First of all, Sundance is taking a break. He had some business matters to handle. This blog started on February 1, 2011, and in all that time, except for when he was on his trip to meet with some contacts, and helping out after disasters, I remember Sundance taking off a few days only one time. He went on a fishing trip and left the gals in charge. We managed not to set the Treehouse on fire, and even resisted ordering new furniture and hanging pictures.
And so, here we are, still in the same Tree.
Like most people, in November I start thinking more about things and people I am grateful for. I don’t want to do a smushy, typical post about that. Not to discount the need for, and value of, stopping to reflect on God’s many blessings in our lives.
I like stories. Indeed, I almost find them irresistible. It occurred to me several days ago, when I posted a recipe over at Stella’s Place, that I often don’t even share a recipe without a story.
I would like to hear yours today, and I think others here would too.
That is a weird, vague, and broad introduction to an idea, huh? Allow me to dial it in a bit. I started following Sundance, Ad rem, and Stella on another blog they used to run. Every day I looked forward to the posts, the comments, the ideas, and the sheer fun.
When that blog shut down, I found Stella over at Lucianne. She was looking for refugees like me, and eventually we all hooked up again. Sundance started this blog, and invited me to join the crew and become an admin.
Even though we started here in February, I always think about the beginnings, and Sundance, Ad rem, Stella, Wee, and Sharon, in November. I found them at the other place then, and the day before Thanksgiving, when I should have been cooking and cleaning, I couldn’t stop reading that blog.
Along this trip through the woods, we have become friends, the best of friends, in my book. I have found people who share my faith, my hope, my joys, and sometimes my sadness. They share foundational beliefs on right and wrong, justice, politics, and a host of other things important to me.
We have shared tons of laughs, as well as more serious discussions, advice, ideas, and, well, just life. We have been so privileged to “meet” some unique and wonderful characters along the way, including you guys.
This site, and the people here, are one of the most important things in my life, and one that I deeply value and appreciate.
You make me think, you challenge me, you deepen my understanding, occasionally you even change my mind. You pray with me and for me, celebrate with me, and laugh with me.
When my grandson Conner was a baby, you old timers were there with me as we prayed, waited, and hoped, while he had open heart surgery at Vanderbilt. You have checked in on him over the years, and shared in his stories and milestones. Probably my best loved story by Treepers was The Christmas Pumpkin, a story about Conner.
Behind the scenes, Sundance,Wee, Stella, and Ad rem have been even more supportive to me during those trials and tribulations, joys and hopes. Their support and encouragement really helped me make the leap of faith and decide to homeschool Conner (if you missed those conversations, he’s autistic and really needs extra help) when he needed it. Ad rem, the teacher, found words to help me see the potential through all my doubts and fears.
So, that’s one story about something and someplace and some people I am so very grateful for. I look forward to yours.
P.S. That’s Wee in the cowboy hat. These days she has blinged it up with tinfoil. I’m hiding in the back. I actually did have waist length dark hair at that age.
Here’s a link to a post Sundance made on the first day. Copying it from our old WordPress site to this new one resulted in some formatting issues and loss of his pictures, but you’ll enjoy his post.
Here’s another link Stella just posted in her comment. If you want the whole backstory, this is it.
I have only one regret about coming to the Treehouse… that I didn’t find it earlier! Although I’m probably considered an old-timer now, having come here in March/April 2012, I still wish I could say I was in on the foundational creation of this place… but sadly I can’t turn back the clock. Actually though, considering one particular aspect of my life up to that time, I wouldn’t have given Sundance and his blog a second look back then… I guess I wasn’t “ready” yet.
That’s because at the time I was a full-blown liberal. I like to think I wasn’t an INSANE lib, like 99% of them are today. But still, there were some issues that just had me on the opposite side of a lot of things than Sundance and the ladies were. So I was as shocked as anyone that I wound up hanging out in this place…. Conservative Treehouse? Seriously? Conservative?! Yep. (Oh, and let me pause for a second to give thanks to Saint Skittles for leading me to this Refuge, and quite literally changing my life. Job well done. 😉 )
Anyway, I never tried to hide my views on things when I first showed up here. I was honest with Sundance and everyone else here, letting them know that we likely wouldn’t agree on many things. And despite that, I was welcomed with open arms. Which, looking back on it, made me start to wonder whether most everything I had been taught/brainwashed to believe about “the other side” was WRONG. And little by little I started to care about the people here, and even thought of them as friends. You’d have to know my background to understand just how strange that was. Again… brainwashing can be a powerful/scary thing.
Anyway, even after having been here for a few months I still couldn’t imagine this relationship would last beyond the then-current reason for me being here. In fact, I still remember saying something about that. One of my comments went something like “Once this case [GZ/Trayvon] is over with, I doubt I’ll still hang out here. I like most of the people here, but I just can’t see that we’ll have enough common interests for me to have any reason.” But thankfully Sundance and his Angels had other plans. They just went “Sure Jello, you KNOW you can’t resist our power” and… they were right! 😀
Would I have eventually been red-pilled without the help of Sundance and the Treehouse? I don’t know… I certainly HOPE so. Because I would hate myself right now if I was still a part of “the progressive left” or whatever they call themselves. I look at what those scumbags do, and I just can’t imagine acting that way. I mean, among other things, I can’t even imagine turning into a warmonger like most of them have. And pro-censorship and anti-freedom? I was never that way, and yet I once considered myself a part of the Left. WEIRD.
