The Playhouse Is Open- Come On In

Here it is!

Plug it into your GPS if you are 

coming from a distance.

It is at 1 Lulu Avenue

 Before you come in you must 

KNOCK.

You can use this cute little 

ACORN DOOR KNOCKER!

It's just below the sweet little hat that

hangs on the door.

(see my ghostly hand in the window holding the camera)-duh--

The flag that hangs off the porch makes me smile.

When you open the door this is immediately in front of you.

There are large double windows above 

THE WICKER SOFA

 that face South.

This is the back wall, 

and I did not get the windows in the photo.

They take up the whole top of the wall.

This hangs below the window and over the sofa.

Sorry-it is so bright that the light reflected off it.

To the right is the hutch-

It is an old shelf sitting on top of an old French Provincial side table.

I really need to paint the side table to match.

I'll get right on that-

after I catch up on everything else..

(that was a joke)

To the right of the hutch and along the side wall that faces West

sits the STOVE. 

EVERY playhouse needs a STOVE.

Moving further along the wall to the right

is this mirror.

There are hooks beneath it and the girls will

hang their dress up dresses & clothes there

the next time they are here.

There is a leaded glass window to the right.

Yes, I need to paint it white.

These are salesmen's samples from when

we owned a window, siding & door company.

This area is just a little niche.

There is a chandelier....

Those are Heritage Lace curtains that I used 

in the Cottage on Cook here.

They are perfect here with their heart design.

Below the chandy sits a little wicker table.

The tablecloth is one my mother treasured.

She lived a plain and simple life 

and I am sure she never

would have imagined that her 

Great-Grandchildren would use it in such

a fancy little playhouse.

It is not ALL fun and games though.

There are babies here that need some care.

The one on the right was my oldest daughter's

FIRST BABY DOLL.

Well, that's about it.

It is quiet in the playhouse today 

because school is not out yet.

We close the door and glance back at the

window boxes as the bunny bids us goodbye

until we come again.

And if you come again

plan on spending the night!

Here's WHY!

You think THAT'S GREAT?

Wait till you see what's for BREAKFAST!

MUD PIE!

source/recipe

NO!  Not THAT KIND of MUD PIE!

THIS kind of MUD PIE.

Hey- you're renting from KIDS!

Remember?

Lilacs And Bleeding Hearts And Playing House

Here's what's sitting on my kitchen counter.

That is taken with the sun shining through

the window that faces the bay.

The sun also glances off the clear glass

that I have arranged on a cutting board

made by a special friend of ours.

Do you see the playhouse in the background?

Well...look at this!

Does it look like the Clampetts live there?

(Anyone else remember the Beverly Hillbillies?;>)

It is Spring Cleaning time!

SOOOO--

Today I will be re-cleaning the play house...

and setting up a tea party....

and maybe, 

if you are nice and promise not to feed

the crows jumping beans,

then tomorrow I might show you the 

PLAYHOUSE all set up for SUMMER.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

PHANTOMS IN THE PLAYHOUSE?

I am trying to catch up

since our seminar weekend.

I off-loaded the pictures from 

my camera today 

AND

it appears that there might be a

Phantom hanging out around 

The Playhouse.

Do you see it here?

Is it in the window?

Nope!

Why are they laughing?

Do THEY see the PHANTOM?

Is this the phantom?

Nope!

That is just Papa/MyHero.

He is in his 2nd childhood and

has taken up volleyball.

Is the phantom IN the volleyball?

Nope!

Now! Do you see it now?

Look at that black arrow-

Upper left hand side of the picture.

THAT is what makes this a PHANTOM!

When we hung the skeleton up all his limbs

were hanging down straight.

We didn't notice that 

THE PHANTOM

was waving at the camera

until after we took the pictures.

Now you know why I decorate for FALL

instead of Halloween.

Weird things happen around here.

That waving skeleton is 

kinda creepy, huh?

Not NEARLY as creepy as THIS though!

Click on image for a tutorial.

I'll be creeping around to visit you myself later

to say BOO!

SweetCheeks Puts Pumpkins Around The Playhouse

Is this cute, or what?

