The little birds...

If you watch little birds you will see they are busy and happy! Using whatever they can find they create the most gorgeous little nest.
I would be the little bird with some glittery thread in her nest!
We can be like this. Happily working away with the things that are available to us to create a beautiful and happy home.
All the while with a little song in our heart.

Banner by Free Pretty Things for You.

Saturday 4 April 2020

Pantries and Preparedness 2020. Bartering part two and little bits of information.

My last post was about bartering and how now more than ever this is so helpful.  Since, I have had a realisation...  nothing is normal and you cannot assume anything!   Someone I know who has a highly paid job and one would (wrongly assume)  have everything they need could not get masks, hand sanitiser and several grocery basics.  She was just doing without.  And so I realised... money now cannot buy many things people want.  This is why we prepare and why money in the bank is not always the number one wise way to save.  What if you have money but it will not buy you the things you need?  At times like these money might not help if the availability isn't there.    We need to diversify and not have all our eggs in one basket!
So if we have chickens, a garden, we can sew, we can cook, we have useful skills.... we might be able to provide things that money cannot buy!

So I sat and sewed some more masks and gathered some eggs for my friend.  I might as well have given her gold!   It is as though all the normal things we get excited about are out the window!  Now a bag of flour... rolls of toilet paper and antibacterial wipes get the reaction once reserved for much fancier stuff!    This gives us a lot of ways to help others and in a significant way.



This applies in other ways too.  I think it has always been lovely to send someone a hand written letter or card.  But now it could mean so much to someone isolated.  Many quite ordinary things are bigger now.  We thanked our Pharmacist in writing for his help to us and this also got a reaction that was way more than I would have guessed.  People seem to be so thirsty for some kindness and gratitude.  This might come because I have heard the chemists are abused when they cannot supply goods in shortage... and that doctors, nurses and ambulance officers are being abused too.  They could so with some kindness and a show of thanks.

Now I want to share something Rachel wrote to me.   She bartered her way though a whole day quite miraculously.  And I think this is inspiring and lovely!


 MY AMAZING DAY!

        Yesterday was an amazing day for me! I had been up early, and had travelled to town for the mechanic to do further testing on my car. It was losing large quantities of water, and the idea was to test another alternative method for repair, instead of having to replace a $250 part.
It was Dad who mentioned, in good humour, that I was there to clean the windows (as I now do window cleaning for income), and the mechanic said to go right ahead whenever it suited me! Since the supermarkets were not yet open, the mechanic shop’s windows, tracks and sills were treated to a rare cleaning! The mechanic was pleased.

        Dad chauffeured me through the day. We visited several supermarkets so that I could buy basics. It was good to see that most stock was on the shelf. There was even flour in one shop, although I didn’t buy any because I grind wheat at home using an electric mill, and find this very satisfying!

        I had shops to call back to regarding window cleaning. At the new little picker’s shop   (selling antiques and modern items of interest), I was prepared. Another window cleaner had underquoted me, so I was ready to match his lower price and get the job back! As per prior arrangements, I took the owner a set of six tiny Italian, gold-plated coffee cups with saucers. He sat down to review the price that we would agree on. He had previously suggested bartering when he had seen that I was interested in a pair of easy-moving old sheep shears that would suit my hands when cutting greens for my chooks. When the owner said that he could not afford the window cleaning that day, with everything being so quiet, I made a suggestion, and he was very interested to carry it through! So, I contributed the gold coffee cups and saucers, which I had no use for, and I cleaned his shop windows. In return, I took home a very useful pair of shears and a kitchen tool which cuts a potato into chips!! Inside the bag, too, he had added a couple of chocolate bars for my Dad and I to eat on the way home!!

Back at the mechanic’s, to pick up the car, the apprentice gave us a message that my costs would be covered by my window cleaning. The boss had to bring my car keys back, and he confirmed the message. He said that, if I was happy, he was happy, and we called it even! The car was fixed, saving a huge bill, and the miracle is that it cost me nothing but my window cleaning!

I know that we can’t just make bartering happen, just as I don’t find window cleaning jobs just jumping out at me! Ha ha! What we can do, however, is to be prepared, and realise that money is not what matters most. If I do my bit, and people see that I am genuinely trying and doing a good job, then, somehow, there are some people who respond  out of the goodness of their heart.

We bartered, and it was an amazing day!!


I love this, thank you Rachel!  💕

So we might not need goods to barter with but skills and acts of help or service.  I am considering more what assets I have.   Whether to barter with or to give to help someone.   I have lots of pretty cards and writing paper.   I can send mail.