But yeah, I don’t know where I would have wound up were it not for the Treehouse. If I had stayed with my former comrades I would have likely been no better than them now. On the other hand, had I managed to get red-pilled on my own some way, it would have been SO painful! I mean once I started to wake up to the truth, I lost countless supposed “friends” (most online, but even a few IRL). So if I didn’t have the Treehouse to help me through all that, I’m not sure who I could have talked with. I’m not ashamed to admit I may have been thoroughly depressed and semi-insane by now.
Were it not for this place, my wife* and I might now be supporting BLM, hating on Orange Man, ragging on anyone who opposed mask mandates, calling Putin Hitler, etc, etc. I can’t say for sure about any of that, but I sure am eternally grateful that I never had to find out! Yeah, the people in the Treehouse have quite literally changed our lives, and helped get us through some sad/scary times.
Thank you Sundance!!
And thank you Menagerie, Puddy, Wee, Stella, Sharon, and… who am I forgetting? 🙂
(* And by the way, not that this has anything to do with anything, but we met when she was 15 and I was 18, and we got married only 7 months later… and I expect you guys to throw us a nice 50th anniversary party here in a couple years. 🙂 )
You are what this effort is all about. Political systems come and go, but love is eternal.
❣️
My honey and I will be celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary in a little over 10 months. We’re counting down the days — literally — and praying that God allows us to reach that milestone. We are both still healthy (for being old people), but we know that God may have different plans for us than reaching a worldly milestone.
So I hope you let us know when your 50th anniversary with your sweetheart is getting closer, so we can count the days with you, too.
Thank you for sharing your great story, from another one time liberal.
If you’re like me, you look at that “50” and think NO WAY! That can’t possibly be right! 😉
No way is right! If the years have flown by, they were on a rocket!
Excellent Jello333. Your Alan Parson’s/Yes stories honesty reminds me of a similar one from my youth.
I loved George Carlin and after I graduated in 86, I worked a summer in my fathers orthodontic office making plaster models. When tickets went on sale, I went out at lunch and bought 2. Howie Mandell was to open and this would be my first event since turning 18 that I was able to go solo to.
Come show night, my friend and I spent a few
Minutes getting “tuned up” for the event by chugging 40z of malt liquor in the parking garage. It was time. We were tuned up and ready.
Howie was good and at some point during his act, I decided it would be a great time to let out my full volume heckler laugh. I wound up and let it fly, the best and loudest public heckling laugh ever! My friend shrunk on his seat due to embarrassment as Howie picked up the megaphone he kept underneath his stool and proceeded to announce “THERE IS AN IDIOT IN THE AUDIENCE….REPEAT, THERE IS AN IDIOT IN THE AUDIENCE” pointing directly at me. All eyes turned on me. I was so proud and embarrassed at the same time it is hard to put into words. Then…. Tap tap tap on my shoulder….
I turn around and the person who tapped
On my shoulder pointed two rows behind. It was Dad and Mom waving.
Good times.
Found this place early on and was put off by the prayer thread for some reason. There were so many crappy sites on the internet and Lucianne was a
Great refuge. I kept seeing links to the conservative
Treehouse and early Trayvon/GZ I began reading here. And reading and reading and reading. (Hi Bernie!).
I remember reading about the humble
Beginnings of the Treehouse and seeing the main Moderator SundanceCracker. I was not sure what to think about this place still, but the content was so compelling and the fellowship was so
Strong I just kept coming back.
I remember seeing the bricks of the CTH home page in pictures of the GZ trial courtroom. Good times.
I remember the discovery thread of the baker act/promise
Program. Purple Drank making NoLimitNigga, the baby face future astronaut. The GF manufactured. Seeing the strings was life changing. I could not look away and have not looked away since.
Fast forward a couple years to when Sharon was caring for her DH and asked for
Guest submissions for the Mailboxes and Old Barns weekly posts which as Menagerie wrote above about SD’s comments was some of the best content anywhere on the internet. My grandma Maxine had written a book for us grandkids about her life journey called “Some Assembly Required”. On a whim and feeling a power greater than myself inside of me, I submitted my grandmothers work
For guest post consideration. Her writing really reminded me of the quality of Sharon’s posts.
Very soon after that submission, I received an excited and thankful reply from Sharon that she would be using my Grammie’s story for a guest post on MBOB the following week.
HOLY SH!T, I had not even asked Grammie about it. LOL
Well, Grammie was tickled pink and loved that her story would be shared on this internet thingy for millions to read. She was
So proud that I would’ve read it and even considered Sharing. It really was a highlight of her last years that she talked about to everyone and shared liberally with all her friends family and congregation.
Maxine had 6 children and only found religion after the kids were out of the nest and her son became involved with the Apostolic Church. She found religion later In life and got to witness the same son that got her into it become the Pope of the Apostolic Church.
Good times.
It’s funny how much faith o have gained o. Reading here on these pages.
Menagerie, thank you for such a wonderful walk down memory lane. I’m cherish my branch here.
And it’s about time that SundanceCracker got out to do some fishing. Well deserved. And on these limbs I learned the roots of the “cracker”. It’s a Florida thing. There is much knowledge and power on these branches.
Also sad that some of the names have passed on.
Wolverines!
Here is Grammie’s firs MBOB thread. You can search them all by her name, Maxine Lee .
https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2014/05/04/mailboxes-and-old-barns-guest-post-some-assembly-required-by-maxine-lee/
Thank you TreeHome and May God bless you all.
Concerts were SO much fun back in the day. But now? 99% of them I have zero interest in, and even the few decent ones who are still around have lost so much of their earlier skills/charisma that I’d just be depressed. Even Jethro Tull, even though it was over 20 years ago when we finally got to see them, Ian had already started to lose his voice. They were still brilliant, but no longer best-of-all-time brilliant. Oh well, at least we got to see them while they were still all together.
