Around the House

Tucked into a corner of the living room is an inexpensive bookcase that I turned into a dollhouse for my petite fille, Ursula.

To create a garden I glued plastic greenery to the sides and put a white picket fence in front of it. The grass is a piece of green felt with wooden circles to make a path to the living room door.

For the bathroom and kitchen I found scrapbook paper that looked like tiles and then laminated it with clear plastic. The other rooms are carpeted. I had some dollhouse wallpaper and leftover paint from the attic bedroom to do walls. I made the bathroom fixtures and living room furniture from kits...the rest has been picked up here and there over the years.

Things get rearranged a bit every time Ursula visits. When she isn't around I drape the dollhouse with the shawl that's resting on its roof to keep the sun from bleaching the fabric colors.

Jenny cat has claimed the porch as her territory.

Meanwhile, her brother Jasper claims my bed so I keep a sheet thrown over the beautiful quilt...that way I'm not wearing out the quilt in the washing machine.
 

The bedroom windows are 7 1/2 feet by 5 1/2 feet.  Many years ago they were in the town's one room schoolhouse. When William and I built this house, I had to turn them on their sides. Since this bedroom is on the main floor, when the shades are up, it's like standing in the garden.

Here's Jasper...

He weighs about 22 pounds while his sister is only a couple of pounds lighter. When I bring them to the cottage, they travel in dog carriers. Fortunately, the dogs don't need to travel in cages or I'd never get all of us into my small red Honda Fit!

Many afternoons my neighbor Liz comes over for Rummykub and tea. One guess as to which of us drinks our tea from a Blanot bowl!

 This picture also proves that I don't check on the courgettes often enough.

Recently I split one of these monsters and scooped out the center. Then I refilled it with a layer of Ricotta cheese and a mixture of cooked sausage meat, onion, green pepper, and some of the scooped out zucchini. I covered it and baked it at 350 F until the squash was done. At the end I topped it with shredded mozzarella cheese and popped it back in the oven uncovered until that cheese melted.