Thursday, April 11, 2013

Right Brain Treehouse Society ~ Part 1

another gray day in Freedom sunshine from Monday continues....

It all began during the winter of 1998, the year of the Great Ice Storm.  Besides being without electricity for 12 days we lost many beautiful trees.  There was a great triple White Pine at the edge of our front yard that was severely damaged.  We needed an Arborist to bring them down safely. When Al, the tree guy, came to do the work my Guy asked if he could leave the stumps at eight feet.  At the time he did not reveal the idea that for formulating in his mind.  He just told me he had an idea...if it didn't work out he could deal with the 8 foot stumps himself.

Not long after that we had some condensation trouble with a couple of skylights in our house.  We contacted the company and they sent us 2 new sashes.  So were left with 2 old sashes. Then my Guy mentioned they might be nice in a treehouse.  Say, What?  Well, we had a bit of a lumber stash from various other project (including our house).  We procured the the rest of what we needed by scrounging the bargain bins at lumber stores.


It is a bit of a question as to whether this is REALLY a treehouse.  My Guy tends to over build things (wait until you see the deck he is dismantling right now --- cursing the guy who built it --- oh yeah himself!) He became a bit worried the tree stumps weren't enough....well you see.  I helped with the design and as carpenters helper.  I came up with the trap door and the ladder plans.

Of course, the treehouse was for our son.  And for many years it was.  It was used as a natural history museum one summer.  I was charged a nickel for admission that included a detailed tour of all the great finds (living things were released and re-caught each day).  Then it became a stick armory.  I didn't allow store bought war toys which became the "mother of invention" ----> handmade arrows, clubs, spears, and guns.  We added an old snare drum that came from a yard sale.  I would hear the tribal beat and chants emanating from the "fort".  Once we welcomed the New Year from the Treehouse.

Each fall I would go and winterize and mouse proof the place.  The following spring I would clean it up and get it ready for another summer of fun.  Until one spring I realized the boys hadn't used it in a couple of years.  I started tossing everything out the trap door.  When my son got home from school I had him sort through the pile and choose anything he wanted to keep.  The rest was donated or burned (kept 2 homemade arrows).  When it was all cleaned up I raided my attic for cloth and "furnishings" and the Right Brain Treehouse Society was born!


No secret password to enter ~  just an open mind!


all mouse chewable items are hung from the rafters for the winter


time to clean

to be continued.........

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