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 18 August 2016

Feather your Next Friday 19th August 2016

This week was a bit of this and a bit of that!

Yesterday Mel S came over to work on crochet edgings! She lives in Adelaide and I have met her before!  This was really fun as we had a lot of ideas to share. She is a beautiful knitter and her cross stitch is amazing!


There were a lot of ideas exchanged and it was so nice to chat about what we are doing. Mel has been putting in a lot of fruit trees and a lot of things around her home. As you can imagine we would never run out of things to talk about!

Mel also gave me two sets of floral sheets in the softest cotton! Thank you so much!

Some of the ways I saved money this week included:

It was my Uncle's Birthday. I baked him Shortbread biscuits and boxed them up. He loved this! 


This also gave us biscuits for the week.

I planted seeds into my herb towers and refreshed then with extra soil etc. I planted chives, coriander and radishes.  Also I added thyme seedlings as I use a lot of thyme.

There are lots of baby succulents and I divided them and got about thirty new plants.

I kept on working on hand towels and bath mats etc. I have one white bathmat to go then I am on to blue.


I got ahead with gifts made and by adding some grocery items to my holiday gift basket.

Overall I have been trying to get on top of everything so that I can start painting next week. When the weather is nice I am going to be working on the front of the house. And otherwise I have two rooms inside to finish.

The nursery room is finished except for decorating... I am working on that!

I got four large flattish plastic storage tubs. They will go under the bed when the bed is higher from the ground. (that project is on the list)

Our chicken that is super friendly and follows you around will often sit on the back door step. If she wants something she sits there and chatters. Usually I give her a piece of cheese then she goes off happily. But she knows she's not allowed to come inside.
On Wednesday it was lovely weather so I had the door wide open. I heard a funny noise in the kitchen... a scratchy scratchy noise.... so I went hunting.  On the other side of the kitchen bench I keep a row of baskets under a shelf.  And there was Chickie in one of my baskets!


She has never done this before! And she wouldn't get out either! So I had to just carry the whole basket outside!


Talk about cheeky!  Later on she was sitting in my herb garden! She never normally does this either. I decided she was going crazy. Then I saw she had laid an egg! This is her first egg! 
Now I think it is sweet she wanted to come inside to lay her egg but I booted her out! 
So we have made her several new nesting boxes hoping she will like one and use it instead of setting up camp is crazy places!

How was your week? How did you feather your nest, get ahead and save?
We had lots of rain last night. Things are soaked! It is lovely. I have cooking planned for tomorrow.... a big lot of banana muffins and we will see what else!
I am off to the shops and to run a few errands.  Have a lovely weekend! xxx



42 comments:

  1. She is such a pretty Chickie :) I was going to say that I bet she was nesting in a safe place to lay her baby. How absolutely darling of her. Can you hug a chicken? ;) How pretty your tea setting looks. Mmm, shortbread and tea sounds so good right now - but, it's my bedtime. Maybe I'll dream about a cuppa. XX

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    1. Dear Mary,
      Thank you! Have a lovely weekend! I love a cup of tea, even in bed! :) with love Annabel.xxx

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  2. Dear Annabel, this week seems to have flown!. .you have had a lovely week.
    The afternoon tea set up looks beautiful , I love the little flower decorations on the cake.i also love your tea pot and cups and saucers . My week included :
    I gratefully received a gift from a friend from a pen pal type program
    I gratefully received 5 meals from my parents
    I gratefully received some chocolate chip biscuits ( cookies) from my mum
    I spent less on my groceries than normal and put some money away in savings as a result.
    I saved on my subsidised cleaning
    I harvested 3 strawberries, and still have 2 or 3 growing. All the little things add up right?.
    I decluttered a table
    I bought some products half price , including corn and creamed corn for my stockpile
    I saved some more towards holidays
    I shopped wisely and bought a new de tangling brush for less than I had budgeted.
    I think that is all this week Annabel ( that I can remember) .
    I hope you have a lovely weekend Annabel and everyone.love BarbW

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    1. Dear Barb, It was just wonderful getting all those meals and being able to save instead for the holiday!
      I also got the creamed corn and corn! They were such a good price the best Id seen in ages! I am using some this weekend in tuna mornay!
      That was a great week Barb. Have a lovely weekend. We are going to enjoy the last of the Olympics! With love Annabel.xxx

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  3. Dear Annabel,

    What a cheeky little chookie! :-) I just love everything about your post/s this week. How beautiful everything looks. Your tea time looks so pretty and how wonderful having Mel over sharing some of your favourite things together.

