tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5879795385972045418.post8099398328765346402..comments2024-03-26T00:26:19.756-07:00Comments on The Bluebirds are Nesting...: Feather your Nest Friday, 11 January, 2019.Annabelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09027539528156492413noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5879795385972045418.post-18586006689390240472019-01-16T20:53:48.215-08:002019-01-16T20:53:48.215-08:00Annabel, happy belated birthday. I am a tad late. ...Annabel, happy belated birthday. I am a tad late. I am wondering where your blog was printed out as I know it could be done in the US years ago but not in Australia. What a lovely gift to receive. I would like to get the stories for my grandchildren on my blog post printed out one of these days. Nanna Chelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07500527266771727074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5879795385972045418.post-8084263069920784112019-01-13T03:12:44.703-08:002019-01-13T03:12:44.703-08:00Dear Vicky,
Having used a toaster oven for a long ...Dear Vicky,<br />Having used a toaster oven for a long time one of the things I found was that it will cook everything much faster<br />than my regular oven did, especially if I'm baking. What has worked really well in mine is to shorten the baking time or lowed the temperature a few degrees. Hope this helps. CookidAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5879795385972045418.post-59299553908866421112019-01-13T01:20:27.394-08:002019-01-13T01:20:27.394-08:00Dear Annabel
I joined a FB page - dehydrating diva...Dear Annabel<br />I joined a FB page - dehydrating divas and dudes and have learnt so much. There are a lot of Australians on the page so lots of information from both really experienced and not so experienced users of dehydrators. <br /><br />I have read so much and any time something popped up that I knew I would possibly use I read the information a couple of times. <br /><br />The first thing I tried was strawberries, used a plastic egg slicer to cut them but it wasn't strong enough so I resorted to using a knife. The second thing I did was some mushrooms that were not going to get used. Both are in jars in their slices.<br /><br />The celery bits worked out great, I have powdered them and they are a wonderful green colour - now I can tackle the Moringa tree.<br /><br />Sometimes builders are locked into using particular suppliers - this can mean that prices can be more than double what others will charge. Storage will be out problem so I am researching and waiting until we have a start date. <br /><br />Hope you have had a wonderful Sunday - empty house tomorrow so I will get stuck into some cleaning. <br /><br />Lynette Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5879795385972045418.post-83092458479004325062019-01-12T23:41:30.953-08:002019-01-12T23:41:30.953-08:00Dear Leanne, I am glad you feel on rack to meet yo...Dear Leanne, I am glad you feel on rack to meet your targets! I hope you do!<br />All the apricots sound beautiful. Apricots are a favourite here. They are very useful too even is sweet or savoury. Have a wonderful new week! With love, Annabel.xxxAnnabelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09027539528156492413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5879795385972045418.post-11929782228535941072019-01-12T23:40:10.173-08:002019-01-12T23:40:10.173-08:00Dear Gail, Haha I didnt realise my own joke!! I a...Dear Gail, Haha I didnt realise my own joke!! I am so happy with those books. My new vac is amazing and I love it... I did a big clean and washed the filters etc. So pleased. Have a good new week! With love Annabel.xxxAnnabelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09027539528156492413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5879795385972045418.post-5540788103438152832019-01-12T23:38:41.760-08:002019-01-12T23:38:41.760-08:00Dear Kathy, Oh that op shop find!! I imagine it wo...Dear Kathy, Oh that op shop find!! I imagine it would be worth hundreds. Wow that was wonderful! You are set! You had both hard work and good luck to make a really good week! The canned peaches are great. I have a cobbler recipe for them if you need it let me know.<br />Have a really good new week! With much love, Annabel.xxx<br />Annabelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09027539528156492413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5879795385972045418.post-87300858798024340352019-01-12T23:31:57.680-08:002019-01-12T23:31:57.680-08:00Dear Lynette, The doctors fe was a shock but you m...Dear Lynette, The doctors fe was a shock but you more than made it up with the great savings on the oven! I know too you will save a lot with being able to shop around for windows and doors etc as you have used salvaged items before with huge savings. You are good at research and hunting down bargain so this will be a great help.<br />We have been doing the hams also for hot days. I baked one a couple of nights ago for the hot days and it is so good. I just do so many meat and salad type dinners. Its like a holiday and the oven stays off.<br />I am planning to dehydrate loads of the pears and apples. I am wondering how hick to cut them that is my main issue.