Thank you for all the wonderful ideas for gifts for men on Wednesday. Between is all we came up with an amazing list. I have heaps of new ideas that I am going to be able to use. Thank you so much!
Some of the ways I built up the home this week include:
I made a double batch of Miracle Cleaner. Somehow in winter I need the beautiful scent this leaves in the house more than ever.
This will keep me going quite a while.
Being so cold I decided to make Golden Syrup Pudding. True warming comfort food!
This would have to be the easiest most delicious winter dessert ever. The recipe is here.
This brightened up a couple of dark winter evenings!
I used up more from my freezer and reached a point that I could give it a total overhaul. I removed what was left and had a big re arrange. Now it is organised, I know everything that is in there. I can fit much more in. I saved money for a couple of weeks and now I can start to stock up again.
Patsy on A Working Pantry Facebook group has us all working to de clutter and organise each week. I cleaned out a laundry cupboard, re arranged it and to my surprise I now have more storage room and know what to stock up on.
I went to Aldi and bought a large enamel stock pot. I thought I had missed out on these so wasn't even looking but there was one left and in my colour! And marked down! I just love it.
My son in law is mad on Potato Bake. And potatoes were $3 for a huge bag. So I made four potato bakes, two for us and two for Lucy's household. Another good thing on a cold night. They went down well with everyone!
I finished another little top for Harper...
And I think I'm at the 3/4 point with my rug. I am making it single bed size. It keeps me warm as I work on it.
I hope you had a very good week. How did you build up your home, save and get ahead?
Have lovely weekend (and whats left off Friday!)xxx
I have been reading your blog lately and find it very interesting! Great job!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks! xxx
DeleteHi Annabel, last weekend was a wet and windy one but by Tuesday we were back to glorious days and cool nights. I am loving that rug you're crocheting. I have found that if I keep doing rounds, like you are, I end up with the wonkiest rug ever. Well done to you.
ReplyDeletePotato bake is an absolute favourite here. Mind you it's been a while since we've had one. We'll have to keep an eye out for cheap potatoes.
This week I made Hilde's scones. OMG they are just glorious! I can bake just about anything but my scones are usually only good to use as lead sinkers for fishing. Hilde's scones have turned out light, fluffy and completely delicious. Winner, winner, chicken dinner! I was given a bucket of oranges by a neighbour. This morning I baked Wendy's Whole Orange Cake. This is another winner. During the week we cooked up chicken pieces in the slow cooker with tomato soup, garlic and sweet potato. We had this over two meals with veges, and then I had it for lunch on two work days. Banana muffins were made from two overripe bananas. These have been frozen for later use.
We have been accommodating our daughter as she has moved back home again. We are also getting ready to head off for the birth of the granddaughter.
The caravan is getting cleaned out. This week I have washed all the linens that live in the van. I have wiped down all surfaces, cleaned out all the drawers and have sprayed for bugs. The water tanks have been emptied and refilled and the gas water heater has been checked over. Just need to put it all back into place and the van will be ready to hit the road.
I'm just past the halfway mark of a bunny rug I'm crocheting for my son's best mate and his partner. It's a diagonal crochet blanket in cream and fawn. Hoping it's going to be unisex enough as this couple don't want to know the sex of the baby until the birth.
This has been a busy week welcoming our daughter back into the home full time, the final week of the school term and getting the caravan sorted out for travel. My nest is being feathered more as the injuries heal and I'm starting to feel more like me.
Life is good.
Dear Jane, I do the rounds until I have the width I want. Then I just work rows each end until I get the length I want and a rectangle. Then I do a border. I started the border last night yay!
DeleteIm very happy about Hilde's scones! I love things that are totally easy and amazing. Now just think... you can use them sweet or savoury. i.e. add cheese, ham, chive, or sultanas, dates... or make it into smaller dumpling size and dot over a casserole then bake that. So handy and good. I am glad you loved it!
I am onto orange cake this week. In winter I always make it as oranges are everywhere in Adelaide now and it is bright and refreshing. Thats a job this afternoon.
I was a bit bleary eyed this morning and I read that you made Bantam Muffins. lol Im glad I read that wrong and you made Banana muffins! Yum.
Oh! Your GranDaughter is about to arrive! How exciting. I remember I was nervously excited when were were waiting. It was such a relief and so wonderful when Harper was born!
