Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Treehouses

Treehouses are a great garden feature. I don't even think you need to have children in the house to have a treehouse. You need only be a kid at heart! Here are two examples of treehouses. I will let the treehouse owners themselves talk about their treehouses. Thanks Dawn with Peaches and Skeeter!

Skeeter:

As children, my siblings and I would have loved a nice tree house like this one. We had to settle for the ones we made from scrap wood, cardboard, or whatever we could scavenge. We referred to the homemade scrap houses as Forts!

Some times when a neighbors child comes over to visit, they will go up into the house and play a bit....

Our cats came to us as strays from the woods and would seek shelter in the tree-house before we took them into the house. Cheetah rode out a horrible storm one day in the tree-house as I watched from the house through binoculars while crying because I could not help her. The storm was too brutal, then once we had a break in the storm, I ran to get her and she and Sheba has been inside this house with us ever since!

Dawn with Peaches:


I'd like to think the treehouse has become a conversation piece in our yard. It was a fresh idea both Jack and I weren't sure we could pull it off. It is made with leftover tree slab, and even though I was thoughtful enough to panel the interior walls, (afraid the bees would hive in the cracks of the slab) my kids were not happy with the spiders it housed.

We have done entertaining in the form of barbeques, mostly for the softball team our company sponsored. It was funny, one player, who was about 6 1/2 ft tall, skinny and ALWAYS pulled any contact with a softball-to the left, foul. He went out of his way to ask Zack to show him the 'clubhouse'. When they were both in the treehouse, seemed like seconds, we all hear a animated voice say "I need electricity and a TV and I'll be all set." Everyone laughed. This guy never gave up.

Another time is about winter storage, I'd put Zaks golf clubs and bag in the treehouse for storage. We had picked up a set from a boy scout yard sale. Apparently a persevering squirrel found the white sweat pad an appealing bed blanket. The squirrel had no problem getting the towel down from the treehouse, but going back up the tree was a different story. I watched the little guy wave the surrender flag for about a hour until he finally gave up! It was funny, as the towel was bigger than him.

This treehouse we built for our kids would have been a dream come true for me when I was young.

in the garden....

21 comments:

  1. Wow those are nice. I would have loved one of those when I was a kid!

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  2. A kids dream come true. Good job Skeeter and Dawn. Ofcourse I have seen Dawn's so now it is nice to see a photo of Skeeter's after hearing about it.

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  3. This is an awesome post --we always built "forts" with scraps we would find. They couldn't compare to these two beauties. Can't let the boys see this post --they'll want me to start building, lol. I love these!!!

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  4. Love the rustic look to your tree house Dawn with Peaches! What a great way to recycle tree bark! I spray our tree house with bug spray when I do the storage and boat sheds, garage and outside of our house. That keeps the bugs and spiders to a minimum in the tree house. I think kids today just don’t enjoy anything unless it is attached to a power cord or battery! I will never forget my days in a fort in the backyard woods bugs, spiders and all… LOL…Ah, the simple days of Mayberry…

    Jean, we cannot take credit for the tree house in our yard. It was on the property from the previous homeowners. I am sure their grandkids were devastated when they told them they were going to sell the house! The Saint wanted to remove it but I would not let him. I think it adds a bit of character to the otherwise, bare woods. I call such spots, Points of Interest! If you look closely in the picture, (*click to enlarge)you can see a hanging bucket and also a mineral lick under the house. Those are for the deer which visit us daily. By providing them with food, they mainly stay in this area thus leaving our plants and flowers alone. Although last year we had a set of twin fawns that have ventured into the other parts of the yard taking the Doe with them. Arggggg. The bunny still seems to do more damage though… I am sure the deer will enjoy the veggie garden this summer! That is, if I can get it to dry out for plating season. We had 1 3/4 inch of rain fall on Sunday!

    We tried to get a big GA pine tree down yesterday but the wind was too high to risk a proper fall. Today and another windy one so we will shoot for tomorrow I reckon!

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  5. Skeeter, I like yours, that's what I want to do in upper layers, can't see it very well but the treehouse is attached to a lage hemlock with a wide canopy. We may chose to keep it though, I'm with you! Can't bare to tear it down. Good idea about the bug spray, never thought of that. DUH.
    Tina, may not remember but we would collect scrap wood and build forts. Our only tool hung from a swing rope, a hammer. We thought we were brillant because if someone dropped it, we could pull it back up to our height. Only thing was, tied 2 ft from the ground, we were more likely to hit someone on the head! Kids.
    Much luck with your tree skeeter, I always have to leave whenever any of mine come down, makes me nervous.

