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 16 May 2019

Feather your Nest Friday, 17th May, 2019.

It has been another busy week!  I guess maybe I should accept this as the new normal.  My fitness has increased I have to say as daily I end up pushing the wheel barrow around full of hay/manure/wood/  dirt... something!

First of all Mum, Chloe and I headed off to see the girls for Harper's birthday.  It was a wonderful day.  Mum made Harper the most gorgeous gift.  If you remember the girls had a tiny lamb which was so small it was carried around in a bag....


Mum made Harper her own Lamb in a bag!


It was such a hit.  Lambie had to go everywhere and face the front so he could see.  😍


It was just a lovely day.  As usual I took cooking and came home with spinach for the chickens.

Then we had Mothers Day.  Chloe put on a beautiful afternoon tea.  I contributed gluten free scones...



And a gluten free sultana cake.  (The second one was for freezing.)


This little tablecloth was 50c in a new op shop I found.  It is in a little town we pass through on the way to see the girls.  I also found sewing cottons for 20c a reel and lovely bird book.  I seemed to have lots and the total was $2.70!  So this stop will become a regular part of the trip!

We have only two weeks until winter.  So far it hasn't been very cold but in the night I can see there is a carpet of fog outside and this is how it was almost until lunch time one day this week! 


This cleared and it was a beautiful perfectly sunny day.

After lots of interruptions I worked on my blanket and think I am starting to get somewhere.


I made pumpkin soup with a zucchini thrown in, a venison roast, chocolate fudge for the son in laws, baked rice custard (to use up some eggs) and sausage rolls, both gluten free and regular.


I had some left over pastry so a couple of nights later I made pasties.  Now this was interesting.  I just started to cook the veggies and mince (ground beef) for the pasties.  I was kind of running late that day as we had been burning a big bonfire outside.   I had onions browning and it was getting dark outside.  I must have been making a racket in the kitchen as I didn't hear anything but Andy came in and said "there is a man outside to see you."   I turned off the stove and went outside... there were two guys and they explained they had something in the truck for me from my Dad. mmm
This is what was in the back...


A calf!

It is a girl and we named her Lattie after one of the mens wife.  I thought I would call her after the man who delivered her but his name was Glen.  Not wanting to offend any Glen's but it is not a good girls name.  So I asked him what his wife's name and he said everyone calls her Lattie.  She Lattie she is!  He seemed quite pleased about this!
Truthfully I don't know if the calf with survive.  But I am doing my level best.  The next hour and a half we found a safe place for her overnight,  mixed up formula, got her fed for the first time after finding a suitable bottle.  I have on hand teats and formula knowing this was a possibility. So thankful I did decide to stock these things.   There was debate over her age and if she had a drink from the Mother ... the guys thought so then Dad told me no she never had a drink the Mother had died.  So I made a homemade colostrum and hoped.  


At first she was a handful and we had our work cut out.  After several bottles she is docile and comes to me.  Her first bottle was a battle.  Now she sees the bottle and comes and drinks.   But I am still not sure if she will be ok.  When they never got colostrum the odds are lower.  But I am trying my heart out!  

Eventually that night I finished the pasties and cleaned up the kitchen and it was midnight when I checked Lattie and Scooter and went to bed.  I did ring Dad also and say "thanks for the present Dad" and he laughed.  The men who delivered her had been working at the farm and going home right past our place.  So he asked them to drop the calf off.  He thought it was a good idea for it to be surprise. lol

Yesterday we went up to the hay shed and got a load of hay and made Lattie a little home all warm and sheltered.  She has a perfect little paddock next to our house and her own little home.  That is the thing about this place... I have had little yards and sheds and known one day I will fill them...

Today I am heading into a town north of us to meet a friend and Tuesday Afternoon Club member.  I have not seen Wendy in many years.  Fifteen? She found me some lovely old jars.  I am taking her some fresh eggs as she is a wonderful cook.   I get to check out a different op shop too! 
Plus it is a gorgeous day!  The sun is shining and just a lovely end of Autumn Friday. 

So that was my week!  Never boring around here. 

(This morning I fed Lattie his whole 2 litre bottle. He came to me nicely and just drank from the bottle like a good baby.  A good BIG baby!) 