Well done on all you have achieved despite a sore hand and set backs. The rug for your son's friends will be a beautiful gift.
Have a lovely weekend. Please let us know when the baby arrives! What an exciting time! With love Annabel.xxx
Dear Annabel, thanks so much for all you do. I have really gotten so many ideas from you. My question is, I live in the U.S., and am not sure what golden syrup is. Is it pancake syrup? If not, what could I use as a substitute? Sincerely.......
ReplyDeleteThank you Junebug! I think Golden Syrup is available in the US although maybe not wildly. It will be in the British section of some supermarkets. I can't suggest a substitute. Some things like kind of the same but don't taste the same. So google to see what shops might stock it as I did that she time ago if I remember rightly and it was a matter of finding British sections. Good luck! It is a really yum winter recipe and really filling, with love Annabel.xxx
DeleteAlthough it's not as thick as golden syrup, could maple syrup be used as a substitute perhaps? Wendy
DeleteMost Kroger stores will carry a Golden Syrup in their pancake syrup section, it is usually located in the lower shelves. :~) I have bought it a time or two..
DeleteJen from NS here...Lyle's Golden Syrup is sometimes available, but a good substitute for flavour and consistency is corn syrup. Maple syrup is thinner and not as sweet, though it would probably taste delicious! But corn syrup is readily available in the U.S..
DeleteI buy mine off Amazon
DeleteThank you for the suggestions on this! That is so helpful. Kroger and Amazon are sources and Lyles is a brand these have to help find it. Golden Syrup is great for this recipe and google Anzac Biscuits, they re amazing. (very Australian) It is a good pantry item as it keeps basically forever and would be part of your comfort foods. Its good pancake topping too. But the sauce part of this pudding is the best bit! Thank you! xxx
DeleteI've been wanting to try making my own golden syrup rather then buying it, I haven't gotten around to it yet, so not sure how much it tastes like the real this but here's the recipe ladies xx
Deletehttp://www.food.com/recipe/homemade-golden-syrup-substitute-475678
Hi Annabel, tasty post. I love golden syrup dumplings - first made them back in high school home economics and have always loved them since. I hope Junebug is able to find golden syrup, there is nothing like it.
ReplyDeleteThat crochet blanket looks lovely too. Very "you", even though it's not pink.
I make miracle cleaner too but mine is never that colour, what have you done to make it so gorgeously pink?
Terribly cold here. It snowed nearby but our elevation is not as high, our grassed areas were white but really it was ice. The fire is on and we have jokinlgly said we will sleep in the lounge and keep the fire going. brrrrr. Have a great weekend. Fi xx (ps Love Harper's bunny).
Dear Fiona,
DeleteI decided to use a pink deterrent as my soap component. It gave it only the slightest touch of pink so I boosted that with about 4 drops food colour. As it is diluted down so much it won't leave colour on anything. I just felt like pink!
It is terribly cold here too. And so wet. at night it has been freezing! I have done lots of cooking, staying inside... no alternative!
Have a good weekend to you too. Thanks for liking my little rabbit! With love Annabel.xxx
I really like the pink. I use lavender as the oil for the bathrooms and its just a clear colour, then I use either eucalyptus or tea tree oil for the harder areas like toilet, laundry and kitchen. If I use morning fresh as the detergent component then I get a nice pale green but definitely like the pink better, particularly when I do the lavender one. Thanks for the idea. It's funny something so little can be so nice. It has rained non stop here for days. Yesterday was the coldest but with a nice fire, we are all snuggled down well. This is one of the nicest things, today my dil to be said I don't have enough wood and her fiancee my ds had gone to work (finishing 9pm), so my partner and I got out there in the rain and cold, he got the tractor and bought over a load of wood for her and I used the little hatchett and chopped thin kindling and got the fire going for her (coonara fire). About an hour later she sent me a message and said the unit was toasty warm and I quote "you are one of the most awesome people I have ever met". As you know the disgraceful behaviour of someone close by me, this was such a lovely thing to receive. It was lovely, she says some lovely things to me, it's really nice.
DeleteAnd yes your little rabbit is gorgeous, you are giving me some ideas. They have said that pretty soon after their wedding they will be hoping to get pregnant and I am cataloging some ideas for the new babies to come. I asked them if the could have five for me, she just looked shocked. Enjoy the rest of your weekend. Fi xx
Hi Annabel!!