It was a late afternoon on a beautiful Fall day.

SweetCheeks went out with her little rake

and weeded in front of the fence and raked.

Then she took the grape vine left over

from her wreath project 

and strung it along the fence.

SweetCheeks!

Where are you going with 

Nana's old wagon?

Around front to get some of 

YOUR pumpkins, Nana!

I see you found some!

Now what are you doing?

The pumpkins were dirty, Nana.

I'm washing them.

And now that they're clean 

she takes them along the side of the house

towards the bay.

She walks into the sunlight as only a child can

pulling her load lightly behind her.

SweetCheeks finds just the right spot

for her first pumpkin.

Then finds a home for the other two.

Then she stand back and admires her handiwork.

And, as evening sets in it is time for her to go home.

After she goes 

I look out and find a lump in my throat.

Here are the little wagon wheel marks 

she has left behind.

 I know that one day soon  she won't be pulling

that little red wagon across our lawn.

She will be off on her next big life adventure

and Nana's house 

will have lost a bit of its magic appeal.

But just for today she was mine!

I am leaving mid-morning and will be
at a seminar until late evening.
Bear with me-I will catch up as I can.

The Storm

We have had a very long winter.

Weather wise and

emotionally.

This latest storm was 

accompanied by high winds

and below freezing temps.

Looking toward the playhouse 

I see this.

Can you see how hard the wind

is blowing and the drifts?

Here I am looking to the other

side of the yard.

The wind is wicked coming in off the bay.

Here is the screen and the door as it opened.

That's one way to get my floor clean.

However,

After the storm passed the sun came out.

As you can see by the flag,

 the wind is still blowing 

but the storm has passed.

It is kind of like the storms of life, isn't it?

We are blown about and find ourselves

drifted in sometimes

but if we wait it out,

and trust,

there is always some

Sunshine after the Storm.

But, meanwhile....

while I am waiting for

the snows of life~

and the season to pass~

you will find my butt parked

right here!

Care to join me-even though 
I DIDN'T make THAT coffee?

ps.  Donna contacted me last night
and said to say
THANK YOU to everyone for
praying for them over their loss
of Emily, their sweet Cocker Spaniel.

Never Fail Caramels

Yesterday I promised you a
REAL TREAT.
Here it is!
There's a storm brewig here today.

We have 3-5" of snow coming

followed by a few hours

of freezing rain.

Can you see the big fat flakes

falling on the playhouse

in our backyard?

When I was a kid my mother

often whipped up a batch 

of fudge from scratch

after the chores were done

on a snowy Pennsylvania night.

I make caramels instead.

As you can tell, I love to bake

and make candy.

I don't know how many 

caramel recipes I have tried

over the years.

Some of them called for

stirring for what seemed hours

and then...

they might or might not

"turn out".

These are quick!

Less than 10 minutes from

start to finish AND they

NEVER FAIL 

to set up properly.

Ready?

Get yourself a nice big 

microwave measuring cup.
Edited to add this message
from Debbie (see below)
 Be careful though, I have a friend who was making caramels in the microwave with her daughter, but they were using a glass container, not a measuring cup. At one point, the glass fell out and my friend received third degree burns over her hands and legs. I would caution your readers to make sure they use a good quality measuring cup, as you mentioned, not anything else! Just a heads up

I use the 2 quart one.

Everything that is measured out

is in 1/2 cup increments.

Melt 1/2 cup butter.

Remove from microwave.

Add 1/2 cup Karo syrup,

1/2 cup light brown sugar,

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup sweetened CONDENSED MILK

(not evaporated milk)

Stir until mixed and dissolved.

Microwave on high 3-1/2 minutes.

Stir down.

Microwave on high 3-1/2 more minutes.

Remove from mic.  Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Add 1/2 cup chopped nuts-if desired- I don't.

Stir until few air bubbles remain.

Pour into 8x8 buttered dish.

Refrigerate until set.

Cut into squares.

You can wrap these if they last long enough.

Ours never seem to make it to the

wrapped stage!

Serve these to your husband.

Make sure he eats twice as many

as you do.

Remember- the fatter he gets

the skinnier you look

standing next to him!;>)