My 7 yr old noticed me staring at the exposed beams of an old lodge and asked me what I was doing. I told him I was trying to figure out how the thing was built so I could replicate it when the time comes. He thought about that for a second and exclaimed, “So that’s why you watch Treehouse Masters!”
Nearing the end of my indoor improvement projects, I’m turning a portion of my thinking towards the outdoor projects. Articles like this have inspired me to finally set a budget, dig out my old books, and get started on some outdoor projects while the getting’s good. I recognize that it is crazy hot here in AZ, but because we are at the tail end of the summer buying season, there is no better time to purchase the things I need to make my backyard a useful and fun environment.
So, what does it take to make a backyard worthwhile in AZ? A pool, of course. In the absence of that, you’ll need grass (check!), a ball hoop of some sort (check!), good shade trees (check!), lots of seating (…not check), A grill Station (poorly done, so I must redo), and a fun area like a treehouse would be great. That last bit is the focus of the summer plan. I have additional plans to add gardening and clear out old foliage to give me the groundspace to do stuff. I also don’t have a tremendous amount of time before I need to dive headlong into my work life. So, I think I’ll start with cleaning up the backyard, pricing out the treehouse, and then put together a plan for the boys and I to build it before the fam arrives for whatever holiday we decide to hold here this year…