Feather your Nest Friday, 20th March, 2026. The keeper at the gate.

It was an eventful week in more ways than one.   I am very happy to make it to Friday evening and take a break.  I did some stocking up today and some of it will remain in bags until I unpack and put things away over the weekend.  I have blown the knock off whistle. 

It was Chloe's Birthday.  You all know the beautiful cakes she makes... so I was not even going to try to complete.  Like cooking Italian food for Italians of Indian food for Indians I know better.   I will do something completely different.    

So... I made Lemon Butter with some of the Lemons I was given and eggs... and whipped up a lot of cream.

I added a yellow rose and bluebirds from my stash and I liked it!  The cake was pretty much demolished.  

The kids are dogs ran around the lawn and played under the big gum trees on the swings.  It was a beautiful and happy afternoon.  Lily called "Sparkie, Sparkie" and it was a game of you can't' quite get me! 

I just kept busy and aimed to get ahead here and there as I could.  In case you have no idea,  like everywhere,  Australia is affected by the war.   My vehicle and almost all farm machinery and vehicles are run on diesel.   To convert it for you I made sure to check the prices and availability in town today.   So it is $2.90 per litre at our town and that is $10.73 per gallon for those of you who work in imperial.  We are currently HAPPY we can get it.  Some farmers have not been able to harvest their crops as they just don't have any.   Their problems are bigger than ours.   Without thinking too much and realising mostly trains run on diesel and Australia has long distances (it is an hour to town for me, both ways) you can figure out a few things. Every truck taking anything anywhere is paying this so stuff is going to cost more.  Some stuff in fact will just not be sent at all because the cost to truck it would be more than the profit to be made.  Now x this by everything. single. thing. 

My English Bluebirds are telling me distressing accounts re heating oil.  Many people simply will not be able to keep warm this winter.  Laura in Romania said how much fuel has gone up there.  I am very grateful to all of you for sending me reports from all over. 

When Dad was here he was the watchman and the keeper at the gate for our family.  He knew things.  He saw things coming.  He watched and listen and observed.  And if needed he acted and warned.  Every family needs a keeper at the gate.  Someone who watches from a birds eye view and can keep tabs and know when to mention action should be taken.  Goodness many disasters are averted very simply by being watchful and aware.  We have great advantages now.  If a hurricane or cyclone  is coming we might have a whole week of warning.  This is fantastic.  You can do an awful lot of securing and putting away, boarding up, stocking up, gathering in etc in a week.  There is one thing knowing danger is coming and it is another to actually get off the lounge and do anything about it.  But you can be prudent and get busy if you have a warning.   Then there is Gary down the street who somehow missed the memo and is wondering why it is windy as the cyclone hits.  Do not be like Gary.

"The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty."

I know being the watchman is not for everyone.  I could not be an ambulance worker. I am just not cut out for it.  In fact... my nerves aren't always good and I've been know to have a proper panic attack.  So if you are not suited to this role that is ok... all you need is a trusted person who is.  

Chloe is the best mother and teacher and she is not a gate keeper.  She has a husband has security well covered.  I have told her "ok I am on it. "  It is my responsibility. "If you ever need to know something I will tell you."

Last week I said Chloe you need to begin to stock up.  And she began.

Being a gatekeeper is a big responsibility.  I am not going to pretend I am even up to the job.  But with Mum and with seeking advice from trusted sources I can patch together a good watchman on the wall.  I have seven Grandchildren.  While I have breath I will be watching.

Dear Melissa this week said "Hands to work and hearts to God."  Well, I thought that is perfect. 

So my hands were working...

I had lots of tomatoes from the swap tales so this batch I just washed and froze.

My pots have Basil has regrown and so I was sure to get Parmesan cheese and garlic to make more Pesto next week.

This was my Lemon Butter which used up 9 lemons and 9 eggs. 

The left over lemons went into the dish washer with bi carb soda... I ran a hot cycle and this is better than any dishwasher cleaner you can buy! 

