Feather your nest Friday, 10th October, 2025.

It was an epic week!  After the wedding, and limping around for a couple of weeks,  I felt exhausted.  I was thinking now I can get back to... Spring cleaning, Spring planting,  Christmas plans...  so many things I have lined up.   But there was only one problem,  my leg hurt so much.  The kind of ache that wakes you up in the night over and over.   Anyway I was sick of it and not resting it because of all the things and having kids here and so on... didn't really pay off.   I do realise some things will just never heal unless we let them heal.  But we don't or cant.

As we all have experienced pain drags your mood down and your ability to think.  For anyone in long term pain I really feel for you.  It is a lot of people and it is a battle.

Well, when I was feeling a bit defeated about it, as I had gone backwards instead of forwards,  this story came to me (across my media feed)  and it spoke to me.

It is a long story so I will break it right down.  Elijah was so tired and over it that he told God he just was done and wanted to die.  He had been through an epic amount, to be fair.  Anyway he feels this way and then goes to sleep.  But how many times in life have we felt that... I am done,  I just can't take it any more!?  

Anyway,  God lets Elijah sleep... then he sends an angel to give Elijah cool water and food and he sleeps again.   Later the Angel returns and gives Elijah more food to eat.

After true rest and restoration Elijah thought things weren't so bad after all and he went on to do many more amazing things!   

So (although I am nothing like Elijah) I took the hint and decided to rest my leg Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.  Like properly.  I rested, kept it elevated,  heat packs...  did minimal things and stuck to sitting down tasks...  so I paid bills and cut out fabric and all I could think of!  I also had sleeps.  Three afternoons in a row I slept for a couple of hours.

As I started to feel better I began to think and plan.   I watched You tube for gardening,  homestead, cooking and sewing inspiration! 

I had ideas!  Andy would say "oh no..." haha.  But I hatched plans!  Isn't that weird?  From being tired  and sick of pain now I could think again.   This rest transformed me and my leg was soo much better! 

We don't rest as we should.  The Sabbath is there for a reason.   We need to be restored.  We can't make a plan or reflect on life if we are just too tired and too busy to "see."  Resting made me see again.

My helpful companion kept me company.  😊

So...  my fenced in back yard is my container garden.  It's my biggest success,  produce wise.  I have expanded with more and more really big containers.   It occurred to me that the "hedge" looked beyond saving now.   And that if it as gone I could use the cement thoughts I was given to fill that area with huge planters!  

And I realised I had two lemon trees in big pots. If they were planted in the orchard I would gain two more big planters...

And I realised I could plant pumpkins in another huge planter box if it had a nice top up of sheep manure.

Tom came over.  We made a Thursday afternoon action plan.

Tom and my helper Andrew moved the lemon trees.   

We got them dug in and watered.

The tractor was used to lift the troughs...  Tom was told to sit on the mower and NOT MOVE while this was going on.  He could observe.  I had eyes on him obviously.

He said it was better than television.  Then they filled the pumpkin patch planter with manure.   All the pumpkin seeds were watered in well.

The troughs were carried to my back yard then rolled into place and lowered with a strap and the tractor. (So they wouldn't smash.)

While this was all happening Tom and me planted up other pots and transplanted things.

We worked all afternoon,  me with a chair to sit on by the end!

So this was the area before we started.   

And now...

Ready to plant!   I brought some seedlings today and my friend gave me a tray of seedlings also!

I will get them planted tomorrow I hope.

A days work and action like this is the dogs idea of really great fun.

One of the pear trees is absolutely covered in blossoms.

I made scones for Mum.

I did get a quilt block finished,  even I I didn't iron it!

I also got the next one cut out.

A friend gave me the most beautiful vintage fabric.  It is 5 meters! 

Before I took Tom home on Thursday he wanted to blower vac my garage.  I said ok.  I have a smaller blow vac that is mine.   He completely cleaned and tidied the shed.  He is four.  He will be five in a week.

When I drove back in I saw this...  he hung up his spade and watering can on a hook in the shed...  ready for next time.   This melted my heart.  I know what he is thinking.  He is thinking he wants two know exactly where his things are when he comes back to help Nana Bel.  💗

So I also have hung up my spade for the day!   I did a really big stock up.  My freezer organisation showed me some areas that could do with building up.   This all did not include my meat freezer.... which is the next area that needs to be sorted out!   But that will wait until next week! 

In the end with three days rest I actually achieved more, not less!  I feel so much better.  My leg is truly on the mend.   

How did you build up your nest this week?  I love to hear!xxxxx