Feather your Nest Friday, 6th February, 2026.
Welcome to February! Already!
It has been a week of cooking and helping with meals at Chloe's house. It is my theory that the first six weeks with a new baby are a settling in period and anything that can help that go well is a very good investment. And they seem to be getting on well.
I made two trays of blueberry muffins. At Christmas time I bought a lot of berries.... and berries are expensive here. Some were left over so I froze them. This was the week to use them.
I made one dozen regular and one dozen gluten free.
These were a big hit!
So... the gang came home on Sunday. It was a big day. I prepared ahead and baked a ham, made salads and then ham and cheese croissants.
I added bread rolls and little meringues, berries and whipped cream in jars. The idea is this would be dinner and lunch the next day.
Tom is in charge of setting the table. Now he asks me what is for dinner tomorrow night, so he knows what cutlery to put out. 😊
I arrive with dinner at 5 45. Military precision.... at which time the kids are sitting at the table watching the driveway for me to come in! haha!
The second night I delivered hot sausages which they had with the same salads.
I have actually forgotten the order but another night I did chicken kebabs, rice and veggies...
As I do these meals I set aside one or two dinners for myself. I guess that is obvious but it so nice as I come home then eat mine!
I made little trifles in a jar....
Another night I did a roast chicken and roast veggies. I helped plate it up and it was hoovered up at a frightening (yet successful) pace.
Tonight I did roast lamb and veggies with mint sauce. This looked like it was going to be demolished in a similar way.
I also made Honey Gingerbread today and took them for desert and the weekend.
I found my biggest flat tin and they fit perfectly in this.
Each day I'm picking tomatoes..
There is not much left and I will be waiting on Autumn as there is a lot I can plant then ie celery and broccoli.
I made a few more cards.
Baby Ike was one week old on Wednesday. Eagle eyed Tuesday Afternoon Club members will spot who made the blanket. 😊
The boys both get to help.
(Please no one say anything about the bottle. With all that happened Chloe has had to wait longer to get feeding normally and the weather is hot. She has fed all her babies for well over a year.)
Mum came to meet Ike and see everyone on Monday...
He is Great Grand baby no 7.
Mum arrived with her knitting for Ike for Autumn and Winter. The blue overalls.... Chloe herself came home from hospital in a tiny version that Mum also made. And we still have, of course.
This is from Saint Francis of Assisi. I just love it.
I've eaten my roast lamb dinner. I think it was a good week. Mum is coming tomorrow and she is bringing a meal (meatloaf, mashed potatoes and chocolate cakes to be exact) and I will be having the day off.
How did you build up your nest this week?
Oh, I forgot... I did a little more on my veranda area and I have been cleaning a bit extra each day to try and catch up from when I was sick. It added up, even a few extra things a day. xxx
Annabel I know I’ve said so many times, but I want to say again that you are such an inspiration. The meal drops are such a gift, Chloe and Luke must be so appreciative. Baby Ike is just gorgeous! What happy family pictures 🥰
ReplyDeleteThis week was the first week of everyone being back at school and work. Luckily today is a public holiday because we’re all tired! The kids have settled well so that’s good, and things will start to feel normal again soon.
So lovely to read about this special time for your family, love the photos!
Jen (NZ)
You amaze me with your thoughtfulness and kindness. You are such an inspiration. Could you tell me where I could find some of the recipes for the things that you cook. I’m not a great cook. Thank you and God Bless you all. Patricia from South Africa
DeleteDear Jen, Thank you! Our kids also had a short week... which was good for the first week as they seem to get knocked out! You will be back to a routine by now. I am 100% sure you will be cooking for your Grandchildren just the same. I already suspect your kids have friends who come over and love coming there because of your cooking! With much love Annabel.xxx
DeleteDear Patricia, Thank you! I have an old blog The Bluebirds are Nesting and this blog. You can google or search on the blog for recipes. I wish I was more organised with a recipe index... maybe one day. My advice is keep things very simple. Simple wholesome food is beautiful. And to cook something every day if possible. So it's not overwhelming. One thing at a time. Thank you for your kind words! With love Annabel.xxx
DeleteDear Annabel
ReplyDeleteThe early assistance efforts in those six weeks helps everyone in the family. The stress reduction for the parents flows through to benefit all the children and everyone can relax a bit more and enjoy the baby’s company. You’re a godsend of a grandmother. 😍
The weather is much more agreeable this week and I managed to make up 8 kilos of strawberry jam this week. I made 12kilos of apricot jam in early January and figs or blackberries will be next. The extreme heat wrecked what looked like a great wild blackberry crop but we will get enough from the sheltered areas.
