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 12 September 2019

Feather your Nest Friday 13th of September 2019.

This has been a big week!  I love to see the list I keep on the fridge getting longer and longer!  Truly if I didn't jot things down I would forget half of it.  Last Friday seems so long ago at this point!
I have to say things did not start out well.   After my post last week I had a call to see if I would take another calf?  Is the Pope a Catholic?! I said yes!
This resulted in a really long day and late night as I didn't get the calf until 8 pm and it was not in very good shape.  However I got him to feed and felt things were promising.  But Saturday morning he was in worse shape and he died soon after.  I felt absolutely heartbroken.  Realistically I know if I am going to take on orphaned or injured animals I cannot save them all.   In a calf fourteen percent dehydration means death.  But I tried my best.  Anyway I spent Saturday feeling so down in the dumps.  You know how when one bad thing happens every single other worry you have seems bigger?     Then my niece Allie asked me if I wanted a calf!?  This resulted in trying to catch a calf for over an hour.  Allie tried and tried too before I got there and after.  In this case the calf was too healthy.   Later it was not found but it could have been adopted by another cow as this can happen.  So I hope that was it.

When I picked myself up I was able to turn the rest of the week into one I am pleased with.
With so many lemons that were given to me I made lemon butter.   One of the things I then made was a cake for Chloe and Luke as a Spring themed cake all fresh and bright!


Laffie and the lambs needed to be moved into a big paddock.  This meant I needed to get them from up behind our house and march them down through our yard to a bottom gate.  mmm  I made up a milk bottle and Laffie will follow you to get the bottle.  The sheep will follow her.  It worked!  Andy and Luke watched on as we wandered down through the yard in a procession like a street parade!  And just like that they are all in a big paddock!  This is right next to our own yard so most of the day we can see them.  And each day I go say hello and they all come up for a pat or a biscuit.

With our fire still going I have been drying lemons, oranges, parsley and capsicum.  They are dry in twenty four hours.


It feels so good to be able to add to the pantry.  It is amazing how often we have the opportunity with just the things we have and the things that come our way.  Use everything!

This fire needed a clean out.  This gave me two buckets of ash.  I have learned that ash has so many uses!  This lot was divided up.  Some went into the chicken yard as it is good to add to their scratchings.   Some went into the holes I was digging to plant zucchini.  It adds calcium which zucchini like.  Some went around the tomatoes as they like it too.   Next time I will use as an edging around the veggies as snails to not like crossing over ash.  

The chickens are now giving me ten ages a day!  We broke through double digits!  



I completed a little craft for gifts.  I got the idea from Stephanie in The Tuesday Club.


They are little towelling soap holders with a pretty pink scented soap.  They smell beautiful!  I am keeping one for myself!

Every day I did a heap of weeding.  I am making progress.  Spring has already seen a lot of flowers come out. This time last year there was not one flower in the flower beds.  Everything that is there I planted.  Well in less than a year it really has come along!   And in the orchard the trees Dad gave me have started to blossom!



In the op shop I got a fine lambswool jumper in a colour I love and flannelette items to cut up and make mens hankies.

I went through all my seeds and found I had plenty of things to plant.  I put in broad beans, zucchini, squash, bush basil  (thank you Jane!) and I started a pumpkin patch!  I have wanted a pumpkin patch forever.  It is in some really rich soil full of manure and down in the orchard.   I cannot wait for them to grow!

I also planted seedlings.  These were oregano, thyme, tomatoes, zucchini plus two new rhubarb plants.
So my veggie garden now looks so much better as by the end of winter it was a bit of a mess.

This week Mum and I did not travel to see the girls, the girls travelled to see us!  They were so excited!  What do do first?  First we went and fed the lambs biscuits.


Scarlett soon chose Blossom as her favourite. She is the little one.

Because they were coming I baked a banana cake.  And because they are on a Frozen craze I had ordered little figures to add to the top.   Icing sugar looking like snow is the handiest thing ever.  Well they went crazy of the cake.  Harper said "Look Scarlet the cake is a Frozen Cake!!" it was so cute they were all big eyes!