How did you build up your nest this week?  I hope opportunities came your way to save, add to your pantry, preparedness, garden, craft and gift cupboards!   As things take shape around me I can see the power of just keeping at things.  Little bits do add up.  Be industrious and look well to the ways of your household!  xxx






30 comments:

  1. Wow what a week. Oh my goodness, I love the lamb and bag. That is just the cutest thing and, she looks so proud!
    A calf! EEK - how cool is that. Hope it thrives!

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  2. Annabel you have taken to farm life like a champion. It is always throwing curve balls at you so you have to be prepared, like you are, for anything. Well done you.
    My big adventure for this week was having my first attempt at spinning wool on a spinning wheel. I felt like the most uncoordinated dopey dora in the whole wide world. However the ladies at the local Spinners and Weavers group are a wonderful patient bunch of ladies and had me feeling like I just might get it one day. I came home with a bobbin of over and underspun wool, but with a feeling of achievement. I will get this skill conquered.
    We have had lots of light rain of late. In between showers we have lovely sunshine. All of this has seen my garden come to life. The garden has been helped along by the addition of home made compost and some organic fertiliser. This last was given to us. Bluey went and spread it all around the garden just before we had some good rain. The garden is now looking so lush. It makes all the hard work of keeping it going over the long hot summer worthwhile.
    I have continued to play with the embroidery machine.The week I made some in the hoop coasters and some book marks. One of the book marks is going to Katie for her Uni readings. It's a fluffy pink piggy. I think she will like it.
    Bluey brought home a big bag of apples that he got for 25c/kg. I stewed these up with lemon and passionfruit and made a dozen pies in the pie maker. He also came home with some over ripe bananas that he got for free and requested banana cake. That is on todays to do list.
    Bluey finished the new TV cabinet on Mothers Day and brought it up to the house. Thank goodness it is on wheels because there is no way we could have lifted it. It has a shelf for the Fetch tv box and the DVD player. I also have all the cords on the shelf so none on the floor. Being on wheels it is easily moved so I can get to the power point behind the TV and also so I can clean. The cabinet is made out of old pallets and is in a meat safe style, so very rustic. I love it.
    Life is good.

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  3. Hi Annabel
    How gorgeous is Harper's lamb in a bag?! I hope she had a lovely day.

    Your dad is so funny, it's not a traditional gift is it lol? Based on your efforts with Scooter I have a good feeling that Lattie will do well too. I hope so!

    I tried posting last week but got to the end of the comment and my baby swiped the screen and it all went very weird. We have had two busy weeks, including an unexpected minor surgery for my older daughter. Nothing major, in and out the same day, but boy did it throw out my week last week! Thankfully it went smoothly and she is very much back to her normal self.

    I have been getting frustrated by broken things at our house, so wrote a list of things that need fixing and have ticked two off this week. It was a simple as having some timber cut at our local hardware store. I also went to see a joiner about fixing a cabinet that I love, but has been broken for years (we brought it with us when we moved and it was broken then). He said he could fix it for under $50. I couldn't believe it, as it involves quite a bit. It made me realise how silly it is to put these kinds of jobs off when so often they have a simple solution.

    We celebrated a first birthday last week as well! We just had a nice afternoon tea and a cake. She didn't even notice the presents lol.

    I bought just under 200g of pure wool still in it's packaging for $1 at an op shop, which technically is breaking my craft spending ban, but it seemed mad not to. At another op shop I bought a magnetic ballerina dress up set which is absolutely beautiful. That was 50 cents. I noticed when we were still living in the city that op shops there had started charging a lot more for items, but where we live now they are so cheap.

    Winter sports are underway now, so I basically fill my days either feeding people or preparing to feed people! And driving. I actually love it, but I also love days where we can just hibernate.

