by Steve Byrne | Sep 1, 2012 | crafts
We do like visitors, and it was great to see John and Elaine from the Turnip House, who very kindly brought us housewarming (and headwarming) hats. If you are coming to the area, make sure you visit their tea house – the cake is fabulous. They make knitwear and...
by Steve Byrne | Aug 31, 2012 | buildings
So…after a bit of research, it looks like we have identified at least some of the people in this picture. We had the photograph looked at by Jayne Shrimpton, a dress historian and picture specialist, who confirmed that the picture was probably taken between...
by Steve Byrne | Aug 30, 2012 | buildings
Well that was a busy old day. We made our appearance in the County Down Outlook on Wednesday, asking for more information about the house, and specifically, the range cooker. Gary, nephew of the previous owner came to visit us yesterday, and we learned a lot about the...
by Steve Byrne | Aug 29, 2012 | animals
Hooray! Having been egg bound since her arrival, and with a sore leg to boot, poor old Hoppi was looking very sorry for herself. Hence she has been holed up in a box in the kitchen, to escape bullying by the other hens and to give her a chance to unblock. Whether it...
by Steve Byrne | Aug 28, 2012 | buildings
Today was a real milestone, as we went off to collect the freshly milled Douglas Fir floor from Ballytrim Sawmills. All our timber has come from Clarke Cunningham, and we were happily surprised to find that he’d done half as much again as we’d asked for,...
by Steve Byrne | Aug 26, 2012 | the farm
After 3 months pretty much solid work, we are finally about to spend our first night in the cottage. It already looks like we’ve been here forever though..The range, bless it, worked a treat, and we’ve had our first meal cooked on it too. About...
by Steve Byrne | Aug 26, 2012 | animals
Today (in the middle of moving into the house) we headed off to Nut House Hen Rescue to collect four new hens, who were liberated from a caged environment only yesterday. Currently they haven’t ventured out from under the coop, and are being regarded...
by Steve Byrne | Aug 25, 2012 | the farm
It’s been a busy old day. This morning I could have sworn I heard bagpipes, and sure enough it turned out to be the local band heading up the road from the local Orange hall. The horses really don’t know what to make of them at all, but they are very...
by Steve Byrne | Aug 24, 2012 | the farm
The work on the house is barely complete and already our thoughts are turning to other (and equally important) things. Because we have a waterless loo, any waste water from the house is relatively clean greywater, which can be put through a reed bed system, before it...
by Steve Byrne | Aug 23, 2012 | self sufficiency
One of the joys of doing Lackan Cottage up has been taking old ‘stuff’ and making something of it. Wherever possible we’ve reused things from around the house – for instance the kitchen units are made from the old ceiling in the extension....
by Steve Byrne | Aug 18, 2012 | water
A slightly random picture to celebrate the fact that my plumbing initiation is over, and that we have piping hot water from all the taps, heated purely by the sun, and that nothing is leaking, for the time being at least. Of all the jobs in the house, plumbing is...
by Steve Byrne | Aug 10, 2012 | Uncategorised
Ooh – the decorating has started, and at the front door…..So long I have dreamed of a yellow front door,and now here it is.
by Steve Byrne | Aug 10, 2012 | Uncategorised
Today, I breathed a huge sigh of relief as the Holly’s Horse Haven lorry pulled up and Joe unloaded Mel, aka. Melbourne Lad, who is absoloutely beautiful, and a retired racehorse. At last a friend for Sherafey, and after the usual introductory face pulling, they...
by Steve Byrne | Aug 8, 2012 | Uncategorised
Well that was a busy day – we all learned something new. Brendan and I finished laying the slate through the kitchen, into the hall, and on to the bathroom, and Claire went off to Welig Crafts learn how to make baskets with Clive Lyttle -So all in all, a very...
by Steve Byrne | Aug 6, 2012 | Uncategorised
Finally some sun! This afternoon the mountains were especially clear, and the crickets were out and about.The little field next to the house is surrounded by mature trees, and is a real sun trap in the afternoons. One more bonfire and we’ll finally be rid of the...
by Steve Byrne | Aug 5, 2012 | off grid
Our entire cooking and heating world revolves around this – the Doric range cooker, which seems to have been pretty widely used. Trouble is, information on how to best use it is rather thin on the ground – does anyone have any tips?
by Steve Byrne | Aug 2, 2012 | Uncategorised
Today we finally finished the plastering, and here is the bedroom, which has undergone one of the largest changes. Here it is when we started – Here’s the little bathroom window above, and the room as originally found, before we had uncovered the window...
by Steve Byrne | Jul 26, 2012 | buildings
It’s amazing how a couple of days without rain make such a difference – suddenly we are making great progress. More of the fruit bushes are making their way down to the field, and out of pots, (at last, we’ve been carting them around for an age), and...
by Steve Byrne | Jul 18, 2012 | buildings
At last, we’re getting the ceilings in, and the place is starting to look like a house at last. It is amazing what a difference it makes, and the rooms seem to change size as we work. Here’s the newly insulated kitchen – Tomorrow we’ll be...
by Steve Byrne | Jul 15, 2012 | the farm
We were married a year ago today, and what a year it has been, living in the truck, and meeting the most amazing people on our travels, and on the farm. There are so many of you that we couldn’t have possibly done any of it without, so a huge thank you to all...