At the end of the day everyone took some cake home with them.

The girls loved Loui!  They went from one thing to another and back again!
Then lastly we went to feed the chickens and collect the eggs.   Scarlett was in charge and had to carry both baskets and headed off on a mission...


She insisted on collecting all the eggs and patting all the chickens then carrying them all back to the house.  I was pretty sure we were going to have scrambled eggs but not one was broken!

So that was my week.    I would say I achieved most in the veggie garden.  Hopefully this all pays dividends!

How did you build up your home, save, get ahead etc this week?  I hope there were lots of opportunities for you! xxx

37 comments:

  1. I bless the day I found you, Annabel! It's been quite awhile ago. You are a precious woman and help so many of us by sharing your skills, talents and encouragement. You have certainly helped me in so many ways and I thank you.
    What a magical day your little granddaughters had. I'm so sorry the calf didn't make it - it is sad but as you said you did your best. Too bad no one was making a video of your little parade! So cute & effective! Hopefully, I'm going to be a bit more productive this week. In keeping with using up food I have I made a crockpot of vegetable stew tonight - too chunky/rustic to be soup. Have a wonderful weekend, Annabel. Love and hugs, Shirley

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    1. Dear Shirley, What a beautiful thing to say! Thank you!
      I will tell you something funny. My Dad used to regularly host camps for men and cook up huge quantities for them all. They loved it. As they came to get served dinner he would say "you you like soup or stew?' if they said soup he would give them scoops from the top of the pot. If they said stew he would give them serves from the bottom of the pot! haha!
      I hope you have a lovely weekend too Shirley, With love, Annabel.xxx

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  2. Annabel, I'm sorry the baby calf did not make it, I know that was hard. It sounds like you are going to have a really large garden which means there will be lots to add to your pantry. This week I've canned applesauce, dried apple slices and started planting my fall garden. I'm hoping to be able to continue adding to my pantry throughout the fall season. Little Scarlet is so cute with her baskets, what precious memories you are making for them!

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    1. Dear Patsy, Thank you... I am trying to extend my veggie garden. Last year we had just moved later in spring and I didnt get too much time to plant before Summer. We had to clear the areas of weeds first, clean up rubbish even. So this year I am at a big advantage as it is all established.
      I have followed your challenge. You did put up a lot. And a variety. I hope Autumn will still brig in produce. It does usually for us here.
      Have a lovely weekend! With love, Annabel.xxx

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  3. Oh, I am sorry about the calf. Hugs to you dear one. Scarlett has gotten so big! Looks like she loved her visit.

    We had a thrifty week and added some great items to our pantry. It is crazy hot here so we have stayed inside. We are hoping for rain because it is very dry here.

    Have a wonderful weekend.

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    1. Dear Lana, I hope you will get rain. We are hoping for some soon too. The hot weather is good for quiet thing inside. Saying that I really hate the hot weather!
      Have a good weekend to you too! With love Annabel.xxx

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  4. Hello Annabel,

    What a busy, beautiful, interesting week you’ve had. I like your idea of writing down your achievements on the fridge every week, it would certainly help with feeling sense of achievement. I might copy that idea.

    The renovations at our house continue, frustratingly slowly! 😩 I’m so sick of sanding boards and walls, and scrubbing everything ready for painting. It’s a necessary evil, and I know it will be worth it very soon. The painter should be finished inside by the end of the coming week.

    I have managed to stay on top of the basics at home (washing and cooking) while I’m busy at the other house. The children have stepped up and do anything I ask of them which has helped enormously. My eldest is 17, then 14 and 12 and I think it’s been good for them to do more for them selves while I’ve been busy.

    Anyway I think we’ve chewed off two elephants ears now! But by bit we will get there!

    Have a lovely week. Look forward to next weeks post as always.