Anyway, yeah some of the memories of the Treehouse make it feel like it all happened just yesterday. Remember the night we were all debating on changing our names in solidarity with Sundance? Some other blogs (mostly lefty) had started attacking the Treehouse, and to prove it was a rayyyccciiisssss! place, they mentioned SundanceCracker. Their lack of sense of humor is still shocking to me… anyway, so we all thought hmm… I came THIS close to being JelloCracker! 🙂
And yep, images on the laptop screens of some of the prosecution aides proving they were keeping up on what WE were doing. Crowd sourcing at its finest! Hi Bernie! 🙂 So many other incredible moments of our time during that case, from us doing our thing here, to watching some of the absolute insanity of the trial, etc. “Those are MY notes!” Or the guy doing the live Skype testimony and the feed freaking out — blurp! blurp! blurp! and Little Debby yelling to “Turn it off!” while Don West is like “I’m sorry your honor, I’m trying my best” all the while laughing inside. 🙂
Loved that about your Grandma… but it’s exactly what we’ve come to expect here in the Tree, eh? Yay Grammie! Hopefully you and my Mom have met up by now… you’ll have a lot to talk about. 😉
If first came here in 2012 as well, not sure the month. I had quit my job, I was burnt out and miserable. So, I was home alot and living in Central Florida I wanted to know more about the Zimmerman trial. I would say by this point I was an independent, Obamacare was the last straw for me. Back to Zimmerman I just could not understand if Trayvon was 17 why they were showing me photos of a young kid, that sparked my interest and all the time on my hands so I did an internet search and this site popped right up. I clicked the link and never looked back. Everything Sundance predicted happened. I found that fascinating and the fact that he is located in FL just like me.
I finally found a temp job that had a bunch of really older conservative people so I just listened to their conversations. I remember when PDJT announced the older lady was beside herself and I said he is going to win and she was like no way, she was a RINO type entrenched in the old guard. I don’t really know why I thought he was going to win maybe because he was a celebrity, maybe because he was an outsider. I left 2 months before the election having gotten a great full-time job that I am still at.
I come here every morning to get my news and check it at the end of the day as well. I do not post a lot but some. I will be here as long as it is here. Thank you Sundance and the rest of the admins for everything. I am truly grateful for my branch. Wolverines!!!!
I didnt see this place until 2016. What grabbed me is that Sundance had to nerve to say, “Ignore all the polls that say Hillary by 10. Trump will win” Absolutely nobody else was that sure. The rest of us were hoping Trump would win.
And once it happened, I knew that Sundance understands things at a level nobody else does. So now, when other highly regarded right wing bloggers are getting wary of Trump, and SD says “Stay the course” I have to go with Sundance
“could not understand if Trayvon was 17 why they were showing me photos of a young kid”
the Hollister shirt
Exactly.
Saint Skittles for me, too
I had just retired so was home all day and had CNN on with the Zimmerman trial
CNN coverage was SO slanted, they had supposed “panel” discussions, but the “panels” were dominated by offender supporters and even family members. “He hunted that poor boy down like a dog!”
Meanwhile, on comes the witness at ground level apartment testifying about a physical combat event on the paved sidewalk outside his sliding glass door, and a dark hooded participant straddling a victim and “raining down blows mixed-martial-arts style”.
And I thought “despite all this hunted-down-like-a-dog narrative, this sounds like a simple self-defense case”
… and so it was ruled
… by the jury
Stumbled on Treehouse thru a keyword search about the trial and pulled up a branch and been here ever since
Oh – and love the purple pony in the photo, Menagerie
Passing around garbage cans for grifter money was amusing, too!
Yep. And during one of those events Sybrina even played Jesus for a few moments:
“At least a dozen men and women assembled at Sybrina Fulton’s feet before she stepped down to grab one of them. She squeezed the woman, patted her back and whispered in her ear. Then Fulton moved down the line, tightly embracing each mother, grandmother and father, each of them too familiar with loss, until she’d touched them all.”
!!!!
You folks helped me get the trash can tour at the school next door to my house cancelled. I reached out for an assist and got it stat from JustFactsPlease and Memagerie I think . All 3 Portland events were cancelled. $yBrina didn’t know what hit her.
Local news picked up the story as the letter I posted(from the CTH assist) was thought to be penned from a local school board member. LOL.
Lars Larson show ignored it. Too controversial he told me as he ended my call.
Good times.
Nice!
JustFacts was Osterman’s MIL, right? Unless I’m thinking of someone else, she wasn’t an Admin? And I still think her daughter’s testimony was some of the most emotional of the whole trial. “Who do you think that is we hear screaming in fear on that tape?” “I know who it is… it was Georgie.” Wow 🙁
I was clicking around the internet of things and found an article about Jessica Chambers…another article linked to the CTH…and that is how I found my branch and squirrel nest here.
https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2019/12/05/jessica-chambers-burning-death-quinton-tellis-mississippi/4180740002/
yes, I recall the Chambers story followed pretty close on after saint skittles and gentle giant Laotian convenience store clerk manhandler –or maybe it was vietnamese
won’t go back and verify the actual sequence, but all y’all gnome sayin’
There are many, many stories of people starting out left and moving right,…Reagan, DJT are examples, but I did and I have heard MANY stories from ‘average folks’ …
I just wonder if there are comparable #’s that STARTED Right, and moved LEFT?
