The little birds...

If you watch little birds you will see they are busy and happy! Using whatever they can find they create the most gorgeous little nest.
I would be the little bird with some glittery thread in her nest!
We can be like this. Happily working away with the things that are available to us to create a beautiful and happy home.
All the while with a little song in our heart.

Banner by Free Pretty Things for You.

Thursday 19 March 2015

Feather your Nest Friday, 20 March, 2015.




Friday again already! I am pleased to say it was a pretty good week and with beautiful autumn weather!

Some of the ways we saved money were...

I cut Andy's hair for him. He would never go to a hairdresser so this is a must!! But who knows what it saves per year?

I made a big pot of spaghetti sauce. I let it simmer for almost two hours with fresh and dried oregano which I love.  I have a "thing" that mince must turn out deep red not brown. Helen and I had this conversation once about when mince looks an icky colour. The other alternative is to make a deep brown gravy meat pie type mix and make pies...



Anyway, this is my spagheti bolegnase mix and from this I made a pasta dinner, froze several batches and made 2 lasagnes and 3 pasta bakes. Most went in the freezer and I gave Lucy one of them to help her out.

Then I made a crock pot full of chicken and loads of vegies. At the end of the day when this was really tender I made chicken pies. Also I had heaps of chopped celery in the freezer from when celery was $1 a huge bunch so I used some of that, We had chicken pie with relish and a side salad for dinner and I froze six chicken pies. The idea is that when the baby arrives I have back up. I might not be needed to help but then I might be!



These tasted really good. All I do is use chicken, loads of vegies... celery, onions, corn, carrots... whatever you have and a tin of chicken soup. Let it go all day so it is very tender. Use puff pastry to make up pies and bake. It is a cheat recipe really and very versatile but it works every time!

In the garden I have a huge parsley plant that went to seed. A couple of weeks ago I buried some seed heads to encourage it to grow. This week I saw this...


The top shows the seed heads I cut. I give loads of these to the birds, to the budgies and to Ricky. And then I buried heaps. And below are the baby parsley plants. I have clumps like this in a dozen spots. So I repeated this process in about 20 other places around the garden where I could fit some parsley! I was so excited to see this! If I had vast quantities I can give away bunches and all kinds of things.

I built up my home with more meals in the freezer, more items in my pantry and cellar. I keep a basket that I add items to. When this is full I take it down into the cellar and stock my shelves and bins. It is surprising how much it grows. It is starting to look like a little shop!


During the week I snuck into the florist. I have already collected a fair few ideas from there for myself and for gifts too. They had sold out again of the jars with succulents. Still $49. The simplicity and sweetness of this is so easy to copy and I am searching for the big old jars to make some.


But this time I got more ideas! They had another version of this which was old fashioned looking squat shaped jars with a succulent plant in them. Collecting succulents for these is just so easy. And as you can see they were $25!


Well,  how simple is that? I can do that.

And...  the simple posy is back. Like very simple. Like your five year old makes you!

But they are sweet and adorable and realistic in that many of us can make them up from what we can pick. Very small ones were $10.

Larger ones were $15. 


Then the next thing I liked that I think is a nice gift were bowls filled with mixed herbs. The way things are going I will have the parsely plants for this and a couple of punnets of other herbs and these could be great gifts.



These were $25. I would say the bowls were around the size of a dinner plate. Very simple, fresh and a nice gift!

Gathering ideas like this helps me heaps. Then I know what to collect.... succulent cuttings, big old jars, interesting smaller jars or containers... and bowls I could drill holes in for the herb gardens. So I start watching out. How simple, easy and cheap to do all of these! Love that.  I just like finding ideas that are selling for heaps like this but I know I can do for a dollar or two!

During the week Kelly asked a question. I have thought about you a lot Kelly. I always say there are seasons in life for different things and you can't do everything at once. We need to set little goals each week that are reasonably realistic or we just won't do them! Also I think working as a team, as far as possible, in your family helps. Whatever the ages of your children teach them how to help. Lynette said that age appropriate jobs and responsibilities is helping them learn for the future. So true! Also responsibilities make children feel important. Laine called this "harnessing the energy" and her children had a lot of chores and responsibilities. This helped her and the family in lots of ways.