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  6. hi all,
    hey dave, got a treehouse in the works for your kids?:)

    hi mom, been missing you commenting. are your hands better?

    hey anonymous, show the boys...give them some good ideas! you have room for a fort.

    hey skeeter, yes of course i missed you. i miss any of the regulars on here if they don't comment like usual. good luck on getting your ga pine down. why? does it have pine beetles or is about to fall on its own?

    dawn with peaches, i think you forgot our forts! i am pretty sure that if the trees are still standing at cooks corner-then so is my treehouse! great great memories building forts in the woods and salvaging wood from local businesses (though i am sure they didn't appreciate it!) of course, we never had anything as nice as these two forts.

    all three pups have homes...now if we can just get them fixed by the vet and on their way, that would be great.

    gardening season is here. spent the morning working in the garden and repotting houseplants. don't know why but they tend to multiply. i have tons of philodendron cuttings and pothos. i also potted my tuberoses nina sent, some caladiums, calla lillies and prepared the seed tray. try to do a little at a time so it is not overwhelming but you must get cracking! especially in georgia and florida for skeeter and lola! see ya later. pps tonight. planning to meet gail.

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  7. Great tree houses Skeeter & Dawn. I can remember building forts also. Never thought of bugs or snakes back then. You guys have a treasure--let it stay. Skeeter I thought yours looked like it may be in woods that have a couple cypress. Dawn, looks like the hemlock would keep the rain off even without a roof. I use to enjoy sitting in my tree stand just watching the animals. High up-nobody could see you.

    Tina, glad the babies have homes--a great job you've done. I don't think they would've made it without you

    Hi Jean, Anonymous, Dave-where's Nina?

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  8. I Said,
    Not cypress but tall Georgia pine trees running through the tree house! We do have one cypress that my dad gave us two years ago. It came up from his cypress voluntary and he past it on to us. Growing like a weed and really fast too!

    Tina, the tree we are going to cut down is too close to the wood shed. We are going to add another section to the shed to store the riding mower and wagon. The tree is in the way. Saint wanted to cut down the tree when we built the shed several years ago but I would not let him. Now he is saying Told Ya So! Okay, he gets to say that occasionally but not nearly as often as me! LOL.... We have the lumber and all the supplies just need to get the tree out of the way first…

    I put my two Dept 56 snow villages away as well as all the snowman decorations in the house! Bug sprayed the trees on the front porch and the fruit garland over the door. They will go into storage tomorrow once the smell has left them. I have the space in the closet ready for them to be stored. Whew, been a working day for sure even though we did not get the tree cut down. Too windy. Will try tomorrow I guess… Argggg. Mother Nature does not cooperate at times… I will work on putting up some Easter decorations next…

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  9. Oops. Wrong button. l is Lola

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  10. Hi, I think Nina is wearing the grandma hat this week. I'm sure she is having a wonderful time. I'm happy those pups have homes Tina - I know I should've brought the kids by but we're okay with viewing the pictures. The kids would want to tote them home. So, see it's all good. :) I'm not so sure hubby would let us build a fort on the back yard, lol. He still won't budge on the fence idea. I think a pretty white picket fence would add such charm to the backyard --not to mention keep out the strays that like to make deposits where the kids play, rofl. Hi Jean --hope your doing well today --just thinking about spring and reading Tina's posts about planting gets me into the spring frame of mind:) Now, if the weather would cooperate we'd be golden. Off to chase some big boys to bed --they had to see American Idol tonight. I know it's over I hear the news. Nighty-night

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  11. hi lola, skeeter and anonymous, late night tonight so not much talking tonight! see you in the morning.

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  12. btw, met gail tonight. will post about that later as tomorrow is paper day. she complimented you ALL on what great loyal commenters you are!!!! and i am glad to have gotten to know all of you! (including my mother and sister:))

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  13. Skeeter if you can't take credit for building it you sure can take credit for keeping it! I guess I can see someone with no kiddies not wanting to keep it but I think even without kids it is such a great addition. However, I always have said, "It sure would be a boring world if we were all alike".

    Hope you get your tree down with no problems. It is no small job.

    Girls, (Tina and Dawn) This is crazy for me cause I do not remember you girls building a fort at all! But oh boy, Stevie and Brian spent nearly all their waking time in the woods when at my house. My tools were always among the missing when I wanted them. My garden shears were big problems. I finally gave up and bought myself new ones and they were off limits. When you guys came up last May for Christy's graduation Brian, now as an adult with his own little boy, could'nt wait to go check out the fort and go to the waterfall. Probably this summer he will take Josh to them. Forts have such memories!!!

    Tina my hand is nearly back to normal but I have been busy with other projects.