Somehow, I don’t THINK so,…
There’s an old saying that goes something like “If you’re young and you’re not liberal you don’t have a heart… if you’re older and you’re not a conservative you don’t have a brain.” I used to think that made some sense, but now seeing what the “left” is doing, I’m not so sure. Because VERY little of what they do/say shows they have any heart whatsoever. My God, they’ve even become warmongers for the most part. Maybe they always were (at least leadership) and I just wouldn’t admit it… but yeah…
Well there’s also another saying that a conservative is a liberal that’s been mugged. Just sayin’… 😉
Yes, but they are stories of people escaping discipline, accountability — full of envy, wanting someone else to tke responsibility for the things they want, but don’t want the work or responsibility that comes with it.
Or they are predators offering to use other people’s money (OPM) to make someone dependent and manipulatable.
Jello, politics aside, you have ALWAYS been a kind and loving soul. Period.
Thank you Stella ❤
God Bless you all and thank you for bringing this wonderful space to Us each and every day! I was concerned about the absence of Sundance these few days. Glad and relieved to hear he is OK!
Prayers for all of you and all of us keeping the Faith.
I too was concerned and wondering why there were so few new posts by sundance as before.
After taking more time to read about how the treehouse began and other things about the people who post articles here and comments.
I am glad I can be here and speak my mind in the comments.
Reading the comments is actually fun and interesting when I find insightful and useful information.
I especially like sundance because he goes into depth and explains his posts.
I to like to analyze things.
I was an electronic tech for 22 years. 2nd and 3rd opinions are what I value to make a decision.
Documentation links etc are like 2nd and 3rd opinions used to back up information.
If the backup information doesn’t jive with the original information I tend to not believe the original info or article.
Sundance was akways on the money.
If I can read just one new interesting article backed up with 2nd and third documentation links, I take the time to read the backup info and comments on the original post article.
A lot or reading and research for just one article.
One good article a day or a bonus of 2 good articles a day.
This is what is needed to help keep me informed.
Come back soon sundance.
If not I hope someone can help fill the gap of info and insight while your gone.
The conservative tree house needs that.
I need that.
We need that.😉😀
As a kid in a small town my last year or two of high school, as I walked to and from school there was an elderly couple who lived a block or so from us. They were on a large corner lot but they had a ramshackle look about the place. Farm house in the town look. Large shed/garage, big piles of firewood, old fashioned gas pump in the driveway like it had once been a filling station; not the look that most of the other houses had. He was usually out and about between the house and wood piles and shed, but she was usually on the front porch in a chair watching the world go by. It was the unusual appearance of the place that first got my attention but she was almost always sitting out and it was just natural in a small town to wave to her.
I honestly thought nothing of it. I always was more interested in what the deal was with the firewood, gas pump, and the “rustic” look.
About the time I graduated high school my mother asked me about Mrs. ____________. (I still don’t know her name.) I didn’t have a sense I was in trouble but you can never tell, everyone knew who we were in small town life and it could be any of many things I may have been up to that had gotten back to mom. The mystery was answered right away. “You wave to her every day on the way to school and back.” I honestly had to think for a moment to even realize who this was.
That unthinking casual wave once or twice a day for a couple of years had been so meaningful to that lady that she sought my mom out to let her know. We really don’t know the impact of our actions.
And a 👋☺️ to you too.
graduate of Pitman HS?
👍💕
My mother, through her daily actions, taught me more about kindness (and what real Christianity looks like) than if she had made me recite quotes from the Bible every single day.
My Dad was a firefighter in a small town and knew all of the cops in town. The fear of shaming our family was more powerful than any “grounding” ever could be. We knew to keep “our nose clean” as Mom used to say.
Actions speak louder than words.
I was so blessed to have them as my parents
My mother looked for the good in every person. Ditto on the parents.
My mom’s cousin was a car salesman at a dealership downriver, so I went to see him to buy my first vehicle when I was around 19. I bought used Ford Ranger and my sister, best friend and I took it up north for the weekend. Once up there, my mom calls my friend’s house (this was in ’87 or ’88 – before cell phones) to let me know that my cousin’s ex-wife had called her and told her that my cousin had actually sold me his old truck that was totaled in an accident and repaired by the dealership he worked at. She happened to be living near where we were staying, so we took the truck over to her and her son showed where the bed and frame of the truck had been repaired and where things were still a little wonky underneath. Needless to say, I was not happy.
Alcohol and anger (along with a good dose of stupidity) got the best of me and my best friend and I went out for a drive late at night. There was a sand pit with a pretty good incline on the east end of the lake we stayed on,and I decided I was going to try and get my truck up to the top of the hill. It was a stick-shift and two wheel drive. After three attempts (getting higher each time), my truck was buried in the sand. It was well after midnight and wintertime.
My friend and I started the long walk back to get our friends to help get my truck out. The lake was frozen and would have been the shortest way back to the house, but by this time we were sober enough to know walking across a frozen lake in the dark would have been even more stupid than burying my truck. We started down the road to market that had a payphone, (which we hoped was working) so we could call our friends instead of having to walk many miles to get from the east side of the lake to the south side where we were staying. The road was empty, and we didn’t have much hope that anybody would be out driving to give us a ride, so we just kept trudging along.
I forget how close we were to the market with the payphone when we saw the headlights of a car heading in the direction we were wanting to go, so we started waving frantically for them to stop. Imagine our surprise when “Elvis” stopped and asked us if we needed a lift! Turns out he had just finished a gig as an Elvis impersonator at a bar near Alpena and was on his way home. He graciously dropped us off at our friends house and went on his way. We went back to the pit with our friends, and after laughing their butts off for over five minutes, while making references to a “tiny Tonka truck buried in a sand box”, my truck was free and we were on our way back to a warm house and bed.
This summer, my girls, niece and sister were up north at my mom’s, when I get a picture texted to me of all of them standing with huge smiles on their faces in front of the sand pit. My girls next texted, “Mom, we didn’t know Aunt Shelly was up north with you when you and Aunt Stacy were rescued by Elvis!”