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    1. Dear Cheryl,
      I find lists, crossing things of lists and knowing I am sharing on Tuesdays (in the club)and here on Fridays... well these all motivate me a lot.
      Renovations are very wearing I know. Time seems to stand still too. But then it is done and it is great! (after the clean up!
      I am glad the teenagers are helping and yes it will be good for them in many ways too. With love Annabel.xxx

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  5. Dear Annabel, I am so sorry to hear about the calf. That must have been really upsetting. You do so much good work for all of the animals. They are lucky to have you! I loved seeing photos of your granddaughters having a lovely time at your farm. They look so cute! I love how they are trying to help- it is really sweet. I also love the photo of the things drying by the fire- it is a pretty sight. Those soap holders look so lovely. I wonder if a men's version could be made for the men that like camping etc. We have had a good week. My son had to get dressed up today for kindy and we found everything in the cupboard- it was 'homemade' but I was proud that we didn't buy anything. I also got two pairs of shoes at the op shop. One pair of working boots for garden work, they are really comfortable. The boys will love these! haha But they will be handy and a pair of black sandals in great condition. I hope you have a lovely weekend. Thank you for showing us life on the farm. Your blog is always so wonderful and joyful to read....a real ray of sunshine. Sending you lots of love XX

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    1. Thank you so much! I start teaching kids to want to help and let them help as young as possible. I emphasise it. Even the dog is helping Daddy with his work. Even though the eggs were at risk I let them do it. They love to help. It is amazing what they are capable of too.
      Yes what a good idea... the mens soap and soap holder would be a great gift and camping, caravanning etc they would be useful. I have my chunky olive oil and beeswax soaps... they look manly so maybe I could do a male version with those. For the towelling I cut up a hand towel for the six I made. And I have green and navy blue hand towels in my supply as I have been working edges on them. So you have given me an idea!
      Finding good working boots was amazing! Thanks so much! Love Annabel.xxx

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  6. Ah, poor calf! So sad...

    I am working very hard getting everything ready for Sustainable House Open Day on Sunday. My garden has never looked better! Nothing like a date when people are coming over, to make you tidy up! There are still weeds though......of course there are! Love that cake, Annabelle. I bet the girls really enjoyed their day with you.

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    1. Dear Earthmother, yes it is true for me.. visitors have me flurrying around. Your home will be a hit and inspire many as the bits I know about are full of your homemade quilts and are beautiful. I know your garden is full of goodness too. I hope the open day is a great success! With love Annabel.xxx

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  7. As beef producers I know all to well the sorrow of losing a calf. Colostrum is so very important for them during the first 24 hours. We calve in early spring, (March here in the US) and we have to watch that newborns get licked off and start sucking right away. A wet calf is a cold calf and a cold calf will take a long time to recover. We always get a new bag of powered colostrum at the start of calving season and find the bottles so we are ready.
    This weekend I will be picking the rest of the wild plums and our neighbors called us to offer us all the apples we want from their trees. I'll be making plum jelly, plum butter, applesauce, apple pie filling, freezing sliced apples for pies & crisps later and making apple butter. I'll have to can most of this as my freezers are filled-to the brim with the beef we just picked up from the butcher. Today I got 8 butchered chickens. I had to take them to our son's & stored them in his freezer. He said he'd take some of the beef, so that will ease up the over-abundance too. We always share with them but in the past they have not had their "big" freeze plugged in and cold. I asked him to plug it in this year because I knew 3 chicken deliveries, 1/2 a hog and 3/4 of a beef would be too much for my freezers. Especially if I wanted to freeze any produce or bone broth.
    Looking forward to more photos of Spring "down-under" as we approach our lovely, cooler Autumn.

