tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278303894819262604.post4868812769465759360..comments2024-03-29T07:41:16.529-07:00Comments on The Bluebirds are Nesting on the Farm.: Feather your Nest Friday, 29th July, 2022. Annabelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09027539528156492413noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278303894819262604.post-66394962954549900092022-07-31T18:05:39.986-07:002022-07-31T18:05:39.986-07:00Hi Annabel
What a week you had.
The first few da...Hi Annabel <br /><br />What a week you had.<br />The first few days DP was home (still getting used to this and we are not in a routine as yet) then he left for work and is due home Wednesday morning. So I went off sewing for a day, housework and some more sewing and managed to finish quilting my quilt and it will be ready to have the edging put on when I go back in and then it will be hand stitching. I purchased another jelly roll and plan on making this for Mum for Christmas.<br /><br />DD12 went for a sleepover on Friday night and I watched 2 movies that night and 2 the next day whilst getting the jelly roll set up for the next quilt.<br /><br />I have had a bit of a clean out in some areas and have managed to rotate things in my emergency kit so that our tinned food has better dates and we are now working our way through the older items. Next will be the first aid kit although now most of this is essential oils and creams made with essential oils.<br /><br />Love seeing the gorgeous photos of the rooster and the hen with her chicks. I love the fancy rooster, the colours and the markings are just spectacular.<br /><br />Hope everyone is having a wonderful start to their week<br />Take Care<br />Aly xxxAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278303894819262604.post-13271065689694483552022-07-31T01:28:41.382-07:002022-07-31T01:28:41.382-07:00Hello Annabel and dear bluebirds,. Missed writti...Hello Annabel and dear bluebirds,. Missed writting here but could not, even I have read all the posts and the comments. We had some bad days in the last 2 weeks, with my husband loosing his job, two of our pets died, I have to take a mamogram on 9th of August altough they say it is just to exclude anything else, one tv and on telephone officialy given up, and the terrible heat. It was one after another in a short period of time. Now we get prepared to fight, last night we had a nice gentle rain ( no big storm like in other parts of our county) and the garden looks so happy. I took all my flower pots outside in the rain and they got a good shower. I continue to harvest from the garden and container garden, it is very nice to come everyday in the house with tomatoes, herbs, pepers, chilly, mint for tea, apples, roses or gladioli. I continue planting lettuce from seeds, this way I have them all summer fresh, and basil, mint, thyne and taragorn from cuttings. My son and my husband helped me water the plants every evening. I water each of them just at the rootsin order to not waste a lot of water. I took the opportunity and help of the hot sun to dehydrate green beans for winter saving on energy. And my chicken are slowly laying nice tasty eggs. Annabel, you were right, it does give you an addiction. Now we are looking for a rooster and some more chicks. They are very easy to care for, and they got a lot from the garden. I have to thank you for this help in my life. We strugle a bit now but we are prepared for hard times and continue to add to the pantry. Luckily our farmers market is full with nice fresh local produce and I am champion of finding bargains. All the prices are very high and it is scary how more often the helicopters are patrolong the border with Ucraine. Almost every night we have the alert siren going off and it is kind of nerv wrecking. I wrote a lot but it is like chating to a good friend. Love you all, take care. Laura from RomaniaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278303894819262604.post-84917545901451681782022-07-30T21:45:47.082-07:002022-07-30T21:45:47.082-07:00Foghorn Leghorn?? LOL Love the picture of the mama...Foghorn Leghorn?? LOL Love the picture of the mama and the yellow and black chicks! I am a city girl and I don't think I've actually ever seen a black chick except in pictures...and they are adorable.<br /><br />I am more or less back to normal after my husband and I both had Covid. We are in the middle of a heat wave with 100+ degree temperatures. We are using ceiling fans in addition to the AC so we don't have to crank up the AC quite so much. Other than the heat, it has been a pretty good week.<br /><br />I'm still reading a lot--three books this past week. I have two more to take with me when we visit my son next week. All from the library. The library also just accepted another suggestion from me for a new book buy. I not only get the books I want, but I get it FIRST.<br /><br />I got 4 meals from a 3 lb., $4.99 Costco rotisserie chicken, plus stock and chicken bits in the freezer for a later pot of soup.<br /><br />This was a good week at the grocery store! One store had top sirloin steak for $3.99 lb. (my pre-Covid go-to price) and blueberries for $1.39 per 18 ounce package--that's less than $1.24 lb., which I haven't seen in years, if not decades. I bought a bunch of both. I had the meat cubed for country fried steaks. I'm taking some with me to my son's next week (it's his favorite meal) and froze the rest. I bought 14 cartons of blueberries. I measured the amounts for two batches of cooked jam and froze them in one gallon zip-locks, along with several one-quart bags. Another store had boneless pork roasts for .99 lb. and I bought one, cut it in half and froze it. (I haven't seen that price for a long time and probably should have bought two). I also bought strawberries for $2.49 for two pounds and nectarines for .99 lb.