    This week we shopped at the factory outlet and bulk foods store. I stocked up, but realised on checking online that the items were between 50 to 70% savings!! This all helps so much over the year. I made a special birthday dinner and cheesecake for my lovely son in law. He is a very good husband to my eldest DD and daddy to my GD. I love this simple life where we get to share together and count all our blessings. It is a rich life!
    Love, Kaye xoxo

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    1. Dear Kaye,
      Thank you so much. I know you like cups and saucers and afternoon tea things so you would like this!
      What good savings! I am wondering is this Ardmona? Anyway the savings are huge!
      Also I agree with you in a couple of ways here... one is what a big blessing it is to have a good son in law. They work hard and are good Dads we are very lucky with that. And that they love food and cooking! How easy is that!? Im sure the dinner and cheesecake went down very well!
      Have a wonderful weekend Kaye! With love Annabel.xxxx

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  4. Dearest Annabel

    What a fly by week it has been here as well. I did so enjoy catching up with you and I learnt so many new and fresh gift ideas.
    This week I decluttered and tidied up the kitchen pantry and the linen press and one shelf in my bedroom. This in itself was a big saving as I found things I had that I could repurpose and also it makes it so much quicker to find "that" item I was looking for.

    I banked my tax refund as soon as it came into my account. I have budgeted for the next three months. I made some more baby gifts for friends and upcoming for my daughter or daughter-in-law. I gratefully accepted oranges from someone's tree at work and a bottle of soft drink. I continued to cook all meals at home and take breakfast, lunch and snacks to work. I had a bit of a cake bake up and froze extras. I made Anzac Cookies.....did I mention I love Anzac Cookies, really love them.

    I have been printing out and collating knitting patterns and now some crochet edging patterns. I bought some new dressmaking scissors with a gift card and two balls of baby wool.

    I have made a shopping list and will stick to it. I have reached the Safety Net Limit on PBS scripts so all but one of my medications will be free for the rest of this year.

    Having a good week
    God Bless and thank you for your kind hospitality

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    1. Dear Mel,
      I loved catching up with you. It is so nice to talk with someone on the same track! When I was doing the great spare room clean up I also found things to use up, repurpose, gift etc and you're right thats a savings!
      I am so glad you got a tax refund! Im hopeful for one.
      Also it is very good about the safety net. The last two years we have reached it mid December! So not much use! Kind of frustrating. I hope this helps your budget for the rest of the year.
      The free knitting patterns are really good. If you find any good crochet edges let me know. I am working on that one like on the bathmat... so far it is really easy! It is looking really good! That was right under my nose all this time!
      Have a great weekend Mel, with love Annabel.xxx

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  5. What a great friend to have. Sometimes we can get busy and forget to keep up with them. Now your chicken sounds like it's become quite a pet! I hope to have a couple of chickens again in the spring they are so fun and I miss having them.

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    1. Dear Vickie I hope you can get chickens again too. Most of my life I have had them with a few gaps... I always go back to them though as life is happier with chickens! xxx

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  6. HI Annabel, Just a thought - if Chickie doesn't like the nesting boxes, maybe you could sacrifice one of your baskets, and she might use that!!
    take care,
    Little Moo

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    1. Dear Little Moo, I did that! I gave her two of my kitchen baskets! She seems happy now. I have so many baskets I can spare them. Many thanks, love Annabel.xxx

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  7. Hi Annabel!!

    You have really excelled with your posts this week! They have all been beautiful and practical, and full of homeliness! Thank you!!

    After a busy half day of chauffeuring around town for mechanical things, it was refreshing to see your little Chickie in a basket! Exciting! This is beautiful! The tea party looked pretty, and the crochet looks just lovely. I really love your homemaking work!! How nice it must have been to have a friend visit like this!

    We've had considerable heavy vehicle movement past here to work on the next property. After nearly three weeks, we went for a walk to view the progress, anticipating the gazetted road to have been pushed through, and tall old tree stumps to have been cleared, and more. We were disappointed. Neither of these had occurred, and it all reminded me of the futility of using even big machinery. Actually, it encouraged me to keep on working here. I don't charge the ridiculous fees associated with machines, and I still get things done over time!!

    When we visited my parents, a friend of theirs from interstate had helped gather a piece of each of different citrus fruits, and they made it into a reduced sugar citrus jam. This reminded me of the joys of using what we have, and sharing them! I have some in the fridge now! As the friend said, it tastes more like citrus than sugar. It's lovely!