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    1. Dear Kay,
      I have powdered colostrum on hand and have (for lambs) also made a homemade one but have never tried that on a calf. I always try to find out if the calf would have had any drinks at all from the mother but sometimes it is an unknown. Then I have to guess age and what to do which is hard.
      I try to keep everything on hand and ready this has made things much easier plus no loss of time which is precious. I think sometimes a few hours can make a difference one way or the other.
      How fantastic about the plums! I would grab those too! And the apples! You will be busy but this will all make so much.
      Spring is really kicking in here and today I have planted a couple of hundred sun flowers! Have a lovely weekend! With love Annabel.xxx

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  8. Hello Annabel, it is Fri pm here and all is good. Today is week four from my spinal stenois surgery, I saw the surgeon last Thursday and he is very pleased, however I am still not allowed to bend or lift so gardening is still not on my agenda. The soil is also far too cold as we are still having fairly big frosts.
    So next week I hope to start most of my seeds (except for those that need to be sown directly into the soil) in pots etc so I will still be involved in y garden. Lists have been made and I won't have to buy too many new seeds.
    The best way that I have of knowing when the soil is warm enough to sow is when self sown seeds from last season's crop start to come through.
    DH has been very busy helping and doing most of the meat for DD & SIL, cutting up their lambs, crumbing their lamb cutlets and also their pork schnitzels. He has also cut up their pigs and will today finish smoking their ham and bacon, then just needs to cut that up.
    We will be going into town tomorrow to watch 2 of our daughters play in their hockey grand finals. Only wish we were able to go to Perth and watch our eldest granddaughter play in her teams grandfinal in the Women's Aust Football league So very proud of her.
    I presently have my second batch of tomato paste in the oven for its final thickening. I am using my fuel stove to do this as it saves a lot of electricity. I puree the tomatoes at harvest time and process them in my
    vacola and in the winter process them on my slow combustion stove
    I am hoping in the next couple of weeks to do the same with chicken and turkey carcases in the freezer, and instead of putting the stock in my freezers, I will for the first time be canning. Lookng forward to the challenge.
    Our chooks are laying profically, far more than what we use and seel, so I am thinking of freezing some, so asking for help and opinons
    Love Lorraine
    also praying for rain, it is absolutely horrendous over here in NSW

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    1. Dear Lorraine, It sounds like you are making good progress. Stick with what you are allowed to do. It will be worth it in the ed to heal right.
      Your DH sounds very handy. This is a great help. Crumbed cutlets! Ham and bacon! How amazing. What a help he is.
      The tomato paste sounds really good! Concentrated goodness.
      It is fantastic if you can can the stock. And to be learning a new skill. The first time doing anything is always a bit of an experience!
      I have not frozen eggs but see many do. I am more likely to make up dozens of mini quiches and freeze those as I know they freeze so well. Also Lemon Butter freezes well. Depends on room in the freezer too.
      I know it is bad in NSW. In fact my Dad has some land in northern NSW. He said even the native animals are dead. It is beyond distressing. I am praying for rain too. We are very blessed to be green here but we are still way under average rain. We just need more. So I hope we both might get some. Have a good new week Lorraine and dont over do it! With much love, Annabel.xxx

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  9. Annabel how wonderful to be able to take the little girls on a magical tour of your farm. If you're getting ten eggs a day, then one or two broken ones would be worth watching Scarlett collecting them. She didn't break any!!!! What a clever little girl.
    My Mum took a fall last week and broke her elbow on her right arm and tore the tendon in her left shoulder. Dad has been working hard all week to look after Mum. I made up a number of meals that could be frozen and would heat up easily. Katie and I drove down and spent some time with them today. We took Mum out and Dad was able to have a rest at home. It has been a long day.
    I had promised Dad a new bucket hat for Fathers Day. I took it down with us and he must have liked it as he didn't take it off.
    We head off on our caravanning travels next Thursday so I don't know when I will be able to check in again. Have a wonderful week.
    Life is long drives good.

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    1. Dear Jane,
      I thought yes to let Scarlett be in charge and hope for the best and she was so proud! You did have a full on week. I thought the cooking you did for your parents was wonderful. I know you will be in full getting ready to head off mode now. I hope it will be a wonderful trip! With much love, Annabel.xxx

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  10. September 2109? lol. I had to laugh. I too am sorry about the little calf. You did your best and are such a great animal mommy. IT was meant to be. thanks for sharing.

