Month: February 2021

The other day we had a lot of snow – probably 12 inches, when they had called for 3-6 inches!  We had just started seeing the ground and now it’s all covered back up!  Shouldn’t last too long – at least that’s what my plow guy said.  Or, maybe he just didn’t feel like plowing 🙂

I’ve been watching the ravens (or maybe crows – I still can’t totally tell the difference if they’re not side-by-side) enjoy the compost pile and put out some bird feeders the other day, in hopes I’ll be able to see some other critters.  I’m sure I’ll be seeing some squirrels and chipmunks soon.

I’ve been going for daily walks (now my son is forced to come with me!) and the other day when there was bare ground I saw some lovely wintergreen and club moss.  So nice to see green, growing things!

The sun’s out today so I’ll be sure to put my sunscreen on,  get outside, and have some more updates for you!

Ever since I was introduced to idealistic, homestead living – around the age of 18 – I have dreamed of having my home being powered by solar. That was nearly 30 years ago, and here I am – finally solar-powered!

I worked with Suncommon and they made it so easy. It’s all very fresh – in fact, it’s not even live yet (should be by the end of the week) – but this big step is now very real and very exciting.

The system is made up of 24 panels and is 7.920kWDC (STC) and is scaled to cover all of my electrical needs over the course of the year, which includes most of my heating costs via a cold-climate heat pump.

The system comes with a very detailed monitoring system and I’ll post my progress along the way!

April is a bit unpredictable around here: It may rain and snow all in the same day.  It may be a 60 degree sunny day or single digit nights.  But, you can be sure that we’ll have mud!

Vermont is a bit unique in that 55% of the roads are dirt/gravel, and this means that during the snow melt – and this year we got a lot of snow! – it can turn the roads to mud.

It’s hard to tell how the specific factors come together to determine if it will be a really “bad” mud season or one that’s not too bad: how quickly it melts; how much snow we have; how much rain we have; how much sun there is; how deep the frost is.  There are years when you think it will be really bad and it’s not, and years when you think it won’t be bad and it is.

Regardless, you can bet on mud as we work our way to springtime.  I’m writing this on March 31 and there’s still towering snow banks and we got nearly two feet of snow just a week ago, so we have what seems like will be a long time before we see our first spring flowers.  But then again, you never know what will happen around here!

Come be a part of this (in)famous seasonal adventure and stay at the treehouse   Make a reservation on our page on Airbnb

When you come, make sure to bring your snow boots and your rain boots, a winter jacket and a rain coat!

One of the joys of traveling is sharing it with others and I’ve left a guest book in the treehouse for our guests to do just that.  We’ve had some very happy guests and the word that keeps coming up is, “Magical”.  I must say, I agree with this assessment – I love going down to the treehouse to just relax, when I can, and walking down the snowy path with candles lighting the way to the lit-up tiny house in the trees and you can’t help but have the word “Magical” come to mind. Check out what our guests have to say and make a reservation!

Entry #1 “Hill Farmstead, Alchemist, Jasper Benedict, Ziplining, and a Treehouse!  What better way to disconnect for a long weekend?! My wife and I came up from CT leaving the kids behind for the first time in years.  Our hope was simply to find a place where we could slow down for a few days and chill out.  Who knew we’d stumble upon an experience as unique as the treehouse. Roasting marshmallows, laying in the hammock and hanging by the stream were all perks.  The real gem here is the treehouse itself. If you’re reading this book you already know, or will soon find out –the treehouse has us wrapped around its pinky.  We’ll be back and I’m sure you will be too! 🙂 Steve & Molly”

#2 – 11/11/18 What a comfy cozy get away.  Love the brook with the tree growing around and over it in the middle… I see the stone city, lots and lots of gorgeous boulders. Thanks for making such an art-filled abode, just the rightsize.  We spent much of Saturday hanging in the treehouse as the snow fluttered around us.  Warm, blissful, relaxing.  Then headed in to Montpelier to run a couple of errands.  Yummy early dinner at 3-Penny Tap then raced “home” to sit by the stove and read and relax some more. Best of luck in your new adventure as an Airbnb Host and we look forward to visit again sometime. Janet & Chris

