Odds and Ends

My good friend Amy Jo - turned 50!  Can't believe that it was 2002 when we went on a cruise to celebrate her mom's 50th birthday !!  Where have the years gone.  Amy was surprised by her family and friends on March 7th in Richfield.  I wasn't able to go down, but Jenni did.  I'm sure glad she got to have this big surprise and celebration before all of this social distancing began !  Heck, on the 7th, we were all still blissfully unaware that our world was about to be turned upside down.   

This was my last day at the temple.  I'm sure missing it now.  Funny how when you can't attend things, or things are closed, and everyone's lives have changed, that you sure miss it even more.  

On St. Patrick's Day - - Janell's family stopped by the office to brighten everyone's spirits.  

Well, my tulips sure are HARDY !!  We thought we had them all DUG UP before we planted the sod.  NOT SO !!  Here there are, poking their pesky little sprouts up through the grass.  

We picked up a big brush attachment for the grasshopper last fall.  It has worked really well, at thatching the the old grass.   Rog puts on goggles, because it's quite a mess.  He is covered by the time he is finished.  

Later in the day we went down to the Property and started raking a little.  

Thatch and I drug this big limb down to the burn pile.  

Tagg made a TOTEM for the Tree house - A BIG "T" !!

Thatch wanted me to come up and check out what they had up there.    

Their treasure box, filled with treasures.   Snowmobile weights, keys, Jeep decal, poolstick, small brush  - fun stuff !!

A view of the creek. 

No stranger to Tree Houses

1992 - We (Zac and I) built a treehouse down at OUR property (not to be confused with THE PROPERTY).  Rog helped a little bit, but it was mostly Zac and I as I remember.   It had six platforms, that we placed strategically in a great old tree next to the creek.  Those platforms, were actually FORMS that my dad (Grandpa D) had built to form up a headgate for our 13 acres when we put in the new fangled watering system.  After the cement dried, and the forms were removed, that is when we repurposed them for the treehouse.   In this picture above, there is Zac (almost 11 years old), Jared, Cody, Landon (4 years old), and probably Tom Rich.  What fun we had building this, and hanging out down at the creek.  If I remember correctly, we even slept down there a few times.    Eventually, we abandoned our play area, due to a few different factors.  The "city" kids from the nearby subdivisions across the creek, and in Morgan City would come over and trespass and vandalize things.  Also, the REAL PROPERTY became available to use (Year 2000), and we started concentrating all of our efforts over there. 

Over at the NEW PROPERTY, we put the forms back together again (which we had taken down from the platform treehouse), and made a PLATFORM next to the creek to swing off of. 

Oh the fun times we had (and still continue to have).  The platform lasted for quite a few years, and then we built a new one out of metal and trex, and I think the platform pieces which were sorely used and abused went on the burn pile. 

In the mid to late 90's (after we  abandoned the first treehouse), Zac built a 3-story tree house in the big old boxelder tree out by our barnyard.  It was a mixed up mish mash of plywood, pallets, and 2 x 4's and 2 x 6's.  I don't think I ever climbed up in this one.....(maybe once).  You know, it seems the fun of a treehouse, is usually the BUILDING of it.  Once it's finished, it's time to move on......  This treehouse was eventually torn down and burned, and now the tree and milkhouse (in foreground) are gone too.  Time marches on. 

2016 - Twenty year later, the idea for another TREEHOUSE was born.  This time Zac's KIDS get in on the action.  First Zac brought home a bunch of pallets from different job sites.  The idea was to pull out all of the nails and re-use the boards. 

It soon became apparent that this would be impossible, and so a sawsall was used to bypass the nails/staples.  

There were many trees at the Property to choose from, and this one was best. 

Zac attached those big 2 x 10's with special bolts, that will move with the tree as the wind blows the branches/trunk.  Then the 2 x 6's were laid across for the floor joists. 

A little bit of scary stuff going on......  Zac was out on this ladder a few times.  This just happened to be the time that Roger D. was helping out.  

Tagg learned how to staple the used pieces of pallets as siding over the plywood. 

Back Deck

Inside of the house

Helping to get it straight.

At first Zac was going to try to get the steps to lower and raise, but couldn't get the pulleys to cooperate.  This picture shows the stairs, and the front deck. 

A view from up top, looking East towards Mom and Dad's house. 

A view looking South and at East Canyon Creek. 

The stairs aren't too steep, and the rope railings work out great. 

As you come up the stairs, you come upon the decking, surrounding the treeitself, which comes up through the floorboards. 

Inside the treehouse

Looking out the window (see below)

Grandpa and Grandma came up, and pronounced it AWESOME !

The little ones playing on the tree (up in the air)

An overview.  Wow, they are going to have so much fun !
GREAT JOB ZAC !!

Fun times - We love Spring !

Barefoot boys - chalk - warm weather
LOVE IT !!
(I don't know why Tagg is so obsessed with drawing wasps !)

Grandma LuAnn is recovering nicely from her total knee replacement (left knee).  She has been staying at Joni's during her recovery.  I think she will be home before you know it.  She starts therapy tomorrow. 

Tagg is helping with the Treehouse construction. He is learning SO MUCH !

Keep it just straight son - you're doing just fine.
(Isn't that a country song ?   :)

Stylin' with his Grandpa Roger shirt.
He picked his outfit out all by himself.
On his way for and lunch date with Grandma Ben.

We took Dad's old mower, bought a new engine, and now are using it on our place.  Roger is in heaven !  Treyson is learning the fine points of mowing the lawn with this type of mower.  Let's just say there is a learning curve involved ;)

Zac was hoping to get a pulley system rigged up to raise and lower the stairs, but it just wouldn't work properly, so he bagged it. 

The backside of the treehouse - Tagg did all of the stapling. 

Even Grandpa and Grandma D got in on the treehouse action !

The treehouse is right next to the swings, so they are getting alot of use.
There goes an UNDER DOGGY !!

WHEE!!!!!

We met Landon and the kids up to LuAnn's, where she was staying for the day on Saturday.  Here Payson is enjoying some ROOTBEER MILK :)

Back to the Property, so the kids can try out the treehouse.  

Payson totally loved it, but Brightyn was a little nervous. 

Ying and Yang
Moe and Joe
Double/Trouble
Love these two!

HIGHER Grandma - HIGHER !!
The wind kept blowing her hair in her face, and she would unhook one hand to brush it away.  There was only one "fall out accident", but she scared Grandma a BUNCH of times!

Whoa baby - hang on !

Oh boy -they could stay here all day I think.

Some serious talk going on.
Landon's trying to talk them into giving up SUGAR !

Zac brought all of the left over pallets down, and we started a fire. 

Then it was back up to the garden to get fencing in place.
We put an 8 foot gate at the back, and a 4 foot one at the front.

Poundin' the POSTS

Keep it straight !

Uncle Norris stopped by, and I snagged a picture of the two brothers.
LOVE IT !  It was a GREAT DAY