The next thing is to harness wider support and encouragement which might be your wider family, church and friends, books, blogs etc. I know that is possible as when my girls were young I would read a Laine's Letter and feel encouraged and energised! Up I would get and start cooking or doing the next thing. That half hour of encouragement, planning, a cup of tea, was like good fuel. It was like having a good coach.

Then as we do here, at the end of the week, consider how much you achieved and count your blessings. If we only look at everything that needs doing still we will never be happy. There will always be stuff to do! Life is made up of the ordinary weeks. There is a lot of joy and knowing you kept everything afloat, everyone fed, the household running and whatever other progress you feel you made this week! It is easy to forget how much you did. I do. But just now I thought wow I am really happy with all those pies in the freezer. What a good thing! That makes me happy.  So consider all the good things. Appreciate them. Later we can go on and plan new things!

I hope you had a wonderful week. How did you build up your nest and save money this week?
xxx

31 comments:

  1. I just love your blog. It's my "reward"... at the end of the day I sit and read it and relax and get encouraged and inspired. Thank you! I came over from Coffee Tea Books and Me some weeks ago. ☺️

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much! Coffee Tea and Me is one of my regular rewards!
      Thank you for commenting. I really appreciate it. Have a lovely weekend.xxx

      Delete
  2. We are currently in another hot spell - today I am home but yesterday I was in the car, unexpectedly. My husband needed me to take a couple of bits of timber down to a small saw mill so that we can get the bits to match in with the rest of the house.

    Probably wasn't the best day to be doing it but this company doesn't open Saturday mornings and we know that it is going to take a couple of weeks for it to be done. Anyway I decided to pop into a shop that I had heard about but never been into - it has pretty handmade cushions and vintage finds including some old wire items that have been turned into containers for succulents. One was actually in a metal pie plate similar in size to what you have used for your chicken pies Annabel.

    I also popped into another place that months ago looked really inviting but yesterday looked tired and uncared for. Then I headed home via a fruit and vegetable shop that I have decided to buy from, it is a fair drive so I leave home with other jobs needing doing either on the way or on the way home. They have items bagged up and yesterday I picked up a bag of zucchini, the plan is to make zucchini slice and then grate or chop up the rest of the zucchini for later use. I also picked up a bag of lemons, I have a hankering for a cake I saw on pinterest, some lemon and date scones (I have cream to be used in the 'fridge) and a lemon cake that I saw on pinterest that includes zucchini.

    Now I just need the weather to cool down for me to do all of this.

    I also had a great result at the A.G.M. for the group I volunteer with held on Tuesday night - all of the main positions have been filled. I am passing the batton to them for a few things that they need to start looking after, preparation for my leaving towards the end of June.

    We had the shed area prepared Tuesday morning and the concrete will be done either Monday or Tuesday. A tank has also been ordered, my husband was looking on line and looked at one place and got a price from them then found another place, when he spoke to them the same size tank was a lot cheaper plus it had a lot of free things included like a pump so we are happy about that.

    The place that had the succulents in the wire bits and pieces sells things on consignment so when we come to downsizing I think we might look at selling them this way.

    Lynette
    xxxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Lynette for telling me about he wire containers for succulents. I recently saw little succulents in little tea cups. These were for sale too for quite a bit. I think you could do really well, with the things you make and grow, in a consignment store.
      I also think the habit of checking out the shops far and wide in our travels is how we find some of the best ideas and bargains. Plus it makes it a bit of an adventure!
      It really paid off shopping around for that tank! Sounds like a big difference.
      Have a great weekend, you had a busy week! xxx

      Delete
  3. You gathered some lovely ideas from the florist this week. It sounds like you have managed a good deal of food storage too ahead of the upcoming birth.

