Feather your Nest Friday. The week before the wedding!

The week started in Adelaide where we were visiting the girls, working at the house that is for sale and getting some more plants and seedings for the farm garden.
This was so much fun!   Each week I have added everything I possibly can to the garden.  I now have a flower beds,  a herb garden and veggie beds.  
I had the best time at Bunnings getting some more pots in my blue, lilac, pink colour scheme.

I also had things I dig up, lots of veggie and herb seedlings and six standard lilac rose bushes!  Seriously this was so much fun.  It was three trolleys full of stuff and Andy had to go tot he van and come back to get more.  I loved it! 

We headed back to the farm.  As soon as we got there I was watering the garden we already have planted and then got working on adding the new additions.

We had this long thin garden bed between a ramp and a deck.  Roses were perfect for this space!  

As we sit on the deck or walk up the ramp there will be roses! 

I planted seeds I have been saving. Some were from Sewingcreations who sent me beans (several types) and some were from Jane who sent me giant sunflowers and beans.   So they are all in!   Also carrots in a sandy patch on one side.   I got all this in and we had two full days of rain!  It was fantastic!

With all the plants and especially putting in giant sunflowers I know the Cockatoos could be my problem.  I already have bunnies coming close.   We already have our owl and I added Harry... (The Hawke)

I like him!  He is always on the job and flies around in the breeze.

I also started a mint patch.  There is a garden bed near the clothes line.  So I planted lots of mint from Mum's garden and hopefully soon I will have an abundance like she does.

Now we are in the lead up to the wedding.  I can't show you anything until after the wedding though!  

I tried to do things early in the week that were just generally helpful. 

First I put on the slow cooker for the day with chicken and lots of veggies.   We had this as a casserole for dinner and it was so good as I worked outside all day and when I came in yay!  dinner was done.  What a relief this is.  Bless the person who invented crockpots.  

The next day the left overs became pies.  Out came the pie maker.  I got a lot of questions about this last week!   Mine was $29 (if I remember correctly) from Kmart (AU)  and it is not terribly spectacular but here it is...

I am very happy with this but if you have hungry teenage boys you can get a larger one that is Sunbeam which I believe makes deeper pies.   Anyway a lot of brands make them and Aldi also had a single large pie maker.

The thing is you have made you pies and gone on with other things before your normal oven would have pre warmed!  

I got 27 pies from my left over casserole. Ok, I did put on a lot as I planned the pies.  

I gave Chloe and Luke a dozen as they are in full wedding mode.   I served them for dinner and one lunch and froze the rest.   I got a bit fancier with some and added little leaves and roses...

I also made 36 full sized sausage rolls.  I am feeding the groom and his brother on Saturday and needed something I can warm then I will leave and the boys will take over our house.

Yesterday I headed off to Mum and Dads.  I made Mum a dozen Gluten Free scones and I made another dozen with sultanas...

All up I added a fair bit to the freezer! 

This week I continued on with my pushing the wheelbarrow up the hill to the shearing shed.  I got loads of sheep manure.  One time it started raining and Andy came looking for me and we pushed the barrow into the van and he drove me home! 

I was given three dozen lovely farm eggs.   

Yesterday everyone was helping with the wedding. It was a lovely day.  I can't wait to show you photos even from setting up!   Beautiful!

And..... the house in Adelaide is now under contract!!!   This is still subject to a cooling off period and the buyers finance.  So it is not really certain for two weeks.   But it is under contract!!! Thank you everyone who prayed.  We are praying now to get past the last hurdles!  This would mean so much.  It would allow us to do things we need here, we need a ride on lawn mover as the area to keep the grass down is huge, water tanks... many things.   It would also mean I can work on one house and one garden and not two! 

The birds here are used to us now and we are noticing so many new varieties.  There are Lorikeets nested in a tree out the front.  On Instagram and FB I posted the sounds of sunset here.  It is basically deafening!   Apparently birds have to chatter to get to sleep!  One night there was a pink sunset.  Then I could hear this loud "whoosh whoosh whoosh" sound.  I went out and looked around.  There in the very top of the big pine and gum trees were about fifty Ibis with huge wings spread out. They were like angels on top of the Christmas Tree.  All their wings were creating this giant flapping sound.   Then they settled there for the night.  I am always saying "Andy! Andy! Come and take a look at this!!" 

It was a good week and we just feel at home now.  We continually work to try and establish our homestead.  We have so many plans!   But the garden has come such a long way in one month!  

I really hope you had a good week too!   How did you build up your home, get ahead, add to your pantry or save?  

Today we are setting up the last of the wedding things.  I hope and pray the weather is ok tomorrow, today is gorgeous!   It is such an exciting day and more exciting tomorrow! 

Have a wonderful weekend! xxx