My eyes have opened to more things I could barter with and gift.   I made a short list in the last post.  I knew eggs are good!   I listed herbs and Bay Leaves.  But each day I have realised how many more things I have!  I can make laundry liquid and I have the ingredients to make loads.




I can make soap!  What was I thinking!?  Everyone needs soap and I have everything on hand.  I am thinking to make little sized soaps and putting them in little tins so where ever you go a small soap is with you.  In The Tuesday Club Heike did this and I thought just now that is the nicest gift ever! 


So be encouraged, be productive and creative with what you can lay your hands on and what you have.   If you want to make masks and have no sewing machine then hand stitch.  If you have no fabric then cut up an old pillowcase.  Be resourceful.   Let everyone know what you are needing... people have all kinds of things in the back of the cupboard!  It is ok to ask.    I am about to ask for help with a few things I cannot do and I will be offering cooking as my trade.  I have apples to dehydrate so bags of dried apple will be added to my list.  Last year I did trade those to get the gutters cleaned out!

So wish me luck and I wish you every success as we realise our skills and many ordinary things are now worth more than gold! xxx






42 comments:

  1. Love this. Thanks for a very positive and inspirational post!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Cheryl!

      We all need positive inspiration right now! Bartering can be so much fun!

      Rachel

      Delete
  2. Great job Rachel! You had an amazing bartering day thank you for sharing!

    Annabel,
    We do gift a lot, but as you know we barter a lot too and it really is a good thing. There are some people who will not accept a gift, but will barter.
    I too have chickens, plenty of soap, canned goods, and some medical supplies too along with menstrual pads and even baking. And we have also traded labor many times. And when people know you barter they are not afraid to ask you so I think for people who are uncomfortable asking this makes it easier for them.
    XOXO
    Vicky

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Vicky!

      I have learnt from the best! Haha!

      Rachel

      Delete
  3. Love this post!

    I'm making masks for my kids and grands. Hoping to barter some time on a Zoom call with them. ~smile~
    Cheri

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Cheri!

      Enjoy making the masks, and the bartering!!

      Rachel

      Delete
  4. Dear Annabel and Rachel,
    Thank you Rachel for sharing your "Amazing Day" with us. My Dad always said for us to "find a need and fill it", which you definitely did with amazing results. It certainly shines a light as to the real goodness of people.

    So far I have only bartered with my sewing friends for supplies that we may each have run out of, like elastic for masks, non-woven interfacing for masks, thread and sewing machine needles. We have been mailing things back and forth and it has been working well. Annabel, after I saw you mentioning bartering soap I remembered that last year everytime there was a coupon at the craft store I stocked up on melt and pour goats milk soap, and also pink clay to add to it.
    So I will have a quick and easy thing to make and perhaps barter should the occasion arise, or just soap for the family. Dish clothes and spa clothes are another thing that would be easy to continue making and barter with soaps. My aloe plants are always producing babies and are so helpful with first aid for minor burns it is something else that could be bartered.

    I found this recipe on line for anyone who needs wipes for their home. It called for 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol, 1 cup of water and 1 tsp. of Dawn or other dishwashing liquid. Mix together and put into a spray bottle or cut cloth wipes and place the wipes in a jar and pour the solution over it. It will make approximately 2 dozen cloth wipes, depending on the size you cut and are reuseable. I hope sharing this will be helpful to you. I know my husband who made our very last trip to the store for some time to come said the shelves for such things were empty. Stay safe everyone. Blessings, Cookie


    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for that recipe, Cookie!!!

      Delete
    2. Thank you, Cookie!!

      Yes, bartering could not work without the goodness of people!! I like your Dad’s quote, “Find a need and fill it”. I pair this up with advice from Vicky’s Rick who looks at what people do not want, and makes an opportunity from that! Maybe the need is to get rid of something!

      That is so sweet - mailing sewing supplies among friends! Thank you for typing out the recipe!

      I am beginning to see a pattern in these difficult times. I think people are looking for values, not money.

      Rachel

      Delete
  5. I have always thought that yes, you need money saved up, but you also need things at home that will run out as soon as there is a problem, and then all the money in the world can't buy it! What I found around here is that Bread is in short supply, and even if people have flour, most don't know how to bake bread! So baking bread and bartering with that is a great option. Thanks so much for your posts, I always look forward in reading them

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much! Yes flour here is short supply... ad I notice yeast too. So sour dough is also a good skill as then no need to every buy yeast! And my friend makes a very good beer bread and it rises very well! The yeast in the beer! These skills are so valuable and I think fresh bread will always be popular! xxx

      Delete
    2. I have been so thankful that we have baked our own bread for years and had 50 pounds of bread flour and 3 pounds of yeast on hand. We went right on just like we always have.