Not long until autumn now, thankfully.
Love
Kate
Dear Kate, Thank you! Wow eight kilos of strawberries!! On top of the apricots and blackberries... just beautiful. Today the first pink Easter Lillies came out here!! This is a sign! Autumn is coming! And right now (Wed 4pm) it is raining! I hope you are getting it too! With much love Annabel.xxx
DeleteIke is a gorgeous little man. Mum’s knitting is next level and her pieces are heirlooms. Your meals are such a gift of love and how precious that the kids are waiting at the table for their delivery! The meals look delicious too! You’ve had a huge week and you still managed to make gorgeous cards! Try to have a rest and enjoy your weekend xox
ReplyDeleteDear Stephanie, Thank you so much! I knew you would love Mum's knitting. And your blanket is such a hit, also heirloom quality! With much love Annabel.xxx
DeleteDear Annabel, what a beautiful family!!!! All the kids are very wonderful. It is a blessing to have a lot of playfull feet around, as I depicted in the pictures, a lot of squeeky little voices and good food from Nana Bell. Pure hapiness !!!
ReplyDeleteFrom a good knitter to the other, I really love your Mum*s knittings
Spring is around the corner here, and we are grateful all that snow has melted nicely, without any flooding. The snow was so high that any of my dogs were not visible in the courtyard. My boys made paths like a maze to be able to go feed the chickens, kitties and dogs. But now I am feeling the gardener itch so I started some lettuce and parsley indoors.
I resumed my kniting orders, after my day job hours, every penny in counts, especially now, when prices are increasing here. 2026 will be a hard year. We have paid the house and land tax with almost 120% higher for this year, and heating and electricity bills are big, with all the very cold temperatures for such a long time.
I did a pantry inventory and were lucky enough to buy some of the staples for discounted prices, but we were chasing every voucher, every refund points, every oportunities. Even collected every coin we had and exchanged them for a voucher and some dog food. We did well and we always use up what we have.
I am glad we have more and more daylight everyday - it can be dounting at the end of winter months, and all I feel these days is gratitude, for everything.
Sending lots of love from far away,
Laura_s_world from Romania
Dear Laura, Spring sounds very promising and a relief! We had first signs of Autumn this week with pink Easter Lillies coming out. That is a lot of snow!! Also I understand about the darker days and less daylight hours... it is cozy for a while but in the end you crave sunshine. I hope your knitting orders bring in that extra money and this helps. You did well with your inventory and use of every voucher and good deals. I am hoping the Spring and Summer will bring you many herbs and veggies, fruit and eggs, these all are a huge advantage! With much love Annabel.xxx
DeleteAnnabel, what a beautiful post! You are so very blessed! And you must have so much energy! So happy for you. Your family is precious. And I love your Mom’s knitting. Hope you can rest this weekend. ♥️ Sue in USA
ReplyDeleteDear Sue, Thank you! And thank you for commenting on Mum's knitting. I do not have so much energy really but I am working on getting it back. I have to pace myself a lot! And make myself lists and cross things off! Weekends I do try and take it easier! Many thanks, love Annabel.xxx
DeleteSuch sweet babies and young people! You are a blessed lady! I'm not a grandmother yet, but I'm taking good notes about how to care for my daughters well during that time. Your example is such a blessing to me!
ReplyDeleteThis week was a good one in my household! I'm looking forward to canning season, so I'm organizing jars and lids, stocking up on what's missing, and generally getting ready to preserve everything I can this year. It's the middle of winter here and snow on the ground. But I'm also sewing up a storm! It's been a good week!