By God’s grace, I have been free from my alcohol and tobacco addiction for 15 years, and I still smile at His grace for sending “Elvis” to rescue Stacy and me that cold night so long ago!
Growing up in a time where “don’t slam the screen door” and watering around the house at night before you turned on the attic fan was the norm I wish the best for young children that never played kick the can or hid n seek. May their little fingers never get tired of texting..
God Bless America and bless you all.
YTG used to do open mics.
They had numerous ones scheduled around Atlanta, and I went to one at a bar
near Peachtree Dekalb Airport. October, 2005. Nice night, good acts, got a decent
round of applause for my set.
Then I started back home, around midnight. The lights on my Ford ( none of your
business which model) started dimming. On Clairmont Road, near the 1-85 bridge.
The alternator was dead. So was my car. So… a young 20ish hispanic guy stopped and
asked if he could help push my car into a McDonald’s parking lot across the way.
We got the car pushed, I thanked him and left. I went across the street to wait for a
MARTA bus. The bus pulled up, and I found out that I only had a 5 for a 2.50 fare.
The bus driver waved me inside, told me to sit down.
“Where are you going?” Tucker, I said. After the last person got off at another
stop the driver told me he was running me home. Told him the cross streets I was
near. He dropped me off at the corner, before my subdivision. His last run of the night.
When I thanked him for the extra effort and kindness he told me this:
“You were standing at a stop just up the street from a by-the week motel. It’s full
of “refugees” from Katrina, and they are robbing everybody in sight. I couldn’t let
you stand there, so I ran you the rest of the home after everybody left”.
Angels come in many forms. That night ? A nice 20ish mexican guy, and a bus driver.
Been here on CTH since 2012. Too mean to leave. Have learnt a lot, and had some
great laughs.
You are NOT mean – we’d have thrown ya in the trash can if ya were! 😉
So Menagerie, that puts you around 25??
🙂
You bet! Plus 40!
That’s 25 with an additional 40 years of experience!
You’re the same as my little sister. She’s a pretty wise & wonderful woman too!
I’ve been sitting on a branch in this marvelous Treehouse from almost the beginning, lurking mostly and commenting one or twice. I read here every day but Sundays, the Sabbath; but on Mondays I do review what I missed. I seek out comments from those I trust and really appreciate Sundance and the moderators. I believe I have influenced members of my family and a few of my Fakebook friends by what I share (I am currently in timeout there). My story short version. Married at 17 right out of high school 55 years ago. We have 4 children (lost a daughter to cancer). Our adult son has serious mental illness which he manages with medication and our help. One daughter is totally dis functional due to drugs but she has given us 4 beautiful grandchildren. The other daughter is the 1st college graduate in our family and a NYT reading liberal (very indoctrinated but I’m working on her and her hubby). I retired from Federal Service working for Department of Defense (a bit embarrassed admitting that knowing what I have learned from the Treehouse), but my retirement pays the bills. My faith in God and my redeemer, Jesus Christ, provides hope during these dark days. I am grateful for His many blessings and tender mercies.
You were granted the ultimate compensation for all struggles, losses and pain: knowledge and love of the Lamb.
Yes, absolutely! Isn’t that what life is all about? Figuring out why we are here and what is important. While those struggles, losses and pain were not something I would have asked for, I would not trade those experiences for anything. Experiencing the love of Jesus Christ and the peace and hope that the Lamb of God brings is beyond price.
“If you live in a tree-house, what you want from the world becomes what a tree wants from the world: You wait for the bird to land on the branch, you wait for the squirrel to run here and there, the wind to blow, the leaves to sing, the rain to fall!”
-Mehmet Murat ildan-
Beautiful!
nice
reminds me of a stay among the trees on a surf trip to Costa Rica
a family of howler monkeys would carry on a couple hundred yards away (sorry, meters is what they use there)
at breakfast, a coati mundi would show up, ambling around alongside the tables, happy for any fruit scraps that would get tossed his way. they’re pretty cute, an anteater-looking critter
rainy season had just started and after morning surf I’d relax on damp sheets reading paperbacks, the pages would swell from absorbing the 100% humidity in the gentle drizzle
those mushrooms look a little sketchy, tho, I don’t think I’d try them
… those monkeys were up in the trees, by the way … they’re canopy dwellers
Menagerie…..
Does Connor still love
pumpkins?
Every time I see a
blinged out pumpkin
🎃 I think of your story
about Connor.
And then I smile🙂
I still have not ordered
my Advent calendar for
this year. You are the
one who “introduced “
me to what an Advent
calendar was.
You started a new Christmas
tradition for me. Thank you.
😁 It’s on my to-do list
for this weekend.
As for me, I would have been
the little blonde girl…but sitting
in the corner of the treehouse
with a book 📚 opened
and totally engrossed in the story.👩🏫
Some things never change.😁
I always look at life like a book…..
full of different chapters 💁
Me Too! God bless you Menagerie and your sweet Connor. I think about them often.
To this day, he loves his pumpkins. During September and October small pumpkins, and pumpkin craft projects find their way into his treasure chest of rewards that he gets to plunder after a good school week.
Awwww…..
So sweet!
🎃 are cool😎
Thanks for letting us know!
That about the pumpkins was my favorite story. I have a friend who has a special love for pumpkins herself and I shared it with her. And, I always love to hear about Conner and how he is doing. He is actually in my prayers every night.
Thank you so much!
Thanks so much! Y’all are the first place I go every morning after I pray the Readings for today’s Mass.
Love and joy to all!
