Feather you Nest Friday, 6th December, 2019.

We have had another lovely cool week.  I think we broke the all time recorded record for cold days in December and some places had summer snow!  I know we are very lucky as fires are still burning in other states.  We also had some rain!

It was a good week!   Chloe and I went to a country craft market. We had so much fun!  There was so much to look at.  So many ideas!   It seems everyone has some kind of sideline, makes or grows and sells something.   I love this.  I found some bargains too and bought a lot of pretty little succulents for 50c each.  And a heart shaped bird bath for $10!   It was a great day and another market is coming up next week.

I was given a whole bucket of lemons!

My little bantams have settled in and are so tame. You can just pick them up.  This is the little rooster.  He is just learning to crow.  It sounds hilarious.  It sounds like he is crowing with a bag over his head!

The two hens are silver/lilac.  So the babies should be a light version... we will see!

I caught up with Wendy. We did some trading and had a lot of ideas to talk about!  I took her eggs and she had found me stunning embroidery threads in an op shop.

Also a large decanter with stopper and a whole box of smaller bottles.  I am set for my next batch of coffee liqueur and my planned sticky balsamic vinegar.

While in town (of course) I checked out the op shop.   I practically crashed the car when I saw in the window they had a huge vintage kettle!   Then I found they were closed!  I was writing a note to put under the door when the door opened...   A lady was working in there putting out stock and she saw me.  I asked her if I left the money could the kettle be saved for me until there were open?    She invited me in and said to go ahead and look around while she worked.  And I found another kettle!  I adore these.  They match my kitchen and will heat on the combustion stove.  If the power was out I can heat a lot of water!  Just so thrilled!  

The black dot above the spout on the right hand kettle is Brady in his new paddock!  This is the view out the front.

Mum and I had our day trip to see the girls.   It was a beautiful day and I came home with more pink roses.

I made a big rice salad. I love salads that last a few days!   Also a tray of gluten free pumpkin scones.

We had animal fun and games.  It was well and truly time to wean Brady, Eddie and Freddie.   

Now I am not feeding any bottled fed animals!   We all marched over to the big paddock to join in with the big kids.   It is good as we can still see them in this paddock from our front deck.  

The biggest of them all is Laffie.  She is the friendliest cow and loves affection.  And Arnotts Milk Arrowroot biscuits!  

And Loui is just beautiful.

Anyway as usual a simple plan blew up.  I had planned Eddie would be the edge trimmer and moved around the yard.  He was not impressed.  He cried and cried.  We have been through this before with him.  He wants to be with the other guys.  He can escape any fence but he will only stray about 20 yards away from Freddie and Brady so he breaks out and back in again all day long.   A crying goat sounds exactly like a toddler screaming.  He could have his own TV show or get a job in sound effects.   I couldn't put up with this for long and abandoned my plan so now he is having a great time int he big paddock.   And in there are big logs and stones and hills to climb on so he will be having a great time!

I planted more zucchini, basil and spinach into the garden as I cleared out the spent spinach and fed it to the chooks and ducks.   The ducks just love anything green.   They are so cute and get so excited!

The rest of the big trees we cut down was dealt with. This was the stuff too big for us to cut up or move.   Luke put them out on the driveway with the tractor.   A young man came and set up his big saw to slice it all up into slabs and he made post and rail style fence posts with a lot of it.   

This young man was local and so hard working.  So this was a good trade as we needed this cleaned up and the wood was very useful to him.  He sliced me a great table top for the cabin which will fit my super rustic theme.  And he arrived with a gift for me that he had made.

My constant companion Scout is so good!   Whatever I do she is there.  

Enthusiasm is her middle name! I have to mention her with the other animals.

Now that the animals are moved from the small yard, which is my orchard yard, I have  another area that I could put in pumpkins.  There is a big mound of sheep manure in there.   So next week I am going to dig a dish shaped hole in that and plant another batch of pumpkins.   I am watering there every couple of days as it is so it will be easy to water them.    And they will have so much area to sprawl around.  So happy about this!! 

I have been crocheting, making lambs jumpers for next winter.  Last year I used small dog coats.  Now I am making up a heap ready plus for my friend Di who raises a lot of orphans.  Also bottle hangers so lamb bottles can be hung on the gate. And if I get far enough I want to make a joey pouch as Di often raises baby Kangaroos.   I love having a new project to work on.

I hope you found ways to save, get ahead and build up your pantry this week.  How did you build up your home or savings?

Also I am hoping you are doing well with Christmas plans.  I am making my coconut ice next week.   And posting off all my cards and parcels on Monday.  I am starting to feel organised! 

Have a lovely weekend! xxx