Tree Fort

I am the quintessential eccentric aunt. I turn 65 in a couple of days but still love to play. I grew up on the edge of an ever-expanding 1950’s housing tract. The world as far as we knew was new houses on one side and a never-ending forest of fruit and nut trees on the other. As a kid, I requisitioned building site materials and built tree forts.  When trees were cut down to build another house, I just moved on. Building my new “fort” was most of the fun anyway – that and pelting neighboring tree forts with scavenged fallen fruit. 
I have been eying this tree as a potential tree fort ever since we moved here years ago...

but, it was in the middle of a thick stand of trees. A view-less tree house was moved to the back of my fun list. Then the "natural resources extraction" company brought the property next door and clear-cut it. Suddenly I had a view. I put up a ladder and checked it out.

The Three Sisters have always been my spiritual refuge.  I have journeyed up there as often as I could during all seasons of the year.  I even spent my 22nd birthday on the slope of the North Sister and my 23rd on the col between the Middle and South Sister. As I got older, my trips have become shorter and less frequent.

The other day, I climbed up the ladder and took pictures of the Sisters above the fog shrouded Willamette Valley. My Alaskan friend, Lisa, then took one of my photos and made it into a painting.

Tree house has moved to the top of my fun list. I will be able to enjoy the Sisters with coffee and chocolate in hand. (Actually I want to enter a contest to win a tree house from TreeHouse Masters show on the Animal Planet, but I need a video presentation. Video Help anyone? I'll let you come play.)