Feather your Nest Friday, 14th February, 2020.

As usual I am having internet troubles but I will see how I go!  It could mean rain is coming so that is ok!

This week we had a lovely visitor.  This Wallaby hung around the yard for a day and a night then moved on.

He was somewhat friendly. You can see him looking straight at me but he never hopped away.  Mum has had one in her garden too.  She gave him carrots!

Some of the ways I have built up my nest this week included:

I picked lots of fresh basil from the garden.  I also had fresh homegrown local garlic from a market.

Pesto is so easy to make and it is one of those things that are just all about glorious ingredients.  I am hoping to make another batch tomorrow.  We have warm but not hot weather and a little bit of humidity and things are growing like rockets!
I gave a jar of the Pesto to Lucy.  Scarlett is a big fan.
Lucy sent me a photo of the first meal she made with it.  I have to say her meal is a lot more photogenic than mine, so here is hers!

I also think I can tell you now that Lucy and Kato are expecting a baby mid year!   This is wonderful and we are all so excited.  As you can imagine! 

I made the girls cup cakes and Mum and I took our day trip to visit.  These are beautiful days.

This week I had luck at the op shop!  The thing I needed most was fabric. The ladies in this op shop know me now. I am defiantly a regular.  Because I have looked for bedding for lambs and puppies and all kinds of things they always ask me how everyone is going.  One time a lady helped me by taking me out the back and letting me loose to got through bags and bags of pet bedding.  That was when I found that some of the "pet bedding" was pure wool brand name quilts and underlays that were new!  Some of these were my best buys ever as I paid $5 each and when I got home I googled the brand and price and one of them alone was $880!  Needless to say ever since I have checked the pet bedding!    

Another day a lady helping me find pet bedding was asking so many questions about the lambs.  That day I had twin lambs in a basket in the car so I said come out and see them!  She came out and was so excited and amazed she went back inside and ALL the ladies came out to hold the lambs.  I feel this increased my popularity lol!  

Anyway... this week they asked me what was I after today? So I explained I am sewing everyday and  a bit held up because I have some lovely prints but not plain cottons for backing.  They then took me out the back room and said to feel free to go through boxes of fabrics!  I sat on the ground and went through the boxes.  I found lovely ginghams and plain cottons, just what I needed.  I needed up with about $12 full meters of pure cottons for under $10.   While at it I looked in linens... I found three mattress protectors and grabbed those.  These are to go on the beds in my cottage project.  Each week I have collected for this project.   I also grabbed (for $5) a larger mattress protector. 

Once home this turned out to be inside out... it was in a plastic cover and I had not spread it out... it turned out to be a pure wool thick double bed underlay.  The thick wool type that are usually several hundred dollars.  I don't think it had ever been taken out of the packaging!   Another also turned out to be mislabelled and is a pure wool quilt!   I estimate that one was worth a couple of hundred dollars also!   Sometimes I can't believe it! 

Oh, I also got Dad some bone handled knives and a set of pale blue flannelette sheets.   I was in the op shop so long but it was worth it!  

I got home to the farm at 5 pm and had to run around like mad to get the garden watered and everything done before I ran out of day!  

We started a lot of work on the cottage.  Oh my goodness I can't tell you the mess.  It had putrid rotting carpet, rusted out sinks, dead bees and bugs...  actually scary to be in there.  

For anyone new the cottage is a deserted little house not too far down the driveway from our farm house.  It once was what we would call a single mans cottage.  Or Jackaroo's quarters.  It is not glamorous or stone or anything ... it is just a little hut.  It has two small bedrooms.  It is not fancy at all and needs a lot of work. The inside is so bad there is no way I am showing anyone until I have improved it! 

But I decided it is my 2020 project.  The first year here we were flat out cleaning up around the house, planting gardens, improving fire safety,  getting chickens and making the house nice.  We had so much to do.  I thought the cottage, if neglected for a few more years, could reach the beyond saving stage.  To me that is a waste.   A cottage could be useful... it could generate an alternative income.  So I decided to do it up and make it into a farm/nature/country themed get away.   

It has some things going for it.  There is a lovely little front veranda and it looks out over a gorgeous view,  it is surrounded by beautiful trees and in a very peaceful spot.  I can work with this!

Dad asked me what I was doing with that cottage?  So I told him my plan. He said it was a very good idea and "you are always doing something!" haha!

Several of you have asked me to show it... hope you are not disappointed!  But when I am done you will think it is better!

In the garden (aside from picking the basil) I planted thyme,  capsicums, broccolini and harvested cherry tomatoes. 

My little bit of sewing everyday is getting me miles.  Amongst the things I made were Lettuce and fresh produce bags inspired by Bridget.

I always use cotton bags for hams, lettuces, greens... but I have been using old pillowcases... so now I have upgraded a bit.  Also I made some for gifts and am happy this is a gift that when folded up fits  in a card!  Bonus!  I am always on the look out for gifts I can make that I can post as a very small package or in a card. 

Then I went on to using up left over fabric and made produce bags. These ones are as light as air and to collect your produce from the supermarket.  This saves on so much plastic.  They also fold up so small to take with you... and that means they fit inside a regular card to post too!  

I was able to make seven.

Then I finished another cotton shopping bag. I am completing about one a week.  

Each day I have continued to fight on in the pantry!  I have cleaned, washed jars, filled and labelled, moved things around until it looks tidier, more organised and I have created space.  I have some empty self space I can fill and very happy! 

Now for an animal story.  Each day I go to collect the eggs.  As with everything I do Scout has to come too.  While I feed the chickens, collect eggs, fill water containers and so on Scout sits and watches.  Every single day the four ducks go over to talk to her. 

Scout doesn't bark at them. The chickens take no notice at all.  Just the ducks come over to Scout every single day!   The only animal Scout loves more than the ducks is Eddie.  She adores Eddie (the goat!) I will show some photos of the best friends when I can get them to sit still enough for a photo! I tell the girls these little stories. They love them. To me they are better than a book,  they are so sweet! 

Well, that is my week and it took me so long to post this as photos just didn't want to load. 

Tomorrow we have The Vicky Challenge and Vicky is writing another money saving post. Now this has inspired me and is something I have never done so I am learning too!

How did you save, get ahead and build up your pantry this week?  

I hope it was a good week for you.xxx