WELCOME TO Val's Alentejo -I write about my region of Alentejo. My art ,painting, my cottages, Family life, my animals -Travels And my love for Roses- and rural country life.

Friday 3 August 2012

work in progress and baby Rosie

 Maybe some of you will remember my post about adding on a studio to my Canadian cabin! I am so far very delighted with the progress . The half walls were finished mid July.  The walls have had just one coat of paint, the finishing touches to come when its all finished.  I have been doing it slowly, its been fun. Pedro my handyman has done such a good job.
                                        Here is Jeffrey-Cassidy..I think he is learning to smile for the camera

This is the main back wall. I will be fitting a large window above where i have put my old painting cupboard.
                                                     a smaller window here
                                                       a side view
                                  At the moment I am using it as my outside relaxing area..morning coffee or reading my books.
                                          view from the outside. I will be putting up a false wall on the cabin side..the widow you can see is the one that will be taken out and put oblong into the back wall..
                                             just a little decoration for the weekend.. You will never believe what this is.. its a "chestnut cooker".. it has holes in the bottom.. you place it on the hot coals and roast your chestnuts.. I bought it to make a flower arrangement.. i thought it was a pretty clever idea.. i think it looks good on my rustic patio.

                                                  this time Jeffrey did'nt want to show his face. He stole Isaa's basket
                                  I am feeling happy today.. its really coming along well.  I polished up my very old antique oak table.. just have to attack the chairs now.

After cutting my roses and putting them in the chestnut container..(it has a jar inside it with water)  I took this amazing photo.. I was shocked to see that Surprise is still drinking milk from her mother Pascoa.. I have never seen this before.  Surprise if you remember is now over 2 years old. What a glutton.! she is the naughty one of the clan

Enjoying the last of the hay in the fields.. They are now on Grain mix as well.
 
                       This was the best part of yesterday.  Surprise loves to break down the fences and sneak into my garden.  Once she does that, the others follow suit.. I spent most of yesterday morning picking up their "poo" from the guest cottage patio.. they started to run amock.. i had a big nervous attack I can tell you.  It took me most of the day to get them settled.
I was calling their names for them to come so I could put them out into the outer fields.. and couldnt find Surprise.. on walking to the front of the cottage.. there she was sneaking about in the trees and boldly looking at me , as if to say" you cant catch me"  and boy was she right.. it took me over an hour to get her out.

I think you will all remember "little Rosie"  long legged Rosie.. she is coming along just fine. You can see that her coat is changing.  She will probably be speckled grey or brown.. we will she as the months go by.  



                                             Rosie with mommy  Shilah.. she has started to eat a little on her own now.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend.      Just some photos of daily happenings at Rose Cottage.


38 comments:

  1. Hi Val: Rose Cottage looks like such a contented place, as long as you can keep those naughty equines in line. How could you get mad at those sweet faces though? I bet you can't. Little Rosie is growing up. Your porch is looking so comfortable. When you relax out there can you smell the horses. Call me crazy, but I love their smell, so hope you can. Thanks for giving us the grand tour..Happy Friday..Judy

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  2. Hello Val:
    The new area that you are creating is coming along beautifully.And, how marvellous it is to be able to make use of it already as an outside sitting area in the wonderful summer weather.It will be such an excellent addition to your home and will provide such a lot more space for you to use.

    The horses and their foals look enchanting if they are rather naughty about escaping every once in a while.

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  3. Hello Jane and Lance,
    You are always so kind with your comments, thank you.
    The new area, will eventually become my studio.. i need a place to keep all my art stuff and so on.

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  4. Dear Judy, thank you for always leaving such nice comments..
    Yes, i can smell the horses.. it depends which way the wind is blowing. I do try to keep them away from the two main cottages. Like you, i love the smell of horses.
    Your not crazy.
    enjoy your weekend.

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  5. I love your porch and that antique oak table! The horses are wonderful - but how naughty!
    June

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  6. Thanks June
    my tables are so old..they are even a little riquety.
    they are made with dowels..very old. I must work on them some more.
    happy weekend..

