Dear treehouse friends,
In times of uncertainty and tumult, it is often difficult to be mindful of the good things, the things that unite, enrich, and uplift us. But awareness of these things is essential, as it carries the power to nourish us through trying times. In this spirit, and in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I’m taking a moment to reflect on all the things I am grateful for.
Admiring the forest at Treehouse point is a simple way for me to stay mindful of all that I’m grateful for.
First and foremost, I am grateful for my family. This fall, my family grew a little larger, as Patrick joined us as Emily’s husband. Their wedding was a highlight of my year; witnessing Emily and Patrick express love and commitment to each other at their ceremony in the Cleveland Botanical Gardens filled me with joy. I am grateful to step into a new role as father-in-law, and am excited to stand beside Emily and Patrick as they embark on the next chapter of their life together. I am also happy to work with both of my sons; I am so proud of their skills, Henry’s work ethic, and Charlie’s compassion. Finally, I am forever grateful for the love and support of my wife, Judy. In August, we celebrated our 30th anniversary of marriage. Judy truly lights up my life (and every room she walks into).
Our family then…
And our family now!
It’s a privilege to be able to work with both of my sons.
Now With Patrick as my son-in-law, I get to work with three sons!
Judy and I celebrated our 30th anniversary of marriage this year.
Judy and I as Freshmen at Colorado College
Our wedding day!
I am also grateful for my Nelson Treehouse family: for my talented, creative, and kind crew at Nelson Treehouse and Supply, TreeHouse Point, Be in a Tree, and Treehouse Resort and Spa. Working with these friends is a continuously humbling and inspiring experience. It is a great gift to be able to say I work in a genuine community that daily strives to embolden and cheer on its members.
How many NT&S carpenters does it take to install a TAB?
Working and playing at the Space Crab build!
I’m grateful for my crew’s culture of CAMARADERIE and friendship.
Every day is a good day when i’m working with my crew.
I am deeply grateful for all my clients, who trust in me and my crew to create spectacular treehouses. It is an incredible and humbling experience to travel the country and the world, meeting folks who welcome me into their homes and lives, and share my love of all things treehouse. With every new build, it becomes more evident that treehouses ignite a sense of childlike wonder within all of us. I love how my job brings people together over this fundamental sense; I love building spaces where people can play and explore, where loved-ones spend time together, where folks disconnect to reconnect with what’s important. Collaborating with clients constantly inspires me to dream bigger and build better. I pinch myself every day, remembering how special it is to live in a world where I can be a treehouse builder for a living.
Working with Laurel Waters on the laurel tree Restaurant treehouse was an incredible experience. Utopia, Texas truly lives up to its name!
It was honor and pleasure to work with Zac Brown on the Space crab Treehouse at Camp Southern Ground.
Renowned Japanese Treehouse builder Taka Kobayashi and his friends stopped by Treehouse point earlier this fall. it’s always a delightful experience to be in taka’s presence.
Building charlie’s treehouse at treehouse Resort and spa was simply magical. the ongoing development of the property brings me so much joy.
Traveling to norway to visit treehouse builders was a highlight of my year. Thank you for graciously showing me your work, Håkan!
I was so happy to be reunited with Little Pete the goat one year after our treehouse build at storybook farm in North Carolina. I Can’t believe how much he grew!
I am grateful for the beauty, resilience, and wisdom of nature. It’s no secret that I passionately love trees, but this year in particular reaffirmed my admiration. In October, we had the opportunity to scientifically test the weight-bearing capacity of our treehouse hardware systems at Washington State University. We’ll be sharing details of the results with you soon, but in the meantime I can tell you that I was blown-away by the strength of both our hardware and the host trees. In my home in the Pacific Northwest I am surrounded by the most magnificent trees. By working and living among trees, I am constantly reminded how precious our forests are. Nature sustains, reflects, and guides our actions. We must never forget that nature and humanity are interdependent, and we make every effort to preserve and appreciate our natural world.
Scott atkins, One of our project managers, helps test the weight-bearing capacity of NT&S treehouse hardware at Washington State University.
The beauty of the forest at treehouse resort and spa takes my breath away.
Strong Trees are the foundation for every treehouse, like this sprawling southern oak for the quercus treefort-icus.
Admiring the natural beauty of the pacific Northwest.
Chica also loves exploring the Pacific Northwest’s verdant forests.
Last, but certainly not least, I am grateful for you, dear reader. Your love and support fuel and inspire my work. I’ve long wanted to start a blog to provide you with more free content, and this year we made it happen! Your response has been overwhelming; thank you for reading and sharing our posts. I notice every time you comment on our blog posts, like our photos on Instagram and Facebook, and respond to our videos on YouTube. Your positivity and encouragement bring light to my work and the Nelson Treehouse HQ. It means the world to me that you care about my family, my crew, and our treehouse life. A thousand thank yous.
I would love to know what you are grateful for! Let me know in the comments below.
Thank you for a magical year. And have a very happy Thanksgiving.
Love and trees,
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