<br /><br />Using my Medicare Advantage over-the-counter benefit, I bought $60.69 worth of drugstore products for $0.<br /><br />I pulled up and composted the lettuce when it bolted in the heat. I've begun harvesting green beans and I have two zucchinis on the vine. I also have mystery plants growing in the strawberry bed. I thought they were zukes, but the leaves and blossoms are different and they have a sprawling habit. I can't wait to see what they are! (I am easily entertained, LOL).<br /><br />I moved my houseplants outdoors for the summer. Using parts I already had, I added a drip irrigation sprinkler so I don't have to water them.<br /><br />Best wishes to you and to all of the Bluebirds from northern Idaho, USA.<br />--Maxinemikemaxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06569666073239903588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278303894819262604.post-90414255462680720952022-07-30T21:26:03.797-07:002022-07-30T21:26:03.797-07:00Dear Su, Yes the eggs are just so pretty! Litera...Dear Su, Yes the eggs are just so pretty! Literally no two are the same! When they hatch no two quail are the same either! <br />I understand about migraines. I found it necessary to have everything on my bed side table as I would be caught in terrible pain and not able to get to the kitchen or cupboard for tablets. So I like your plan.<br />I am keeping powdered milk too. I know the low fat keeps much longer. Great way to get some potatoes! I hope they keep coming!<br />A refresh is very nice. I think when Spring hits I will be doing the same. I hope you have a lovely Sunday and great new week! With love Annabel.xxx<br /><br />Annabelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09027539528156492413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278303894819262604.post-13161358603086578682022-07-30T21:21:15.897-07:002022-07-30T21:21:15.897-07:00Dear SavingsinSeconds,
I dont have a specific post...Dear SavingsinSeconds,<br />I dont have a specific post on chickens. I would suggest Appalachian Homestead, Roots and Refuge Farm on you tube, also Justin Rhodes. However if you have a secure predator proof coop and a garden with greens for them they are very low maintenance. Hay in the coop becomes your garden fertiliser. In current circumstances I think chickens are high on the list of things to really improve food security. For two people 3 or 4 hens is enough. They lay many years... I keep my old birds and bring in young ones. I dont get rid of any birds because they are old. I have a Bantam still laying and she has to be 6. They are just a joy. I hope that helps, with love Annabel.xxx<br />Annabelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09027539528156492413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278303894819262604.post-73132986917690679282022-07-30T21:15:48.371-07:002022-07-30T21:15:48.371-07:00Dear Kirsty, Thank you! You did have a good week...Dear Kirsty, Thank you! You did have a good week! Great to get potatoes to bring in and all the gardening jobs done. Very nice to have the green onions and peppercorns dehydrated too. Enjoy your Sunday, it is freezing and windy here! With love Annabel.xxxAnnabelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09027539528156492413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278303894819262604.post-5802600161472346402022-07-30T21:13:15.329-07:002022-07-30T21:13:15.329-07:00Dear Jill,
Your neighbour offering the tractor was...Dear Jill,<br />Your neighbour offering the tractor was a big help! Just fantastic! The Snow Peas sound lovely, we love those.<br />I hope your trip goes very well and your neighbour manages everything very well for you! Thanks so much Jill, with love Annabel.xxxAnnabelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09027539528156492413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278303894819262604.post-90340817606528241412022-07-30T18:46:29.895-07:002022-07-30T18:46:29.895-07:00Good morning! Annabel, I still read your blog ever...Good morning! Annabel, I still read your blog every week despite not commenting. I had a laugh at your crazy chicken lady starter kit! I have a friend who is one too and she collects all the feathers to use to make beautiful jewellry like earrings-this could be another idea for you. I had a heap of lovely feathers that I've collected on walks and used them to make a dream catcher for my son's bedroom. Our chicken area and coop is finally done, we used items we had laying around to make it. Now we are just waiting to get some chickens, which are in high demand. We were told they would be ready early August, now this has turned into mid-August. Every day I try to get some something done that will help us towards self-sufficiency. I currently have frozen peas and beans in the dehydrator, as I've heard they are hard to find there and I expect this to have a ripple effect in WA. The garden is going well and I picked a large bowl of lettuce which we ate in wraps with chicken, carrot and cheese for dinner. I've done lots of baking this week, mini banana breads and a chocolate cake. I also stocked up on some spices from our local Asian grocery and found some little glass spray bottles, warm jumpers and some books from the op-shop. Thank you for everything you do to advise and support us all! <br />Blessings, Mel xxMelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00535442579149449469noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278303894819262604.post-48289716850391627902022-07-30T18:44:08.998-07:002022-07-30T18:44:08.998-07:00Annabel thank you :) .