ReplyDeleteI love the look of that rug you're working on. It is so soft and warm for winter! It's beautifully handsome! Little Harper looks like she belongs on the land with the animals! It's nice for her to belong in a farming family. It's amazing how nest feathering changes with the seasons and challenges at hand! Keep warm!!
This week, we spent money to build up our home. These are considerations built over years. We spent from savings, and, in turn, are saving by consolidating with what we have, instead of expanding. My husband bought 'you beut' wheels and tyres for the ride on mower. This will complete his work to make it the little tractor we require. He widened the wheel span (for stability on hills) and changed the gearing, years ago. The wheels & tyres were surprisingly costly, but only a fraction of the cost of a tractor!
I bought seed potatoes from savings, so will be learning to grow potatoes in my new garden space. The soil is wet, and I'm looking forward to working through this as it is another long term goal I have had. The broccoli is the crop appearing first!
I have been looking out for our bower birds. They're lying low at the moment! I gave the viewing window a quick clean, and learnt how to make a short video clip (&, from that, a photo). I can add, though, that they do take onion skins, and small pellets of dog food!
During the week, I experimented by making scones with my citrus peel syrup mixed in. They were quite good! A favourite dessert of ours is based on the recipe for golden syrup dumplings, with treacle instead of golden syrup. It is richer, and we serve it with custard. Since the sugarcane liquid products range from golden syrup (the lightest, & quite sweet) to treacle to molasses (nutritious, but least sweet), we find treacle suits us well as the middle product, for dumplings. The dumpling sauce is like caramel! My husband says that he tasted maple syrup, and he much prefers treacle to that! I like both.
I think my job list is on track. I'll look forward to the day when I say to you, "I started learning to spin wool today!" Meanwhile, I feel like I have a million things to do - on the job list and surrounding it!!
I really look forward to your posts. They are such a pleasure to read and participate in. Thank you very much!!
With warm regards,
Rachel Holt
Dear Rachel,
DeleteHopefully in spring the Bower birds are out and about and you can get photos!
Maple syrup tastes quite different but is a good pantry supply to have. I know that Molasses is full of vitamins and minerals. I am not so familiar with treacle. Interesting isn't it! I read that Molasses is used more int he making of drinks... i.e. stout and the others more in food products.
You have invested well in the mower/tractor and your garden. Things are so wet right now but in spring things will take off!
Thank you for your encouragement! I hope you have a greta weekend. I am doing some cooking and keeping warm! However I notice I see sunshine which I don't think will last long and I haven't seen for days so that is nice.
With love, Annabel.xxx
Dear Annabel,
ReplyDeleteI love your golden syrup pudding, it is a favourite in our house now! We had potato bake tonight with our tea. We hadn't had it in over a month while we were away so it was very enjoyable. I have had to make an adjustment of eating salad meals in the warm weather to now preparing winter meals. We are having a tummy warming stew tomorrow night.
Today was spent unpacking the van and washing everything. The sun shone and there was a nice breeze (although freezing), so I managed to get most of the washing dry on the line. What didn't completely dry, is in front of the fire tonight.
I ventured out into the garden today and the weeds are out of control! I picked a bucket of tomatoes and a bucket of mandarins from the tree. They mandarins are ready to be picked, and we have an abundance again this year. The strawberry plants, silver beet, rhubarb, spring onions are looking good. The tomato plants have been touched by a bit of frost, so luckily I am home to cover them over at night. The oranges are also nearly ready to be picked.
I have three squares left to knit for my blanket; hopefully I can get to it this week and finish off. Yours is looking lovely, I love the colour combination.
It is lovely to be home in my nest. I slept like a baby last night, must have needed it :)
Hope you have a lovely weekend, stay toasty warm.
xTania
Dear Tania, it sounds like you had a wonderful trip. Even so it is nice to be home and I feel that way about my own bed!
DeleteThe garden must be wet. The rain has been incredible and I am pretty sure you must have got quite a bit of it. So you have been treated by a lot of produce! That is really good.
It always seems to take me a while to catch up when back home from being away. The washing is one thing and it sounds like you have that done. Welcome home! With love Annabel.xxx
Dear Annabel,
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry for not commenting this week...I had a nice long one for Wednesday's post, but the "preview" button ate it, and I ran out of computer time. :) So many great ideas...love the leather stuff and the aftershave idea!