11/12/18 Truly the coziest and most beautiful home we’ve ever stayed in.  The décor is amazing –especially the tile in the kitchen! – and all of the tiny little details make this gem really feel like a home away from home.  It was the perfect size for two; we absolutely loved sitting by the fire and reading a good book … so calming to hear the brook in the background. THANK YOU SO MUCH! All the best to you and yours. <3 Zina & Garrett

11/25/18 We came here to celebrate our ONE YEAR!  It was the perfect place to just enjoy each other and not be distracted by ‘the outside world’ (wifi & signal) Our favorite thing to do was cozy up by the fire both reading and listening to the calming water behind us. There’s so many things to do here – we went to the museum and planetarium which was so fascinating. We highly suggest going to the scale house for dinner – some of the best seafood! Thank you so much for the warm hospitality!  See you again soon. -Alex and Steven

November 30^th – December 3^rd, 2018 ~ Entry #5 ~ Dreamy. Magic.  Cozy.  Romantic. We couldn’t have chose a more unique and beautiful space to connect, explore and have an unforgettable experience!  From the moment we saw the golden, twinkly lights amidst the snow covered trees, we knew we were in for a treat.  The treehouse has a special energy, immediately calming us and we felt at home instantly.  We slept with the window open, the sound of the river lulling us to a perfect, deep sleep.  We adventured during the day, had some amazing food and drinks, we loved the town of Stowe and the Alchemist brewery, and the chill vibes of the people and places we visited.  The best part was returning to our humble abode in the forest. Thank you for creating this beautiful space and making sure we had everything we needed.  It was an absolute dream come true! Love & light, Luisa & Daniel

Magical is the word that surfaces again and again as we experience Stone City Treehouse. The setting and the design combine to create a truly exceptional place, a retreat from the day to day of the world outside.  It is especially magical to stay here after following along with the project over the years. Way to go, Heather, we are SO impressed and grateful for your hard work and creative vision. -Tim, Emily, Arela