    Sure, I accomplished little nest building things during the week. Also, I received a lovely gift to weave into the nest building, and another item jumped out at me while shopping! I made a first attempt at a small project, only to have to learn more for my next step! I will be so grateful when I see finished results! Until then, I have to keep you guessing!

    So, I have saved by doing work myself, and have been nest building by doing work myself. Time will tell!

    With warm regards,
    Rachel Holt

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    1. Dear Rachel,
      Thank you so much. I am really interested in the concept of citrus jam. I don't like marmalade but I do like jam. And citrus preserves look so lovely!
      Gee you sure are keeping me guessing as I am reading wondering what your re up to! The clues aren't very revealing!
      Have a wonderful new week Rachel and keep on as we know little bits add up to be bigger than even those big machines can achieve! With love Annabel.xxx

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    2. Dad has just told me that they're making another batch of citrus jam! I was told that this is based on a Coles recipe magazine version. Simply chop and slice the selection of citrus, using the whole fruit. Soak overnight, simmer vigorously for about half an hour and add the sugar. These people used less sugar, meaning that this citrus jam is stored in the fridge. The larger pieces of fruit are soft and luscious!
      I am about to step outside to see whether I have any chokoes to pickle, or whether they are only seed chokoes by now!!
      Thanks for the interest you show!
      Rachel

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    3. Hi Rachel,
      The citrus jam sounds so delicious. Would you have any idea of the fruit to water ratio? I'd love to be able to make some when citrus comes into season here. Thanks. Cookie

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    4. Hi Cookie,
      I am checking with my parents on their variation of the recipe. I'll let you know when I have the information clarified! Thank you,
      Rachel

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  8. Dear Annabel,

    Thank you so much for sharing the photo of your beautiful tea set and cakes. Quite honestly, I wish I could just jump through the computer and taste one. It sounds like you and Mel S. had a wonderful visit with much to share.

    It's early morning here in the US and I've been up since 5 a.m. doing some nest feathering. As I mentioned in an earlier post I had 30 pounds of peaches to tend to. This morning, as I type there are 3 peach cobblers in the oven baking, 2 for the freezer and one to be enjoyed over the weekend for dessert. I also froze 4 quarts of sliced peaches, and I'll be making some peach jam today.

    I made a trip to the factory outlets as there were fantastic clearance sales on summer clothing and shoes, some being on the clearance rack with an additional 60 percent off the already clearance price. They were practically giving things away, and I took advantage of purchasing sandals for next summer, as well as a beautiful lavender crocheted lace tunic top that in the end was only $4 that was completely lined.

    I laid out the table clothes that my mom made to see where to cut them. They're in a prominent place so I look at them often to help me decide. I'm hoping the lightbulb comes on regarding this over the weekend so I can get started on the project And while it wasn't a major shopping week I did get a few things for the pantry, such as popcorn and nuts. Pre-season football games have started here so for the men I make a huge bowl of freshly popped corn mixed with nuts and dried cranberries. Wishing everyone a beautiful weekend. XXX Cookie

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    1. Dear Cookie,
      The peaches sound wonderful! A lot of peaches to tend to is a good problem to have. Hopefully in a few months (January here) Iwill have peaches too.
      Well done on putting away lovely things for next summer. The lavender top sounds beautiful!
      It is a great idea to use small shopping weeks to buy stocking up things instead. Save in one area, spend it in another. Good thinking.
      I like the sound of your football snacks! Our footballs season is drawing to a close... little bit more to go.
      I hope you find the right solution for your Mums embroidery. Im sure you will. It will be great to have some preserved for the future.
      With lots of love, Annabel.xxx

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  9. Dear Annabel, everything looks wonderful! How lovely that you and Mel S. were able to share ideas and tea and cakes , they looks so pretty in pink :-)
    And I love your crochet edges and fine embroidery touches just look beautiful!And what a gorgeous chicken , she just wanted to be near you to lay her first egg, how cute is that .
    My week has been a very chatty one , visited two aunties , and caught up with a friend and by chance made a new one through her.
    Went to our daughter's family for dinner one night.
    Made stock and froze it, and second stock (into Mums vege soup), as mentioned on Jes's blog Strangers and Pilgrims,also made her Herby rolls, but shaped them like scones,they were a hit! thankyou Jes x
    Made custard biscuits that hubby and I have nibbled at all week.
    Slow cooked a batch of savoury mince which we had for dinner that night and so did our 2 little grandies that dropped by, plus 1 meal for the freezer.
    Made 1 medium and 2 individual lasagnas from 250gms mince I had left over, which went into the freezer .
    Family are visiting tomorrow so Ive just made a wholemeal chocolate cake and cranberry biscuits.
    And a small plate of something to take to a social.
    Sorted out the throw Im crocheting for my grand daughter which id put aside while I worked on a quick one for our smallest visiting grandson.I wasn't happy with the colours but got that sorted now and back into action.
    Have a lovely weekend Annabel and everyone,Love Maria xxx