Blessings to all!
Stacy in Virginia
The winter is a perfect time for sewing Stacy! And I understand you liking forward to Spring and preserving everything possible! We had a first sign of Autumn is on its way with pink Easter Lillies coming out. Yay! The end of summer is my least favourite time. But the produce has been good and I still have pears to pick soon! With much love Annabel.xxx
DeleteYour food looks so delicious. Your family is very blessed to have you.The grandchildren are precious.
ReplyDeleteMuch love,
Glenda
Dear Glenda, Thank you very much! I have a lot to report for Friday... it's been a big week. My email got hacked. Also my credit card got hacked. I will email you when I think it is sorted out. With much love Annabel.xxx
DeleteFamily is a blessing!. You show your love and care in all you do. I admire all you accomplish. Our church has a wonderful sign up for meals for families with new babies or illness! Our church has been having a baby boom, and even so, the families are receiving the blessing of a meal most nights! My daughter and I both love to help with this.
ReplyDeleteDeanna, I just love the sound of your church and that you and your daughter help with this ministry. These things make a big difference! They also shown love! With love Annabel.xxx
DeleteWhat adorable grandchildren! I don't comment often, but I love hearing about your week and really look forward to every Friday to be encouraged and inspired. You are doing a wonderful thing to write your blog as faithfully as you do. Thank you. ♡ I wish all of my grandchildren lived as close to me, but the closest ones are an hour away and the others are 6 hours. I have another one due anytime (my son and his wife are expecting their first) and I am wanting to be as much of a blessing to my daughter in law as you are to your daughter. You have given me the extra encouragement that I needed.
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful cards! I love them. 💕 I love making and sending cards and need to get busy on making some more.
It is winter here and we are expecting more rain and even a week of snow on the way.
Those honey gingerbread hearts are lovely! Would you happen to have a recipe for them? Thank you for being a blessing to me and to so many others.
Emily in the US
Dear Emily, Thank you so much! An hour isn't too bad... Lucy is two hours from me. But sic hours is much harder for sure. But we can find ways! Congratulations on a new grandchild on the way! I do have that recipe up... try googling The Bluebirds are Nesting, Honey Gingerbread, I think it will come up for you. With love Annabel.xxx
DeleteThank you for sharing your amazing week Annabel! So much love in these beautiful photos. Thank you for being such a support to your daughters and their families. I appreciate your example. I can't wait to become a grandmother. I want to be "grand" like you!
ReplyDeleteWe have had record-breaking cold temperatures here in Ohio. And a proper snow fall. I love living where I have four seasons!
Cold and snow helps feed the soil. So looking forward to a good harvest in my garden this August.
I feel very thankful for some great teachers. My middle 2 daughters no longer homeschool. They attend the public high school. I met today with all of their teachers. My daughter's are in good hands. Of course, we had to give them some home-baked goodness.
Praying for all you Bluebirds whether in heat or cold. Stay safe and continue to love on those around you.
Love, Leslie (OH)
Dear Leslie, I am so glad you are pleased with the girls new teachers. You most certainly will be a wonderful Grandmother! Goodness that sounds cold... I hope you are right and you get great crops this spring/summer. With much love Annabel.xxx
DeleteHello Annabel ... your posts are just delightful - thank you for all that you share. I always look forward to your posts on a Saturday morning with my coffee.
ReplyDeleteI think by doing meals for your daughter & family you are doing such a wonderful thing as that is the very best help you can give them.
Your Mum is still doing such beautiful knitting - how precious this is.