December 7-9, 2018 We had the opportunity to spend my birthday at the treehouse.  What a special place it is.  From the moment we opened the door the stress and bustle of everyday life melted away.  The sound of the river, the snow on the trees, the candles lighting the path …. Magical!  We enjoyed exploring Nichols Ledge, Stowe and local Hardwick restaurants.  We can’t believe we have to leave and absolutely will return! Thank you! Justine & Alyssa ——————————————————— December 17, 2018 On the 8th day of Christmas my true love gave to me, 8 cups of coffee! This place is a dream. We had such a wonderful and relaxing stay <3 Cannot wait to come back! <3 Pam & Chris ______________________________________________________________________________ December 18th, 2018 Amazing stay at the treehouse. We spent the night playing games and drinking wine by the fire. When we awoke in the morning we saw a white blanket of covering the winter forest. Wonderful stay and can’t wait to share the experience with friends at home. – Kate and Joe ___________________________________________________ 12/23/18 What a perfect romantic little getaway. We are expecting our first baby in March and this trip was just what we needed. We will absolutely be back – wish we could have stayed through Christmas! We will be sharing our experience and photos with friends & family! Thanks! Hannah & Ross ____________________________________________________________________ December 27, 2018 We both love adventuring and this was the perfect place to stop for a night on our way to Jay Peak. I am so glad we did and got a chance to experience this for ourselves! Sleeping in the woods with the sound of the stream was magical – all around loved it. Thank you, Heather, for hosting us! YOLO! Mark and Jana ____________________________________________________________________ Dec. 27-29, 2018 We loved our two magical nights in the woods by the stream. The space is so cozy and charming, we don’t want to leave. Every part of our stay was unexpectedly wonderful, the candle-lit path through the woods, the warm fireplace on a cold December night, and walking up to the sound of the stream in the back. Our trip to town was lovely as well. We also really enjoyed talking with you when you stopped in. You have done an amazing job with this treehouse. All the thought and care you’ve put into each detail truly made this a magical experience. Thank you! Sarah & Fred ____________________________________________________________________________ 12/29-31, 2018 Heather – You’ve done such a wonderful job with the treehouse. It truly is magical. This is my 2nd year to do a post-Christmas, pre- New Year solo retreat. It was so last minute that I thought it would never measure up to hopes or expectations, but then I found your spot! What a dream! Thank you for all the care and thought you have put into this place; for the inspiration it has given me; from Bread & Puppet, to the food coop, to books like Race Matters, and Black Cap Coffee <3 Not to mention I never wanted to come down from Nichols Ledge. Stunning. Also, let it be known for the first time in years I devoured a book in less than 24 hours. I wouldn’t have wanted to read Radio Free Vermont anywhere else. I hope to return one day! -B ______________________________________________________________ December 31 – Jan. 1 Adorable cozy tree house that exceeded our expectations! Thank you for such a wonderful place to get away, though we would have liked to stay longer. Once we realized it was the tree swaying and making the treehouse move rather than a person walking around the roof, it was even more enjoyable Happy New Year! <3 Lisa & Marc _______________________________________________________________ Jan. 1-5 Incredible place to stay for a few days! The cutest & coziest little treehouse with the perfect amount of space for 2; made me want to build my own! Also, we loved the sustainability aspect. So nice to disconnect & relax! A million times over, Thank you! <3 Addy __________________________________________________________________ A beautiful getaway! We had a long days skiing and ice climbing, and I can’t imagine a cozier, more welcoming place to come home to! As lovers of nature and enoyers of the wilderness, we loved the emphasis placed on sustainability. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for sharing your beautiful space with us – it felt like home! – Sam Happy New Year! – Sam and Addy ____________________________________________________________________ January 2019 The Perfect Retreat for Two Sweet Tree Nymphs Looking for a Place To Relax & Play. We Love All Ways <3 THISREFISH ___________________________________________________________________________ January 8-10, 2019 This tree house is so cute and a great way to disconnect from everything! Our trip did not go as planned, but it turned out being great anyways! Heather was an awesome host and she was a great helper as well! With the snowstorm in the forecast, we got snowed in the treehouse. Luckily, we had a great time in the treehouse. Honestly it was a well needed breatk from the business of life. We can’t wait to come stay in the treehouse again! Thank you! Macie & Justin ______________________________________________________________________________ January 10-11th 2019 We had the most wonderful time at this treehouse. Everywhere you look there are beautiful views. The decorations in here are so homey & unique. We are looking forward to our next visit! Thank you so much! Ryan & Kelsey (& Gus) P.S. We love that you’re dog-friendly as well! ______________________________________________________________________________ January 11-13th 2019 We had such an amazing stay in this cozy treehouse! After a frigid day in the mountains, it was so nice to come back and relax in this beautiful and cozy place. We loved the peace and tranquility… and the snow covered trees. We spent our evenings playing games, reading books, drinking wine, and laughing all night. Thank you so much for such a lovely stay. We will definitely return and share with all our family and friends. All of our best, Amanda & Jenny <3 _____________________________________________________________________________ February 3rd 2019 What an awesome little spot! We LOVED exploring around the back woods (even finding a decent snowboarding!) and nestling in at this little house – which is perfect for snacking on bread and cheese and sipping on wine while playing endless games of Bananagrams (provided above). We loved the close proximity to Stowe (Alchemist <#), and we really enjoyed our little visit to Barr Hill Distillery – which wouldn’t have happened without our amazing host Heather Heather is a great host. Everything was super clean on our arrival, and we had a great (informative) initial chat, and after that she just gave us our space to enjoy this beautiful little treehouse. Also, that shower is what dreams are made of. We also really appreciated that this home is pet friendly. My dog had a total blast exploring the property – and I barely travel without her. Thanks Heather!! <3 Molly, Britt & Sadie _____________________________________________________________________________ February 12th 2019 Heather, We had so much fun staying in this beautiful treehouse! We thank you for all the accommodations. The views and décor were so pretty, we can’t wait to come back again. Thanks again and I hope the next people that stay enjoy it as much as we did. – Joey & Nichole __________________________________________________________________________ February 14th-15th Heather, Thank you so much for letting us stay in this wonderful treehouse – it was an amazing escape! Everything was beautiful down to each little detail – we will definitely be back! Ashley & Darrius <3 _______________________________________________________________________ February 12th – 13th Heather, We seriously cannot thank you enough! This place is amazing. Thank you for letting us stay, thank you for helping get our car out of the snow, and thank you for letting us take your car to get food! You are unreal, thank you beyond belief. Damon & Colby <3 __________________________________________________________________________ February 17 Dear Heather, Thank you for opening up your magical tree house to Matt and I! Living in Boston and with a baby on the way, we really were in some need of some R&R and quiet! That the treehouse gave us. Looking forward to venturing back in the summer to experience the hammock and to hear the brook (now frozen) that others wrote about! Until next time, Christina & Matt ________________________________________________________ 3/7 – 3/10 At first, a compost toilet seemed scarier than the subway at 1 in the morning but by day two, we were delighted by our new found awareness of water consumption! There is truly something magical happening here. The treehouse is alive and the scenery changes. Thank you Heather <3 Sincerely, two compost converted Manhattanites Ashley & Chris P.S. PARKER PIE!!! (& we know good pizza) _______________________________________________________________ 3/10 This is the most perfect place to relax and to just unplug. We found ourselves getting back into guitar and it’s always refreshing to just be able to read a book, play some games, and take in the beauty of nature. This place is incredible and every little kids dream – we are more than appreciative that you decided to share this experience with strangers; it has seriously been such an amazing experience and I can’t think of a better way to get to spend the weekend -Holley & Victor _________________________________________________________________ March 24, 2019 A Treehouse Poem The trees rain crystals little flecks of rainbow ice catching the sunlight, softly, as they meander down to the forest floor. The lull of the stream hushes my worries of the world cleansing me, and calling me to peace. The trees, strong and grounding knock on the windows asking “What is it that you need?” The chickadees flit to and fro their sweetness reminding me to keep it simple. Nestled high into the trees of the forest I know this is where I’m meant to be March 22-24, 2019 As I sit in the next, sunlight streaming in, the window open listening to the bubbling stream, this place could not be more perfect <3. My husband and I came for our anniversary and are leaving with deep peace in our hearts. We cozied by the fire and drank tea, we snowshoes on the gorgeous property, we lounged around with NO devices and talked about life and our hopes and dreams, we had an exceptional dinner at Positive Pie… We never want to leave! This weekend getaway has been deeply healing and restorative and we are so grateful to you Heather for sharing your beautiful space with us. It was totally worth driving an hour in a nor-easter to get here and we can’t wait to come back and check it out in the summer! Your creative vision is truly so inspiring! Thanks again for everything, you were a wonderful host. Many blessings; Katie & Colton ___________________________________________________________________ April 2-4, 2019 Wow! What a cozy place to disconnect from the world and hang out. We read books, drank coffee, & listened to the stream outside. Highly recommend grabbing beer/brewery growlers (Hill Farmstead, Prohibition Pig, Lost Nation) or some local beers from Willy’s True Value (only open until 6:00!) and bringing them back to the treehouse for a night in with great beer, games, music, & company! These two “cheeseheads” had a wonderful Vermont vacation! <3 Brittany & Dylan P.S. Go Pack Go! P.P.S. Go Brew Crew! _________________________________________________________ April 9-10 Such a wonderful stay! A great place to relax, unwind and do some soul searching. Can’t wait to return. <3 Samantha ______________________________________________________________

