Hubbard shantyboat 3

I have removed the roof and added light so that two corners of the boat are better seen.  Yes, that is Skipper in front of the fireplace!  I painted her spots from old photos.  The step up to 'private' room is removable with firewood stored under.  I put some tiny pieces of drift from the Ohio River in there.  The closet corner is the spot Harlan set up his easel.  Books include Anna's copy of Wind in the Willows to read to children.

The kitchen stock includes store bought mayonnaise Anna preferred.

Harlan Hubbard shantyboat 2

Those who know the Hubbard boat will notice I used the photo I have on my post Dismal Creek.

for the model.  The boat is in bayou country here and only one stove pipe is up.  I am imagining they are using the stove outside in the intense heat, or they have already sold it and ready to leave the boat behind.  At any rate, without the highest pipe, the model sits snugly on the shelf I display it on.

 

The 'private' room holds a tiny jar of Anna's Noxema.  The miniature Dala horse is there because of The Rainbowcatchers story.  Hope you read it!

Harlan Hubbard shantyboat model

This model has been close to being done for a few years.  I guess it took time for me to come to terms with the fact that it could not be a 'perfect' scale model.  I had the hull made by a man who did a board by board professional job building the hull Harlan described in Shantyboat.  But he put an inside wall in the wrong place, completely left off the between deck exterior storage, added a hatch on the front deck which was not pictured or described, and completely missed my instructions about the bed box which was put on castors during the day so that it could be pushed under the front deck when not in use.  In small spaces, such details are important.

After I did a lot of scraping with a bee hive tool to remove boards heavily secured using a hot clue gun, finally injuring a my hand and requiring stitches,

I had to accept I was not capable of completely changing the boat.  But I did a lot to make it appear like the shantyboat it was.  Not a pristine toy, but but a lived in home where two people where industrious, adventurous, and happy.