For some reason when you mentioned that you drive in to your daughters house & the children are sitting at the table watching for you to drive in with dinner - just bought big tears to my eyes & I said to myself "how very precious". Take Care Annabel - thanks again so much xx (Ike is just adorable 💙as are all your grandchildren)
Dear Julie, Thank you so much! It cracks me up as I drive in and there they are sitting. One night this week Tom jumped down from his chair and ran and opened the door for me. He jumped out like a spring and said "hello my beautiful Nana!" Well these are the moments. I usually help serve the food and they are always ready to go and scoff it. I know they have healthy good and full bellies. This week has been more of the same... with a stock up shop today! With much love Annabel.xxx
DeleteLovely post, Annabel. I love all you do for your family and your mother's knitting is lovely. I can only knit dish rags. We have been out of school for 2 weeks as of today. The weather has been frigid, snowy and icy. This is unusual for this part of Virginia. We usually get some snow and/or ice, but it has been the frigid temperatures that have been so hard. Fortunately, we are always prepared with food, water, heat and cooking sources in case we lose power or the roads are bad. No last minute rush or panic. I have used the time to do a little extra cleaning/organizing and cooking ahead for the weeks I sub. I have also been able to put in a little extra Bible study time which helps encourage me. I was able to go out today and stock up on toilet paper, seeds for the garden once spring arrives, and shampoo. I found bananas on sale for .25/# and my shampoo was on clearance for .75/bottle! I bought 4 bottles and left the remaining two bottles for someone else. We eat bananas daily and use the peels in the garden. My neighbor shared a dish of stuffed shells with us. It was enough for 3 meals for Mr. Fix It and me. I was able to finish 2 quilt tops this week since we had no school. All in all, it has been a pleasant, cozy week full of blessings. Marley in the Mountains
ReplyDeleteDear Marley, Thank you! I am so glad you were already well prepared for this extreme cold. You got great deals and what a nice neighbour you have! And two quilt tops!! That is wonderful. I will be thrilled when I get my first quilt top complete... maybe a couple of weeks! I hope the weather is less extreme now! With love Annabel.xxx
DeleteHello Annabel
ReplyDeleteThis is such an example of wonderful family life. The children help feed Ike and lay the table, you arrive with delicious meals and then your Mum will visit you with food so you can have a break from cooking.A great support web and everyone is included. Marvellous!
Best wishes to Chloe, she's clearly doing a great job.
Your food looks so good, what a blessing to all.
My batch cook this week was beef chilli and I made a whole orange cake with a surplus orange I had frozen.
I bought toys for my GD in the charity shop and some clothes for her in the sales. I bought a jumper for her in the size she will be next winter and stashed it away.
A shop in town was closing down so I bought some knee length bamboo socks I like , 3 for the price of 2 and stockpiled them until I need them.
A photo frame fell apart and I had one stashed away( I can't remember why!) and it happened to be the right size.
I cleared out three garden pots and planted two of them with saved seed of blue Love in a Mist and pink poppies. I have a plan for the other one.
My husband and I cleared out our utility room this week prior to work starting to renovate it. The cost of labour is quite a chunk of money so my husband set to and started to gut it himself, every hour of work he does himself is a saving.
Best wishes to you and all Bluebirds
Penny in the UK
Dear Penny, Love in a mist in a pot will be gorgeous! Yes the more work your husband does on the room the less this project will be. That is great. Beef chilli would be so good in the cold weather. Getting ahead on your socks is great too. You have reminded me I have two photo frames that need work... the picture has slipped and something needs to be done. Thank you for your kind words! With love Annabel.xxx
DeleteYou are such a thoughtful and caring mother and grandmother. Imagine not needing to worry about preparing tea for your family for the first weeks of your new baby’s life - what an incredible gift! You are also being a wonderful example of love and service to your grandchildren.
ReplyDeleteAs to how Chloe feeds her baby - that is no one else’s business!
Thank you so much! xxx
DeleteCongratulations on your new baby Ike! I hope that Chloe soon is recovered and I know she deeply appreciates all that you've done. As for the hungry horde you are feeding, I experienced quite a shock last weekend, when the grandchildren arrived armed with heavy snacks and then proceeded to eat and drink a world of food besides! I had to send them home to get a break. It was like entertaining termites, lol.
