Treehouse

Hub and I are hatching a plan to make good use of the two trees in our backyard.  We want to build Elsie a treehouse.  I could not be any more excited about this.  I love treehouses.

We have a few hurdles to overcome.  Quarters are tight in our neighborhood, so we want (and, frankly, need) the blessing of all neighbors. The two trees we have at our disposal may or may not be sound.  We need them to be.  And of course, the central treehouse challenge: working out how to balance safety with adventure and construct a sturdy, safe structure up high in a tree.  I got a few books out from the library on the subject.  The hands-down winner is this one:

Treehouses and Playhouses You Can Build

It is exceedingly helpful!  It talks all about how to build an irregular structure around flexible joints that will allow the treehouse to expand with the growing tree, flex and bend in the wind, and will keep the tree (and the kids up in its branches) safe. 

I can not overemphasize how excited I am about this.  Rope swings and crows nests and pullies... oh my!  We'll plot all winter, and, if the fates align, build in spring.

In the meantime, we visit my old and awesome treehouse at the grandparents' house.  My dad keeps an eye on the structure, sweeping off the leaves and checking the boards and the joints so that the neighborhood kids who have discovered it will be safe -- or, at least, as safe as rowdy kids can be up in a tree.  Not so safe that we built on the ground.  That would defeat the purpose!  Nothing quite like being up in a tree.

Queen of The Castle