    I found your blog this week via Wendy's Abundant Life and have enjoyed having a look around.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you very much! I looked at your blog, you like Anne of Green Gables! Well, that is all I need to know about you to know we would be friends! I love Wendy's blog. Each week I learn something.
      Many thanks.xxx

      Delete
  4. Gee your florist must make a good profit Annabel if they can sell for those prices. Your visits get you so much inspiration don't they? I must do some more of that myself. I love the look of your pies. Do you use chicken breasts cut up or something? And chicken soup and veggies, sounds delicious. You are exactly the same as me, I hate brown mince, it has to be reddy colour. Yesterday I was so happy, I made homemade tomato sauce. It bubbled away for five hours on the stove top and made six jam jars full. Tastes divine. All bottles bar one, the seal popped down so the other one went into the fridge as the 'using' one. I had to go out this morning to the physio and when i came home, I can still smell the sweet tomato smell in the house. I have made a couple of comments on other blog posts of yours that haven't come through, and I am wondering if I have done something stupid. Probably have. Anyway great reading again. x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Fiona. I usually use chicken breast if I see it on special. But you could use any chicken or even cook up the vegies and add in a shredded cooked chook nearer the end.
      THe florist is just a street away hence I go past it heaps. Its lovely to look in. And yep they sell out of all this and you can see it walking out the door! I really love doing this in food shops as well... I have a post coming up on home cooked food prices (in stores) and presentation ideas when you are giving food. The amazing prices are similar. Something you can make for $5 is $45.
      Well done on your tomato sauce! Yum. I am a tomato sauce lover.
      mmm I will go check if Ive lost any comments... I hope it wasnt me. I have to do this way as I get so much spam that I have to delete. Really weird stuff and people trying to sell crazy things. So I have to go through them one by one. I hope I havent missed any of your comments. I really appreciate them so I would be kicking myself. Have a lovely weekend! xxx

      Delete
  5. Dearest Annabel,

    Once again you have inspired me. I have had a horrid few weeks filled with mentally challenging situations & feel completely drained (we've all been there) & I've been going through the paces but not really achieving too much, just baby steps (though I do realise that sometimes it's all you can manage). Anyway today your posts inspired me the way Laine's Letters inspired you & I wanted to let you know.

    After reading about all your "pretty things" (& yes I also remember the "just use the back of an old envelope" comment & was equally as horrified, LOL) it really resonates to have lovely things around me & never fails to lift my spirits.........anyway, then I moved my eyes down & read about what kept you going. Within seconds I had guilt over the state of my kitchen, nothing truly bad but heaps of things not put away, remnants of last nights meal, you know the look I'm sure. Anyway you fired me up & I've just spent 20 minutes putting things away, tidying & making the kitchen look warm & inviting, I feel so much better & once again have a smile on my face.

    Although you may not realise it, the inspiration you give to others is priceless & much loved & appreciated. THANK YOU! Big hugs xSusan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Susan, As you are always very busy and bright and happy for you to say things have been horrid I am thinking something really bad has been going on. I am really sorry you have been going through a tough time. And yes sometimes just keeping your head above water is all that is possible.
      And I should mention I have had complete "that's it I've had enough!" times and gone to bed and stayed there.
      But then when its possible sometimes doing the things that normally bring you joy and comfort are probably good for you, like pretty things and card making!
      I hope your burst in the kitchen did work to make you feel better and might clear the way for other things that will help.
      Thank you so much for you kind words.
      I should have mentioned in the blog I wont post Monday or Wed next week as we are going on a op shopping trip. Full report will be Friday I hope!
      I am thinking of you and hoping all is well. Watch the mail. :) Love Annabel. xxx