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  7. Val,
    I love the flower arrangement. I've never seen a chestnut cooker before. The flowers look so nice in there. Oh my, Surprise is giving you such a hard time. Your horses are beautiful. I always wanted to have horses while growing up. When I got married, I went to my brother-in-law's ranch and rode a horse named Lady. She was the most wild horse, and almost bucked me off, but it was an adventure of a lifetime riding her. Your cottage is wonderful, Val, and all the work that is being done is really showing through.
    ~Sheri at Red Rose Alley

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  8. Dear Val - the porch is coming along really nicely and will be a great asset to you when it is finished.
    I am really envious of your chestnut pot, would love one of those. H collects chestnuts in the Autumn and something like that is what we need for roasting them, must watch out for something similar.
    Lovely to see Rosie again and how she has grown.

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  9. Hello Val
    The new Sitting area/studio is looking lovely, It great when it all starts coming together,your horses are beautiful, even the cheeky one, it must be very special watching them roaming around, lovely post
    Thea x

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  10. The house looks great and I love your oak table, Val! Of course, to me the horses and Rosie are better than any furniture!...:)JP

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  11. Hi dear Val: It's me again. I neglected to tell you how nice that will be for you to have your studio in the winter months ahead. Go in and paint to your hearts content and then close the door until you are ready to come back. Sounds like heaven to me..Thank you for your usual sweet and kind words to me, I'm always so happy to hear from you..Hope you have a great weekend..Judy

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  12. Hi Sheri,
    I have never seen a flower arrangement in a chestnut cooker..but i thought it such a great idea.. i covered the holes below.. it makes for a nice arrangement.
    it was cheap too. I like different things around me.
    At least you had a try at riding.
    I was unfortunate to have a bad fall some years ago and had my 3rd spinal operation last december.. It was a bad fall.. I hve been riding most of my life.. a little too old now, but love the horses around.

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  13. Thank you Rosemary,
    yes once the windows are in on the patio..it will give me extra space to be able to paint and put all my art stuff and so on there.. I dont know, I never seem to stop.
    I found the idea of using the chestnut cooker really intruiging.. i looked at it a few times before i decided what i would do with it..

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  14. Thank you Thea for you comments- Evemtually the area will be closed in and become my art studio. I have my art all over the place , paints and brushes and so on. I need that space.
    The horses always get up to something.

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  15. Agree.. the horses give me such pleasure..and they are very clever and michievious.. they kick their drinking trough if i happen to forget to fill it with water.. its my signal to come out and see them.
    Thank you JP.. pleased you enjoyed my post.

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  16. Thanks Judy, Yes, thats what it will be. hopefully if my cash doesnt run out.. i would like to get it finished. i need the space.. until then its great to have my coffee and read my books out there. Its my space, when i have guests in Rose Cottage.

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  17. Hello Valerie

    I love your new addition and it will be a fabulous studio. How exciting.
    The horses, while adorable, can cause you a lot of additional work. Do you use electric fencing?
    Have a glorious weekend

    Helenxx

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  18. Lovely post Val, thanks for sharing these beaut photos of the cottage addition and your naughty horses!
    Sounds as though Surprise has a huge personality. Do your dogs get along well with the horses?
    xx

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  19. Hi Val: your new studio will be fabulous, with the light streaming in. But meantime it makes a very charming indoor/outdoor area. Your furniture is very nice and feminine, and the roses look great as always. Surprise is a surprise! Well, had to live up to his name, I suppose. Happy weekend..P.

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  20. Dear Val
    You have created a nice outdoor space . I like very much your old table ! i would like to have my own space like this to reading , drinking coffee and relaxing !Your horses look that they are happy in your garden !
    Olympia

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  21. Thank Olympia.. It pleases me to know you like my new little patio.. its so useful.. I had my early morning coffee there today..

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  22. Thank you Annie for your kind comments. I am happy that for the time being i have my own outdoor space.. as the guests have the other cottage and garden area.
    Always something going on.
    Yes, the dogs get on well.. however when the horses come to drink at the trough.. the dogs love to taunt them...then they stop

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  23. Thank you Helen for you comments on my patio.. its the beginning of work in progress.. i hope by Easter to have my studio. I need it. I am not doing enough work and as I have guests during the summer months it will be ideal.
    Yes, i do have electric fences.. i found out that one of them had sagged to the ground and thats how they got over.. cleverer than we think.. happy weekend.

