We Lived in a Tree House

Snicker. The blog is named in memory of him.

       by Valerie L. Egar

     We lived in a tree house all summer.

    The tree house was high in an oak tree, with a view of the mountains. A skylight, cut into the roof, shone moonlight and starlight into the house. Every night was a pajama party: we stayed up late and made wishes on falling stars. We listened to a hoot owl calling in the distance.

     We lived in a tree house all summer.

     When we wanted to sit, we straddled a strong branch that curved through the middle of the house. It felt more like riding a horse than sitting. We ate picnic style, with a cloth spread on the floor and slept on the floor, too, cuddled in sleeping bags.

     We lived in a tree house all summer.

     We climbed a rope ladder into the house and always pulled it up into the house after us. No grown-ups, big sisters or little brothers allowed!

     We lived in a tree house all summer. 

     Mom brought us sandwiches and snacks in a basket, but sometimes we found our own food. We picked wild blueberries and after dinner, ate them for dessert. 

     "Would you care for more?" I'd say to Tyler as though we were at a very fancy party.

     "No, thank you," Tyler said. "Really, I couldn't." Then we'd laugh and eat some more. 

     We lived in a tree house all summer. 

     Some days, we pretended the tree house was a ship, adrift in the ocean. Pointing to the mountains, Tyler yelled,"Land, ho!" and we'd wonder what we were going to find when we anchored. Other days, we made believe the tree house was a castle. On those days, our sister Lila was an unwelcome messenger from another kingdom.

     "Stop spraying me with the squirt bottle!" she screamed. Then she'd retreat and tell Mom.

     We lived in a tree house all summer. 

     We made friends with a crow who had a nest in the tree next to ours. The crow watched us for hours and we watched him, too. He was smart and quickly learned that when the cellophane on a package of peanut butter crackers crinkled, he'd soon have a treat. We always shared with him.

     We lived in a tree house all summer. 

     Some afternoons were lazy and we curled up and read books. If it was raining, the sound of the rain on the roof was comforting. We didn't want to go outside. We had everything we needed in our little house.

     We lived in a treehouse all summer, but summer was over too soon. 

     As September neared, we felt the evenings growing cooler and saw the goldenrod blooming in the fields. A few leaves turned orange, warning that fall was coming. 

     We moved out of our treehouse when school started. We swept it out and said good-by to the crow and to the tree, which felt like a good friend.

     Mom said, "Welcome back to civilization." We returned to our soft beds and school books, but at night, our dreams were of summer and of our simple life high in a mighty oak tree.

     Published in The Sunday Journal Tribune, August 30, 2015 and in Making It At Home, October 8, 2015. Copyright 2015 by Valerie L. Egar. May not be copied or reproduced with permission from the author.