The neighbour was a very l...Annabel thank you :) .<br /><br />The neighbour was a very lucky man and had 3 hairline fractures to his pelvis, spent the afternoon and night in hospital and was discharged the next day. Considering he was about 4.5 metres up the ladder and got launched out from the tree about the same distance and down it could have been much worse but of course he will be in a lot of pain for some time.<br /><br />We are very grateful we have a good wood pile that we have cut over time and will increase that more in the coming weeks as we cut in a property where we have permission to cut at.<br /><br />I agree with the mortgage interest rates going up and up each month it pays to be ahead of them and we are currently paying like we have a 13.98 % interest rate rather than the 3.44% we are currently on. We adjusted the budget and took out categories we didn't need (as we had accomplished those goals) to pay much higher the mortgage payments than we were before. We now only have 41% of the purchase price of the home to pay off accomplished in 3.5 years with the initial 40% deposit we made on it.<br /><br />Happy to say we are very close to our target with just over $700 to go to having our emergency fund fully done. So glad we mostly built our grocery stockpile over time to the level we wanted before all the price rises too but have just a few things to increase stocks on that we can do gradually.<br /><br />We are living in very hard times financially so I am really feeling for those with so many price and cost rises in mortgages and everything who are no doubt finding things are getting harder and harder.<br /><br />Indeed we all need to make hay while the sun shines and take advantage of any ways we can to financially and food wise prepare, safeguard and shore up our family situations.<br /><br />Have a great week :).<br /><br /><br />Lorna.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278303894819262604.post-59784499302377164372022-07-30T17:44:46.240-07:002022-07-30T17:44:46.240-07:00Dear Lorna, I hope your neighbour is ok! Really...Dear Lorna, I hope your neighbour is ok! Really good you could finish the job and also get the wood. A 9m tree is a lot!! What a job! I think buying a burger that day was a good option! Certainly worth it for the savings made that day. I just think a wood pile is the best thing. If ever you cant cut wood you have plenty stacked anyway. Over time we have probably at least a years supply in an old shed. <br />Your extra mortgage payments and funds in the the emergency money are wonderful. These are both just so wise. Yet many dont think of it. I know people with no emergency fund and no pantry even that go overseas and spend big yet dont consider how close they are to disaster. Now with prices as they are, mortgages going up the pressures are going to hit hard and fast. This is all another example of how we can make hay while the sun shines because inevitably sometimes hard times come! You are both very wise. Have a lovely Sunday. It is cold and windy here! Love Annabel.xxx<br /><br /><br />Annabelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09027539528156492413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278303894819262604.post-7729763368214759792022-07-30T17:34:43.735-07:002022-07-30T17:34:43.735-07:00Oh my goodness I am so sorry I know how dangerous ...Oh my goodness I am so sorry I know how dangerous Sepsis is. I hope you are feeling much better and so thankful you had insurance. Also well done to your son! xxxAnnabelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09027539528156492413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278303894819262604.post-4763828560068845742022-07-30T14:55:58.234-07:002022-07-30T14:55:58.234-07:00Annabel--Last year I wanted to go to Anchorage, bu...Annabel--Last year I wanted to go to Anchorage, but covid prevented that. Now I have had my visit to Anchorage for 6 weeks in the hospital with sepsis. I didn't have any time to enjoy myself! Home now but limited in what I do. Our son planted most of our gardens so we are enjoying fresh vegetables. <br /><br />I'm thankful for the doctors who cared for me and their willingness to try to preserve my bodily functions. Also thankful for good insurance--so far we have been fully covered!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278303894819262604.post-516171127309331102022-07-29T23:37:55.519-07:002022-07-29T23:37:55.519-07:00Annabel your little Bantam chicks are just so tiny...Annabel your little Bantam chicks are just so tiny and adorable and what a clever mumma she is hatching 11 of them :) and how lovely you got some more quail eggs to to incubate. I love the jade plants that you have taken cuttings from and hope they thrive in your gardens. Great op shop find for the dinosaur t-shirt for Thomas too.