TREE CHANGE JOURNEY | FEBRUARY - PART II

If January was noteworthy for its non-stop rain, then February followed up with a month of non-stop sunshine. Summer arrived, and it was most welcome. It meant that we were able to get outside and explore the property. When friends and family visited, we could take them up to the fruit orchard towards the top of the block. We were able to get busy in the garden. And a treehouse for the children started to come to life.

The property is quite overgrown. It is easy to understand why it has become this way. We are on 26 acres and it's a big job to keep the grass and weeds in check before even starting on making improvements. However, every weekend we try to get outside and make some small steps. (As well as bring some greenery indoors when we can.) And when we are outside, the children want to be there right alongside us.

Of course, there are distractions along the way. Happy ones, sometimes. Such as the day we spotted a turtle trying to cross the road on the school run. We put it in a bucket with some water, to save it from getting run over, and placed it in one of our ponds. 

The improved weather has meant that we have started to build a treehouse. It's something that has been put ahead of improvements to the house itself. It is to help the children become involved in the transformation of this property. And, of course, for them to have a safe outdoor space for them to play. Whenever work is being done, they are right there - counting screws, drilling holes, climbing down the rope ladder to rescue tools that have fallen below. It has fast become their happy place.

However, we have made some changes inside too. It is not until you live in a space that you get a sense of what works, and doesn't. What can be improved. We decided to create a larger living area and move the dining table to another part of the open-plan downstairs section. Instantly it made the house feel more like a home. All the boxes (filled mostly with books) went upstairs to slowly become unpacked.

And another white wall was added. We managed to paint several of them before moving in, but time was against us to get all of the feature walls neutralised. Primarily, the exercise has been about reflecting light back into the space. Even though we have a north-facing view, the stained timber walls absorb a lot of light and can make the space feel more enclosed that what it is.

On the final weekend of February a new ramp was added to the treehouse and salvaged floorboards went down. Almost straight away the children ran up with brooms to tidy their space. It was wonderful to see them so house proud. And it was a great way to end the month.

images the indigo crew