A busy week here and lots of nice weather, so I'm off to the garden again right now! Keep warm!
xx Jen in NS
Dear Jen,
DeleteOh now! Thats ok! I am glad the weather is good for you and the garden! Keeping going, I am hoping you end up with a fantastic harvest.
Have a very good week, with love Annabel.xxx
Dear Annabel,
ReplyDeleteI just found your lovely blog and have been reading some of the older posts to catch up. So many people who generously contribute with their wonderful ideas.
I'm live in the U.S. and was wondering if any of the golden syrup recipes that I found online are the same as the golden syrup that can be purchased? It seems relatively simple to make. And, could you share the formula for your Miracle Cleaner?
All of your photos of the things you've made and/or are working on are beautiful and have given me some inspiration, especially the gifts for men.
For my "nest feathering this week, I made grain-free hamburger buns and grain-free English muffins, baked 30 chocolate chip grain-free scones for my husband's breakfast, soup stock in the pressure cooker to be canned this weekend, my husband smoked a large pork roast and we sliced it up for the freezer and it will provide 14 meals. Made mayonnaise, barbecue sauce and basil salad dressing. Made ranch dressing seasoning. Worked on a knitted scarf for my daughter-in-law using a new stitch for me called "the linen stitch", which makes a pattern that looks like woven fabric, did some quilting on a quilt for a wedding present, cut up scraps of fabric to do a "Trash to Treasure" pineapple pattern quilt, "deboned" some men's shirts that I got at a rummage sale for 75 cents apiece, to use for quiltmaking and refashioned a pair of old jeans into cropped pants. I think that's it for me :).
Looking forward to continuing reading in your archives today as it will be another rainy day here.
Cookie
Dear Cookie, Welcome! I am so glad to have you here.
DeleteI have not made homemade golden syrup so I am not confident to say one way or another ... but the US ladies are saying Krogers have it, there is a brined called Lyles Golden Syrup and also you can get it on Amazon.
And I have heard in British sections of some supermarkets. It is a good thing s it keeps forever in the pantry and good in biscuits (Anzac Biscuits) and as pancake topping.
This is the recipe to Miracle Cleaner...
http://thebluebirdsarenesting.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/clean-and-fresh.html
It is good stuff, it works so well and make your home smell wonderful.
Plus its natural and no chemicals.
Your week was excellent! Beautiful cooking, you got ahead with the frozen meals, and you sew and quilt! And knit! I sew although basic and embroider. We have a lot in common!
Thank you for your kind comments. We have wet weather here too so I am cooking over the weekend. With love Annabel.xxx
Hi Cookie, I use the miracle cleaner in my house for everything. One cleaner that works in all areas of the house is simply wonderful. This week I used the miracle cleaner to clean my caravan from top to bottom. Just as an extra idea, Annabel has somewhere where she mentions using the miracle cleaner to make up reusable wipes. I have a big jar with my reusable wipes. These are so handy. I'm making up another lot in a plastic container to go in the caravan for when we go on our road trip later this month. I highly recommend this wonderful product.
DeleteThanks Jane for this... the cleaning cloths you mention are on the link I gave Cookie I think.... I love having a jar of these made up and need to make some so I will get onto that now I have new batches of cleaner.xx
DeleteDear Annabel
DeleteThank you for the link. I'm anxious to make this up and have everything but the washing soda. So I'll be off to the store. And Jane, thank you for sharing how well it works too.
Annabel, it was so funny I couldn't pull up the link on Google, but I could pull it up on Yahoo. Go figure. I love all of your old jars. I collect them too and use them for pantry storage. Years ago at a yard sale I was able to get gallon blue tinted Ball Mason jars that have the air bubbles in the glass with the original zinc caps.
I do treasure them. Everything in your pantry looks so beautiful with the rose decals. I am such a rose lover too. Cookie
This week I celebrated my 81st birthday! A friend took me out for breakfast and I brought home two pancakes and two strips of bacon. Then went to dinner with a group of seven friends from my senior apt bldg. Received 81% off my dinner as a special offer from this Mexican restaurant. One of the friends paid the balance of 19%. I brought home 2/3 of my shrimp entree and three tortillas.
ReplyDeleteFrom the leftovers I had a pancake for Wed. breakfast, BLT (bacon, lettuce & tomato sandwich) for lunch, l/o shrimp entree and one tortilla for Wed. dinner and the last two tortillas with shredded cheese made into a quesadilla for Thursday lunch! It was all such fun. I love leftovers! And celebrations! Shirley, Washington state USA.