<br /><br />Bit of a mixed week here as we found a neighbour had injured himself trying to cut limbs off an ironbark tree as the tree branch was not undercut and the branch twisted and went through the ladder he was standing on and launched him. As he was being checked out by the ambulance officers he asked us to cut down the tree he needed removing and we could have the wood so he could get his shipping container delivered that he had on order in a couple of days. Happy to help out a neighbour in need and offer him service when he most needed it :) .<br /><br />In the kitchen -<br />- Baked 4 loaves of bread in the bread making machine saving $16.94 over buying them locally.<br />- Cooked all meals from scratch apart from the day when we cut down the 9+ metre ironbark tree and chopped it up as we were so tired we bought ourselves a hamburger at the corner shop for dinner.<br /><br />Purchases -<br />- Bought fuel for $1.779 per litre and used our 4% RACQ e-gift card discount and coupled that with our 4c per litre off rewards to bring down the fuel price to $1.667 per litre saving us $25.66 on usual prices.<br /><br />Finances -<br />- Paid an extra large part payment off our mortgage.<br />- Put extra funds in our 3 month emergency fund.<br /><br />Firewood cutting -<br />- Cut 2.5 cubic metres of ironbark firewood free from a property two doors up saving us $450 over buying it locally.<br /><br />Hope everyone has a wonderful week ahead :).<br /><br /><br />Lorna.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278303894819262604.post-61929193094305810472022-07-29T21:23:50.170-07:002022-07-29T21:23:50.170-07:00A friend of mine had five teenage boys all at one ...A friend of mine had five teenage boys all at one time. She would time the bread maker to be ready for breakfast and ready for after school. She made cookies in huge sizes like 4 or 6 to a tray. She did giant baked potatoes to go with a meal. I would suggest a toasted sandwich maker and a good recipe is egg, grated cheese and ham mixed together. Protein is the thing. I am already thinking how it will be when my Grandkids are teenagers! We will be cooking full time I think! xxxAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278303894819262604.post-60478279232790274332022-07-29T21:20:05.601-07:002022-07-29T21:20:05.601-07:00Dear Laura, Bantams are a great option for people...Dear Laura, Bantams are a great option for people with small spaces too. They are good little egg layers! The extreme weather is terrible so glad you are ok there. Have a lovely weekend! Love Annabel.xxxAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278303894819262604.post-16246636355671485092022-07-29T20:16:12.320-07:002022-07-29T20:16:12.320-07:00Dear Pam,
I hope your hen hatches her chicks! Hop...Dear Pam,<br />I hope your hen hatches her chicks! Hopefully! The heat is very wearing. I am so sorry hearing of farmers having to sell their herds. <br />I use up left overs night is great. I try and review what needs using as I plan dinner. This usually dictates what we will have. It really extends the meals and sometimes it is like a free meal.<br />Have a lovely weekend to you too! With love Annabel.xxxAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278303894819262604.post-82227145426092437522022-07-29T19:47:30.801-07:002022-07-29T19:47:30.801-07:00I think I sent that as anonymous, but it's fro...I think I sent that as anonymous, but it's from Su in the UK.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278303894819262604.post-60536573151033000632022-07-29T19:46:34.445-07:002022-07-29T19:46:34.445-07:00I hadn't realised that quail eggs were so vari...I hadn't realised that quail eggs were so varied, no wonder they command a premium price, they are simply beautiful. <br /><br />I have been putting together a migraine kit for myself, I am far too incapacitated when I have a migraine to get things, so I decided it was about time I collected these things together and put them easily to hand. Why have I not done this before? <br /><br />I bought more milk powder (2.5kg) which will last me over 4 months, but given the enormous rise in the cost of milk, I am contemplating buying a case, I need to go back to the shop and speak with the owner and see if I can get a discount! It has been said that both milk and butter will become luxury items in the not too distant future.<br /><br />I am harvesting 'volunteer ' potatoes, which seem to have survived the compost bin! I wouldn't mind but every time I deliberately try to grow potatoes they get eaten by slugs, these are thriving, just in some unlikely places. <br /><br />I am having a bit of refresh of my furnishings too, some things that don't really work for me, like my dining table ( beautiful, but too big and bulky and dark) are going to get replaced, but this requires serious consideration! I want to get it right.<br /><br />Anyway I hope everyone has a good week. <br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278303894819262604.post-7341603634317036382022-07-29T18:00:43.880-07:002022-07-29T18:00:43.880-07:00Dear Bonnie,