Check out the Daily Mass at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, MA. When we were in lockdown, their livestream Holy Masses were a God-send. The priests are the Marians of the Immaculate Conception.
I have another story of a celebrity semi-encounter, but I should fill in some background so that you can appreciate the impact this had on me.
Two separate elements to start. First element is the song “Sirius/Eye In The Sky” by The Alan Parsons Project. Many non-Parsons fans would recognize it as the intro to the Chicago Bulls pre-game lineup announcement. To save time I won’t link it here, but if you do a quick search, you will know exactly what I’m talking about.
Okay, second element. The very first music album I ever bought was The Yes Album by, um, the band Yes. I’ve been a Yes fan since I was a pre-teen and that love has not only not faded, indeed it has grown stronger over the years, and Rick Wakeman is near-deity status in my mind. I would have to say that Yes is probably my favorite band of all time. The only competition they might have in my mind is ELP.
Anyways, back in 1996, I heard that Yes was coming to play in our town. Even though they were (are!) my favorite band, I had never had the opportunity to see them perform live so you can imagine my excitement. Now double it when I was able to secure front row tickets, at the outdoor venue of Starplex in Dallas. I took my older brother, who was directly responsible for influencing me towards Yes, as a gesture of gratitude.
So we arrived early and were sitting in our seats relaxing before the show as the crowd filed in; a beautiful autumn afternoon in Texas. As with most concerts, recorded music was playing before the concert, slowly growing in volume as showtime approached. The afternoon edged into dusk and the lights slowly started coming up, and the recorded music had reached full volume. The crowd had all arrived and we were waiting excitedly for the magic to begin. Only minutes to showtime! The last piece of recorded music came on; it was the aforementioned “Sirius/Eye In The Sky” by Alan Parsons. I even embarrassed the heck out of my brother by standing up and announcing in a clear loud voice to everyone there, “And now, introducing your Chicago Bulls….” He was pulling on my arm, hissing at me to sit down and behave myself. Ha ha, good times.
When it hit that first crescendo, all the stage lights blazed on and there before me was the actual Alan Parsons Project, live on stage right in front of me playing that song. Well at that point I lost my noodles. I had no idea! I thought I was going to see only Yes. I didn’t even know that another of my all-time favorite bands were going to be there also! Yep, here I must admit that I lost control. I jumped up and started going berserk, screaming and cheering and pumping my fists in the air. I was making such a spectacle of myself (and I didn’t care!) that the great Alan Parsons himself acknowledged me. He caught my eye, pointed at me and waved, all with a huge grin on his face. Poor guy was probably thinking, what a nut job, where’s security?
They went on to play a magnificent set, but that was just the opener. We still had a full concert by Yes to go, and it was everything I had ever dreamed of in my 30 or so years of Yes. Of course they played the obligatory couple of pieces from their newest album, but I guess they looked out over the crowd and saw all us old heads out there grooving, so they decided to give us what we came for and played all the old greats in their full versions. Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Alan White, and right in front of me Chris Squire, RIP.
It was one of the most magical nights of my life, and I will remember it always.
My reply to jello above was also on response to your Alan Parsons/Yes story. Ahhh to be young again.
Jeff…My reply to jello above was also in response to your Alan Parsons/Yes story. Ahhh to be young again.
You would get along with the new bass player in my crazy eclectic quartet!
Three of us have been playing together for 20 years, but never got the right bass player until this year. We have an acoustic group that does Americana and roots and bluegrass plus jazz standards, classic rock, all sorts of things – but all on a mix of bluegrass-style instruments. Each of the three of us plays 3 instruments, so between us we have 2 guitars, 2 mandolins, accordion, keyboard, violin, and viola. Also 3 lead and harmony vocals…
So when we jammed with her for the first time we knew it was going to be a great fit. She plays an electric “stick” bass that has the sound of a full upright bass, and she has great chops in everything, got everything we threw at her.
Then she happened to mention that her favorite genre is actually progressive rock. So the three of us looked at each other, and our best mandolin player (not me) started the lead he does on mandolin for I’ve Seen All Good People (our other two instruments on that are acoustic guitar and accordion), and we were off to the races.
That night she announced if we want to get rid of her we’ll have to fire her. ☺️ And that won’t be happening!
My, how time flies! I remember the WordPress days… and I remember praying for Connor too. Thank you all for the memories and for so much more.
LOL. Don’t know what I might be reading if if weren’t for Sundance, Menagerie and all you wonderful Treepers! If you should see this, have a blessed and peaceful time off Sundance. 🙂 Looking forward to your return when you are rested and ready.
I find myself pulling news and “mis/dis”information from several different media outlets. I like to cross check the info and listen to different perspectives and interpretations of the information/news. More often than not I hear more tidbits from SD’s writings in the evaluations/perspectives across the media I follow than from any other source. That gives me such encouragement that MAGA conservatives across this vast information Highway are converging. We are stronger when we’re United, when we can all stop the pretending, see the strings, and see things as they are not as we wish them to be!
Thank you treehouse admin and treepers for your thoughtfulness and insight. We will get through this together, and by the grace of God!
Good. SD needs the break and good that he isn’t Gonzalo’d for some reason.
Same for all of the admins sifting clods in the background.
The commentariat had more then enough momentum to keep it going.
Thank you and really appreciate all of you at CTH.
Where I live it is common to have severe thunderstorms blow through.
You check the advisories and batten down the hatches.
That is what Sundance is, an advisory like his recently post letting us know to keep living yet batten down the hatches.
Also, fortunate children in the cool treehouse!
Thank you, Veterans of the United States Military.
A very close family member passed on to be with the Lord Jesus this month a year ago.