Dear Shirley,
DeleteHappy Birthday! Congratulations!
I love the way the restaurant gave you 81% off! And I love the left overs too! That was very nice.
It sounds like you had a wonderful week. Have a great weekend Shirley. With love Annabel.xxx
Thank you! It's never to late to learn. Keep teaching and sharing, Annabel..You are indeed a treasure! Shirley
DeleteAnnabel, I love your embroidery, would you consider doing a tutorial lesson sometime complete with all the little extra touches that you add?
ReplyDeleteDear Patsy, Ok I will try. I am doing more embroidery coming up then I finish this rug. So I will take photos and think about this!
DeleteThanks for the encouragement and suggestion! Have a greta weekend! With love Annabel.xxx
Annabel,
ReplyDeleteSuch a good week you've had. I love the bunny with it's little fluffy tail that is so cute. I can't say I have gotten to feather my nest much this week, I was off to a good start, but then was needed to babysit most of the week and then come home to gardening. I did get 6 more dust cloths cut and have the perfect trim for them in my stash I just need to get to the sewing. I'll have 2 of the grandbabies over night this weekend so I doubt I'll get much done this weekend either. I planted a few more sprout potatoes and wow the garden is doing great so far! I gave everything a dose of Epsom salts before the rain hit and it looks good! I got some crochet cotton to match some of the dust cloth sets and hope to get a few more dishcloths done to add with them. It has been such a busy week and I haven't gotten anything done! How did that happen? LOL I hope everyone has a great weekend!
XOXO
Vicky
Dear Vicky, The garden sounds like it is really coming on! This is massive! I was amazed last year when I saw your garden for the first time! So I am very excited to see it all this year. I hope you have amazing crops and everyone chips in and helps with the canning and cooking when the time comes. You re going to need it! But boy will this build up your pantry, cut your costs, give you stuff to trade with, share, sell even!
DeleteThe dust cloths sound good! Have a good weekend and I hope the baby sitting goes well! With lots of love Annabel.xxx
Two big savings were my husband installed the sink and faucet set in our half bath renovation project and then did the painting. It is looking great. I need some picture frames and mats and it will be finished and looks like a new bathroom for a few hundred dollars.
ReplyDeleteWe paid $850 to have 20 large trees trimmed and raised in the front yard of our house. The tree guy said that a healthy stand of well cared for trees adds 10-15% to the value of our house. These did not look cared for before they did their work. It will pay for itself many times over when we finally find a smaller house and sell this one.
Dear Lana,
DeleteThe bathroom sounds like it would look entirely different! That is great. The finishing touches will be beautiful. Well done to your husband too. What a big saver.
I think trees and a well cared for garden make a big difference to a home. Massive. So that was good to get done.
Have a lovely weekend. That was a good week! With lots of love, Annabel.xxx
I had a lovely week really but it's gone by so quickly! I am in the process of giving up my smaller freezer and consolidating things to the one bigger one. I had to toss a few things that were truly old. I am just barely keeping up with things here while the family is living with me. I have about one week more until their home is ready to move into. http://bluehousejournal.blogspot.com/2016/06/frugal-friday-proceed-with-caution.html
ReplyDeleteDear Terri, I think with house guests, even if they are family, a lot of the normal things go by the wayside and its all different. It is a lot to manage. But a big help to the family.
DeleteYou will be able to catch up and get back to normal pretty soon it sounds like. Their home sounds like it will be very nice. You are probably exhausted! Have a good weekend and maybe next week is the last week of communal living! With love Annabel.xxx
Annabel you had a good week even though the weather was horrible.
ReplyDeleteWe have woken to blue skies and sunshine but a cold breeze is blowing around - quite deceptive from behind the windows. Last night we had really strong winds come through again - our BBQ not only moved again, this time it was nearly 180 degrees but the locks on the wheels have gouged the timber on the veranda - you can actually see where one of the wheels was spinning around and round trying to keep the BBQ in place. Thankfully the house didn't move at all but I could hear the wind in the trees around us and kept wondering how the possums were going - I think the birds would have been blown off their perches if they had stayed around.
This past week was huge - not only for us but also our daughter and especially my brother.