<br />I hope you are having a lovely Sunday and off to a good start for a new week! With much love, Annabel.xxxAnnabelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09027539528156492413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5879795385972045418.post-38580527993777300402019-01-12T22:07:03.314-08:002019-01-12T22:07:03.314-08:00Dear Jo, Thanks so much! I am working away so I h...Dear Jo, Thanks so much! I am working away so I have things to report on Tuesday plus there will be a report here for the non fb group. For some of us this will mean a double dose but all the ideas are entirely different!! So far I have a lot to post here on Tuesday as well! Everyone is up and running and it is wonderful! Thank you for your support! With love Annabel.xxxAnnabelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09027539528156492413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5879795385972045418.post-24346161239037192252019-01-12T22:05:10.395-08:002019-01-12T22:05:10.395-08:00Dear Jen, I know you are so busy in gardening seas...Dear Jen, I know you are so busy in gardening season. So this is good! I will look forward to seeing what you have made. You always make amazing things!<br />When I was painting I would make my goal to paint a door or paint a wall... not paint the whole room. I got things done in this way, breaking it down to manageable lots. I was amazed then as I would often do more once I got going!<br />We are off to a good start for the year!! I hope to keep my momentum going... with love Annabel.xxxAnnabelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09027539528156492413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5879795385972045418.post-42524678180839534432019-01-12T17:13:37.620-08:002019-01-12T17:13:37.620-08:00Jen in NS,
The toaster oven is a really big help I...Jen in NS,<br />The toaster oven is a really big help I am big on multitasking and I don't think I pay enough attention. I have come to enjoy a burnt muffin with my coffee haha!!! It does save us though unless I'm doing alot of baking at once. <br />XOXO<br />VickyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5879795385972045418.post-64411763203550874682019-01-12T14:50:04.703-08:002019-01-12T14:50:04.703-08:00Dear Vicky,
Soup sounds just right in your weather...Dear Vicky,<br />Soup sounds just right in your weather. The snow would be so pretty but I cant even imagine how cold it gets. Your fire would be so nice though.<br />I hope you dont have medical costs this year. That would help a lot.<br />You did very well saving $40,000 compared to having to pay for that work and pay that out. Imagine that.<br />The runner on the table was left over from Chloe and Lukes wedding! I just set it to good use! <br />I truly hope this year will be much better for you! With love Annabel.xxxAnnabelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09027539528156492413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5879795385972045418.post-76962977829621745942019-01-12T09:08:56.173-08:002019-01-12T09:08:56.173-08:00This is interesting, Vicky. I have been thinking ...This is interesting, Vicky. I have been thinking about doing the same thing: getting a counter-top toaster oven to save on the regular oven use, but I may be doomed to your fate; my Mom never got me an Easy-Bake oven, either! Ha! Ha!<br /><br />xx JEn in NSAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5879795385972045418.post-62840358324361668782019-01-12T09:06:54.846-08:002019-01-12T09:06:54.846-08:00Dear Annabel,
Happy Birthday! I love your outdoo...Dear Annabel,<br /><br />Happy Birthday! I love your outdoor table set. It's funny you mentioned finding the vacuum...I am currently looking to replace ours after 20 years, and am having to do a lot of research, as I have no idea anymore about which vacuums are any good, etc. It would be lovely to find a good one at the side of the road!!! :)<br /><br />We've cleaned all up from Christmas, though things aren't exactly "back to normal", as hubby is still on holidays until Tuesday. I have gotten a few things finished to show for Tuesday, though...so I'll be sending a photo or two. It's felt lovely to get a few things accomplished right off the bat! It's also perfect timing as it is cold here and definitely not gardening season, so I can sit and knit or sew with peace of mind! :) But your photos of fresh basil and sunflowers are a nice burst of remembered color and scent and flavor of summer!<br /><br />I have a big list of little and not-so-little jobs I'd like to get done on the house and yard this year, and I am going to be plunking away at them each week. Some are very small, so I will be able to get something done, even on weeks when I don't have time to tackle big painting jobs, etc. Thanks for the gentle push to make a list of goals!!! I consider this part of the "use it up" and "wise investments" categories, for sure!! :)<br /><br />Hope you have a wonderful weekend.<br /><br />Love, Jen in NSAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5879795385972045418.post-87854099926164002019-01-12T03:51:48.004-08:002019-01-12T03:51:48.004-08:00Dear Terri, Wow 24 hour shifts! I dont know how ...Dear Terri, Wow 24 hour shifts! I dont know how he does it. I can see he would love his big breakfast!<br />It is a good tactic having the Grandson help with the meal. I am glad he ate so well! <br />I will reply here also to your comment on the challenge... I knew you would like it since you always set things to use and make things, decorate etc. I have been thinking of many things in a slightly different way and getting more milage and uses from things and less waste overall. So it is helping me and I do well with a challenge!