The New Treehouse

The strong winds knocked over the old tree house, so we decided to build a new tree house. We also found another location (one I could supervise better with less effort).

It's a big Lombardy poplar stump. The tree was cut down a couple years ago to about three feet high. Most of the interior was rotten. Nevertheless, it has already started sending up new growth, some of which is over 10 feet high.

Desert Boy and I gathered materials, some from the old tree house and some from various junk piles. Then we got some hammers and nails. Oh yes, I musn't forget: Desert Boy got a ladder. He really wanted a ladder for this tree house.

Attempting to pound in nails. It didn't go so great, but he didn't smash his fingers, so I'd say we did well.

After about an hour or two of work, it was snack time. I have a feeling, based on the joyous expressions my kids made, that snack time and the tree house are going to be integrally related. Snack time was special--fruit bars. You can't get better than that.

Desert Girl managed to get up into (onto?) the tree house all by herself. She may turn out to be a climber like her big brother. (She has also already fallen out of the tree house, so it's probably a very good thing that it's only 3 feet high.)

She quickly mastered how to eat a fruit bar.

We did a couple other modifications (do you like the Private sign?) and then called it a night. We still have lots of work to do. And Desert Boy can't wait to paint it.

Wouldn't you like a masterpiece like this in your yard?