      Delete
  6. Rachel that was an amazing bartering day you had. To get the car work done for the window cleaning was quite a good trade for you and the mechanic.
    Annabel you amaze me with all that you do and the trading that you do. I mentioned this to Bluey and he pointed out that we do a lot as well.
    Yesterday was a prime example. He got on his ride on and started off doing the verges at our end of the street. One of the neighbours asked what Bluey charged to do the lawn, as a joke. Bluey know he makes his own spirits and that I am getting low on the alcohol for making hand sanitiser and wipes. Bluey swapped him mowing the lawn for a bottle of whiskey and some pure alcohol for me.
    Last weekend another neighbour, who goes fishing nearly everyday, had a Birthday. I put together several small pots with herbs growing in them. I placed these pots in a tray and added some lemons and some Kaffir lim leaves. It was his fish cooking herb parcel. He loved it. A couple of other people at the party asked for different herbs. I now have pak choy seedlings, lettuce seedlings and some sunflower seeds from one person and the promise of fish from another.
    My pantry and freezer is remaining well stocked with very little monetary costs.
    Bluey had some work done on his beloved mantruck just before all the virus madness. Another neighbour owns a steel manufacturing plant where the specialise in stainless steel. We traded three bottles of wine, a good wine but one neither of us likes, for six stainless steel hinges and clamps that go on the tray of the mantruck. We both felt like we got a really good deal.
    Skills swaps and direct swaps all end up balancing out, with all parties feeling satisfied with the outcome. The cashless economy is still alive and well and growing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Jane!

      I quite admire your innovative bartering exercises! You are such fair dinkum Aussies!!

      Rachel

      Delete
    2. Dear Jane,
      You do a ton of trading. I think for you two it is so normal you hardly notice. I love Blueys trade. Alcohol for a sanitiser is excellent! This is valuable!
      I love the fish cooking herb gift! I also love trading for fish and the variety of things you are ending up with. Also that you put each thing to good use.
      The wine for parts was also an amazing trade. Jane soap making never was such a useful skill. But also general can do attitude and make do and mend too. I thought of heat packs on my list as I have fabric and grain and down here it gets cold so warmth and comfort... equals another thing I can make with what I have. Have a very good new week. (with some good trading!) with love Annabel.xxx

      Delete
  7. Dear Annabel,
    At 29 years old, I think my old fashioned hobbies have finally made me popular lol! I agree that with all of this going on, bartering will be more common and those of us who are afraid to ask can brush that fear aside. Eggs and a sack of potatoes are worth their weight in gold these days.
    I got a haircut several weeks ago before things started getting crazy, and I thought to ask if I could pay the girl in eggs but I was too embarrassed. Then when she finished she ended up telling me to pay her in eggs! Now I feel very confident and like I am truly helping someone if I give/trade them food items or some other useful thing. Things like soap, essential oil roller bottles, disinfecting spray, cleaning products, food, craft supplies, clothing items, plants, seeds, chickens, or anything else that someone might want or need are all very useful trade items. Like you said, money can't buy some of those things right now so there has to be some other way.
    I love that you thanked your pharmacist. Some people have been very rude and ugly, but others have been so kind and go out of their way to help others that it really is nice to see those acts of kindness.
    Rachel, you really did have an amazing day! Well done on your bartering. It looks like it was a win/win for everyone involved.
    Love, Kelsey

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Kelsey, I think you were made for such a time as this!! Eggs will be so valuable! Soap, essential oils... plants... seeds and chickens they are all on the worth more than gold list! See you have been preparing and working so hard. Like with us God moved you out of the town to the ranch! All you have done there has really prepared you. This is so good.
      I am seeing some that are serving others to such an extent they are exhausted. You will see this. They really are heroes. Many ordinary people are actually heroes. I think tough times sort people out as there are some that quietly help their neighbours and country and others that are dreadful. More than ever we need to speed kindness and I know you bless everyone you meet. Save all the seeds from your garden that you can as seeds seem to be becoming hard to get also! With much love Annabel.xxx

      Delete
    2. It's funny you said that, Annabel. I've had a blog post brewing in my mind about "such a time as this" and how our skills are really going to serve us more than ever.

      Delete
    3. Dear Kelsey!