He was an intelligent, tough, good-looking former Army Airborne Ranger who turned 19 while serving in the Vietnam War being a pain in the neck to ” Charlie.”
(Though he wouldn’t of used the term, “pain in the neck,” lol)
He supported President Trump and made an effort to view his rallies.
Thankfully, this tough, strong former Ranger bowed to the Lord Jesus Christ and accepted Him as his Lord and Savior.
To Veterans of foreign wars:
Please do not get discouraged. There is hope as you trust the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
We Americans thank you for your service!
If I even tried to tell a story, it would never be finished…
so I’ll just share an article from one of my cousins 😛
UNBROKEN FAITH MINISTRIES
Thanksgiving at the King’s Table
by Wesley Strackbein
https://unbrokenfaith.org/thanksgiving-at-the-kings-table/
What thanks we ought to have to dine at the King’s Table.
Each November in America, we gather in the warmth of our homes to feast and enjoy fellowship around the family table, remembering how God gave the Pilgrims of Plymouth a blessed harvest in 1621, following a year of death and hardship in a new, untamed land.
Their gift of a “table in the wilderness” (Ps. 78:19) is inspiring and remarkable, and yet it follows in line with a gripping picture, found over and over in again in Scripture, of God’s kind benevolence, graciously bestowed to unworthy people who have nothing to offer in return.1 Through noble types of Christ, such as David and Boaz, and through the regal example of the King of Kings Himself, we find poignant scenes of care for the needy and helpless, as they are welcomed to the table to sup.
Please visit the blog to read the rest of the article 🙂
It’s good to take a little time off and go recharge the spirit.
Fishing is one of the best ways to do that.
Hopefully Sundance puts a bunch of hooks in some lips.
Thank you Menagerie for letting us know Sundance needs a break.
God bless Sundance! I’m so glad he’s taking a well needed break. His research, analysis is some of the very best I’ve ever read anywhere. Sundance and an army like him deserve high level positions in our Intel agencies. Our nation would be far better off.
I’ve been a Treeper since about 2015 and have shared this site with others, including family and friends on the left but they reject it, foolishly.
Over the past couple years I have been battling stage 4 cancer (an inoperable tumor b/c of its location). The scans show I beat the cancer and the tumor is dead… but it was a miserable ordeal. Then I had 2 additional emergency surgeries after the cancer. Had I not had them when I did, I’d be dead now. Wow. Before a couple years ago, I was never sick.
My cancer treatment was very painful… and expensive. I’ve used up almost all of my savings. Had very strong radiation and chemo treatments.
The way I got through each painful day was to offer-up each days suffering in communion with Christ’s suffering on the cross … for the salvation of the souls of my family and friends, past loves, others but mostly those close to me.
Our sufferings in this life have value and purpose. I will say that enduring suffering was FAR easier because there was a purpose to it, each day. So, if you are experiencing suffering… consider offering it up for the salvation of your loved ones. It will truly make the ordeal easier to bear.
I have now recovered from the cancer and the 2 addition post-cancer emergency surgeries. It’s been quite an adventurous though grueling 2 years. And, I’ve gotten off my oxycodone narcotic addiction (3x). That ordeal was surprisingly difficult. Ya really do go through withdrawal. I understand why many get addicted to opiods and can’t get off. I am now working towards getting off of all meds and want to return to just vitamins and maybe an occasional baby aspirin. Almost there.
I am now the primary caregiver for my elderly mother so am seeking mobile/work from home positions. So far, my competition has been steep. But, God certainly wants me alive for some reason so I’m sure that will work out too.
I am very grateful to Sundance and all here at the Treehouse. May Our Lord bless, guide and protect us all.
May God continue to inspire and guide Sundance in His Wisdom… and rejuvenate him during his long needed and deserved rest from the trials of this life and the revelations re: the serious danger our beloved country, and world, is in at this time in history.
May God have mercy on America… even though we often don’t deserve it.
Your words, struggles and joys made me cry.
God bless you and your mother, Kare508.
Thank you, Raven.
What an amazing 👏 story of strength. My prayers to you and your precious Mother…
It is truly amazing
what is learned / gained;
what might never have been,
without horrible hardships, fear … and sufferings.
-Congratulations!
Caring for a mother
is an unimaginable consideration for many;
and truly unimaginable of what is involved; selfless patience and consideration and courage too…
The rewards, however, are wordless.
Continued Blessings your way,
K(C)are508.
Remarkable, lovely. God will give you a job, brought me all the way from CO to FL, in a field I didn’t know much about, and I wouldn’t even know existed. Yes, I worked like a dog, but made great $$, and very happy in my work.
So, He knows exactly what you need, and He may just bring it to you out of the blue.
If I might ask, what are your skills? What do you like to do?
Thank you so much, Missy, for your kind words and for asking me about my skills and what I would like to do. Here’s my answer.
1. SKILLS/EXPERIENCE:
* Real estate (RE) sales (20+ years), Contract negotiations (same). Some years were part-time… and most transactions, in recent years, involved past/repeat clients.
* Office administration (catholic parish, 6 years)
* Marketing (RE + the parish too — to promote Christ, the Christian/Catholic faith, attract new parishioners. One marketing idea I devised was beautiful inspiring car magnets that fit on a car bumper. I designed 4 of them: Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter using Vista Print. Then mass produced them and we gave them out free to parishioners. Got them for an excellent price — I waited till I received the Vista Print 50% off promotion and then ordered them in bulk. As parishioners drove around the area, other drivers would see these magnets and be reminded of Christ and the real meaning of each liturgical season. Also, designed beautiful Mass cards for the parish (Masses offered for deceased or ill loved ones) using beautiful classic religious art instead of purchasing the cheap and uninspiring cards available to parishes. Ours were beautiful, inspiring, something you would even frame. [Art over 100 years is usually in the public domain]. Our unique cards also saved time writing/ preparing them because they were specific to our parish. I designed these using Vista Print too and purchased them for roughly the same price as the cheap uninspiring cards by doing the same thing– designing them in the VistaPrint system and then waiting for the 50% off promotion.
