“You can’t put my Mom in a chicken coop!”

Yesterday after milking and chores and the school run we drove to the city and I dropped the cooking oil car off with the mechanic. It was a two and a half hour round trip just to get there and back. The mechanic is my new best friend.  He totally ignored my accent, and my smile. He did not stare wide-eyed at me while I spoke, then ask me to repeat myself.  He was just blown away that I had driven a manual, diesel Volkswagon Golf into his garage.   Not every day you see one of these he laughed as he practically ran me down getting to the little car to give it a pat and check its fetlocks for heat.

Though he had to jog after me as I left because he had forgotton to get me to sign a piece of paper. Then bless him he stood holding the sheet of paper looking longingly at my car and said “Do you need a ride anywhere. Can I drive you somewhere?” 

My Mother in law pulled impatiently forward in her big black dark faced jeep. He saw me see her, nodded sadly and backed back into the shadow of his workshop.

On the way home we looked and looked for an old fashioned chicken coop. The Matriarch  spoke of how even in town her mother and aunts had smaller versions of them. Always facing south she said. To catch the sun.  Every farm used to have one. All sizes. A long slanted roof that started low to the ground, rose up then dropped and then a flat face full of windows that faced the sun. Like an N but without the last stroke upwards  stroke of the pen.  I will have to draw you another picture I think. 

Maximum light gives maximum eggs. We only found one in that whole drive.

On a very old farm that someone has forgotton to knock down and bury.  I tried knocking on the door but no-one was home. Everything was original.  It was almost magical. With the owner absent I could not take any closer shots.  And this is not exactly what I am looking for. It is nothing like the N and it has a little extra built out to the South. But I am getting closer. And you get the beginnings of the idea.

You can’t put my Mom in a chicken coop laughed John. But he agrees that the shape of the structure will blend with the collection of old buildings we already have.

Something brand new will make the rest look old. You know what I mean? We have to be careful of that.  These old hen houses used to be everywhere so to introduce one back into the landscape will not make too big a mark.

Good morning. John’s friend has told me of two cribs (I will take a shot of a crib for you, it is a little barn with a tunnel right through it where they stored corn ) that are being torn down.  Soon I shall find them and begin to salvage wood for the interiors.  Now that really will be a dangerous job.

OK it is 6am. Time for work.  You have a lovely day.

celi

On this day last year  – more wine less whine . Some nice shots of the grapes before my macro extension got stuck onto this lens with its other end gripping my camera body. It took me three days to get off the camera so naturally I am not risking putting it back in. Anyone know how to get an extension off a lens after the pins have sheered?