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  11. Hello Ladies!
    Annabel, so sorry you lost a calf. Even if they are someday planned for slaughter, you want to give them the very best life and take care of them well.
    I do love the little movie you just visually created for us... :D the Louis Parade of animals. I bet that was quite fun to watch!
    I haven't been of to much preparing this week, we've had several big events to deal with, but on the plus side, I wasn't out spending money. So that is good.
    Love to see the girls so excited to gather eggs! My young girls (17 pullet hens) are now just starting to lay so I am getting bunches of eggs. Time to get creative with today's eggs I'll have eight dozen on hand...Yikes! Thinking custard, more dressed eggs and maybe egg salad will be on the menu!
    Hope you all have a lovely day!!

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    1. Dear Kath, I am finding eggs wonderful not just for cooking but for giving and trading. My fits things to make are quiches, baked egg custard, lemon butter, pavlova and even the dog loves her cooked eggs.
      I hope your new week has started off well! With love Annabel.xxx

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  12. I'm so sorry about the calf. I was raised on a dairy farm and every dead animal was a sad day.

    I'm in the USA northwest so we're beginning cooler temperatures meaning not 99F anymore. We've had plenty of zucchini with that heat ;-) a mixed blessing for sure.

    Hubbies' blackberry patch was fantastic last month! 32 8 ounce jars of jam were canned, a fabulous large blackberry crisp was enjoyed and 2 gallons in the freezer for later.

    So to focus on this week? I'm recently retired and now have time to be a homemaker along with being a relaxed human ;-) I've begun the deep cleaning process in our home. I've deep cleaned our bedroom and I've begun the kitchen. (I'm taking the kitchen in small bites expecting this to take up to 2 weeks.)

    And the garden: I got everything weeded this week. And finally yesterday I had my 1st tomato harvest along with peppers, to make salsa. We have 11 pints-8 canned as that's all that fits in my water bath canner.

    My priority post-retirement is exercising minimum 90minutes/day 5d/week. I AM doing this! Hubby wants to walk after work so I'm saving it for tonight for day 5.

    Wednesday, I dug out a box of fabric (I'm a quilter). This box is odds and ends that have arrived in the mail to contribute to my Charity quilt projects. I've laid all this fabric out on my cutting table and will spend time today creating the projects for these. I want these fabrics stitched up and out getting loved by someone :-

    I read every day. It's good for my soul.

    Yesterday I did make a new bottle of my cleaner.....I loved that discussion earlier this week!!!!

    Thanks to you and everyone for sharing.


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    1. Dear Elle,
      How exciting to be a homemaker. I find is so wonderful. (and busy!)
      Well done on your cleaner. There are so many things we can make ourselves and they are so good.
      I hope you will share with us your finished quilt! There are many charities and needs so this is a great thing to be doing!
      Have a vey good new week! With love Annabel.xxx

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  13. What adorable photos. Love the bird on a cake. Imagine a 7 minute icing for snow? It would look like a winter wonderland. Sorry about the calf but you did your best. We have been burning our branches, etc for many many years and last year I took a bucket of the ashes and planted some marigolds in it. It was late in the season but they grew but the frost came before they could bloom. This year I have been adding some "ash dirt" to my garden spots especially where I transplanted some hardy geraniums, hosta and sedum. I wasn't sure what ash has in it but those marigolds grew in pure ash dirt so adding it to new garden soil, chopped up leaves and compost should do my garden wonders. I spend a small fortune on garden soil every year and this helps it go further. I bought an InstaPot pressure cooker this week and I've been trying things in it. I love the hard boiled eggs because they peeled so nicely-I need to tweek the time some as the first batch was a bit over done and the second batch was more of a medium as they had gooey soft spot in the very center. This weekend I'm planning to work on some wool applique and embroidery projects. Maybe some punch needle. I don't get nearly as much craft time as I thought I would once I retired so I always look forward to days I can eat leftovers and craft.