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    1. Dear Maria,
      What a good week! I just love all your beautiful cooking and the way you feed everyone. The Grandkids are all going to remember your cooking.
      And Im glad you are back on track with the rug. The one you made your Grandson with the initial was lovely. I have thought how that touch makes it special as it is so clear that it was made especially for them.
      Have a great new week. We are nearly up to spring! With love Annabel.xxx

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  10. Hi Annabel. I just love little Miss Chickie.
    We have seen our son and his little family move into their new home. This was a relief all round.
    Once this occurred it was time to leave Sydney and continue our adventures. We got as far as Bathurst. Bluey was feeling unwell and his eyeballs went yellow. A doctors visit and many tests later he most likely has a blocked bile duct. We didn't wait for the results but hooked up the van and hightailed it for home. The Doctor agreed this was a good idea and has phoned results through to us and also sent all results on to Bluey's Doctor. We have a short trip tomorrow and should be driving in our driveway by lunchtime.
    Our week has been a case of get Bluey sorted out. Once he is back to being healthy again I plan on heading down to the beach to have my own private little fall apart session.

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    1. Dear Jane,

      I am sharing your hurt here, and will be glad when Bluey has built up his strength again. The Eternal is with those in humble circumstances.

      Regards to you and Bluey!
      Rachel Holt

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    2. Dear Jane,
      You have certainly had more than your share of late. I hope Bluey is feeling ok and there is a good and fast treatment for this.
      Safe travels for the last bit of the journey. I should think your own home and bed will be lovely! With lots of love Annabel.xxx

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    3. Dear Jane,
      Sending some prayers your way for a simple solution and quick recovery for Bluey. Cookie

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  11. Dear Annabel,

    What a beautiful tea party and sounds like you had a lovely time. Your bath sets are just gorgeous, as is the wrapping presentation that you do with your gifts. This inspires me as I haven't been too great with wrapping in the past!

    This has been an extremely busy week, as all the produce is coming ready. I've picked and frozen more green peas and beans, made a couple of batches of crockpot applesauce from early drops from one of our apple trees, made yogurt and sour cream, made Summer Solstice preserves (sour cherry and blueberry) from frozen fruit to clean out the freezer for new produce, raspberry/blackberry jam from freshly picked wild berries on our property, and juiced some black currants for syrup or jelly. We also got 25lbs. of pickling cukes yesterday, so have them sitting in brine to finish up tonight. I'll be picking more beans today and checking the swiss chard...I think it's time to cut it again, too.

    I also finished off a pair of mitts and the knitting of a big Christmas project, which I hope to block today. So I feel great about that! It's sunny today and the washing machine is fixed, thanks to my husband, so sheets are going on the line...don't you just love the smell of sun-dried sheets?

    Have a wonderful weekend. My husband has the next 9 days off, so we will be enjoying a holiday!

    xx Jen in NS

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    1. Dear Jen,
      Now that I have seen your garden I can picture all of this! It is fantastic. What a great harvest you are having and I love the crockpot applesauce! It really is a lot of work I know but so healthy and so much food to put away. Plus jam makes nice gifts, so does applesauce etc.
      I am wondering about this big Christmas project! It sounds like your thumb must be on the improve as you are knitting...
      Yes I love the smell of sun dried sheets! It is one of the nicest things. And sun dried towels. The sun is really a wonderful thing. When it it really hot here I don't like it but in winter the sun is like the most precious thing! But even in summer drying tomatoes and fruit I think how good the sun is. I also wash my quilts, pillows, underlay etc and sun dry them. The feel and smell of all this sun dried is beautiful.
      Enjoy your husbands days off! And have a lovely new week! Well done Jen. With love Annabel.xxx

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  12. That is pretty funny about your chicken! It reminds me of last week, when we couldn't find our goat kid... After perusing the property (and thinking the worst), we found her up in the willow tree, like high in the branches (and with a look like, "how do I get down now..." ! Animals can be quite amusing...