    Your blanket is looking great!
    Have a lovely weekend,

    Jen in NZ

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    1. Dear Jen, I am sorry with such a slow reply. You will see why in the new Friday post! I really hope your daughter is ok and recovering well. These things are a fright and throw out everything so you probably felt stressed and upset too.
      With houses it seems like there is a never ending list of maintenance and repairs. It is lovely to get things ticked off the list!
      Oh the first birthday already! That went fast!
      Jen your wool bargain is amazing. The price of wool I am guessing is as bad there as it is here. So expensive. Good buy! Yes you have to grab these kinds of things when you can!
      I actually think we might have that magnetic set. It sounds very familiar if so it is just lovely!
      You sound very busy with lots of cooking! I hope this week went well for you. With much love Annabel.xxx

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  4. Happy Birthday Harper! What a beautiful gift your Mum made. Your gift was also so special. I bet Harper had a wonderful day. Her birthday sounds lovely. Welcome Lattie. It's a sweet name for a calf! She's beautiful. I bet between your grandchildren, girls, parents, Andy and Lattie and Scooter, your hands are full! lol It isn't just he baby and toddler years then, which is what I worry about that I will have no one to worry about/look after as I love these years...I love seeing your posts, it gives me such hope for the future. My goodness Chloe sounds like she put on a wonderful spread for Mother's Day. How lovely is she!! She is just like you. Your girls are just like you. So kind, creative and thoughtful. I have had a busy week. I was incredibly happy to see my grandmother. She came up with my Aunt and Uncle (they drove her up to stay with us). We had two fabulous nights together and it made my heart so happy. She could spend time with the boys and see our house. It was very difficult seeing her go, as she lives about 4.5 hours away. Hopefully, we can see her soon. I have bought more tea towels and cards...so I have the supplies ready and waiting lol Sending love. love, Bridge

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    1. Dear Bridge, I am sorry to send late reply. The week was so busy as you will see when I post later today! I am so thrilled with you to have your Grandmother to stay!! That is very special. I bet she just loved it so much. I mailed you which I hope you got as the mail has been very slow.
      It was a really good week and I hope you also had a great week. I heard this if someone says to you oh you have your hands full... reply "you should see my heart!" this is really true. Less isn't more. More is more! haha! And this week I got MORE lol!
      With much love Annabel.xxx

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  5. Hi Annabel. I *so* enjoy...and eagerly await your Friday blog posts.
    You have such a big heart and I adore reading what you've got up to in the week.

    Have a lovely weekend x
    Kim

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    1. Dear Kim, Thank you so much! I am so sorry to reply so slowly. When you read the Friday post (working on it) you will see why I have been behind on the blog. It was a big week again! Thank you so much for your kind comment! With love, Annabel.xxx

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  6. What a lovely little farm you are building Annabel!

    I might have thought about calling that calf Glenda instead, I wonder what Lattie thinks about being named after a cow LOL...well at least it wasn't an old cow! 😂
    I hope she makes it the poor little thing.

    Myself, I'm in a higelty, pigelty state this week. I seem to be taking one step forward and two back. I'm as busy as a bee, but I don't seem to be getting ahead at all! I think on the weekend I need to take stock, and sit down and plan, plan, plan the coming week, I just don't know where time goes {sigh}

    I hope you have a lovely weekend, and look forward to hearing all about your week next Friday.

    Cheers Cheryl

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    1. Dear Cheryl, I have a good friend Glenda and I am not sure what she would think but the lady with the nickname Lattie apparently was thrilled about it (according to her husband) and she is coming to visit! Well the calf was up and down but she made it so far and this morning I was weekend to loud bellowing as she was wanting her breakfast. It is a wonder you didnt hear it from there!! I am sorry with slow reply. This week I am behind... wait until you see what happened next! I have never been so busy I dont think! With much love Annabel.xxx

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  7. Dear Annabel, Lattie is gorgeous, may she stay healthy and grow into a big cow. Please tell your Mum, the Lamb bag is so gorgeous, my daughter loves lambs and would have loved carting her stuffed lambs around like that when she was littler. This week I made a double batch of choc chip cookies, freezing some for later, some small sausage rolls and a birthday cake to take to my MIL tommorow. I also potted up 4 new/different geranium cuttings I was given. I love how easy they are to propagate and am getting a lovely collection of different ones. Nights have been cold here already and I am so grateful for our wood heater and a pile of wood we cut last season. It is really great to be able to "finish off" drying clothes in front of it. My tomatoes are still producing and tonight i have put a lot of them in a pot to simmer and will freeze for spag bol on other nights. Tonight we are having fish with mash potato with the last of our potatos that we found in the garden, we thought they were all gone a while ago so it was a nice surprise. I was also grateful for my sunflower seed gift envelopes and dish cloth stockpil as I had an unexpected celebration and those two items and card were very appropriate. Have a great weekend, we are looking forward to a big long day with Nana and Great Nana tommorow. 🌻 Clare