It was a tremendous push to complete the treehouse!  In the beginning of October I decided to open it up for rentals in November and it wasn’t too long before I had my first reservation for the first weekend of November.  Well, between falling off a ladder and bruising my ribs, recruiting friends to help out, and many, many late nights, I finished it! (Well, almost – there are some more details that need to be completed.)

All of that hard work has paid off!  The result is a light, airy, friendly, comfortable space that our guests have loved so far!

You can make a reservation on Airbnb – we hope to see you!

The builders have packed up, and yet the work is not complete.  So do you know where the work falls now?  On me!

It’s a bit overwhelming, but I’ve got a plan.  It’s a four day weekend this weekend and I’m all over that treehouse!  I put in the maple flooring, the loft flooring, and got some electricity out there a few weeks ago but I’ve been too busy to get any further.

This weekend it will be building a wall for the “bathroom”; building the composting toilet, kitchen cabinets and counters; and install the tile floor and railings.  That’s my goal anyway, and my goals tend to be ambitious.  But as long as I get to devote a good portion of the long weekend to it, I’ll be happy.

Wish me luck!!

After a long winter of looking longingly at the treehouse foundation, the weather is here to start making some progress!!  Yay!

This spring I bought some locally cut and milled cedar for the decking.  Using used and local materials are a priority of mine for the treehouse and you will see them along the way!

A few days ago I screwed down the cedar for the decking facing the stream – it’s going to be such a lovely spot to relax and rejuvenate!

