Someone had a vision.
This photo is filed as "tree house tree".
The pic was taken early 2013 but the tree had been studied from numerous angles for the last 5 or 6 years. Studied and drawn and visualized . . . upon. Ha! That is not proper English but I know what I mean : )
Joe either climbed or was boosted up to be the first to sit on this high perch but he climbed up himself next tree house visit.
Someone else could visualize the end result and he helped set four, 4 X 4 posts in concrete and then the next day came back and climbed 30 feet into a tree. He tied a rope on a big sturdy limb for a swing rope and then used the chain saw to cut off all the interfering, in-the-way branches.
Is this Craig who has assumed the position of a tree frog?
I am keeping in mind that this is, again, 30 feet up
and if that were me in this pic, I'd be tied to the trunk of that tree
-- not trimming limbs and branches.
Then Master Carpenter Dana moved in.
He squared up Nana's mis-appropriations with only a few grumbling remarks. I tried to explain to him that it is hard to use the 3,4, 5 rule around a knobby tree. I'm thinking he didn't hear me. I measured it out three or four times and the last measurement was so much closer to square then anything I had come up with previously, that I pounded in the final stakes! And Craig and I and Himself set the 4x4s in concrete. Plumb and level.
But if you climb the ladder and have a look, you see I was a little 'off' of square. okay. big deal, Dana. hahahaha just kidding : )
With Dana directing and Craig, Chad and Lanny providing muscle and their own expertise with hand and powers tools, the guys were getting the job done.
oh dear; what is this? Craig is sending hand signals and Dana is still trying to straighten out my 3, 4, 5' miscalculations. I'm sorry, Dana! Really!
Work, work, work.
What a team! What a crew!
They all worked with the end in mind.
Ta Da!
Look at that! A real life, good-looking tree house!
Dana designed the railing and it is just plain neat and used up left over materials.
Then it was time for the Show Down.
Jack was the guinea pig.
He was the first to take the plunge.
Brave boy.
Down he went! The look on his face made it all worthwhile!
Maddie and Gabby and Hannah were right in line ready to try it.
You know it had to make their legs shake
and their tummies turn, but they did it!
And soon after, Joe too.
Some like it more than others but they'll look back at their childhood
and will remember that moment.
The moment they stepped off the ladder and soared.
I'm proud of each and every one.
Then someone had a vision of a rope ladder.
Gabby drilled holes in 2X2 boards one day.
Gabby had the vision.
Maddie helped string the rope through the steps.
We had to do it two times before
Maddie managed to climb the swaying ladder
and help her Nana come to the conclusion that the steps needed refined.
Back to the drawing board.
Joey came on duty to finalize the rope ladder
and he helped install the hooks and eyes to anchor the rope.
Now, later, both Audri and Bella have climbed the ladder.
They successfully reached the summit!
That rope ladder may stretch and shrink
and have to be restrung or shortened,
but it will help little and middle-sized people to build muscle,
develop grace and coordination and, most importantly,
make childhood memories.
And did I mention that Traci and Nana have climbed the ladder?
After the glory of the tree house and rope ladder,
the one-rope swing remains popular --
even before breakfast and wearing a nightgown.
