Feather your Nest Friday, 6th November, 2026.

Goodness it is November!  I started off with the idea to finish up my various current projects and change over my efforts to Christmas.    My dining room table was covered in card making and my last woollen blanket was almost complete.  I almost finished clearing everything away so that next week I can get out cards and see what is in my Christmas cupboard.  The day I unpack it is actually really fun as with starting in January I have stashed bargains and hand made items and by now I have forgotten half of it.  I can't wait to do this!  

Last weekend I added more seedlings and also planted some seeds.  Then on Monday we had an inch of rain!  This was really wonderful.  Perfect timing!

This week my cook up was two pork roasts with apple and roasted veggies.  One for Chloes's family and a small one for myself that made several really good meals.

Yesterday the boys were here.  We had a plan.  Dad likes Pavlova.  The boys have their own knives and chopping boards and they chopped up all the fruit and did the entire topping.  

Luckily we are all family as there was quite a bit of licking the spoon and eating bits that looked nice.

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Anyway I didn't touch it and they thought they did a pretty fine job. 

Which they actually did!  It was very nice!  Also they were proud that Dad and Mum (and their sister) all loved it too.

Then we headed into the garden.   The rain , followed by sunshine, has made many of my seedlings take off.

I have adopted a little by little method and just spend a few minutes a day trying to "make things better."   Some manure added,  something planted,  a pot topped up, a few weeds pulled.

A couple of weeks ago I planted up my new pumpkin patch with seeds I saved all year.  Not one came up.  I thought the inch of rain would do it.  But no.  A few tomatoes came up and I am glad of those.  But I didn't even plant tomatoes!  

Today in town I grabbed some pumpkin plants.   I really want success.   When I plant these tomorrow what do you bet all my seeds come up!?   If that happens I will be happy as pumpkin is something our whole family eat all through Autumn and Winter.  

Today a friend gave me three potted tomatoes and earlier in the week another friend gave me two!  I am so pleased as these give me some more and more variety.   Also I hope to spread out the harvest over a few months this way.

Next we did another Silverbeet harvest.   Some for the chooks and some for Chloe's hens too.

We filled the big and the little wheelbarrow.

Chloe has one beautiful huge goose, some ducks and a couple dozen laying hens.   Early in the week a disaster stuck.  TWENTY of her hens were gone.   Just gone.  Not a feather, no blood, nothing.    A hole was found and we think a fox.   This left her with only four layers.   Fortunately Jemima the Goose was ok.  🪿

I said the fox will be back and get the rest so the last hens were secured overnight.  Then they brought forward a big plan to make a new hen house.   So it was a go go go week.  It upset me.  What a loss.   Also it is kind of a warning how you can feel you have your supplies sewn up and then bam it is all changed overnight.

Mind you.... I have back up.  I can supply eggs until her new birds start laying.  It was very lucky she found some to buy.   The lady who sold them said these were her last ever hens for sale.   So we were lucky finding them.

The boys collected our eggs here and Chase took them into the kitchen and put them on the bench like this.  If I had done this they all would have rolled off and smashed for sure.   But he stood and balanced them and not one broke!

I finished up may last pram blanket.    Then I began to put away all my wool  and dig through my cottons.  Once the weather warms I prefer to change to cotton.

This escalated into a big job as I found I had cottons in several locations.    And there is a lot of it.  I want to turn all these supplies into the starting of a new gift cupboard.   The larger amounts will be summer baby wraps and the smaller bits will go down to scrub pads and wash cloths.   But I am browsing ideas too.   I have a few balls of scrubby yarn which is hard on the fingers but makes wonderful dish scrubbies.

Changing over for the seasons made me want to do my wardrobe too.   I had the bright idea to pull everything out of my cupboards and put away winter and make up summer outfits from what I had,  I found plenty I have not even worn yet.    If I hang an outfit on a a hanger I don't have to think later!   Well, so far I have found lots of ideas.  I have one dress to hem and it is like a whole new wardrobe. I hid in bags all my winter stuff to do the same next Autumn.   I made a good donation bag as well.

Then I thought I really should Spring clean.   Basically now I have stuff everywhere but I am making daily progress and I am excited to put names to gifts next week.

Vicky reminded me and so I have gone through packaging, ribbons etc so that I know my Christmas baking will have nice wrapping/presentation.   I took notice in the store today how much a Christmas cake is and how big they are.  The same with packets of biscuits (cookies) slices and so on.

I talk a lot about community and having people to help and trade with.  Sometimes it is hard to keep track but this is my days trading for just Friday.  I took Father at Mass eggs and Bay leaves from Mums garden.   I found out he really likes curry leaves and coriander.  So I planted coriander and I remembered a friend with curry leaves.  Earlier in the week I messaged her.... would she like to trade some leaves for fresh eggs.  She said yes!  I asked if she liked Bay Leaves also and thew some of those in too.  So Father today got Curry Leaves, Bay Leaves and Eggs.  He seemed very happy!   Another friend asked me if I would like some fresh flowers to take to Mass?  Of course I said yes.   They made four good sized bunches and I handed those out.  Another lady gets two nice books to read each week, from my Mum.  She arrived with a present for me which was a big box of chocolates.   Another friend asked if I would like some Silkie Bantam eggs, to hatch.  I said not right now as I have too much going.... but could I have them for a friend?   This friend got the eggs today and they are in the incubator now!   She traded me two bags of sewing notions.... that I have not had time to go through yet but I can't wait.   The lady who will hatch the Bantams... she will likely be able to sell them for a good price just before Christmas.  This is a big help to her.   My friend added another dozen fertile eggs for her "just incase" and she was utterly thrilled because now she could fill the incubator.  I almost need some kind of trading organiser but that was today and I kept track of it!   If anyone watched the really old Movie The Darlings Buds of May, it is like that!  You just have to get started and the ball rolls itself.  

Tomorrow I will get my new plants in the ground.  Tuesday next week Chloe gets her re supply of chickens.  I established today two places I can get a few more from when needed but I can also hatch some as I have a rooster.   I think I might do a thorough double check on hen house security. 

Next week the pear trees will be covered in nets.  There are hundreds of small pears now that I want to protect.   The apple tree is not far behind either!  At Chloe's the fig tree has figs!   They are already growing fast!  Fruit season is coming!

I know there is a lot of talk about preparing.  I have a thirty day course in my index and much of it is cheap or free to do.   It does not have to be overwhelming.  This is what we do here.  Everything you do to build up your nest IS preparing and making it more resilient.   Many times I have mentioned praying before shopping.  Oh my goodness this changes everything.  Praying for eyes to see opportunities!  Well, in the same way pray for eyes to see what are the things you need to do,  what are the gaps in your pantry and plan.   Consider these things and talk about them.   Two heads are better than one. 

I hope you had a good week. We would love to hear.  Is your country asking you to prepare?  Have you got some Christmas plans coming together?  It is a busy time but I love to make December even more lovely by starting now.xxx