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    1. Dear Clare, I did think of your daughter with this lamb! I can see what she loves lambs!
      You are doing a lot of beautiful cooking which I bet everyone is enjoying!
      So good about the geraniums. They can be so pretty. I should try some here as they are quite hardy.
      I think your sunflower seeds and dish cloths are great gifts! I have your sun flower seeds ready to go in as soon as spring comes, so does Mum. I am planing to put in so many! My sheep manure will help me grow bigger ones this year. Have a beautiful day with Nana and Great Nana. With much love Annabel.xxx

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  8. Annabel, your post reminded me of one that Sally from Jembella Farm wrote a while ago so I did a search on her blog for 'cows' and several posts came up https://jembellafarm.blogspot.com/search?q=cows Sally recommends a book in one of her posts that might help and she talks about colostrum as well. She might have some hints that are helpful to you. She is in SA but I am not sure whereabouts.

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    1. Dear Nanna Chel, Thank you very much. This is helpful information. Lattie is drinking well and settled in. She loves having her face rubbed. Feeding the lamb and calf and washing up the bottles and mixing formula and so on is sure adding to my day. I am getting more into the flow of it. It is a bit like having babies at the stage they drool and puke on you continually. haha Lattie thinks it is nice if she licks you, sign of affection apparently. Have a lovely weekend! With love, Annabel.xxx

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  9. You sure did have a busy week! That is an amazing gift your Dad gave you, hope she remains healthy and sassy.

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  10. Hoping for the best for Lattie. You’re doing everything possible

    In USA, “pasties” have a whole ‘nuther meaning so I got a chuckle about your working on them. Gail

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    1. Dear Gail, I had to Google! WhenI did I just got stuff in pastry like meat and veggies... so then I tried Googling Meaning of pasties in USA. Oh my happy Aunt that is so funny and I had no clue! hahaha! Now I will think of this and have a laugh. At least our version is something bigger lol With love Annabel.xxx

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    2. In northern Michigan in the US pasty means about the same as Annabel uses it. The typical pasty is made with chunks of raw meat, potatoes, onion and rutabaga and baked in a crust. The miners from Cornwall in the UK brought this meal over and wives made them to be eaten in the ore mines. Pasties are still a local favorite today in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Anne

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  11. Hi Annabel. I love getting your Friday messages and am always amazed at how much you manage to fit into a mere 7 days. I'm assuming you were really tired by the time you posted this message because Lattie had a mysterious sex-change by the end of it. Hope she continues to do well and we can look forward to further reports of her ongoing antics. The Lamb in a Bag was so cute. I might have to make my own version now. Thanks. Pat.

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    1. Dear Pat, Oh dear well I am really tired. My problem is boy lamb, girl calf! I am very happy the calf is a female as hopefully she will be easier to handle and a bull is huge in the end and even when hand raised you cant really trust them. But a cow should be ok! I hope you make your own lamb in a bag. We did joke that Lamb in a Bag sounds a bit like a recipe lol
      Have a lovely weekend! A week can be a long time sometimes! I do need a quieter day tomorrow as today was another big day! With love Annabel.xxx

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  12. Annabel,
    What a great gift from your dad! She is a beauty. I love your mum's gift to Harper that is so cute and clever both. I have been weeding my strawberry bed and several times we've had to chase the chickens out of them. They eat all of my blackberries too. They are giving us lots of fresh eggs so I forgive them Lol. I restrung my clothesline and the weather is getting warm now, but still odd one day really warm and the next we need a fire. I finally found a teapot yay! And it's a Royal Doulton in a rose pattern. It was a steal at $4. I have been babysitting and cleaning while I'm there. My youngest granddaughter said Grandma your always washing things. Kids are very observant. I have made banana cake, orange cleaner with peels and vinegar and work on my blanket every chance I get. I have a Sunbonnet Sue quilt that was made for me when my mum was pregnant with me, my great grandma was a midwife and insisted that mum was having a girl so great aunt's made the quilt from pieces of their old dresses and aprons. It got some kind of stain that I need to soak out and freshen it because I would like one of my granddaughters to have it. Nothing too exciting yet, but we are discussing the gardens and when we are going to till and plant. We tried today and it's still too wet. I hope everyone has a great weekend!
    XOXO
    Vicky

