Sunday, September 20, 2009

Bread bread bread bread bread bread bread bread

I am now, or at least currently, the VERY proud owner of a wood fired bread oven in my new HOUSE!!!!

Holy geez!


The photo above is where the bread goes in....after we clear out a forests worth of pine needles.


This is where the fire goes, down underneath the bake oven.

An exciting view of the walls of the chamber for the fire....larger stones angle up to support the large single stone that seems to make up the base. You can see that below.


Seriously exciting photography, no? My parents bought an old house that they renovated extensively when I was a kid and I was always quite mystified by the endless and incredibly boring photos they took of the house. In the spirit of my folks, here's a shot up the chimney from the fire place in the kitchen.


I actually took that photo because I didn't want to stick my head that far in, and with the flash you can actually get a pretty good view.

The man also managed to remove the cloth wall from around Eldest's loft, we can now see it rather better:



This here is the safareig again, where laundry would have been done. Youngest and a friend spent an hour getting it clean, and filling it and emptying it. We are now thinking that we may keep it, with water and lilies and fish. Maybe a little fountain noise. I am not sure. It is so freaking BIG in a small space...though it is also quite traditional....hmmmmm

In this one you can see the overflow rim which is the half circle, and the tiles on which you would scrub the clothing. I imagine not the silks.....


The tap at the top where the water comes into that rectangular sink, the water from there streams down into the main tub.


We'll paint and put up lovely tiles if we keep it, and lots of plants.

It may be nice when all is said and done.

There, more home reno...this may slow down until we get the architect in place.

Always an adventure.

I love to cook bread.

13 comments:

Helen said...

The pics are great and it is so exciting It is a lovely feeling when you have got the renovations behind you and are sitting in a lovely home which you have done. I took lots of pictures of Brian's cottage during the renovations and it is really quite a shock when you look back at how it used to be (groundsheet for carpet, sink with bucket on breezeblocks) and then how it looks now You will love the photos in a few years time especially.

Beth said...

I'm so thrilled for you! It's exciting stuff for all us fans of home renovation to see these details.
As an archaeologist, I am always for keeping the original features of a home as much as possible. As a homeowner, I feel the same way- it gives a place character to have the various odd features still in place. Do try and save the oven and the outdoor basin! They are so charming!

The Bodhi Chicklet said...

I love these shots. I get excited for you seeing the age and character of the house. It will be a lot of work but...

I bet that wood fired oven will make great pizza too.

Anonymous said...

So now, you're gonna try your hands at baguettes and stuff? Don't tell me it's just for show :p

oreneta said...

Helen...good to know. Someday we may just be finished!

Beth, I agree, that is why we are buying this house. It has so many of the original features. The oven so stays. I would never DREAM of removing that. There may indeed be a water storage basin under part of the living room floor, which if we find it, we will also keep. There were real live pirates here not all that long ago, and they lived in little fortresses. The safareig, probably will stay. I am very tempted to keep it, for those historical reasons. It is just that it is so BIG, and the courtyard is small.....and ponds are a fair amount of work.

Bodhi, I am a little afraid to try the oven...I will one day though for sure. Pizza would be EXCELLENT!

ElP...baguettes? Maybe one of these days!

Beth said...

Have been out of the loop for a bit - catching up and LOVING the photos. You will be living amidst history! So many buried treasures...

Hula Girl at Heart said...

You MUST keep the safareig. How cool is that? And I would die for a bread oven. What wonderful treasures you have in your new home! I love seeing the pictures.

Nomad said...

HI THERE....M'KAY I AM officially INSANELY AND INTENSLEY JEALOUS!!!! HMM.. ONLY WAY I CAN SEE out of that is to just swing on by and eat a whole lot of your home made bread!

Congrats, sounds just so super on all counts, can't say how happy I am for you all.

Sorry no call. crazy week am sitting on the downstairs 'puter w your number upstairs and after the 11th or so sleep-screaming fit by my daughter in just as many days I am not sure I want to go up there and risk waking her up... am on skype, r u? try me or mail me your user name...

Nomad

swenglishexpat said...

No, those photographs are not boring. They will be appreciated, at least in the future some time. Great to hear that you now actually own the place. I can see many posts coming up in the coming weeks, months and perhaps years! Good luck!

kate said...

I agree, great photos, and how incredibly awesome to have a house with so much history! Jealous (ours was just a dream on a piece of paper when we bought it eight years ago!)

You should definitely keep the safareig-- though you don't have to actually put water in it-- it could be a place to set up a bunch of planters or something.

MaR said...

Congrats on your new house!! lots of work involved...it will be fun to follow the home improvements!

Terrie said...

We have a little fish and lilly pond in the front yard and I love it. We have let it go ah-naturell:)
no maintence at all and the same coi has been living there for about 5 years his name is Elvis and he seems quite happy that we don't mess with him.

oreneta said...

Beth, yes....I found buried water in the wall yesterday....

Hula, the safareig is staying, we'll add a bunch of lovely tiles, a couple of fish and some plant probably. Fish deal with mosquito larvae without needing a pump...

Nomad, is she making you pay for being away????? I don't blame you for not going up...one of these days...I am on skype..the trick is to get us both on line...and to get my mike to work. It doesn't want to. We may be getting a new computer soon which would help.

Swenglishexpat...I see more than a few posts myself....hope they stay interesting.

Kate...we've been looking at some traditional (?) refurbishments, I have some photos I may post....

Mar, more fun for you than me at times....

Terry, if we get a couple of coi, I just may have to name one Presley for you guys!