Feather your Nest Friday, 24th April, 2020.

This was a pretty good week and we had rain!  It is beautiful and we can see green shooting up in the paddocks and the garden looks good!   Next week we will begin having some bon fries and burn the big heaps of sticks and branches we have been heaping up since Spring last year.  We are really getting somewhere now with tidying up, removal of dead things and the area around the house looks nice.

I beat the rain and picked my pumpkin patch.  I have been waiting for the leaves to die off and the stems to dry.   I have looked forward to this so much!  I was so excited just to have a pumpkin patch!  And it went pretty well!   I took the wheelbarrow and picked each one.  Large and small!

I love pumpkin and the girls both love pumpkin soup.  This will give us many roast meals and giant pots of soup on top of the wood fire.  Also I plan to make up baby food and freeze batches.

Chloe gave me an old table.  I adore it.   When I was little and at school my very favourite thing was the nature table.  We all brought interesting things we found to contribute to it.   There were usually little nests, cocoons and silk worms,  shells and all kinds of bits and pieces.  I took a small lizard once which got away in the classroom lol

Well, the old table has become something that reminds me of the nature table.  I have my pumpkins there and on a shelf underneath.  I see them every time I got outside as they are under the porch to keep them dry.

I am so pleased and already planning how to have an even bigger and better pumpkin patch in Spring.

My veggie patch has been grim... the main patch is just outside the kitchen door.  I decided to take drastic action.  I pulled out everything that was sad and hopeless.  Then I began to bring down some hay each day in the wheelbarrow to add a layer of mulch.   This took all week doing a big load a day. I added chook poop too. I am basically adding anything I can think of.

This was all an act of faith as I had heard there were no seeds or seedlings to buy.    I confirmed this when I went to the nursery.   No seedlings or seeds to be found.  I am a regular customer there and we all chat.  So I got the low down on the situation and they said the four seed companies they buy from we all saying there will be no seeds for the rest of the year.   The staff did say to me they could call me if any seedlings did arrive.  So I said yes please!  Oh it pays to chat as the next morning I got a call!  I was able to ask what came in and the lady listed each thing and I was able to say what I needed.  This all went into a box for me to pick up!  

On top of this a large envelope arrived in the mail.   It contained several sheets like this...

Thank you Carol this made my day.  I have planted some into seedling trays and they are in my warm room.   The rest I sorted into planting times so some are ready for spring.   Rachel then also sent me some seeds!  Thank you Rachel!   And so I think I acted in faith and prepared the garden and the plants and seeds arrived!  Literally everything I needed was provided. 

I realised the great value I now had and feel the importance of increasing the garden.   My biggest hazard is Scout who wanders around and squashes seedlings.    So I decided if you want something done you have to do it yourself and I put a fence around the veggie patch.  Now it is no great wall of China but it keeps the dog out.  It took me most of Tuesday.  Then I planted everything I had.  Tuesday night my legs ached and I had a hot pack!   I felt very accomplished though! 

I cut Andy's hair.

I made scones as I desperately felt like them...

Still working on apples I made more apple puree. 

To make this I fill the pot with apples and not too much water.  When this cooks down I blend it. Then I add more apples and let those cook down.  Then blend that.... it might take three lots of apples before I decide it is thick enough.  I add a little sugar if it needs it.  It is smooth like velvet! 

I also made apple crumble.   It was so nice.  I am planning on making a heap of these tomorrow to share.

Comfort food.  Don't forget it is Autumn here too.  

I made cakes for the girls and three impossible quiches that included Spinach from the garden. 

I wanted to make soaps that are small and suitable to take with you in your handbag.  This was my first attempt and I like them!  They are just drying...

The round ones are about the size of a coin...  I ordered really little tins to put them in and use as gifts since we now all need soap with us as if we are out and there is often no soap.  I am very pleased and it was fun.  I will share the recipe and more photos in The Tuesday Afternoon Club    I thought a small towel could also go with them so there is a whole kit right there to wash and dry your hands.

The left overs were made into liquid hand soap to fill my pump packs.  I added On Guard to this and it smells so good!    I got about three litres of liquid soap.  (a little over 3 Quarts)

Now I look at it I feel very happy with the week.  I have noticed how these times have us thrilled over small things... getting some flour or seedlings,  giving someone a homemade face mask or soap... the prospect of soup from my pumpkins and a pretty letter in the mail.  

Mail is taking longer to arrive but when it does it is a potential boost to someone.  I had sent my Aunt  some masks and a note.  I used a large envelope to avoid a parcel and they fitted!  

My Aunt is in her 80s, I think 84.  She has been staying in to avoid the virus.  She told me she wore a mask and rode her bike as she had a Doctor appointment.  She rode 9 kilometres there then home again...  (18 kilometres is over 11 miles) and this is how she shops also.   We had a wonderful chat and a few laughs.   But my point is there can be so much joy over small and inexpensive things...

I have a Pantries and Preparedness post coming.  This one is about how to garden when seeds and seedlings are in short supply!  And there are many ways! 

How did you keep things going, get ahead, put food on the table or add to your pantry this week?

Have a lovely weekend! xxx