Got a twofer today.
This is the playhouse Charlie built for #4 daughter when she was big enough. It was made mostly out of scrap lumber and scrap siding.,
That bridge had a drawbridge section but, when bunches of kids started playing on it, we could envision concussions and guillotinements, and Charlie removed the rope and nailed the hinged part firmly in place. He did the cutouts on the doors, including the unicorn, and screwed a sheet of plexiglass on the inside.
Here’s a close-up of the unicorn.
Just inside, which you can vaguely see through the unicorn’s butt above, we painted the wall.
And, to the right and between the front window and the catwalk door, we painted, also.
Pretty cockamamie, but all us little kids got a kick out of doing it.
Inside this edifice, which is mostly doors and stairs, #4 kept a museum of natural history. Mostly seashells other people brought back from vacations, rocks and fossils, and bones she found on her amateur archaeological excavations. She had a crow skull and the entire skeleton of a turtle. Also: we generally had two or three stray beagles who took up residence with us, and beagles are always good for dragging unspeakable things home.
I say the structure was mostly stairs. Here’s the first flight, just to the right of the door.
That blue panel is the catwalk door. Here’s the catwalk.
At the end, for a while, there was a sliding board, but it got splintery so Charlie took it down and put up a railing. Under this catwalk is a tire swing.
The stairs continue.
Outside this door is a balcony, perfect for picnics in nice weather. Here’s part of the view.
And the stairs go on.
And on, to the top.
This is a stained glass unicorn with her head in the clouds, done by my mother.
This was a great place to play, especially in moderate weather. It was awfully cold in cold weather, though, and stifling up top in warm weather. Spiders and wasps love it in any and all weathers, though.
This is part of Norm Frampton’s wonderful Thursday Doors link-up.
A WRITING PROMPT FOR YOU: Where did your main character play in childhood? What about your antagonist?
MA
Dan Antion
October 22, 2015 at 7:21amTwitter: dantion
What a beautiful playhouse. Such wonderful craftsmanship. One of the best Thursday Doors ever.
Dan Antion would love to share..Thursday Doors–Seattle Walk
Marian Allen
October 22, 2015 at 8:54amTwitter: MarianAllen
Charlie’s a little bit OCD when he gets into a project. #4 daughter and her friends had a lot of fun with this house. If I could get it wired and plumbed, I’d love to use it as an office.
Marian Allen would love to share..TURTLE FEATHERS
Dan
October 22, 2015 at 2:02pmTwitter: dantion
I would definitely put plumbing, electricity and head in that puppy.
Dan would love to share..Thursday Doors–Seattle Walk
norm2.0
October 22, 2015 at 8:54amTwitter: Norman_Frampton
That is just wonderful! I hope the kids who got to enjoy this knew how incredibly lucky they were – thank you so much for sharing 🙂
Marian Allen
October 22, 2015 at 8:57amTwitter: MarianAllen
They did know, Norm! One of them drops by sometimes when he’s in town and reminisces. He said he has a little girl he’d like to bring sometime, because he’s always telling her about it. He said he told her it felt like it was about twelve stories high. 🙂
Marian Allen would love to share..#ThursdayDoors For #ThrowbackThursday
Teagan Geneveien
October 22, 2015 at 9:06amTwitter: teagangeneviene
It’s a fantastic door for a fabulous playhouse! Your daughter must have been absolutely thrilled. Have a thriving Thursday.
Marian Allen
October 22, 2015 at 9:43amTwitter: MarianAllen
She got a lot of enjoyment out of it, Teagan, and so did our next-door grandson. Have a thriving Thursday, yourself, and thank you for stopping in!
Marian Allen would love to share..SAGE
Jane
October 22, 2015 at 10:15amTwitter: hh
Yowzer!
I built us a whole bunch of playhouses. Though they were about 80% imagination. I’d prop a discarded shutter in a fork of the cherry tree and then climb on. Whew. Close to cherries, though! And we would use sheer curtains for tents (and outfits!). They’re very versatile.
Dad built us a house up against the willow tree. He used fallen bits of the willow after a storm, put in uprights from the branches, and wove the withes in between to make walls. I forget about the roof, but it was rigged out from the wreckage, too, I think.
Marian, I am in awe of Charlie’s playhouse. I mean, #4’s playhouse. 😉
Such serious craftmanship! I recall Sara showing me her collection and am so delighted she had a museum to keep her things in. Best decorating choices ever! You can never go wrong with unicorns!
Marian Allen
October 22, 2015 at 10:25amTwitter: MarianAllen
Your dad’s playhouse sounds very organic. And I love your playhouses built of a bit of wood, some sheers, and “80% imagination”. Finest kind!
Marian Allen would love to share..SIDESHOW IN THE CENTER RING
jan
October 22, 2015 at 11:41amTwitter: jttwissel
What a clever man Charlie is! Delightful playhouse!
Marian Allen
October 22, 2015 at 12:20pmTwitter: MarianAllen
Thanks, Jan. 🙂 The squirrels adore it!
Marian Allen would love to share..TURTLE FEATHERS
Holly Jahangiri
October 22, 2015 at 2:49pmTwitter: HollyJahangiri
OMG, will he make ME one??? I love this.
Holly Jahangiri would love to share..Joanne Harris, A Writer’s Manifesto, and Click-Baity Headlines
Marian Allen
October 22, 2015 at 2:58pmTwitter: MarianAllen
It’s great, isn’t it? #4 and some friends decorated it for Halloween one year and made a haunted house for the neighborhood kids. 😀
Marian Allen would love to share..A DEAD GUY AT THE SUMMERHOUSE
Jess
October 22, 2015 at 7:33pmI would have had a baby heart attack if this were my play house as a child!
Marian Allen
October 23, 2015 at 8:12amTwitter: MarianAllen
She probably would have, if he had been able to surprise her with it. As it was, she watched him draw the plans and helped him build it. She’s all grown up now, but she still loves it and all it represents.
Marian Allen would love to share..Golly! The Social Power of Monkee Bacon! #FridayRecommends
Judy
October 24, 2015 at 2:56pmYou win the ‘coolest’ door this week hands down. Love it. 🙂
Judy would love to share..Weekly Photo Challenge: Careful
Marian Allen
October 24, 2015 at 4:36pmTwitter: MarianAllen
Aw, thank you, Judy! 🙂
Marian Allen would love to share..Amidala Calls Dibs #Caturday
janet
October 26, 2015 at 4:41pmTwitter: https://sustainabilitea.wordpress.com/2017/07/27/thursday-doors-arches-in-the-alsace/
Wow, what a creation! My mom built us a treehouse when we were little, but nothing like this. We loved it, though, and used it all the time.\
janet
janet would love to share..Sally’s Mobile Photography Challenge: Challenger’s choice…Travel: Hats off!
Marian Allen
October 26, 2015 at 6:43pmTwitter: MarianAllen
Hooray for your Mom! I grew up in apartments, so no treehouse or playhouse for me. My Grandpa made me a “store” out of an appliance box, though, and I thought it was great! I loved selling, even then. ha!
Marian Allen would love to share..Mixing Tones, Ur Doin It Rite #amwriting #BookReview @SWBauthor