<br />Have a lovely weekend Terri! With love Annabel.xxxAnnabelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09027539528156492413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5879795385972045418.post-10380603469069008522019-01-12T03:48:06.648-08:002019-01-12T03:48:06.648-08:00Dear Kay, How nice to have your son and family mov...Dear Kay, How nice to have your son and family moving close by! We are in summer here. If there is a bad flu overseas then that tends to flow to here come Autumn. Hand washing is number one for sure. I also will have Plague defence or On Guard in the diffuser... I make it up into roller balls to take with me everywhere and little spray bottles too. The flu worries me now since I ended up in hospital one year and two years ago my baby Granddaughter got it badly and just screamed and screamed and it was just shocking. Not the though upsets me. So we will be doing all we can. I do hope you avoid it, you are doing the right things! With love Annabel.xxxAnnabelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09027539528156492413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5879795385972045418.post-88186940100701121422019-01-12T00:27:22.702-08:002019-01-12T00:27:22.702-08:00Dear Annabel
Happy Birthday. Such a thoughtful gif...Dear Annabel<br />Happy Birthday. Such a thoughtful gift from your daughter, truely a gift of love.<br />I’ve been very lucky this week, my eldest daughter gave me a bag of apricots which I stewed and my youngest a container of raspberries which I froze.<br />Our new garden is starting to produce berries but just enough for a taste with cereal or as a garnish on dessert, next year will be better. <br />This week my husband replaced the shelves in the wardrobes, for some reason they had been removed by the previous owners. He has also built a shelf above the door in the toilet to stack toilet paper on, this is a smaller house than we had previously and we are having to be a bit inventive when it comes to storage. It is very easy to keep clean though and with the double glazed windows we’ve had fitted and solar panels, very economical to run.<br />I’ve been eating from the pantry and freezer and searching my recipe books so we have something a bit different, I felt I was in a bit of a rut with my menu plan.<br />I’m really enjoying your stories of the farm, it is a wonderful way of life, our farming days are over, but we are still able to have chickens, bees and a vegetable garden whilst living in a small country town.<br />Best Wishes<br />SusanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5879795385972045418.post-64990698679579414772019-01-11T22:11:42.784-08:002019-01-11T22:11:42.784-08:00Dear Kelly,
I have always known a blog or photos o...Dear Kelly,<br />I have always known a blog or photos on the internet can be lost. And last year was such an adventure for us... so I am so happy to have it printed. I hope someday the Grandchildren will read our adventure!<br />I am looking forward to Tuesday too! The first one was amazing!! I am working away so I have something decent to report! Have a good weekend! With love Annabel.xxxAnnabelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09027539528156492413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5879795385972045418.post-62785907236367223442019-01-11T22:09:52.639-08:002019-01-11T22:09:52.639-08:00Dear Tania, I am so glad you are setting up a craf...Dear Tania, I am so glad you are setting up a craft space. I count your sour dough, kombucha and cooking and preserves all in the making things challenge.<br />I am glad you are looking forward to Tuesday! So am I! We had so many amazing ideas shared in week one. From this I got a whole list of ideas. Plus I am conscious that Tuesday is coming... and it drives me on to hurry up and get stuff done. So it is working for me!<br />I am thinking it would be hot there again today. And I see some real heat ahead for us here so no doubt you will have that too. These times it is good to stay in the cool as much as possible so it is ideal crafting time, too hot to cook! Stay cool and have a lovely weekend! With love Annabel.xxx<br />Annabelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09027539528156492413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5879795385972045418.post-23337364928155374882019-01-11T22:05:40.594-08:002019-01-11T22:05:40.594-08:00Dear Lana, The book of photos was a wonderful gift...Dear Lana, The book of photos was a wonderful gift for you. Seeing a year in photos is lovely. That was a very considerate gift. <br />I am glad to have the blog printed for last year as it was such a big year like an adventure for us. It is family history in the making!<br />Have a good weekend and new week! with love Annabel.xxxAnnabelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09027539528156492413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5879795385972045418.post-12171926497674247082019-01-11T22:03:37.678-08:002019-01-11T22:03:37.678-08:00Dear Clare,