We have sold the Torana, aka the 'Girl Friend' - my husband has a lunch meeting down the Gold Coast so I hitched a ride and met up with a friend from Melbourne. The lunch meeting has proven to be beneficial, once the old company's contract that my husband has been bound by expires at the end of the month there will be lots happening. The prospect of becoming a permanent employee was spoken about but that is a bit down the track.
My husband has had a cough, one that has had stuff running down the back of his throat but of course he doesn't say anything until I start asking questions - I have made up 2 batches of my cut through the muck mixture so far.
We went for a drive yesterday - just to get out of the house for a bit. The day turned out quite nice after starting off grey and cloudy.
We are still eating out of the freezer and only buying what is needed.
Our daughter has been after a new vehicle - she needs a 'tradie' type one with 4 wheel drive. Anyway she found one for private sale over where Mimi lives and the best part was that they took her vehicle as part of the deal (trade in). The fellow who she purchased the vehicle off has a mate with a strawberry farm up this way who needs a ute for use on the farm. So a good deal all around especially when she got a newer vehicle that she planned on getting at a much better price than expected.
The best news is that it has been confirmed that my brother is in remission. There is no indication as to how long this can last. He knows that this is not going to last and the expectations of what will happen when it ends. They are talking about bone marrow transplant which is where my sister comes into the equation.
While he is under the care of his GP and needs to be seen twice a week, the GP doesn't leave him sitting in the waiting room. That means that his contact with the bugs etc that are going around is kept to a minimum.
Lots happening next week so apart from the ANZAC experience tomorrow the weekend is all about getting organised for next week. Slow cooker will be on with pumpkin soup tomorrow - will be nice to come home to something warm.
My husband has a days work on Monday so I can get quite a bit done while he is not here - want to make your wool wash up then, finally got into the shed for the jar I was after to pop it into.
Have a great weekend everyone.
Lynette
XXXXX
Dear Lynette,
DeleteFirstly that is wonderful news about your brother! I know its an unknown quantity but lets hope remission lasts many years or longer! This is fantastic!
And your daughter getting the vehicle she needs nd them wanting her old one! How handy is that!?
Also it sound promising about your husbands future work prospects. Even the day of work tomorrow that will give you a chance to get heaps done.
It has been the same here. When we have some sun it looks so lovely but you go out and it is freezing! Either it is much colder this year or I am feeling it much more Im not sure which!
Its great you sold the car too. Really you had a very big week but everything was good!
I hope this week continues in the good theme and you get heaps done that you want to.
Much love and many thanks Lynette, love Annabel.xxx
Dear Annabel, your rug is just gorgeous, and isn't that a snuggly feeling having all that crochet on your lap! I had a really good week, socking away a few gifts, stitching up the end of term (figuratively speaking) with my daughter and her teachers, hosting a football evening with my family at home, making huge lasagnas and sharing them around, and generally encouraging everyone to stay home and stay warm! Lots of lovely things to tick off my list, including some really lavish dreamcatchers which I'm teaching my daughter to make for her friends. I hope everyone had a great week. Mimi xxx
ReplyDeleteDear Mimi,
DeleteYou have been making a lot of gorgeous things lately and cooking too!
There is a stylish store here that sells Rachel Ashwell style dream catchers. They are lovely! Lovely feathers involved. Very flowing and pretty!
I hope you are having a good weekend too. it is so cold, I am cooking also. With love Annabel.xxx
Dear Annabel,
ReplyDeleteThe blanket you are making is gorgeous! My husband and I agree that your golden syrup pudding looks delicious. I will have to look for golden syrup.
This week was our first week at the ranch. I ca
Dear Annabel,
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry but I accidentally hit publish before I finished my comment! What I was saying is that this was our first week at the ranch, and I can't tell you how much we love it!
My sister-in-law has been visiting from another part of the state this week as well. This has been a big help to me, as she went through some of the kitchen boxes and took a few things. The cousins have also taken their designated boxes, so that has cleared some clutter in the house. All the girls thanked me for all the work I had done as they couldn't believe how much stuff there was. Hearing that was just really appreciated!
This week, we also worked together to clean out the laundry room. The washer and dryer have their own little room that was added onto the house. Two walls are full of windows, so it is like a little sun room and I love it. My white kitchen hutch will go in this room and hold laundry supplies. (It won't fit in the kitchen.)
