A memory of a farmhouse

I really enjoyed sipping tea and chatting with you.

I know you have lots to do today and so do I, but would you like to see the upstairs before you leave?

We'll hurry so I have time to package up some of the left-over cookies and superb lemon angel food cake cupcakes for you to take home. It is funny to think of baking angel food into cupcakes and I’m still surprised it works so well.

Now here. Be careful on the stairs. They are much steeper and narrower than what you're used to. These bottom two wedge shaped steps are easy to slip on.

You should have seen us trying to get furniture to the second floor. With the little landing only two steps up and then this right angle into the narrow, narrow stairwell, it was almost impossible. We ended up having to take a window frame out to get a full-sized mattress into our bedroom.

Do you like this painted carpet runner on the stairs? When we first moved in we put carpet down but it was too slippery and we all fell. I mixed a little sand in with the paint when I painted my ‘fake’ carpet, though, and it works a lot better.

I have always liked this big landing at the top of the stairs. This is the old-fashioned iron register that I told you about. Not only is it the only heat we have upstairs, it’s a great form of entertainment for my kids.

This narrow doorway with the iron-latch is another stairway leading up to the attic. I don’t think we’ll have time to go up there today, but peak into this door. This is my room. I love how the transom above the doors lets light into the landing and I like the blue glass in the windows. There is a certain time of day when the sun shines through all that glass and turns the room into a magical place.

This small bedroom is my son’s room...and it’s a mess. As usual. My husband made this built in toy box and shelves for him to display all his baseball trophies. My daughters share this larger room next to it. They each have a little built in bookshelf beside the window which keeps them from bickering. I like the pink and orange bedspreads with the white painted woodwork. I think the colors work well with the wide old floorboards, too.

Gosh. Look at the time. I know you need to leave.


Let me just show you my neat clawfoot bathtub and then we’ll head back downstairs. Next time maybe we’ll have time to go into the attic and into the small house that’s attached to this one.


Isn’t the glass in this low window pretty? The deep windowsill is perfect to hold shampoos and bubble bath. I even like the old faded linoleum in here. Someday I may try to rip it up and put tile down, but for now I think it looks cute with the curtains on the window and under the sink. I bet you haven’t seen a toilet with a raised tank like this in years. It’s definitely noisy when you flush it, but it still works wonderfully well.

I see you glancing at your watch, but please be careful coming back down the stairs.

Let me find a little plate to put some cupcakes and cookies on.

I had a splendid time showing you around. I hope you’ll come back again!

And here’s a copy of the cupcake recipe if you want to try it!

Lemon Angelfood Cupcakes:

1/2 cup cake flour

3/4 cup powdered sugar

3/4 cup room temperature egg whites (about 5 large eggs)

1/8 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons grated lemon rind

Lemon Frosting:

1/4 cup melted butter

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon milk

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon grated lemond rind

Preheat oven to 350°. Place 16 paper muffin cup liners in muffin cups. Set aside. Lightly spoon cake flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Sift together flour and 3/4 cup powdered sugar into a medium bowl; repeat the procedure 2 times. Beat egg whites and salt with a mixer at high speed until frothy (about 1 minute). Add cream of tartar, and beat until soft peaks form. Add 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Sprinkle flour mixture over egg white mixture, 1/4 cup at a time; fold in after each addition. Stir in vanilla and lemon rind. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Bake at 350° for 18 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pan; let cool in a draft-free place on a wire rack. To prepare frosting, beat all frosting ingredients together until blended. Beat until light and fluffy. If the frosting is too thick add a bit more lemon juice or milk until desired consistency is reached. Spread 2 tablespoons lemon frosting over each cupcake.

Yield: 16 cupcakes

I’m sorry we’re in such a rush today but let me give you a big hug and we’ll see other soon!

Thank you so much for stopping by!

This little memory is written in honor of the letter "S" for Alphabe-Thursday. S is for stairs and splendid lemon angel food cupcakes.

To read other 'S' offerings, just click here.