I use only glass or ceramic for sour ...Dear Bonnie,<br />I use only glass or ceramic for sour dough too. A crock pot insert is an excellent bowl! I have my hen houses like Fort Knox although the largest predators are foxes and you might have much larger ones! <br />I love how so much can go into a marinara sauce too. So healthy. Extender too. It was nice to have your Daughter and Grandchildren there. Great you got the peas in! A good week! With love Annabel.xxx<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278303894819262604.post-12267064151149461262022-07-29T17:52:17.383-07:002022-07-29T17:52:17.383-07:00Dear Hilogene, A small veggie patch can produce s...Dear Hilogene, A small veggie patch can produce soo much! A tip is to send things up as climbers as this increases your area a lot. I think this is a great idea and you will love it. Veggies have become really very expensive here. Thank you for your kind comment! With love Annabel.xxxAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278303894819262604.post-85210013120731012402022-07-29T17:50:11.723-07:002022-07-29T17:50:11.723-07:00The last two summers have been very mild. The sum...The last two summers have been very mild. The summer before that we had one extreme day where birds fell out of the trees dead. I really hope the experts are wrong. I am heartened by the fact experts usually are wrong. I hate the heat. It is hard on people, animals, then there are the fires. eek. I should work out shade options for the veggies... than you for reminding me I will do that! Love Annabel.xxxAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278303894819262604.post-22672049032732738082022-07-29T17:47:34.109-07:002022-07-29T17:47:34.109-07:00Dear Robyne, Thanks so much. I am really gratefu...Dear Robyne, Thanks so much. I am really grateful Dad got to see how I thrived here and how deeply I loved it and our first two years. But we continue to grow and expand and I feel he would be thrilled. He would be thrilled with two more Great Grandsons also! Thank you for your kindness! With love Annabel.xxxAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278303894819262604.post-57049277803305818172022-07-29T17:42:48.657-07:002022-07-29T17:42:48.657-07:00Dear Clare, Oh my goodness!! Firstly the bantams a...Dear Clare, Oh my goodness!! Firstly the bantams are going to be wonderful! They are good mothers and you will soon have them hatching. M could have a little business selling them even. The hens that lay coloured eggs!! I have seen greens and blues but never brown! I would love to see a photo when they start laying! For that lady to mention these just as you are leaving... she was prompted to do so and that is God caring for your hearts desires. I am so happy for you! What a lovely week! Also I have never seen a brown and lavender hen... I have to see a photo if you can manage it! So happy for you! With love Annabel.xxxAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278303894819262604.post-56248349096275802032022-07-29T17:37:16.834-07:002022-07-29T17:37:16.834-07:00What a great week and I love your plans! I have m...What a great week and I love your plans! I have my essential oils out this weekend to work on some gifts. I like Geranium oil in relaxation blends it is beautiful. Rainy weather is perfect for crafting and sewing! We have rain coming too... as what you have generally arrives here a few days later! Have a great weekend! Love Annabel.xxxAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278303894819262604.post-33446820854327631912022-07-29T17:34:14.435-07:002022-07-29T17:34:14.435-07:00What a wonderful week! So productive! Getting th...What a wonderful week! So productive! Getting the mince at such a good price and making it up was fantastic too! The muffins sound beautiful as well. The rain on your seedlings was just perfect! Your chickens would be so happy and healthy and the eggs beautiful and bright yellow! I love your whole set up! Love Annabel.xxxAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com