Children's Summer House

We recently took a trip to Massachusetts for Old Home Days.  Every year we visit my husband's homestead, which we still affectionately refer to as Grandfather's, although grandfather passed a few years ago.   If you want to see what it is like there, just read All the Places to Love, by Patricia MacLachlan.  Most beautiful, gentle book ever!
Anyway, we are no longer fitting in the Camp, Grandfather's house, so we rented a farm house with cousins. It was a magical utopia kind of farm, complete with sheep, (don't count the sheep, you'll fall asleep!) chickens and this summer house:

I have more pictures but I can't download them right now.  Anyway you can get the main idea here:  

A chalkboard for writing

A desk for writing

A sofa for lounging and reading

Upper bunks for sleeping, reading, and the like

Marshmallow roasters behind the door because you never know when you'll need them.

The scattered rugs and the torn cushions just make it that much more inviting, as if to say, C'mon in, you can't hurt us.  Be as carefree as you like!  It's summer!

So how do we replicate this little house if we don't have one?  Well, collect all the old stuff you have laying around.  An old chair, an old rug, an old desk, an old bench and old table, an old chalkboard.  Sweep out a room, a closet, a basement corner, an attic corner (not the hot side) or a nook under a big tree.  Put up some fabric over the rafters, lay out some soft cushions or blankets.  No paint or touch ups required here just good old beat up furniture.  Get out the kids old wagon, load it with books.  Leave colored pencils and chalk and a pile of drawing paper out.  Put some lemonade in a pitcher and some old tin mugs.  Pillows sleeping bags and a few throw rugs.  And the most important part, Enjoy!  Take a nap in the shade.  It's summer!  It's for relaxing! In your very own summer house.