The Coupe Rises and a Wee Walkabout (Part One)

Yesterday was a very big day in the project to build a self contained cabin attached to the house. It is called the Coupe because I styled it on the old chicken coops that used to be in the farmyards of every farm around here. Using the sun to warm it and design to cool it. Though I added height. Light and space are a mantra in my designs.

The Coupe is for the Matriarch to retire to when she is ready to be old. She is certainly not ready to retire to the farm yet so until then it will be a guest house and writers retreat.

The Coupe is spelt this way because The Matriarchs son’s collect cars and jeeps and things with wheels (and some things without wheels or even motors) and she has always encouraged them in this deeply American endeavour. So the Coop got changed to the Coupe.

Here is The East Wall from the Point of View of the Lounge window. We are looking East. So this is where the sun rises.

Things moved along fast yesterday.

Now look below at the South Wall. From the SouthWest. Where the builders are standing will be a corridor which will have huge windows. There will be a door that steps down to a patio into a grape covered pergola.   I pushed this side out past the existing house so it will catch the light from the setting sun. 

(below) From the South-East.   

The South Wall is very plain, I shall grow espalier apples along here so The Matriarch or the guests will be able to reach out and pick an apple. I am considering a small scale farm stay or bed and breakfast idea. What do you think?

This is the front of the house, seen from the road,  so it the most dramatic.  Half of this wall is made up of three very tall thin windows, (floor to ceiling) falling in height with the roofline.   I call these the Goldilocks Windows. These will catch the very first of the winter sunrise light. 

Below is  the North wall (seen from the lounge again) with the spaces made for the big french doors (screen left) which will open onto a lovely cool covered verandah.  The verandah will be wrapped in screen to keep out insects and it will have shutters that can be closed in storms. So the french doors can stand open almost all summer. Remember in America the North side is the cool side so this  verandah will be well used in the summers. 

Right next to the builder (on his right) is the corridor opening, where he is standing will be the corridor to the main house. The ensuite will come off this corridor.

And now for a couple of updates on farmy animals. So as not to use up too much of your time today we will do more Walkabouts tomorrow.

Here is Big Dog. He spends his days minding the builders. Just to be sure they don’t wander where they should not be. 

Here (from left) are Sheila and Charlotte. My most darling piggies. They are Hereford pigs, a heritage breed with very small numbers worldwide. Charlotte will be bred sometime soon. I just need to toughen up and call the swine herd who understands nothing I say, me being a foreigner and all and i just hate the thought of  ‘putting her to the Boar’.

Look at Sheila’s very direct gaze. She has no problems with eye contact. You can see from Charlotte’s size that she has no problem with bucket contact!

They spend most of their time sleeping. The best way to tell them apart are their ears. 

It’s cold out.

Queenie Wineti is our Hereford Heifer (not to be confused with a Hereford Pig). She will be bred along with Daisy in the spring.  No bull for these cows. They get a very well mannered vet with a long tube. 

Queenie  is short, solid and very quiet unless she is in heat and then she is short and squat and very loud. 

A snap of TonTon and LouLou.  Yes, LouLou is a boy. So his name was changed from LuLu to LouLou.

Good morning. Today the Kiwi builder and his mate are working on putting up the rafters so when the winds start up this weekend our Coupe does not blow over.

I shall take Camera House for another walkabout today and see if we can’t get the rest of the animals in order for our update. We will visit the sheep and the chickens in their own coop and the cats and peacocks and guineas and Daisy the milking cow and anything else that crosses our path.  That will be for tomorrow. What I should do is make a Cast of Characters Category. The list of things I should do is endless!!

Have a lovely day.

celi