      Delete
  6. Dear Annabel,
    Another beautiful Feather post, I so look forward to them! I know everyone else does as well. It was a very busy week here. Lots of spring cleaning in the house and getting organized before the heat of the summer sets in. It really sneaks in on us and then BAM! Anything we've wanted to get at or go through in the garage is put off until fall but not this year! We are on it! This week I feathered my nest by: keeping up with life! Picking beautiful roses as our bush is producing by the dozens and I've been putting them all over the house. I cooked at home and froze a meal. (my goal was three meals, but like you say it all adds up) I made all of my savings goals (barely) but still we are steadfast and focused! I stayed on budget with groceries, but did not come under as hoped. That's ok! Today I am baking, and making a zucchini slice. Oh that is SUCH a hit here with Bill and I! I am so excited, as Bill surprised me by bringing home our starts for the summer garden! We have 4 types of tomatoes, 2 squash, 2 different types of zucchini, cucumbers, (one in particular for pickling), and pumpkin. He also brought Genovese Basil to add to our herb pot and I'm so excited about all of the possibilities! Big challenge with the tomatoes and the Arizona desert sun but I'm up to the challenge. WE SHALL HAVE HOMEGROWN TOMATOES!!! I scrubbed the master bath and it is so fresh and clean. I cleaned all the baseboards and that just makes me feel better knowing it's done for awhile. I can (I'm sure we all can) echo Susan's comment in so many ways, and just so glad she tidied and felt better. I know I'm forgetting something but my day starts early today (5:31 am here now) and I must get a move on. I hope everyone has a great day and a wonderful weekend. Much love to all xxx Colette

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Colette just as we can forget about summer you have to start thinking about it! We get it hot here too.
      You had a really productive week. I love that you like zucchini slice. I will tell you that when you want to make a fancy version add chunks of fetta cheese or little slices of sun dried tomato through it. You can vary it greatly really.
      It sounds wonderful to be planting tomatoes and lovely things in your garden. I am also so happy you appreciate the lovely things like picking your roses. Life can be so busy. Gardening, cooking etc seem to slow the world down so its more enjoyable somehow.
      I have been away a few days which is why it took forever for me to reply! Just in time for tomorrows Feather your Nest Friday..... and I have lots to report! I hope it has been a good week for you! xxx

      Delete
  7. Dear Annabel, I am glad you visit the florist as I enjoy the photos so much.
    Your chicken pies look delicious! You are so smart to be thinking ahead. Life is very busy with a new baby, doing things ahead means you can just sit and hold the sweet baby instead of working.
    I've been cooking a little ahead as my husband will be having shoulder surgery soon but it hopefully be a very quick recovery for him.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Rhonda, sorry for my terribly slow reply. We went away for a few days and I ran out of time before we left. I was collecting more good ideas and bargains!
      It is such a good idea to cook and also shop ahead before youre husbands surgery. I hope it goes very well and he has a fast recovery too. It will make it easier on you if you dont have to think about shopping and cooking. xxx

      Delete
  8. Annabel, your sauce looks delicious and the pot pies look like they are just begging to be eaten. I too, love hearing about your visits to the florist and all the beautiful ideas you share. I learn much from you! patsi @ a working pantry http://aworkingpantry.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Patsi! Sorry for the very slow reply. I was just heading away for a few days and I run out of time to finish my replies.
      I had a good time too gathering new ideas! Now to catch up with your blog and fb page... I will be up all night! xxx

      Delete
  9. As the seasons change, so too do my tasks around the house. I've moved away from jam and relish making and moved onto the garden as we prepare for the next planting. Here's what I got up to this week -

    * Gratefully received some raisin bread, a few slices of fruit cake, a couple of sandwiches, breakfast muffins, bread rolls, dried soup mix, dried onion flakes and lentils.

    * Continued to pick a handful of raspberries each day.

    * Darren planted silver beet, beetroot, lettuce and broccoli into a prepared veg garden bed. He's added lots of coffee grounds to the soil and turned it over a few times. I must say, the garden smells lovely.

    * Gratefully received a 15 kilo bucket of white bread flour mix from a facebook follower . My girls love white bread and I don't like buying the supermarket bread. Now I can make my own and hide a few extras in the mix.

    * Gratefully received some glass jars from my sister inlaw. I love receiving glass jars as they hold so much potential. I could use them for jam, relish, lemon butter, dry mixes or biscuits. A great way to recycle as I use them any times over.

