Hello, Charleston!

In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines lived twelve little girls in two straight lines.

-- Ludwig Bemelmans

It just makes me smile. And no apologies, I absolutely cannot walk past this house without envisioning twelve little girls in two straight lines, a really tall nun, and Christopher Plummer. One look and every word and every song comes spilling out like a fluent second language and as if I wrote them all myself. Two of my most favorite things... Madeline and this house. Yep, I'm easy to please.

In two straight lines they broke their bread... and brushed their teeth ...and went to bed.

See???

Okay so it's not Paris, it's Charleston. Minus the palm trees, I'm transported. And there could be one little girl in this house, or maybe two or perhaps three. And maybe one's even called Madeline, or maybe none are. OR, Heaven help us, it's filled with boys. Pepito. Rascally little boys.

Hahaha can you imagine? I would absolutely love it.

But I'll never know because the truth is nobody asked me to draw this house. I just couldn't stop thinking about it so I helped myself. That's totally normal, right? Am I gonna be arrested for stalking? Maybe. 

Or maybe not.

I'll just keep it moving and try to walk by without making a scene. Totally unnoticed. Quiet as a mouse. Humming. And smiling.

       ...And that's all there is, there isn't anymore.

`I'm Madeline, I'm Madeline, and though I'm very small, I'm Madeline, I'm Madeline, and inside I'm tall!`