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  24. Thanks Patricia.
    I was out this morning taking photos again of my roses.. i am so pleased with them.
    I am enjoying my patio.
    thanks for your comments..nice to hear from you always.

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  25. Hi Val,
    What a wonderful post your new extension looks so nice and what a great idea to start to make use of it already! We wouldn't be able to do that over here. It looks so comfortable.
    Then you posted about the horses too! They sound such characters I'm sorry they gave you a hard time! How did your dog acquire such an unusual name ?
    Sarah z

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  26. Dear Val, Now that your studio is almost finished maybe you can include getting back to painting ceramics. I remember seeing some of them and they were wonderful.
    Your horses are a lucky bunch...no doubt they enjoy causing you a bit of trouble. That way they get to interact with you. They are probably congratulating each other for the mischief they created.

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  27. Dear Sarah,
    I am enjoying my patio lounge.. its amazing what a difference its made ..
    thanks for you kind comments.
    The horses gave me a bad day this week.. they are very clever. All is back to normal.

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  28. Too true Gina, You know exactly what horses get up too.. i noticed later that the electric fencing had dropped to the ground in one area and they must have just got through there.. They know exactly what they are doing... Surprise is full of Surprises.
    Yes, i am looking forward to getting my studio in order for the coming winter. I am going to try to get my kiln working.!!! its been out of use for some years.
    thank you for stopping by Gina.. always good to hear from you.

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  29. What a fun post. I am so excited about your new room. I like it open, but it is going to be wonderful closed in too.

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  30. Thanks Lisa.. i am beginning to like it more open too.. now i have a dilema.. will see after summer.
    xx

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  31. Dear Val,
    I think you will love this studio area for use during all of the year. It looks such a good place to relax and to paint. Your old furniture is beautiful and I love the roses in their container.....clever idea!
    What cheeky horses you have. You must enjoy watching them, especially little Rosie. She has to bend a bit further with those long legs:) Your new header is lovely and "Surprise" is living up to her name, peeping through your shrubs and flowers.
    When I see your lovely photos it makes me long for summer. We have had a cold winter. Thanks for bringing me sunshine.
    Sorry I have missed commenting on your recent posts. I have read them today and find them very interesting.
    Hope you have a good week ahead.
    Betty

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  32. I read through your posts and enjoyed your pictures of Lisboa. I was brought up in Paris listening to Amalia Rodrigues and always wanted to visit the city to hear more fado. We did several years ago and loved it. You certainly have many horses – they are beautiful.

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  33. Good morning dear friend,

    I am sitting here drinking my coffee and reading your adventures. Your new patio looks so cozy and I particularly like the furnising and atmospare in it. About the horses, what can I say! You are a hero! ( Rosy looks tremendusly cute, by the way!)

    lots of love to you : )

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  34. Thank you Vagabonde..
    Yes, Amalia was given the key to the city of Paris.. she is very much missed. Glad that you had a chance to visit lisboa and hear fado.
    val

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  35. Thanks Betty,
    I am enjoying so much my outside patio. its made such a difference to my life. especially when I have guests in rose cottge.
    The horses are usually very good..but Surprise is getting more confident and cheeky.. always fun here.
    our weather is stunning.. you should make a visit to Portugal and enjoy our good weather and lifestyle is great. sending you some sun. thanks for your kind comments val.

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  36. Thank you Demie..
    missed you. must get back to P. i have been pretty busy .. you know what its like in summer. Hope you had a good time in Greece.! will be catching up soon.
    hugs val x x x x

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  37. Hello Val.
    Such a lovely post...
    Enjoyed seeing your porch coming along nicely!
    But those beautiful horses steal the post am a afraid, especially Rosie.
    I loved reading about Surprise too (pretty name)
    Have a lovely rest of week Val!
    Love Maria x

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  38. So kind of you to pass by Maria.. I am pleased that you liked the post.. Yes, surprise steals the show.
    she needs to learn some manners!
    thank you.. Maria

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