An Inspection, sort of!
Welcome to La Bella Vita! Last weekend Lisa and I got to go explore the farm for a couple of hours. It was supposed to be with the home inspector but due to a glitch in scheduling, he didn't show up.
But we did! Ronda (realtor) brought us sandwiches so we spent some time looking around. Lisa had only had about 20 minutes in the place the first time so this day she was able to take a longer look.
Here she is modeling a pot at the sink, with dog Gracie standing by. It should be noted that Lisa and I both got lost on our way to the farm. Not only did we take a wrong turn, we took exactly the same wrong turn. She called me and I had already figured out how to get to our road and was able to steer her in as well, her being about 5 minutes behind me. Great minds think alike!
We spent a lot of time in the barn talking about how we'd fix up the stalls and the paddock area. The owner happened to be there when we arrived and he gave us some good info on the place. Turns out the one paddock gets standing water during spring rains so we'll factor that in to our paddock plan. That paddock will need a gate!
Here's a photo of what we're calling the "Tack Room." It's a porch off the north end of the house, next to our "library/tv room." It's long and narrow and very cozy for a single bed and a table and our show tack. It'd be perfect to put old photos on the walls and cowgirl art!
This photo is of the living room, looking toward the kitchen and the stairs going up to the bedrooms. It's so filled with indirect light--I just love it. The trees provide just enough light so it's not dark, but they shade the house beautifully.
This is my room; formerly the owners sewing room. It's long and has windows on three sides and I love the industrial look. The walls were redrywalled but never quite finished off so the room is just waiting to be finished. The windows facing the front of the house are square and low. You can just see one behind the work table. The side windows are normal, double hung windows. The floor is the wide plank type--really rustic. I felt at home immediately, I think because this room reminds me of my room in the house I grew up in. There were trees all around that room too and I faced the front yard. My view is of the farm across the street which has a great barn and lovely fields.
Here's Lisa's room. It's on the other end of the house but our windows are right across from each other. We decided we'd run a can and a string between them.
Her view of of the farm fields down the hill, just georgeous.
My camera was acking up so I wasn't able to get a photo of the pantry. It's awesome! Even has one of those flour bins and seeing how I like to bake...it'll be filled with flour for my biscotti, horse treats and Gabby's chicken cookies!!
The kitchen will need some reconfiguring as I'll miss my perfect work space in my galley at the Hoboken Hostel. I had everything I needed close by. We'll figure out a game plan for the farm, with Lady B's expert guidance. First up though is the fences for our horses.
No word yet on Lisa's Saddlebred mare, Kentucky. Keeping my fingers crossed for her. Oscar would love a girlfriend!
s'all for now...
r
21 comments:
Well, girls, you'd just BETTER wait for me!
Waddaya mean "cowgirl art"? Did I say you could do that? I thought you guys were into dressage and Saddlebreds and classy horse stuff. Next thing you know you'll be barrel racing and roping and drinkin' beer an' all kinds of ruffian shenanigans like that.
But the inside of that house looks every bit as promising as the outside shots. And I can fix your kitchen in a breeze once you send the measurements. What a great living place this will be and I can just see myself judging horse shows from the front porch of my brand new cabin beside the ring. (No western classes, thanks.)
Doh!! I just meant cowgirls in the terms of female riders...like the team! Yee haw. We promise to adhere to the concept. I'll even take an oath!
Lady B! Barrell riding...what a great idea. I had not even thought of that. We will have to figure some barrells into our budget. Hahaha
Oh GREAT! And next you'll both be swaggerin' and spittin' and suckin' hay and pickin' seeds outta yer teeth right there in public! How about a good chaw? It'll look great bulging outta yer cheek. Oh yeah! Chaps! You need chaps! and embroidered shirts with fringes and big silver whatchamacallits all over the place. Talk about a CONCEPT! The primary driver for successful design is consistency! You got it, "cowgirls"! But you can forget all those handsome, interesting fox hunters and eventers and polo players...you'll be busy singin' "Home on the Range"
eatin' beans by the campfire with some smelly ranch hand out on the prairie somewhere if you arent careful. I'll still love you.
Beans and chaps. Not such a bad life! hahaha
Lisa, and now I know that's you, you need to see "Blazing Saddles" before you say that..... I'd much prefer a horseman who showers once in a while and knows how to count. But who am I to talk?
Wow, that's a good idea! We can watch Blazing Saddles on "opening night." (first night in the house). That movie is a classic!