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    1. Thank you re the calf. I think there is so much we can add to the soil as we can that improves it. It all helps!
      The instant sounds very good. I would love to see your wool appliqué and embroidery! I am not sure if you are in the Tuesday club but this is a good place to share your projects and get ideas too. It is very hard to get time to sit and craft! Night times are my best possibility but by then I am tired!
      Have a wonderful new week! With love Annabel.xxx

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  14. Annabel,
    I'm sorry about your calf it is always so disappointing and we second guess ourselves a bit when this happens.
    Lol I would have loved to have seen your animal parade! I've had one of those here too. Lol. And your ashes are also good to dust your chickens with if they happen to get mites and the pumpkin seeds are good for parasites. We didn't plant pumpkins this year. All winter we dump the wood ashes from the wood burner into the garden plot and the chicken poo too. Well as you know the garden hasn't been stellar this year, but it finally started to turn around and produce. We did everything we could to keep it from dying off. So far I've canned 40 quarts of green beans and 5 pints of Cole slaw. And I ordered lots of heirloom tomato seeds for next year.
    Our ladies are giving us like yours around 10-12 eggs a day. And isn't it so cute to watch the little ones collecting the eggs? Scarlett is adorable!
    Yay I'm finally painting the table! I will be glad to get it done and paint the next thing.
    Besides canning I've made more lemon syrup, blueberry syrup, used bananas for cake, apples for struedel, and the last little bit of honey in a jar whipped with butter for dinner rolls. And lots of bone broth using peels and veggie scraps in it too.
    The hubby wanted frosted flakes and their was an offer on the box for a free children's book so I did my receipt and actually ended up getting 2 free books. I am putting them up for Christmas.
    Lol I better stop or I'll be writing a book! I hope everyone has a great weekend.
    XOXO
    Vicky

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    1. Dear Vicky,
      Yes I second guess myself a lot. Usually I do not know the age of a calf or lamb or it it has had drinks etc so it is a heap of guess work.
      Considering conditions you did so well to get a harvest. That is a credit to you.
      All you made is beautiful and so is that table!
      I saw the lovely childrens books. Your gift cupboard must be looking pretty good!
      I hope this week is off and running well! With much love, Annabel.xxx

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  15. The girls are so sweet and they are getting so big. I am sorry about the calf. You have saved so many. I am still drying lots of herbs. I chopped a bunch of hot peppers up and put them in the freezer. I had to wear gloves and goggles during it. I froze another baggie of kale. The kale has been crazy this year. It just keeps growing. We have been eating tons of tomatoes.We have had BLTs. bruschetta, pizza, pasta with mixed veggies this week. I made 2 zucchini pies. I just look at what needs to be used and I cooked with it. I made fried eggplant tonight. Have a wonderful week.

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    1. Thank you so much! I am wary of chilli as when I was little I touched a chilli then my face. Well I still remember so I am careful with peppers even capsicum!
      You could also dry Kale maybe. It sounds like you have had an amazing crop!
      I cant wait to have tomatoes as you do. They are so useful and versatile. You are putting what you have to very good use! Well done! With love Annabel.xxx

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  16. Dear Annabel,
    God bless your kind and sweet heart in caring for these orphan babies. It is sad the little one didn’t make, however I still see it as a blessing that he passed being loved and cared for, rather than cold and alone in a paddock. I would like to work for ‘wires one day and care for injured and orphaned wildlife.

    The cakes look wonderful. Your little helper looks so cute with her red ribboned ponytail, baskets in hand. What wonderful life and adventures they are having, and the next generation of people being kind to animals. The world definitely needs more people like that.

    My Mum has been unwell this week and freezer meals have certainly saved the day here on several long days visiting her in hospital after work.
    Hope you have a lovely weekend.
    Love Lisa xo

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    1. Dear Lisa,
      Thank you so much. I have taken care of a lot of different animals. Mostly birds, even a baby emu. Kangaroos when we were little but Mum did the work on those. It is really wonderful experience.
      I hope your Mum is doing much better. Yes these are the times when we are glad we made hay when the sun was shining and put meals away for sick times etc. Honestly it makes so much difference. I keep trying to build up my ready to go meals as now an then we use some and I need to release them. I hope your new week has started well! With love Annabel.xxx

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  17. Oh Annabel I too would have been upset about the little calf, hugs to you. Even seasoned vets and wildlife carers cry and get upset and after all it is only natural. We try our best but sometimes the animals are just not strong enough to make it.

