently in a supermarket for £2.75 for 100 g, mine cost 80 pence for 100g.
We have eaten cucumbers, tomatoes, beetroot, lettuce, courgettes, potatoes, garlic, onions, runner beans, French beans and basil from the garden and given some away.
I think that's all for now, we have guests staying and apart from that it's all about the garden.
Hope all Bluebirds have a good week.
Penny in the UK
Dearest Annabel, another beautiful week for you ! I'm sorry to hear about your fridge /freezer dying. Have a look on "free cycle" it's a Aussie website my mum uses to pick stuff up from people who don't want to throw stuff away . You may have to go to town to get it. But I'm sure you'll work it out ! Great produce hail ! Soup is so good and filling before winter ends. And I do love a cauliflower cheese ! That in itself can be a meal ! Here cauliflowers are $3. I saw "abnormal looking" tangellos on sale for $2 a kg ! You pickles look amazing ! Where you find all the energy in a day is beyond me ! You quilting looks gorgeous also and I love flower type things like that with roses ! Yes, butter is very expensive. I did see butter churners a few weeks back in ALDI !
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on Chloe being pregnant again ! Have a great week ! Sonia in Sydney
You can freeze or freeze dry that buttermilk, too, Annabel!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to Chloe and Luke and the addition to the family. That's just lovely news.
I had a rocking week the week before and this week was sidelined by a muscle strain that has been painful. However, if I fretted about it, I needn't have. God will provide even if you don't have a garden or if you are sidelined. I found some excellent sales on canned peaches, cream of soups that I typically keep in the pantry and a few other items. I ordered food to fill some of the gaps in my pantry and that works, too! I use whatever resources come my way and so should we all.
I am hopeful that I can finish filling some more gaps this next week and I'm trusting that the way will be paved.
Wonderful news that Chloe is pregnant. A blessing like no other.
ReplyDeleteThe fresh produce looks beautiful and you had hands like ‘the ants’ in being busy in the kitchen. The pictures tell all about it!
I finished the mending work last week and feel relieved. Although I prefer knitting, crocheting etc. mending (holes in socks; adjusting the size of clothes etc) needs attention too. Now I’m on the lookout for a pattern for a skirt (sewing project).
Have a blessed week, Annabel, and the other Bluebirds. Prayers.
Esther 🌷
Congratulations for Chloe!!! This is the best news! Your family is beautiful, God Bless You!
ReplyDeleteI do not have much to report - my tiredness of last days finished off with a three day stay in bed flu virus, with fever and muscle pains. It was all reduced to a minimum.
- My husband made a new bigger cabin for the little ducks (which now are much bigger, hence the new bigger cabin...),
- I trimmed the lavender, part went to fragrant saches after drying, part went to the chicken nest boxes (they loved it) and two dozen cuttings were planted to try get some new litlle plants.
- I made two big jars (3 litres each) of pickled cucumbers for winter (from the garden). They went down in the cellar.
- I embroidered a gift for Christmas while staying in bed.
- I got well.
The weather is on a crazy side - after very hot days and a big storm we have very low temperatures (nearly freezing point) and it was snow !! on the hills around us.
I hope everyone has a nice good week,
Sending love and smiles from far away, Laura_s_world from Romania