    * Found and bought some plain card stock in Spotlight on sale for 35 cents a sheet. I can get at least two cards per sheet making them very cheap.

    * Made lavender air freshener for the toilet.

    * Saved the shower warm up water each day. Some was poured into the washing machine. The rest was poured into a watering can and used on my mango plants.

    * Saved the washing machine water when possible for the next load. I don't save water from a dark load of washing because it's not suitable to use for a white load the next day.

    * Sold a jar of jam and a dozen eggs.

    * Picked the last of the tomatoes before Darren pulled them out.

    * Made 20 hamburger patties for the freezer.

    * Made more dried bread crumbs from bread crusts. The crumbs will eventually be made into seasoned bread crumbs when the container gets low.

    * Bought 4 punnets of blueberries for $1 each. They have been washed and frozen in snap lock bags to be added to muffins.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am sorry to take so long with my reply Wendy, we had our few days away.
      Your week was wonderful! Free food, all that flour! And jars!
      I totally agree how jobs change as the seasons do. I love the seasons! Kams etc have come to an end for me too. Soon will be soups and stews. I am also doing heaps in the garden and have lots of pruning to do soon.
      I have lots of good things to report tomorrow, thank you as always for you great comments, I just love them.xxx

      Delete
  10. Hi Annabel, It sounds like you have had a lovely and productive week, The photos of the meals you have made always look delicious and wholesome. Yum! I think I will give your chicken pies a go, sounds like a good simple dish that will be healthy and tasty for the family - and most importantly that will be easy for me to get happening in the slow cooker in the morning, before things have a chance to go haywire with baby not sleeping etc. I have just noticed yesterday that my sweet baby has another two teeth coming through, so that's four teeth in total within a period of 2 weeks. Poor little sausage. Babies sure do go through a lot.
    Thank you again for your kindness and support this week. I feel more hopeful and have tried to focus on the positives, however small. You are so right that some weeks it is an achievement just keeping things afloat and everyone fed and that's worth something. After my 'talk' with you, I have kept a list of things I wanted/needed to do at home, and I managed to tick most of them off - and that feels good, even if they are only small things, like ironing my husband's uniforms for him, getting all the washing put away, making dinner, filling out school forms, etc. The main one I'm very happy to have finally managed to fit in, is cleaning out two shelves in my linen cupboard. Its been bothering me for months, as its been so overflowing and a mess - but now at least I have two shelves that are neat and tidy and will make that tiny aspect of my home life easier & nicer.
    Just as another reader said, and like you felt with Laine's Letters, I'm going to enjoy reading your blog with a nice cup of tea (when I can..) as my little reward and rejuvenation. Kelly xo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Kelly, I have been away a few days hence my very slow reply!
      Well done on your week! Being able to tick off all the things you wanted to get done plus the shelves in your linen cupboard.
      I remember well teething babies. They are high demand as they are miserable!
      The crock pot is such a big helper. Also theres a good secret... when your husband comes in the house smells so good. It is a promising sign of dinner. Most casseroles/stews make well into pies if there are left overs. I keep some sheets of puff pastry on hand all the time so I can make a quick pie for another night. It is so good and I do a lot of soups in colder weather. In summer you can cook meat to use later as cold meat or even fill with potatoes and then use them in a potato salad. That is really handy!
      Kelly be pleased with a good week! You are doing well and you are doing A LOT!
      I hope this week was good too. I have made savings even though we had a break and I gathered a few ideas! I will get working on my post tomorrow.
      Oh I wanted to add... when making the pies.... you can make little individual ones perfect in size for the children... in a muffin tray or little tins or anything small. Then you can freeze these too. They look very sweet and it seems to mean less waste... I mostly do individual sizes these days. But to give as a gift I make a family size one or something suitable.Any left over little bits of pastry I used to let the kids form into shapes and bake them or line a muffin tray and top with jam and bake and then you have jam tarts... the kids loved this as they thought they were being so helpful and were such great cooks! Thank you so much for sharing your week.xxx