After screwing it all down, I put two coats of Vermont Natural Coatings penetrating sealer – a product that is made right here in Hardwick!  They use juniper from the distillery I work for part-time, which is also here in Hardwick: Caledonia Spirits!

I’ve been meeting with the builder that’s going to help me get the walls up, windows and doors in, and roof on, to go through materials and get things going in the next few weeks!  Yay!

I had always wanted hardwood or tile on all of my floors, but when we built the house, we needed to save a bit of money by putting in carpet. Sometimes I get in these “moods” where I have had enough and need to take some sort of action and last winter I pulled the carpet out of the hallway and stairs without much of a backup plan!

Then, once I had the carpet out (no small task in itself), I thought it was a good time up get rid of the awful paint, too!  So, it turned into an even larger project (this seems to happen often!)

As you can see, this area needed a lot of love and I needed to really think through how I was going to replace the floor.

This is where it becomes interesting. My boyfriend, Bill, was having some lumber milled up for a project of his (more on this in the future) and suggested that he have the guy mill up some maple for my stairs.

I thought that sounded like a great idea, and so the process began.

So, the wood was milled on-site at his house and we stacked it and put it under some pieces of metal roofing to protect it from the rain.  Maple lumber is really heavy!

After a few months I decided I didn’t want to wait until it was dry naturally – this could take a year or more.  I needed some wood on that floor!

So we found a wood kiln conveniently located close by in Wolcott and they put it in their kiln for a few weeks.  The maple was still heavy, but it was dry!

Then we brought it to a mill in Johnson so they could plane and sand the lumber, as well as bullnose for the stair treads.

Luckily, the saw mill delivers, so they brought it back to my house!  Oh, and they had also cut the stair treads to the lengths I asked for, which made things quite a bit easier.  Now I only had to lay them, right?

Things always seem to end up more difficult then you’d think – I’d run out of liquid nails, the drill bit would break, the countersink on the drill bit would get dull, the sandpaper I had didn’t fit the palm sander, the countersink hole wouldn’t be deep enough, I’d run out of screws – all sorts of things to hold up the process. It’s a learning experience, right?

I’m still in the process – almost all of the stair treads are in, most of the landing, and I’ve started some polyurethaning.  We still have the entire upstairs hall to complete.  Luckily Bill comes to help me with cutting – some projects are just more pleasant when you’re working with someone else, and this is one of them!

When it’s complete it will be beautiful! And it feels satisfying to use local materials that I’ve guided through the whole process!

Real ginger beer is such a treat!  It has way more ginger flavor than your typical ginger ale, plus it’s easy to make yourself!

I bought some homemade ginger beer this summer at the Burlington Farmers’ Market that was so yummy – but, it was also so expensive!  I thought that it would probably be pretty easy to make at home.  So, this winter I tried it and so far it’s turning out great!

I’m experimenting with a few different techniques.

First I used this recipe (the second one listed) but varied it a bit: I didn’t use the bitters and I made a honey simple syrup (half honey, half water).  I used tap water (we have great well water) and I didn’t use as much yeast – probably only 1/4 teaspoon.

When I opened it, it exploded!  But, I didn’t lose too much and it tasted pretty great.  I like to add a bit of Caledonia Spirits Tom Cat Gin (I work for them part-time and their products are amazing!).

The second approach I tried was to make a “Ginger Bug”.  The challenge with this is that you need to maintain this “Bug” on a daily basis and this can be tough to keep up with.  I generally followed this recipe – I didn’t end up maintaining it every day and it lost a bit of its natural fizziness by the time I got to using it.

Then, using the same blog – Modern Hippie – I tried to turn this into ginger beer by putting the bug and the other ingredients into a gallon glass jar.  It didn’t seem to be getting carbonated, so I added yeast and added a fermentation lock and it still didn’t seem to be getting carbonated, so I put it in swing-top bottles in hopes it would still carbonate.

I just tried it and it’s different – I think it’s pretty good!  It has a subtle carbonation and a nice ginger flavor.  Not very sweet, which is how I like it.  But, I wonder if it has alcohol in it!  Does ginger beer ever have alcohol in it? (I mean alcohol that hasn’t been added)?

Next time, I’m going to try this recipe.  I figure trying different things I’ll come up with my own version of ginger beer!  I’m looking for a strongly ginger, mildly sweet ginger beer with moderate carbonation.

I’ll let you know once I perfect it!