    Glad the pups all have homes and I hope the new families will let you know how they are every now and then. You did a great job. I thank God every day for the fact that I have 4 GREAT daughters!!!

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  14. mom, we always built them when we lived at cooks corner. they were building a bunch of businesses around there and we had the woods right behind the house. there was lots of scrap wood. we girls, along with charity and mia had a good time in the forts. lots and lots of fun. i have a feeling lots of readers can also relate too. anonymous? anyone else? of course we had nothing like these dream treehouses. i am glad brian and his cousin had such a great time building forts at your house. it is memories they will never forget. i am sure josh will also have the opportunity to build forts and if his father's fort is still there, then all the better!

    btw mom, your tools, dishes and silverware were also always missing when we all lived uptown. good thing you don't remember, right dawn? joanne? terri?

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  15. Oh yes I sure do remember my tools, dishes and silverware being among the missing ALL THE TIME!!
    Also when there were always grandkids around and a few years ago I was down to very few forks and had to go buy more. Big problem to buy them as I wanted to get the same as I had and not buy all new as I really like my pattern. It fits in the hand and mouth really good and never bends or scratches and it is the same pattern as my silver and is made by Oneida. Now my silver is an open pattern, however, the stainless is not. It was only made and sold as a promational item back in the late 60's. So I now get it at a place called Replacements, Ltd and because of the limited quanity of it, it costs more that the silver. One fork is $15.00 dollars. One fork!!! I bought 10 of them a few years ago so it cost me $150.00. Now I need soup spoons. I do not remember now what I paid for them but I do know I ordered them by snail mail with a cupond from the packs of Allsweet Butter and you got a whole place setting for maybe $2.00 or $4.00. Replacements
    also have a lotta the Friendly Village dishes. But my bone china dishes which is Lavender Rose, they don not have. They are both English companys so go figure why they would have one and not the other. Sonetime I need to also order some glasses for the Friently Village as I really liked the ones you bought me for Christmas one year but they have all gone bye-bye but one. Still have all the goblets you bought me but probably because we dont's use them and they are on the hutch in the dinning room for show. Gardening may be your passion but oh my, for me, love the dishes, as did Nana.

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  16. I think it is natural for kids to not get the silverware back to the proper place (dirty dishes). I chase my spoons while building this house, it was so hot for the kids, who were helping, that I couldn't be telling them no the homemade slushies. I just went behind them picking up. It doesn't make it ok. I was just easier about it because of the circumstances.
    I don't remember your tools mom? Maybe as we got older and moved from c corner. I remember one hammer and like Tina said, mia and charity. We would get them up (always 2 sided forts) and the older kids would come and take it down, using our scrap wood for their forts! Many out woods around c corner, I don't think it is like that today.
    I know Nana liked glass/china, could of used her help the other day. My singer is tempermental, jack of all trades had to tell me how it winds a bobbin, then I looked around....All this time had it treaded wrong! It does not like lightweight material, oh well maybe the wrong size needle.

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  17. mom, i know your pain. replacements ltd is expensive. we used to travel right past its headquarters in north carolina. loved the building but never stopped in. i too have bought silverware to match my pattern.

    dawn with peaches, did you get your curtains done? i love curtains and change mine out frequently, but i don't sew them. i am sure you are having fun with it and i hope it is working now.

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  18. Finished them up last weekend, funny thing, my machine will sew heavy wool (for the couch) but not light cotton, then...WA-LA. Threaded missing 2 hole holders, don't know how I did that. I also found flat bobbin threads only one way, if it is wrong, no tension=no sew. Took me an hour to do one valance. Whew, what a puzzle!

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  19. Dawn on any sewing machine when you change the weight of the material you have to change your tension
    The way you have always loved and done sewing I can't believe you having trouble. You get your love for sewing from Nana. NOT ME! I hate to sew but made a lotta clothes for you girls when you were little. It used to be cheaper to make em. Don't think it is any more.

    Darn Tina all the times I went to NC and I never saw thatplace. But then again way back then I guess I did'nt even know about it. I get emails every month telling me what they have for my patterns.

    While we are on the subject of dishes, ect. At one time I had a Tobey Mug that Nana bought me in a shop in St.Andrews. Do either of you know what happened to it?

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  20. replacements ltd is in western north carolina. we passed it going to alabama. quite a humongous place and well marked. right next to the interstate. we never traveled over there mom.

    no, i have no idea where your tobey mug is. ask joanne. she may know.

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  21. I don't know what a tobey mug is either.
    And sometimes you have to change the needle to a finer needle, wasn't even sure I could get one for it but it takes standard.

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