      Delete
  11. http://bluehousejournal.blogspot.com/2015/03/this-week-in-my-home-frugal-from-sunup.html I meant to be super focused this week but was all over the place. I seem to have hit what many others have done, a season of little frustrations. Well like all seasons it will soon be over!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi Annabel; What a wonderful and uplifting post! I have a question, when you make chicken pies do you put a crust on the bottom and top or just the top? Bet its wonderful with puff pastry. A standard joke in my house is when I say to someone I will cut your hair, and they all scream and run! My daughter still talks about how she walked around for 10 years with crooked bangs when she was a kid.
    When I tried to even them out they just got shorter and shorter, lol. I can assure you that you will be so glad you have such wonderful meals put by, you will be called on a lot to help with that new little one, do you know if its a boy or girl? You might have mentioned it before, but I can't remember (senior moment.) I also think a lot about Kelly, I hope she knows that she has friends all around the world! She might not know us, but I sure do relate to her situation. Great advise you gave her! My mother always said nothing lasts forever, not the good and not the bad. How true. I am going to plant a variety of herbs in the garden this summer and repot in the fall for some Christmas gifts, thanks for a great idea! Have a wonderful and restful trip, safe travels to you and your husband! Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy! Love and Hugs, Nana

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Nana! Sorry for the slow reply....
      You can just use the pastry on the top if you prefer. Less calories... But I do top and bottom.
      I love how you say "put by" and i have heard "put up" this is just lovely and I am adopting it. Not said in Australia this way but it is so nice!
      The baby's sex is a secret so will be a surprise to everyone! I have more girl things from what I have made in the past. But I will make boy things if it is a boy!
      While your family ran away from you with scissors in my family we ran away from Mum if you had a splinter. Ask anyone. Mum is a manic with a pari of tweezers and strikes fear into the heart of the whole family!
      I hope Kelly might see your comment. I think of her too.
      You will have well established plants by Christmas and I will try to add some other nice ways to pot things up to use as gifts during the year. I am doing the same with lots of baby succulents and I want to do the mini herb gardens as gifts too.
      I am home now just in time for Father your Nest Friday tomorrow! I have lots to report and had a lovely week, I hope you did too.xxx

      Delete
  13. Hi Annabel and friends. Such inspiring posts from everyone, and Annabel, yet again, you spur us all on to do more, see greater opportunities wherever we look, and to put something in the freezer for a tired or busy day. Those little succulents are a work of art! And some of them are so pretty, and ALL are so easy to grow. You only need buy one, and each little leaf, if buried just part way in some soil, will grow a whole new plant! We have propagated literally hundreds, if not thousands this way. One little plant can become ten or a dozen in a very short space of time, and considering how expensive they are, they're well worth the effort. We took a well earned mini break over the last few days, so I'm a little late, but here are all of my little nesting feathers. I made lunches for my daughter, which I've elaborated on my own blog entry, we ate well, if not a little luxuriously too. When I shopped last week, I bought two really interesting ingredients. One was white truffle oil, and one was Liquid Smoke. Those two ingredients were what I'd consider at the luxury end of the price bracket at $18 for the truffle oil, and $16 for the Liquid Smoke, but just the tiniest drizzle of either, can transform a meal from ordinary to 'cuisine'. So I consider that money well spent. The thing is that a simple risotto, topped with a tiny dribble of the white truffle oil and some parmesan shavings, is absolutely restaurant worthy in every way. So that little $18 bottle, will earn it's keep in months to come. You need no other additions like herbs or meats, to the risotto either, and it has real punch in terms of flavour satisfaction. We ate other restaurant worthy meals thanks to the Michelle Bridges programme we are on to lose a little weight, and took our own food away on our mini break which always saves an extraordinary amount of money. I cleaned the car inside and out using not much other than soapy water, a broom, a hose, a vacuum cleaner and some baby wipes, and I washed and groomed the dog. Just those two are a significant saving of nearly $100! So I call that a successful week. Thankyou for continuing to inspire us all Annabel. Mimi xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Mimi, I am so slow to reply because we took a little break too, at the beach. Just home tonight...
      The ideas with the succulents are amazing, as you say they are so easy to get started. I am increasing my collection all the time and some are so pretty.
      You saved money in similar ways to us... we take lots away with us and make lots of lovely meals. And I did the same with the car before we headed off!
      I hope you have had a great week. I have lots to report tomorrow and lots of catching up to do!
      Many thanks Mimi.xxx