    You did so well this week with preserving, cooking, planting and sewing :).

    Our Vicky challenge added up to $208.34 in savings last week :).

    Internet listings and sales.
    - Made about $25 from the sale of a 5 layer cotton eye mask and bread bag that I made.
    - Listed 10 items on a free listing promotion saving $16.50 on usual listing fees.

    Purchases -
    - From IGA on special I purchased 5.47 kg of rump steak for $9 kg and pork thin sausages for $3.95 kg saving $114.05 over purchasing them in Woolworths.
    - Also from IGA on special we purchased premium minced beef for $10 kg and 2 x 725 g packets of corn flakes for $3 ea saving $17.30 on usual prices.
    - At Aldi we purchased 6 x avocadoes, bananas, kiwi fruit and macadamia nuts saving $9.39 over purchasing them in other supermarkets.
    - In Kmart we purchased a pair of slippers on clearance for DH for $5, two pillows each and an electric kettle for backup supplies saving $51 over prices in other stores.

    In the gardens -
    - Planted one garden bed with capsicum, tomato and basil seeds and another bed with heirloom sweet corn and dwarf bean seeds.
    - We used our grey water pumped from the grey water tank to water fruit & berry trees and about 1/3 of our back lawn.
    - Used saved shower warm up water to fill hand washing water bottles and to clean the bathroom and toilets.
    - Reused house dusting water to water the shrubs in the gardens around the home.
    - Used some town water in a 4 lt ice cream container each day for the kangaroos and wallabies to drink as it is so dry.
    - Watered in the newly planted 3 vegetable garden beds with town water from the drip irrigation system.

    House maintenance -
    - We took out one kitchen cabinet in the kitchen so we have room to have our new 90 cm oven put in.
    - I swept behind it and DH scrubbed the walls and floor to clean it. The cabinet was sitting on the wooden floorboards so DH had to cut some ply we had to fill in the hole so we have a level area for the stove to be installed in. I still need to paint the walls and the side of the kitchen unit where the sink is.
    - DH put up a stainless steel bench we purchased beside the sink and then the new stove will go beside that.

    Hope everyone else had a wonderful week as well :).

    Sewingcreations15 (Lorna).

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    1. Dear Lorna, You did well on the grocery specials especially that steak! Steak for under $10 a kilo is practically a miracle!
      It is so exciting that the garden beds are being planted. I remember what your old garden looked like so I hope to get a tour sometime when the plants are all going well! It will be amazing.
      The new stoves sounds really good. That is a great size.
      I love that you are giving out water to the Kangaroos and Wallabies. What a kindness. I hope you take some photos! They will be getting to know you by now. It is terrible it is that dry. I get stressed thinking about it.
      It is amazing how much water we can re use.
      A very good week and I hope the new week is going well too. We have beautiful sunshine here today and I am mostly gardening with a lot of seedlings to put in. I have been adding sheep manure as I go.
      With much love Annabel.xxx

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    2. Annabel that is the way I looked at the price of the steak !, just an unheard of low price and the butcher cut it to my preferred size and handed to me. Can't get better service than that or price.

      The kangaroos and wallabies follow us when we fill the water for them and watch and they know we are friendly. The older swamp wallaby eats apple cores out of our hands and bread too. He is so sweet and is missing some teeth and his ears look rather torn and tattered from previous fights.

      I have been taking photos of us putting up the garden enclosure and need to take some updated ones. Our silverbeet has just sprouted so excited.

      Have a great week :).

      Sewingcreations15 (Lorna).

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  18. I love the little toweling soap holders you made! So pretty! I'd love to make some... :) xx

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    1. Thank you Joy! I made them as if they were little pillowcases with a turn down inside to hold the soap in place. I used a hand towel so the top edge was there already and nice and neat. I got six from one hand towel and just cut them to neatly fix my soap. They were fun and easy. I am keeping one for myself! xxx

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