ReplyDeleteIt is one of our 'birthday season' months. Six birthdays this month in our family, three of them this week. I picked up a free cake (a small one) at a grocery bakery and that was put into the freezer. John prefers a plain yellow cake with chocolate frosting. We don't need lots of cake at home, so I made a simple one-layer yellow cake for him and made a fudge frosting for it. Today we went out to lunch for another birthday meal and I had a free coupon for a dessert. The portion of cake was meant to be shared by two but gracious it was a massive serving. So more cake came home with us! And then a family member stopped by with...you guessed it....more cake. And we are to go on Sunday to a different family home where they are planning to give us ....cake! It's been a cake-filled week here, lol.
I have set up a workspace for myself in what was the guest room (and will be again if we have guests) and used what was on hand. I wanted a lamp for my worktable and I found a pair on Amazon for a quite reasonable price. Then I received a gift card and that made them about $20. So now I have 2 lamps (quite nice ones) for my work room.
The cold weather is nearly at an end for now. Two more nights below freezing but daytime temperatures are easing back up to more normal (for us) temperatures. That makes me think of proper winter planting...
My pantry/freezer challenge continues and is going quite well. I have managed to use quite a bit of older items that had gotten lost in the freezer or pushed to the back of the cabinets. It's good to find things and use them up rather than have them become lost due to age or freezer burn, etc.
I hope you have a lovely weekend. Enjoy having a Mum cooked meal. Meatloaf is one of my favorite meals!
I am experiencing the Grandchildren sure can eat thing too. The boys already can eat a lot. I can see massive cooking coming. Bulk batches of large things! Well done on rotating the items in the panty. Having a workspace in the spare room is lovely too. The lamps will make it really nice. I am glad the weather has eased off! Sorry for the slow reply... I am catching up! xxx
DeleteAnnabel,
ReplyDeleteIt has been such a bit since I have visited. I am so glad I found you again! You were always a blessing to me years ago. :)
What a blessing to Chloe and her family! That food looks and sounds amazing!!
Hi Chrissy! Thanks so much! I am so glad to have you back! With love Annabel.xxx
DeleteDear Annabel, you are truly an inspiration in the way you help your family. I love how you bring hot dinners to help out. Chloe is clearly doing an amazing job- her children are gorgeous and are thriving. Beautiful post. I hope to be like you! Lots of love, Bridget
ReplyDeleteDear Bridge, Thank you! You will be! Sorry this was a very slow reply... I am catching up now!! With much love Annabel.xxx
DeleteWhat a beautiful grand baby...I hope to see great grandbabies like your Mum. Have a great week.
ReplyDeleteDear Vickie, I hope you do too! They are like jewels in your crown! With love Annabel.xxx
DeleteDear Annabel, you astound me to make such gorgeous meals ! What a great Blessing for someone with children and a new Baby ! Not having to shop and prepare and to share a beautiful meal around the table is just gorgeous ! I love how the children are being raised to help out with even little things like setting the table. ! These small things go on to make great adults ! So many people I know just don't even bother to sit down as a family ! Let alone set the table with a cloth, napkins, etc.
ReplyDeleteWe have lost along the way sadly, to sit as a family and just talk. We had a rule growing up no TV on at dinner. My Nana used to put on her best ironed linen tablecloth. She would set the table and put out matching tea cups and the tea pot. Dinners and lunches were simple yet nourishing. Salads with cold meat in summer. Hot dinners in winter. I know your grand children will grow up with such manners !
My mother 80 is also a great knitter like your mum ! These little items are a treasure !
God Bless you Annabel as you Bless Chloe and all the grandchildren and your mum ! The cards too are lovely. ! Yes it has been super hot and humid here too in Sydney. Simple meals are key. Hope you get some rest this week. ! love Sonia in Sydney
Dear Sonia, Thank you very much! We always ate dinner as a family and no tv. Gathering around the table at Mum and Dads was how the kids grew up. Now Im glad both my girls have a family table as the centre of their homes. It was hot here yesterday but today it is raining. The end of summer is coming! (Yay!). Thanks Sonia, With love Annabel.xxx
DeleteDear Annabel, you astound me to make such gorgeous meals ! What a great Blessing for someone with children and a new Baby ! Not having to shop and prepare and to share a beautiful meal around the table is just gorgeous ! I love how the children are being raised to help out with even little things like setting the table. ! These small things go on to make great adults ! So many people I know just don't even bother to sit down as a family ! Let alone set the table with a cloth, napkins, etc.
