Twig teepee

What child doesn't long for a tree fort?  Our yard doesn't have quite the right tree for a treehouse - so, instead we've constructed a twig teepee under our old apple tree.  This twig fort is used daily, with a table and seats made from stumps, and scarlet runner beans planted all around in order to provide extra shade during the hotter summer days.  During the seedling sale this teepee was just the right place for the kids to explore or retreat from the crowds.

We read that the David Suzuki Foundation is challenging Canadians to spend 30 minutes a day outdoors for the month of May - it's called the 30x30 challenge.  30 minutes outdoors for 30 days in a row.  30 minutes a day sure doesn't seem like much of a challenge for gardeners or homesteading families like us at this time of the year, when we want to spend every spare minute outdoors to work away at the long list of garden tasks that need to be done!  However, we realize the reality is that many people do not actively find time in their busy days to be outdoors.  This twig fort is just one way to encourage kids (and their parents) to enjoy the outdoors together engaged in collecting the twigs, building the fort, and enjoying their outdoor teepee...