I also scrubbed the pantry and have been going back and forth between houses trying to get everything moved. The pantry is holding more than I thought it would, so I am very glad about that.
Yesterday my husband moved our dishwasher over and installed it. Our refrigerator was not moved last Saturday as planned, but will hopefully be moved today. Then I can really start having a cooking routine again.
Today I am planning to clean out the entry way, as this is where my pantry bench will go, just on the other side of the kitchen.
In reading the comments I am thinking how opposite our weather is! It has been very hot and humid here. I have killed a scorpion and Papa shot a rattle snake, so summer is officially here. I am very careful when I go outside to look before I step!
I hope everyone has a lovely weekend! I am hoping to get a lot done today (Saturday) and fully enjoy a restful Sunday.
With love, Kelsey
Dear Kelsey,
DeleteThis is fantastic news! Both that you are now at the farm and also that you are loving it! You have done so much work!
It is lovely that your SIL is helpful and that the girls thanked you for doing so much. And that they picked up the things given to them so that clears space for you too.
It is good the pantry is holding more than you expected. Plus you have your hutch and hopefully other spaces.
You re making a lot of progress! It is great when all the work adds up! Sometimes with a huge job it is like you have to go through a huge mess first as things are dismantled, packed, shifted etc it seems to just get worse and worse! But at some point as you unpack, put things away etc things suddenly start to come together and look good! Thats that good bit I think as you see the fruit of all the labor!
Your sunny laundry sounds lovely too. I love a bright cheerful laundry!
I hope this week is great for you and you feel happy with how things are looking, have your dishwasher and fridge also.
Well done Kelsey! Farm life has so many benefits. Next year you will probably have veggies growing, chooks and ducks and a fully stocked pantry!
This was all wonderful to hear. With much love Annabel.xxx
Dear Annabel,
ReplyDeleteI hope this comment will come thru...I will try posting it a different way, and see if that helps!
I loved reading all the suggestions for men's gifts this week...especially the idea for leather goods and the aftershave! (Thank you for sharing the recipe, Lynette!)
Your blanket that you are crocheting is absolutely beautiful. Makes we want to pick up my hook right now, though I am trying to stay focused and finish a pair of cabled socks.
It has been really hot and sunny here all week. What a difference! It's so hard to believe that only ten days ago we had frost warnings two nights in a row!!! I have only a couple of bits and bobs to finish planting and then it's just weeding, weeding, weeding. Sigh. We'll be headed off the pick strawberries at the U-pick on Monday...hooray!
Have a wonderful weekend!
xxJen in NS
Dear Jen, Yay yes this came through. Picking strawberries in lovely weather sounds beautiful!
DeleteI am glad you found the mens presents useful. This is always a tricky area for me. Now I have a lot of ideas up my sleeve. Everyone was so helpful and we built up a huge list and great variety.
I hope you will take pictures of your veggie garden as it grows!
Have a wonderful new week, many thanks Jen, with love Annabel.xxx
Dear Annabel, late here! Cosy rug you are making , lovely, and yummy G/S pudding mmm. WE have been having leftovers of the last big fruit cake , for dessert with custard and pouring cream, just small portions once or twice a week.
ReplyDeleteI had a busy week visiting my aunty and ex neighbour , having a friend for cardmaking (you know who)except we chatted so much no cards were made lol.Sorted cards out, that Id made, for birthdays coming up until the end of the year, need to make 4-5 male themed cards to finish that lot.
Bought a recipe book half price for diabetics and made a big fruitcake . It's similar to the recipe I gave you but nicer I think , I will email you the recipe and some photos after I send this.Also made their chocolate crackles(all liked) and Tahini chewy bars ,not so favoured though ;-).
Our weekend has flown, DGS wanted to spend Saturday with us, that kept us busy. And today he and family came for lunch unexpectedly , lucky I had a selection of soups in the freezer and Maori bread , which is dense and filling so everyone had a full tummy.
A gf rang from another city , just arrived back from an overseas trip of a mixed happy/sad kind.It's been that kind of a week.
Updated my freezer contents list , so now I can pumpkin soup(like Lynette,hi!and good news re; your brother) this week and hopefully scones too.
The nozzle on my cleaner broke so that has been ordered.Crocheted mittens for 2 DGC.