I made ugly butter. I should have squished it together much better.  However it is still good and I froze slices.

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One of my cook ups for the week was Pasties.  I like them as they are great to have in the freezer.  One pastie  = one complete meal.  I make most of them big ie man size. 

Sometimes I get asked for this recipe.  I cheat in every way but I will share it.

I cheat by using bought puff pastry.  I used a packet or two of frozen chopped veggies...

First,  I fry up a couple of chopped onions.   Then I add some mince (ground beef) but you don't need much and you can leave it out if you want.

Then I throw in a heap of chopped potato.  Small size so it cooks through pretty easily.   

I use this tool called a slicer dicer,  which I've had for years,  to quickly get my potato done.  Best thing ever.

The potatoes go in first because they need to soften a bit.  I put the lid on and let this cook for a few minutes.   To this I add... pepper,  a beef stock cube (or veggie ) or two if I am making a big lot.  Then add some tomato paste or tomato sauce,  just a couple of tablespoons full.

Then.. I turn the heat off and throw in a bag (or two) of frozen veggies.   

This cools the whole mix right down.  This is what you want... make sure your mix is cool before you begin to make your pasties up.   Warm food and pastry do not mix well.

I made kids sized Pasties with initials.    The rest were man sized meals. 

The rectangle ones are gluten free.  I gave one of these to Mum to take home for her dinner.  I added most to the emergency meals freezer.  I got 23 all up. 

Tom came over and we did some cooking.    As I had leftover pastry from the pasties I taught him how to make little tarts.  I managed to work in how we can make other stuff with leftovers...  I showed him how to line the tins,  he cut out the pastry circles,  pressed them in,  filled them with jam.  He chose beautiful strawberry jam that one of you will recognise. 😊

Then I showed him how to roll up left over bits to make roses and leaves.  He went all in on this and said "ok Nana I've got it, I can handle it."   That is polite for ok "now leave me alone I've got it all under control."  

Tom was very proud of them.  I told him how hot jam is like lava and you have to let them cool.

Then we turned it into math.  How many would Lily eat?  Probably one.  How many would Dad eat? Probably three.   By the time we worked through everyone it added up to eleven.  Meaning Tom could eat one for testing.   

Then we had a saga. 

The saga involved a lesson.  

Luke (Tom's Dad) arrived home not feeling very good.  He quickly felt worse and worse. I wondered if it was man flu but it turned out to be actual flu or a virus... of some kind.

He did not want the baby or any of them to get this so he came to stay in my cabin.  

1. This tested out my readiness for an accomodation emergency.  I did ok and he moved in within the hour. 

2. I keep the linens, pillows and towels etc elsewhere and had to think about where all of that stuff was.  I need to set up a linen cupboard in the cabin.

3. I thought of all the things he might need and realised wow even with one extra person I could go through a lot of supplies quickly.

I already had a really big beef casserole going.

I had a box of onions I was given and a bag of capsicums I traded for!  So lots went in.

By evening this was tender and lots of good gravy.  I took a tray to my son in law with mashed potatoes and veggies. I took another tray over to Chloe.   Then I came home and ate mine.

Tom had left his Dad  a little box with three tarts and a little note.  So this went on the tray too.

(He had taken the rest home for the rest of the family.)

In the evenings I worked on my Grandsons blanket and joined row one together.   And also I am working on a pram blanket for another baby boy. 

Today I  stocked up some more,  bought a tray of seedlings for my Autumn veggie garden and I was able to top up fuel.  The service station ran out entirely last week so if you can get it you get it. 

Tomorrow I want to get all my seedlings planted and I have an organic chicken to turn into some germ killing old fashioned chicken soup.  Then I plan to make some stock as well.   My goal is to freeze some of both for emergencies and live on chicken soup for the weekend.   If anyone else comes down with my son in laws illness the soup will be ready.

I hope you found lots of ways to build up your household this week.  A little bit here, a little bit there, it adds up!  Be encouraged and look well to the way of your household.xxx