      I am hoping that, as this virus subsides, we will keep building on our learning experiences, and our projects! Keep going! I am super proud of you!

      People everywhere need help! After this is over, we will remember who was helpful!

      You are a blessing to the world!!

      Rachel

      Delete
  8. I think the little soaps in tins is a genius idea, definitely do that!
    I think the major reason I don't barter is that I undervalue my skills, I tend to think 'well, anyone can do that' and in reality they probably could, but they don't. Definitely food for thought, I need to have a good old talk to myself!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Su, We have all been like this I think. It took me a long time to think what I make could be used as a gift. Eventually cafes bought my cooking and a boutique bought my embroidery... and gradually I became more confident. But truly simple things like a basic cake, a pie... people go mad over... and now there are needs, a simple face mask, some veggies or eggs they are a help. Things do not need to be fancy... if they are a need or helpful they will be appreciated! Yes truly step out a little bit... you will be amazed! With love Annabel.xxx

      Delete
  9. Annabel I love this post.
    Rachel that is so cool, your amazing day of bartering. I am redoing my garden. I had a plant my mother mentioned she had always wanted. I asked her during the week if she would like it still. Yesterday I removed it from the garden and soaked it in a bucket of water overnight. Today I used an old recycling bin that we use for plants. Filled it with compost and potting mix with the soil, then put the plant in. It will be quite happy in here until our lock down is over and I can get it do them. My mum and dad are great to us, so I love being able to help in return.

    Manday(NZ)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Mandy!

      These things allow us to return home with an extra grateful heart!

      Thank you for your comment!

      Rachel

      Delete
  10. Annabel I love this post.
    Rachel that is so cool, your amazing day of bartering. I am redoing my garden. I had a plant my mother mentioned she had always wanted. I asked her during the week if she would like it still. Yesterday I removed it from the garden and soaked it in a bucket of water overnight. Today I used an old recycling bin that we use for plants. Filled it with compost and potting mix with the soil, then put the plant in. It will be quite happy in here until our lock down is over and I can get it do them. My mum and dad are great to us, so I love being able to help in return.

    Manday(NZ)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Mandy, I hope the plant will do well for your Mum! She will be so pleased! I am being inventive i the garden since I am not going to the nursery and they have no seedlings anyway. Lots of moving things around! With love Annabel.xxx

      Delete
  11. Thank you for the lovely post, Annabel. I am now rethinking bartering. I've always been intrigued by it and am very giving in nature but do have a hard time making a bartering suggestion. I'm kicking around the idea of starting a Facebook group for our area since we are very rural and don't really have next door neighbors. I now realize I can bake bread and other items, make cleaning supplies, and my husband is a very gifted wood and metal worker so he has many skills that are useful to others.

    Rachel, thank you for sharing your beautiful day! That was very inspirational :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Jenny!

      I am finding that the Almighty saves the miracles for when we need them!

      Your idea of a rural facebook page sounds good!

      I have loved the bartering stories that Bluebirds have told over the years. I think this is something that some of us only use because we need to! I have already offered more bartering, and the offer has been appreciated.

      I hope to read more stories of bartering!!

      Rachel

      Delete
  12. When I was at boarding school my sewing skills were non existent. My friend said she would sew on a button which had come off my uniform if I would read aloud to her before bed. I think back to those times with great fondness - everyone benefitted and the other girls in the dorm would listen to the story too.
    I don't often use the word bartering but that is exactly what we do with family, friends and neighbours. Our friend comes over ( in normal times!) to lend his labour when my husband is doing heavy work and then my husband goes to their place when they need help. The family shares many things which benefits everyone and we swap fruit and homegrown veg with our neighbours for varieties they have grown. My husband often drops off a brace of pheasants during the season to neighbours and they often respond with a bottle of wine. One of our nicest swaps is to take a cake to some farming friends during lambing season in return for cuddling lambs!Again not this year. As my parents always said fair exchange is no robbery.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My partner reads to me whilst I knit, you'd be amazed how many people are envious of this!

      Delete
    2. Dear Penny!

      How lovely it is that you can trade so well with your neighbours, and for quality resources, too!!

      My favourite is the exchange of a cake for cuddles of lambs! That is so very beautiful!

      Thank you for your comment!

      Rachel

      Delete
  13. I traded Whiskey for shotgun shells today. LOL

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You must live in the southern US!! That how we roll around here!