I have that lovely book! It has so ma...Dear Clare,<br />I have that lovely book! It has so many lovely and charming ideas in it. I am trying the sun tea also!<br />Making donuts will be great fun, maybe for back to school time too! Twelve is a good age for some cooking fun too. What a good find!<br />The choc chip cookies and sausage rolls sound just yum. If you have spare sausage rolls they freeze very well.<br />You did very well since having visitors usually slows down everything else! Have a good weekend! With love, Annabel.xxx<br />Annabelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09027539528156492413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5879795385972045418.post-69038949484166462842019-01-11T21:36:44.447-08:002019-01-11T21:36:44.447-08:00Dear Lorna, It sounds like you have a wonderful n...Dear Lorna, It sounds like you have a wonderful neighbour! How fantastic! Having a good neighbour is beneficial in many ways. I am sure you will soon be doing all kinds of swaps with her too as she will be amazed when your own garden is up and running. I love everything she gave you.So helpful.<br />Your husband saved such a lot with all the work he did. Not calling a plumber for instance is a big saving!<br />Cooking is the most amazing saver. The brownies for instance... it is good to know the shop prices and work it out as you have done. It is a huge difference. I always think a days baking can add so many dollars to the household.<br />Well done one a very good week. It is like here... I can see you are tackling things that need to be done and probably like here your list is long! But each week it all adds up and we are really seeing the results now. Anyone who comes here that came originally is just amazed!! <br />Have a lovely weekend! With love, Annabel.xxxAnnabelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09027539528156492413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5879795385972045418.post-22625811895340161172019-01-11T21:28:57.779-08:002019-01-11T21:28:57.779-08:00Happy birthday dear Annabel, glad you had a lovely...Happy birthday dear Annabel, glad you had a lovely week. Love the book that Chloe gave you, what a great keepsake. Loving the posts in The Tuesday afternoon club, I check it out every day to see what wonderful things the ladies are up to. Have a lovely weekend. Love Jo Roberts Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14775910979842740514noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5879795385972045418.post-6472414965495754752019-01-11T21:27:23.602-08:002019-01-11T21:27:23.602-08:00Annabel,
You are getting things set up looking so ...Annabel,<br />You are getting things set up looking so lovely! I absolutely love the table and chairs, I have that exact same runner on my dining room table haha great minds think alike! And what a wonderful gift to have your blog printed Happy Birthday sweetheart! <br />It was a rough year, but I am happy to report that our savings was still over $40 thousand for 2018. Keeping labor costs down has been a big help. This year I am praying we don't have to pay out a bunch in medical costs. I am hoping to beat that amount this year. The little things really do add up over a year's time. <br />We finally got a little snow it is so pretty, but I'm glad it hasn't been much this winter. We have been saving on the electric by using one of those counter top toaster ovens for many things, but.... sigh... I burn everything when I use it. Everybody turns their nose up at those black, crunchy delights I offer asking what it was supposed to be. I told mum it's her fault because she never bought me an Easy Bake Oven as a child. Lol.<br />I am making over some large tins and donated lots of things over the last few weeks as I go throughout my day to declutter. <br />I made a batch of orange vinegar from orange peels.<br />I got a magazine in the mail that had a lot of the rub on perfume samples in it so I tore them out and put them in different drawers as sachets. Only the ones that I liked though. <br />I mended one of Rick's shirts and cut his hair. <br />Since it's cold lots of soup has been on the menu and I make enough to last a few days. <br />I got free samples in the mail and we are burning wood to heat the house. It stays nice and toasty. <br />I made bone broth and added it to the cellar and did limited grocery shopping just to get milk and veggies. <br />I hope everyone has a great weekend! <br />XOXO<br />Vicky<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5879795385972045418.post-49096876840737617362019-01-11T20:22:18.807-08:002019-01-11T20:22:18.807-08:00Dear Jenn,
I will be excited to see what you are w...Dear Jenn,<br />I will be excited to see what you are working on! I love the idea of the sidewalk sale and the way you picked up some great supplies!! Your group sounds really good by the way! I am working towards Tuesday too! With much love Annabel.xxxAnnabelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09027539528156492413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5879795385972045418.post-54345248054954175712019-01-11T20:16:28.326-08:002019-01-11T20:16:28.326-08:00Dear Jen, I am glad you had such a nice time away ...Dear Jen, I am glad you had such a nice time away and the kids thrived on it!<br />I think holidays are wonderful for kids and are full of new experiences.<br />I am glad you liked the 2019 posts. I love doing a kind of stocktake and deciding the direction we need to go. It sounds like you know what needs doing and have a plan. I hope you have a very good new year. Enjoy the school holidays... I remember it would be first day back at school that I would spend all day cleaning and getting back on track! We did a lot of cooking together the last days of the holidays so they had nice things to take on the first days. The girls loved that! (and learned a fair bit of cooking)<br />Have a good weekend! With love Annabel.xxxAnnabelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09027539528156492413noreply@blogger.com