moro numa casa numa árvore

I live in a tree house. I got home in June from my epic AT trip a little depressed about coming back to real life. I was dirt poor. And all I wanted was to BE OUTSIDE. I had the option of living with my parents or finding a cheap place to live--which the cheapest around is Provotowne in the summertime. In my search for cheap housing, my friend Justin offered his tree house as a bit of a joke, but mostly serious, option for me to live in. I thought about it and it was obvious as to what my answer would be. So I "moved" in.

What I say is a tree house would actually be more accurately described as a tree platform, because there are no walls and there is no roof, just a platform and railings. I hung my hammock up and called it home. It's not quite as glamorous as one might think. There are bugs (I had to buy a bug net). It's really hot sometimes (I have a fan). To go to the bathroom I have to climb all the way down a ladder and go through a gate and into the back of the house to use the guest bathroom (I have to carry my headlamp with my 24/7). It's not the most secure place (A drunk man slept in my hammock while I was out of town a couple of weeks ago... That will NOT be happening again). I cannot unpack all my things (My things are scattered all over between Salt Lake City, Sandy, Provo and my car). 

But there are also a lot of pros to living in a tree house. Like, I get to sleep in a tree house every night! Being outside keeps me a little bit more alive than not sleeping outside. I get to wake up every morning to the sound of scratching chickens below me, which might not sound very nice, but I love it. Also the roofing crew next door plays awesome classic rock/country all day as they've been working on the neighbor's roof. I get internet in my tree house and electricity (read: extension cord). I also never buy food because Justin has an obsession with finding and obtaining large amounts of free food. He came home last night with a bucket (yes that's right) of a beautiful green salad. 

I used to be roof-less, but the other day a poor bird ran into the mirror that I have hanging up. I felt bad so I decided to put a tarp roof up to keep other poor birds from flying into themselves, as well as to protect from the random rainstorms that happen.

Essentials: banana chair, curtain, bug net

My hammock-side light. 

Home sweet tree house.