      Delete
  14. I've said for years that a pantry was one of the best 'emergency funds' we could ever have. I had not thought about skills though! My nearest neighbor is my son and his family. They have chickens and supply us with eggs. He hunts in season and has been generous in giving us ground venison. With all this going on we're all staying home as much as we can and if any of us have a reason to go out we check to see what is needed. Two weeks ago they needed milk and bread. Just the night before my daughter had been in the same store and there was no milk..but we were able to get the limit of one for my son's family. Last week we shopped on Wednesday getting most of our month's supply of food. I asked Bess what was needed: she wanted frozen veg. I picked up what she requested and shared my fresh broccoli and a few other items with her. Well she went shopping the next day (their pay day) and the store was wiped clean. The same store that had been pretty well stocked the day before!

    Because they supply us with eggs, I've started separating compost items into those that the chickens can eat and those that they won't. About twice a week I send over a packet of 'chicken feed'.

    In some of the US people are unable to buy seeds. They are considered "nonessential' items! Little packets of seeds would be a Godsend to some and might well be bartered for services or other goods.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Terri!!

      You are certainly on the right track! A pantry, and a deep one, is a beautiful help in times of trouble.

      I love that you have remembered to help out the chickens with your scraps!

      Seed is difficult to obtain here, too. I was grateful to find an Australian seller advertising a cool season pack of vegetable seeds on ebay. The ad said that there were more than ten packs available. That didn’t sound like much, so I snapped one up, and am sharing it with my parents!

      Thank you for your comment!

      Rachel

      Delete
  15. Annabel you are so right that money cannot buy everything but if you have skills, goods you can produce or make or an overabundance of something there is always the chance to trade with someone.

    Wishing you luck with all the trades you have planned and hope they all work nicely for you.

    Rachel what a top day of trading with a few blessings just thrown in there from God I would say.

    Isn't it good to do service for others who need it in difficult times.

    We today were splitting ironbark firewood we received in a trade for helping an elder neighbour clear trees off her property. Knowing she needed help but didn't have the funds we offered and when she mentioned payment we said no how about we trade for the wood instead.

    Have a great week ahead everyone :).

    Sewingcreations15 (Lorna).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Lorna!

      I like what you are doing with easing someone’s burden by trading for the firewood that is leftover from the job!

      I have already noticed, with one of my window cleaning customers, that they are fiercely independent in this difficult time. I hope to find ways to make life better for them!

      Rachel

      Delete
  16. I have always loved the idea of bartering but not many people I know are open to the idea. Maybe that will soon change? I know small acts of kindness mean a great deal to people right now. I gave a cold Coca-Cola to a police officer working at a check-point today. She was grateful and said most people are rude to her.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Bluebird!!

      Your kind gift of a cold drink is what memories are made of!

      Good on you!

      I think, in the current environment, that the offer of a trade is simply a way of alleviating pressure from people - like saying, “It’s okay, we don’t have to keep up with everything in monetary terms.” We may be surprised at how many will appreciate this in the days ahead!

      Rachel

      Delete
  17. Definitely lots of food for thought, here! Thank you very much for sharing, Rachel and Annabel!

    xx Jen in NS

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you very much, Jen!

      Rachel

      Delete
  18. Rachael what a lovely day of bartering you had.:) Annabel yes the things we have are more valuable than gold like the proverbs 31 woman. Currently our Facebook group for bartering or selling is open but with some limitation. I live in San Diego and we are social distancing. If you do use an online platform just remember to be safe. Don't post your address online. Just a general area. We say p.m. For address. We have been doing this for a few years. One bad egg knew where certain people lived and would drive by and just take what she wanted and that was sad for the others. We stopped doing porch pickup but in a rural area where I grew up on a farm we did this all the time.
    When I was a teenager I had two wonderful women that were neighbors of mine. They could cook and croquet lace. These skills actually saved there life during the war because the skills made them an asset.
    Much love,
    Patti from San Diego

    ReplyDelete
  19. Dear Patti!

    Thank you very much for your comment!

    Facebook can certainly be very helpful when it works properly! I recently saw an ad for free chokos here in Australia. The people were nice enough to reply and tell me that they would refill the box, in case I should miss out. I know where to look now!

    These wartime stories are so rich with wisdom. Thank you, Patti!

    Rachel

    ReplyDelete

I really appreciate your comments thank you! The aim of my blog is the be a place of encouragement and happiness. Very rarely is anyone rude. Actually only twice so far! If you post a rude or aggressive comment I will read it but not publish it, thanks for understanding.xxx

Spam is never published... if you are advertising a product or selling website your comment wont be published. I am inundated with stuff about drugs, horses and weird things! I am not going to publish this stuff! Thank you.