      Delete
  14. Your chicken Potpies looked so delicious! You just inspired me with so many ideas for pantry.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Cindy! I am sorry to be so slow to reply. We had a few days away at the beach! I have lots to report tomorrow. I hope you had a wonderful week.xxx

      Delete
  15. Dear Annabel, I am just catching up today with your Friday post. Your recipe ideas are terrific. I hope everything is well with you and your family.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Sherri, Thank you! It is so good to have a cook up and end up with heaps of meals. It makes going to the rouble of a bulk lo really worthwhile!
      We just had a few days away. We are all fine and Im refreshed! Now I wont be going far from home as Lucys due date is getting closer. So I will be staying put! Love Annabel.xxx

      Delete
  16. Hi there Annabel,

    Finally I get to catch up on my favourite blogs. I have been flat strap for so long, it feels like forever.

    I love how your parsley came up so easily. I might try sprinkling seed around with mine when it goes to seed. You seem to be very organised with all your cooking, the spaghetti sauce looks divine, and those pies...yum, yum,yum!!

    I have been collecting plants to put in pots and strike. I try and stick with succulents, and am building quite a collection. There are so many varieties and I am always shocked at the prices that our local Mitre 10 store charges. They are so easy to propagate, it just takes one leaf :)

    My nest feathering has taken the back seat these past few weeks. I will be glad to catch my breath and start again. Here are some of my efforts;

    ~I am still doing the usual things that save money, like drying clothes outside in the lovely sunshine we are having, water saving, recycling etc.
    ~I have been making homemade meals for lunch and tea (dinner).
    ~I am now eating no meat at all and feeling so much better, and saving money too.
    ~Hubby dyed my hair, and I cut his.
    ~I bought a large bag of strawberries on the reduced table at Woolies and soaked them then froze to use in my healthy smoothies.
    ~I went to a local farmers market and purchased some veggies, two loaves of sourdough bread and two litres of olive oil.
    ~I bought four tops from an op shop today, they were on special for $1each. I am going to check the other op shops around town tomorrow.
    ~I am still picking a few veggies from our garden, and we are looking at starting a garden with barrels and old baths in a new area.
    ~Selling excess eggs.
    ~I mended some garments that needed attention.
    ~I am organising recipes to make a monthly menu plan.

    Wishing you a blessed week,

    xTania

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tania I know you have not had a normal couple of weeks. Sometimes we just are flat out keeping our heads above water! But it sounds like you are well and truly getting back to normal! I hope it feels good!
      The strawberries sound a great buy. How lovely to have four new tops! I think its a lift to have a change and something new especially at $1 each! Just now as the weather is changing (it is really cool today) I am thinking of changing my menu to more autumny things, some soups, casseroles etc. I really feel like them too. I am looking through my books for inspiration.
      I will let you know how my parsley goes. I have buried those seed heads in another dozen places. If they all come up I will have hundreds! I was amazed how the last ones came up in such huge numbers.
      I am making smoothies too. This is my lunch quite often and I will go to soup when it is colder. But I get a lot of good stuff thanks to my smoothies!
      I hope this week has been good too... my slow reply has me here just in time for tomorrows update. But I have lots to report! xxx

      Delete

I really appreciate your comments thank you! The aim of my blog is the be a place of encouragement and happiness. Very rarely is anyone rude. Actually only twice so far! If you post a rude or aggressive comment I will read it but not publish it, thanks for understanding.xxx

Spam is never published... if you are advertising a product or selling website your comment wont be published. I am inundated with stuff about drugs, horses and weird things! I am not going to publish this stuff! Thank you.