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    1. Dear Vicky, I adored your tea pot. Just loved it. What a find. Also heirloom! I am so glad for you knowing you wanted one. I cannot wait to see this quilt. Wha a story too with it. Please show me that. I know the design well and it is beautiful.
      I hope you get a bit of a break and time to plant. That is leaping from being extremely busy to being extremely busy though!
      I hope this week was equally lovely! With much love Annabel.xxx

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  13. Annabel Lattie is so cute and we met another calf today called Angus who was so lovable at at friends farm. Your baking and crochet all look so appetising and pretty.

    Been a busy gardening week here this week tilling up the garden beds and getting amendments for the soil here for the raised garden beds.

    Our Vicky challenge added up to $374.47 in savings last week :).

    Internet listings -
    - Listed 10 items on a free listing promotion saving $16.50 on usual listing fees.

    Purchases -
    - Bought an RACQ e-gift card to cover fuel and groceries for the coming weeks saving 5% or $12.55 in total.

    In the kitchen -
    - Made 3 loaves of bread in the bread making machine saving $10.47 over purchasing them in the stores.

    In the gardens -
    - Our neighbour who is selling her property :( , gave us 4 dwarf apple trees in pots saving $128 over buying them.
    - Picked up 3/4's of a cubic metre of cow manure from a friends farm free saving $ 206.95 over buying it in bags from the local hardware store.
    - DH dug 3 garden beds with the rotary hoe and together we shovelled and removed lots of wheel barrows full of soil to add amendments to via wheel barrow. I cut and added weed mat and composted grass clippings to the bottom of two garden to prevent weeds.

    Hope everyone else had a wonderful week also.

    Sewingcreations15 (Lorna).

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    1. Dear Lorna, I am sorry for such a slow reply. When you see my new Friday report you will know why!
      I love that your neighbour gave you the little apple trees! They will be lovely! And the cow manure! I compared all our free sheep manure to what it would cost to buy! Holy cow (or sheep!) what a gift and asset this all is!
      Your garden beds are coming along so well. Getting the soil built up is a big investment in work/time but this is what will yield results down the track. I will be so excited to see as I remember well how your last garden looked... I am still in awe of that! I hope this week has been equally good. I find it so exciting to make progress and look back over the week. In the whirlwind this is very satisfying and good. With much love, Annabel.xxx

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  14. Lattie is beautiful!

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  15. What a lovely tale. Lord bless you as you care for one of His "cattle on a 1000 hills".

    Blessings,
    Leslie

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  16. Just catching up...
    What a gorgeous story of Lattie coming to you! Your dad is a bit of a character to send her as a surprise, but of course, he knows you very well! Having you as her 'mum' certainly stacks the odds in her favour xx
    Love, Fiona xx

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  17. Dear Annabel,

    Your mum is so clever! That is the best gift ever, the lamb in a bag. (Besides all the Cinderella swag!! :)) Your blanket is gorgeous, as are the photos of all those baked goodies! I hope the calf is doing okay, along with all the other critters that have been dropped off! I know it can be touch and go for animals that don't get off to a proper start, so hopefully all your loving care will do the trick!

    Rain, rain, and more rain here. I think we should try growing rice, because so far an actual garden is a pipe dream! It's always one extreme or the other with weather, it seems...too dry or too wet!!!

    Hope you are having a lovely week.

    xx Jen in NS

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  18. So enjoy your animal adventures, lately. :) Happy Birthday to Harper!
    Garden is in. And I potted all my tomatoes since the sunniest portion of our property is our front porch. Will let the Bluebirds know how that works out. My 2nd daughter says our garden is spread out all over our property like a puzzle in its box. :)
    Blessings,
    Leslie

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    1. Dear Leslie, Thank you! My animal adventures just continued all week. Both a handful and a joy! I like a spread out garden. I am not really a straight row person as much as I would like to be. I have stuff here and there... so we might be similar! I hope the tomatoes do amazing!! With love Annabel.xxx

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