ReplyDeleteWe have lost along the way sadly, to sit as a family and just talk. We had a rule growing up no TV on at dinner. My Nana used to put on her best ironed linen tablecloth. She would set the table and put out matching tea cups and the tea pot. Dinners and lunches were simple yet nourishing. Salads with cold meat in summer. Hot dinners in winter. I know your grand children will grow up with such manners !
My mother 80 is also a great knitter like your mum ! These little items are a treasure !
God Bless you Annabel as you Bless Chloe and all the grandchildren and your mum ! The cards too are lovely. ! Yes it has been super hot and humid here too in Sydney. Simple meals are key. Hope you get some rest this week. ! love Sonia in Sydney
What a lovely family. Little Ike is so handsome. Beautiful kids for sure! Your food sounds AMAZING! Wish I was having a baby and lived nearby-lol. Alas, those days are gone and I am in Florida, lol.
ReplyDeleteI am going to do some batch cooking tomorrow for the week. I finally got a couple of those 'soup' containers to put what I cook in for portions. I will get more, if I like them.
Thanks for sharing your little piece of heaven with us!
Dear Barbara, That is funny. If you had a baby and lived near by I probably would feed you lol.
DeleteIndividual serving containers are brilliant. Having meals made ahead is just great. Thanks so much, Love Annabel.xxx
Hello Annabel (and everyone),
ReplyDeleteYour food looks delicious, and what an amazing gift for a family with a new baby. Hot homemade meals would be such a blessing at a busy time of adjustment. I am just in love with sweet Ike and all of the kiddos. Lily's face is so expressive. Beautiful cards & baking too.
I've had as they say "the lurgy" so have mainly accomplished staying mostly upright. Tomorrow I'll have a go at a pot of spaghetti sauce for easy meals. There was a lovely moment this week with a kind priest that really was like a hand of mercy to me when I reached out. He didn't have to, but it has made a real difference and I 'm so thankful.
I hope everyone has a wonderful week.
<3
Kathy
Dear Kathy, I hope you are all better now. Sorry for the slow reply! How beautiful and timely about the priest. That is a blessing. I am so glad this made a difference to you. With much love Annabel.xxx
DeleteHello Annabel
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad the scams were spotted in time and you appear to have it all sorted. Modern life brings new things to try us doesn't it. I must think about vigilance.
Porn ! They gave themselves away.
The olive oil alone was a tremendous payment, how wonderful. Good that the family are doing well.
I have cleared through my flower arranging supplies and a small bookcase and taken bags to donate and to the tip. We have had lily beetle in our lily pots ( horrible beasties) so I emptied several big pots into big rubble sacks and took them to the garden waste area in the tip where they will be turned into compost at great heat and beetles destroyed. The pots are clear and clean for replanting, no lilies now I think.
I bought more clothes for my GD in clearance sales. My daughter gave me a list of what she needed.
I spent some time debobbling my woollen jumpers and I'm pleased they still look good.
I used gooseberries, blackberries and strawberries from the freezer to make a big sponge pudding which fed a crowd of us for two days.
I made soup from a chicken carcass and some leftover veg and added a tin of butter beans about to go out of date.
A supermarket keeps sending me vouchers for money off bacon and butter, butter is almost never in a sale so every time the voucher comes I pop in and get a pack of butter. Only one unit allowed at a time but I am slowly building a stock in the freezer.
Best wishes to you and Bluebirds around the world
Penny in the UK
Dear Penny, I am sorry for such a slow reply! I find it weirdly satisfying to use my nifty little device that removes pilling from knitware. It makes it quite new again. Butter is a terrible price here also. I was given cream so I think a butter making session is coming up.
DeleteIt was wonderful you knew exactly what your Grand daughter needs and found things in the sales. Keeping up with growing children is important.... we are getting ahead with winter stuff for all the Grandkids as come Easter time the weather begins to really cool down. All of them have grown!
You did a lot! With much love Annabel.xxx