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    1. Dear Jes,
      Maria above made your herby rolls and loved them! She sent me a picture so I will post that soon.
      Goats are very funny! I had one once years ago. They are very smart! Yes... the adventures you have. It is good entertainment. They all have their own personalities even chickens. I cannot imagine life without pets!
      Have a good week Jes, Love Annabel.xxx

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  13. Dear Annabel,
    The tea setting is beautiful. You have the most lovely and inviting photographs.
    This week hubs has been working in the kitchen and so I haven't done much in the way of cooking or baking but we have eaten all our meals at home.
    We added a sweet little min pin female to our family. She is supposed to be my older sons pet but she has stolen my heart. She is adorable and he said I could name her so I chose Pippa.
    I cut out the letters for a fall sewing project. I'm making a burlap banner for the kitchen that says "pumpkin pie". I bought the burlap on clearance at the craft store, for the letters Im recycling fabric from an old apron. The colors are perfect as the print was two shades of orange, cream, and yellow. I hope to do the sewing this weekend.
    I also pulled everything out of my gift cabinet. Oh my! I am so pleased. I only need to add a few items and Christmas gifts will be done.
    My son is healing quickly and I'm so thankful about that. School is going well for everyone and we are back into that routine.
    For some reason my local grocery store loves to hide the clearance items all over the store. It's like a treasure hunt I tell ya! Well I found a new hiding place that had a stack of cheese marked half price. It is dated for November and December so I bought all six packages. Also picked up lettuce for half price that was completely fresh. So that makes four places to check for clearance prices in that one store.
    Daughter and I started up a weight loss challenge with a friend. So that has been some intense feathering of this old nest! Haha.
    Hopefully the kitchen will be completed this weekend and I can get onto the fun of decorating.
    Ginger

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    1. Dear Ginger,
      Thank you so much!
      I googled what is a min pin? haha I didn't know that! But now I do and how cute! She will keep you all busy. I hope she is a great pet for your son.
      Pets are so good for children I think.
      I would love to see your banner! I really love how in the US the ladies decorate to celebrate the seasons. People don't really do that here except for Christmas, Easter etc to some degree. But I love it. I think we should celebrate the season we are in! So I would love to see your decorations.
      Your gift cupboard being so good now is great! It is exciting! I can't wait to get all of mine out. This is when you see how much things add up!
      I am glad to hear your son is doing well and about school and your routine. That helps so much.
      Now your grocery store... ours is like this. Amazing specials can appear in random places! Unexpected places! Yes its like a treasure hunt. Its worth it. The things I have found! You have to have eyes to see and be willing to look. The cheese is a good find! You can always slice or grate it and freeze too.
      Good luck on your weight loss challenge! I think doing it with someone is a big help and much more fun.
      I hope you are very happy with the kitchen and know it will be lovely getting it set up how you want! With love Annabel.xxx

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  14. Dear Annabel,
    Your chicken is gorgeous. I'm afraid I have such a soft spot for animals that I would have just let her stay and visited with her while working (LOL).
    You always do a wonderful job of building your home and making things beautiful. I love the tea set.
    I made some of your meat pies this week and froze them. A couple of days I had very little productivity due to migraines, but did what little I could.
    We are planning on painting the kitchen and dining area in a couple of weeks, so I am trying to find material to sew a valance for the Bay Window. I have no idea why anyone would put a Bay Window in a kitchen that adjoins a dining room, but I am trying to figure out what to do with it to make it useful. Buying a house someone else designed is truly challenging for someone who likes to design their own floor plan.
    Have a wonderful weekend.
    With love and a big hug,
    Glenda

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    1. Dear Glenda,
      I am glad you liked the meat pies and got on well with them. Sorry abut your migraine, that really slows a week down. I hope you are feeling much better.
      We have a bay window in the dining area and my kitchen looks out through it. I love all the light it lets in. Ideally I would have bench seats around it like Kelsey has that have lids and use them for storage. The light from this area means I rarely need to turn lights on so that is a good thing too. And I can see whats going on outside and the garden as I cook etc. I like that, theres always birds out there. We have Rosellas and Kookaburras!
      You have a good weekend too. I am doing some baking.With lots of love Annabel.xxx

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  15. Annabel,
    Your tea setting is so pretty and I love the little cakes those are gorgeous! I love chickens they are so funny! We have had ones that don't want to lay their eggs in the nesting box either, but in the shed or on the shelves in the garage. One is also a thief and steals things and we find them in the coop. Nothing exciting here, BUT this coming week we are supposed to be trading vegetables for honey! A gentleman Rick knows has honeybees! I am all over that! I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!
    XOXO
    Vicky

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    1. Dear Vicky,
      Ohhh a trade for honey! That is a wonderful one! I love honey and natural honey straight from someone with bees is the way to go. In the stores some honey is fake! Also in your pantry it keeps forever. I have so many honey recipes but I think it is very good for you plus when someone has the cold or flu etc. Maybe this will turn into a regular trade!
      Thanks so much! I wish we all could get together for a big afternoon tea party! You have a good weekend too! With love Annabelxxx

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  16. Your iced cakes look so delicious and your tea setting is gorgeous, Annabelle. Your little chicken is beautiful as well, how funny that she made her way into the kitchen looking for a safe place to lay her first egg!