It has been wet and cold weekend here ,im well stocked with books, crochet,and keeping warm for the week ahead, have a good one! Love Maria xxx
Dear Maria, That was a busy week! We do the same... warm up fruit cake and treat it as plum pudding and it is lovely!
DeleteThank you for the photos! The Maori bread is really interesting and looks beautiful. The cards you have been making are lovely (even if you got none done that day!) and the mittens are gorgeous. It has been really cold here but I am pretty sure you get it much colder than us so mittens would be great.
Pumpkin soup is one of my favourite things to have in the freezer. I need to make more as all my last big lot of it is gone. Doesn't last long.
You sound very content and busy and that is the way to happily get through the cold weather.
Have a great week! with love Annabel.xxx
Hi Annabel,
ReplyDeleteThat pudding looks delicious!I've made golden syrup dumplings before but never a pudding. I've been doing lots of baking here with comforting foods to warm us up as well. I made apple and berry crumble, a plum cake and carrot cake also some custard. I just love your embroidery. I will have to try making some miracle spray. I spent some time here over the last week making my first cosplay and them my eldest and youngest kids and I went to Supernova which is a pop culture convention! It was such fun and seeing all the costumes was amazing. Now that is out of the way, I can concentrate on more crafting for gifts. A good friend of mine has just announced she is expecting her 2nd child in December so I have been thinking of baby gift ideas for her baby shower and Christmas,as well as a gift for her toddler. He adored the fishing set I made! Maybe I'll just make another woodland animal mobile lol. Do you have any toddler/baby handmade gift ideas? xx
Dear Mel,
DeleteThank you! If you make the homemade golden syrup please let me know what you think. As you will know what the original is like you will be good to say what the homemade version is like in comparison. I will be really interested!
I love the cooking you did! Yum and we are feeling the same here, warming comfort foods are lovely in this weather.
I have a friend who is huge on cosplay and attends everything that comes here. She makes amazing costumes! It sounds like amazing fun.
For your friend I think your mobiles are hard to beat. For the little boy my suggestion would be a special activity that the Mum can get out and give him that keeps him busy when she is feeding the new baby. If you can think of something! Or a play mat that you can gather up and move the whole game or set ... how to describe... like a circle with a drawstring so that it gathers up like a bag. I hope you know what I mean! Or ... get a mat and paint on a road and tracks for little cars. Thats what I can think of! The fishing set was adorable. I remember that.
Otherwise I think the gift of help, meals etc is a great gift for when a new baby arrives.
Have a great new week. It sounds like you have been so busy but all good things so I hope for more of the same! With love, Annabel.xxx
I just bought a small bottle of golden syrup, so once this is finished I will try the recipe and let you know. I've been making my own maple flavoured syrup for years now and it as good as store bought. Thank you for the ideas, they are perfect and I shall write them down. And of course food as well, I know that would be appreciated!:)Today is our 18th wedding anniversary, I always cook a special meal and hubby requested hamburgers and chips maybe with milkshakes or soft drink and I'm thinking brownies for dessert or maybe big chop chip biscuits with icecream in the middle-like American diner style food. I did get fish out of the freezer, but forgot about the promise of hamburgers so I just cooked up some of the fish that was given to us, Mr 10 and I had a piece each and I ve shredded the rest and will make a white sauce for tomorrows dinner. I only cooked it for a few minutes and it was delicious, not chewy at all. Thanks so much for your advice on that. My friend says she has more for us too. Have a great week xx
DeleteHi Annabel,
ReplyDeleteStill reading all your posts but rarely get time to comment. Thankyou so much for your inspiration!
I just wanted to pop in and mention that I made the golden syrup recipe the other week. It was 'ok'. I'm not sure if I made it correctly, but it lacks something. I will see how it goes in recipes. It's probably better for me, as I will eat the Lyle's golden syrup by the spoonful! And it costs less than $1 to make for about 3 jars so very frugal.
All the best,
Peach
Dear Peach, Thank you! Yes, please let me know what you think if you try the other recipe. The golden syrup is key to my pudding recipe so it has to be real or a great copy I think or it just won't be right!
DeleteMany thanks! Have a great week Peach, with love Annabel.xxx
A perfect post to share at Five Star Frou-Frou this week Annabel. Love, Mimi xxx
ReplyDeleteDear Annabel, this post was one of the most clicked at Five Star Frou-Frou this week, so you are one of my features. Well done, as always! Mimi xxx
ReplyDelete