As a young little turnip I passed my days out in the forrest with my brother, Ian. We built tree forts and pretended to be Native Americans (best childhood ever!). In true girlie style, I made sure that my tree branch teepee had a mailbox, a 'comfy' wooden bench, a fire pit (only used once when dad came out for a 'dinner' consisting of toasted potstickers) and a trendy bottle rack — to hold empty beer bottles, of course! I think I even replanted some flowers around it, and don't tell my mom but I think I even took a tea towel out there for a little extra style.
Ian decided to build his fort downstream from my rustic little resort and it was perfect for a boy — a big blue tarp strapped to the trees. He sat underneath it on a log with his toy gun. Done. Half way in between our forts we had a 'public' toilet, up the hill and behind the big tree.
Ian and I tried to upscale our adventures once. We explored deeper into the forrest and found this gorgeous clearing beneath a massive cedar tree. It was right on the edge of a 'cliff' and had room for a kitchen, laundry room, bathroom and a living room! The design of this new dwelling ruffled some feathers and I remember Ian wasn't exactly thrilled about my dreams of expansion to included a gazebo tearoom.
Instead, he ran off to fetch some 4x6's, hammered them into a tree, climbed up his 'ladder' and dubbed that tree our 'look-out' post. For all of its luxuries, this communal fort, named 'Fern Gully', just couldn't compare to my branch teepee and his blue tarp...so we abandoned it.
I'm more than certain that if we were to visit mom & dad's house this afternoon, our forts would still be there. Ian's blue tarp has been taken down and the beer bottles have been removed from my 'kitchen' but last I checked my tin can mailbox (nailed to a plank that I shoved into the ground) is still there.
Good luck with your last month of freshman year, Ian! Love you :D
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You are awesome!