    I'm on my third and final hank of yarn for my lace shawl so once it's gone, then I am finished. I've also begun looking for some free knitting and crochet patterns to make coffee/tea cup cozies for gifts.

    My youngest heads back to college tomorrow so I think I will spend a quiet day in the kitchen on Sunday making banana nut bread and maybe some burritos to put in the freezer. I will be sad tomorrow when she leaves, but she usually comes home every other weekend so I have that to look forward to. Then hubby and I will re-establish our "just the two of us" routines.

    I have been having trouble with pain in both feet and went to the doctor yesterday. It is plantar fasciitis and I now am scheduling an appointment with a podiatrist to see what relief he might be able to help me with. One thing for certain is that I need to lose weight. My weight has crept up 20 pounds over the last 2.5 years and it has got to go! My overall goal is to lose 30 pounds and then I will be back to what I weighed in my 30s and 40s, which is a good weight for my height.

    I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, and thank you, Annabelle, for your lovely post, as usual! Fond regards, Jeanette

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    1. Dear Jeanette,
      By now you might have finished the lace shawl. I hope you will share a photo for the next show and tell!
      It is lovely that your daughter comes home regularly. That is a big thing so I am happy about that for you.
      I know of planter fasciitis but haven't had it myself. I know it is terrible and takes along time to beat. We have a few others trying to get fitter and lose weight and I am one of them! Winter is lovely but Spring means its time to lose extra kilos. So I will join you!
      Have a good week and I hope the podiatrist is a help. With love Annabel.xxx

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  17. Dear Annabel,
    Your "bit of this and bit of that" week looks lovely! How fun the tea must have been! The linens with the crochet edgings are beautiful! The pictures of your chicken coming in the house gave me a chuckle. It sounds like something that would happen to us. I hope she chooses one of the nesting boxes you have made for her next eggs.

    Our week has been rather emotional. Thursday, we had a wonderful time taking our oldest granddaughter and her fiancé out to dinner to celebrate their engagement. This morning, our soldier son left for 9 months in Afghanistan. That will be especially tough for our 7 year-old granddaughter and her mommy. Tonight, we will be attending a going away party since that oldest granddaughter is heading to college in California next week.

    My husband built a cooling device for the chickens our older daughter's family has. They had been letting them run free for more than a year, but a coyote got into their yard and killed 4 of the chickens. Then, they started keeping them in the coop and lost one to our intense heat. We are all fond of animals. Not exactly feathering our nest, but trying to help family with their pets.

    My husband and I got some new towel bars hung in the guest bathroom. I went to the store on a day they honor the ads from both weeks to get some good produce prices. I am continuing to work on eating from the freezer and planning meals using what we have on hand. I was able to convert most of my husband's prescriptions to a mail order through his insurance which will make them free.

    Wishing you and all a lovely weekend!
    Love from Arizona,
    Elaine






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    1. Dear Elaine,
      You did have a big week. The engagement is a wonderful thing but I feel for you very much with your son being deployed and for your daughter in law and Grand daughter. That is hard. I truly cannot imagine actually but I know someone else who has a son deployed somewhere overseas that is a dangerous place.
      I understand about the chickens! We get it very hot here in summer. One year in a heatwave it killed all my brothers chickens on the farm! Our chicken house is under a tree but currently as we have so few chickens they roam anywhere and we have a very high fence and no foxes. But over the years we have lost chickens to foxes. In the heat I throw over old towels or sheets and go out and soak those regularly so it is kind of like evaporative air-conditioning for them. It is still hot but this helps a lot.
      Well done on the prescriptions!
      Have a good week Elaine. I will pray for your son. With love Annabel.xxx

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    2. Thank you for your prayers for our son!

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  18. That cheeky Chicky. The picture of her in the basket is so cute. I suppose that she was looking for that perfect place for her first egg. I just discovered your blog today and am really enjoying it.

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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.