OHhhhhhhhhhh - I'm soooooo losing control! No, b. dear, I actually planned for you to watch only fox hunting and Olympic riding - dressage, and eventing, and show jumping and such - to get you focussed on the proper "look" or "conceptual approach" for a high-class farm such as yours. Instead I see that I am dealing with a couple of rowdy adventuresses for which a sophisticated approach will never fly! Chickens and cowboys indeed!
Ah well. Oath to wait for my guidance or no oath, it is my authentic obligation as your designer to reflect YOUR taste, not mine. So bring on the barrels and the calf roping and bucking horses. Yee haw, indeed! ....but you can forget my private cabin/judges stand at the side of the ring. I'll help you set it up in great style on a really teensie budget - but I simply can't be forced to watch.
How about pigs. You'd love em - little new pink baby pigs are really cute. They squeal and snort tiny snorts and burrow right into your arms and fall asleep. And when they grow up to be great big rooting porkers standing in their own slop trough they can clean up all those leftover chicken parts even them starving cowboys refuse to eat.
Oh I can see all this now. One of you will have to learn to play the banjo. Or maybe the spoons! I have a great source for hand-made cowboy boots and ten-gallon hats, and the Texas two-step would be a great dance for "opening night"
It's your house, after all....
Oh god!
I forgot something -
Forget buying a lawnmower. No luscious green lawns for you. You need to let it turn to acres of yellow straw and cut down all those bothersome trees - just like the prairie....I've said enough
Gheesh!
And another thing -
Them cowboys sure better speak Italian!
B
Lady B...you are going to love my cowboy coffee!
L
I'm certain anyone would simply love your coffee, Lisa, dear, and it'll probably grow hair all over my ample chest - as would anything perked for at least an hour or so over a smoky open fire. Before it's too late to save you from yourselves, I guess I'd better bring my RV up there and park it behind the barn - at the very least to assure myself some semblance of refinement and civilization. (You will have a place to plug in an extension cord, won't you?) You can watch English fox hunting and Olympic equestrian events on my large-screen TV while nibbling on tiny crustless finger sandwiches and scones. I'll be sure to polish my tea service before I start the long drive. Get those pinky fingers crooked, my dears. Lady B is bracing for a northern adventure! So, just forget that doggone "yee haw" and start practicing your "Lah dee dah!" Salvation is at hand!
WOW! I can't wait. Come on up! I could use a little refining. Yee haw! I will start perkin' the brew now. "Should be ready-n- time' you get here"
Oh my...I am still giggling at this thread of conversation. I checked the blog and saw 14 comments and had to see what was being discussed! Cowboy coffee and dressage??? I can see that Lisa and Lady B are every bit kindred spirits as I reckoned they would be. Now that makes 3 of us in the world. Look out world!!!
Things of three are good. Like a tripod that can't fall over, or a troika where the load is shared equally, or a triumvirate that rules together - or their ilk (see how I sneaked that in?)
B
ilk ilk ilk....there, now you don't have to work it into a blog comment.
!!! hee hee
I heard all that talk of ILK and just had to chime in. Who knew you were all members of the Iquestrian Ladeez Klub? This is fabulous! Would you be willing to host a meeting?
Oh!
Perhaps another bona fide lah dee dah voice heard from.
Bec and Lisa, is this person who suggests a Ladeez Klub of our ilk?
Hmmmmm?
That's my sister!!! Of course she's invited. I vote her as Chairwoman of the Ladeez Klub of La Bella Vita!!
Translation: welcome to the blog, Sara! Can't wait to have you at the farm. It's most definitely a "girl" farm!! Nothing but happy here!!
Sara! Apparently you ARE of our ilk. So I hear. But I do hope your capable chairwomanship will help maintain certain standards of decorum among the founding members...otherwise those other two sound only too poised to sell out to the rowdy western crowd. Belching. Do I hear belching? Sara, at least you are close enough to have some influence. They wanted me to teach them how to kill chickens, for heaven's sake. (Do you know how to kill chickens, by any chance?) Madam Chairwoman, who knows where all this will lead. I grew up in a bona fide lah dee dah area where, at most, the gentleman farmers kept a few head of prize Black Angus or Guernsey cattle to set off their miles of pristine white fences and lush green pastures flanking their endless driveways. I'm SURE they didnt EAT them! I am trying my level best to keep those two focussed on such useful pastimes as polo and fox hunting and dressage. (The decorative room accessories are so much cuter than lariats and wagon wheels) Where on earth would they ever use cattle wrangling and bull bucking skills anyway? In the local bar?????? Dont you guys have proper tea room in Wisconsin? You gotta help me keep them from going astray, Sara! I'm counting on you!
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