Ever since we moved here, we’ve planned to build the kids a great treehouse. We are blessed with so many beautiful huge old trees and the children love to be outside. We’ve been planning and dreaming about it for a long time, but finally we’ve gotten a good start.

The “blueprints” call for taking advantage of an odd intersection of tree branches that fused together to create a kid-sized opening. The main treehouse will eventually be up there, but that’s 12 or so feet up. The first step was to build a fort-type landing about 7 feet up that would also serve as a mini playground set.

(The previous owners pointed out this interesting formation and mentioned that they too had planned to put a treehouse here).

Amid re-fencing projects, new chicken tractors, animal husbandry, travel for work, and so on, we set the posts for the landing last fall. We managed to get the platform put up too before the weather turned and other things demanded our attention. Recently, we’ve gotten back to work.

(So far, this fort/landing has been a submarine, a house, a space ship, and who knows what else).

The kids eagerly watched and helped as Joe installed a ladder and slide. He then got a railing around it so they could begin using it.

Finally, Lydia’s swing was added so she can play too.