the view from sunday evening

the view is outstanding from the porch of the treehouse. the afternoon sun hits it absolutely perfectly. it's soon going to be everyone's favorite spot. the house part took shape this weekend and there's even the beginning of a roof on one side. husband decided to put a roof over the porch as well, because the reality of our weather dictates shelter from the rain. but today, tho' a bit breezy and slightly more cold than you'd like it to be, was actually pretty glorious. sunshine and bird song filling the air.

we made a wreath of evergreen bows and flowers from around the garden and held a ceremonial rejsegilde, which is a little party you have once the roof construction on a new building is complete. i was sent for sausages, since they're traditional at such a party. so we ate sausages and toasted with fizzy lemonade to what an agreeable project it was shaping up to be (that's apparently traditional as well). and we basically just took a few minutes to stand and admire the work that had been done and to look happily forward to it being finished.

i'm pretty sure it's going to be much better than the main house when it's finished and i'm pretty much set on just moving into it. sabin and i have plans for furnishing it with loads of big, comfy pillows. hmmm. i wonder if the wifi will reach out there?

but i digress (what a surprise there). what i meant to write about was how nice it was to participate in the tradition of the rejsegilde. somehow traditions are very comforting, apparently even when they're not your own. it gave me, just for a moment, a sense of being part of a continuous chain of people who built things throughout the centuries. all of the hopefulness and optimism that's actually in the act of building something. it's a belief in it being worth doing and a belief in making something that lasts. and a father making a treehouse for his daughter is such an act of love and caring. making something for her, purely for her enjoyment. using his time and strength and know-how and brawn and imagination and creativity to create a room to call her own. i think that's just beautiful. husband is such a keeper.