* legal/paralegal experience (5 years – labor mgmt law but that was 20+ years ago),
* technical writing – testing software and writing user manuals (DOD contract 5 years- I’m not a computer tech; can’t write code; secret clearance – expired now). Also, as a case analyst, I have data entry experience– reviewed 1000s of documents for the specific information that supported our position in a DOD case.
* Systems: Windows, OSX, Microsoft Office, PowerPoint, some Adobe, some WordPress design, Google office applications, Lexis/Nexis (out-dated experience but could re-learn those systems), some Apple design applications, real estate processing, client generation and office management software/online systems.
At the moment, I’m watching YouTube videos to brush-up on my Excel skills.
As an office administrator at a Catholic parish, I converted our paper/mailing system to an interactive Google online system for our office staff and priests; designed all the forms, standard letters, weekly collection calculators, staff time sheets, and many other things. Also managed the parish registration database, the parish facility scheduling and the scheduling and paperwork re: sacraments (baptisms, marriages, funerals, etc.); designed funeral programs for parishioners and we offered them free of charge to parishioners whose loved ones had passed; wrote the weekly parish bulletin, created a kids parish bulletin too, many other things.
2. DESIRED POSITION: If I had my choice of position, it would be to work to RE-ELECT PRESIDENT TRUMP. I cannot do it as a volunteer. I need income to pay the mortgage, etc., but I will work very hard and put in long hours, 7 days a week, though preferably not on Sundays. I’m not a 9-5er. For me, it’s about doing whatever it takes, however long it takes, to get the job done, correctly, and by the deadline. In Real Estate, deadlines are critical and that’s also true for most businesses.
I can likely work a hybrid position but cannot be gone M-F 9-11+ hours a day because I am the primary caregiver for my elderly mother who simply cannot be left alone that long– she has stability issues/falling, frequent UTIs, increasingly poor judgment and memory issues. My sister can/will help too, to a degree, but she is very busy with her own job and family.
WHAT CAN I DO FOR THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN:
(a) Because I have access to the MLS (VA, MD, DC), I can create databases/lists of citizens/voters who have moved, out of the state, precinct, district. Our voter registration databases, nationwide, are approximately 40%+ inaccurate in every district, by design. There is really no logical reason for this. Most/many of those errors can be easily corrected. Renters are more difficult to track but not impossible. Accurate voter lists, IMO, are a critical first step to ensuring that we have honest, authentic elections. We need accurate voter lists so that we can quickly identify and stop election and voter fraud. Initially, this would be a big undertaking but once updated, these voter lists can be kept up-to-date consistently, maybe every 6 months, more frequently if a national election is eminent.
(b) I would also be very good at writing and designing political ads, mailing literature, some social media to promote/sell the nation on President Trump and MAGA/America First agenda (or another MAGA candidate) because I know what and how our opponents thinks b/c I have quite a few Leftists/Dems among my family and friends. For years, I’ve discussed, questioned and debated them on multiple issues that face our nation so I know what they cannot or will not answer and why… and to some degree I can overcome their objections. Hard core Dems, for the most part, cannot be persuaded UNLESS they must live with the consequences of their vote. NY blacks, for example, are experiencing that reality now.
CAMPAIGN LITERATURE/ MAILINGS
IMO, most political mailings are too cumbersome; and, these mailings cost way too much money to produce and mail, and are ultimately ineffective and/or redundant.
I believe that large post-cards that target the specific concerns of specific constituencies (seniors, blacks, Hispanics, etc) and state issues should consist of easily grasped/understood bullet points that identify Trump’s policies and past successes and that are tailored to each type of voter in each state. IMO, that simple, specific type of literature would be more effective at winning over new voters for Trump (and other MAGA candidates).
No one wants to read a 3 or 4 page textual report with a lot of fear mongering and whining for money … and most of those expensive mailings go into the trash.
We all receive a ton of junk mail. Very specific post-cards that address succinctly the most important concerns of targeted citizens/constituency groups would be more effective. Many voters would likely even keep these types of post cards for future reference because they include a lot of information and they’re small and easy to retain.
Unfortunately, we do have a problem with the integrity of our federal postal system. It’s easy for partisan postal workers to trash Trump and Republican campaign literature before voters ever see it. Most political mailings identify the source on the envelope anyway so using a post-card instead won’t make much difference. And, a post-card MAY change some minds of postal workers, in favor of PDJT, because the postal worker can read the bullet points themselves. IMO, more specific literature should be mailed-out targeting the specific concerns of specific constituencies in specific states. A post-card serves that purpose and would be a lot less expensive to produce and bulk mail out. As a Realtor I know how very expensive these mailings are. The more effective the mailing, the better the response/result. A post card can include info re: how to donate to the campaign too.
When I worked for a church parish, I designed large attractive post-cards, using bulk mail, to attract new parishioners and entice prior parishioners to return to the church. The enticement used was our parish festival with rides for kids, great food vendors, a day of fun for families.
TRUMP’s VOTER BASE
Trump has committed supporters/voters (30%+) that he won’t lose but he needs to attract more republicans, independents, blue dog Democrats, blacks and Hispanics to win in 2024. He is attracting more of these constituencies but they are fickle and he can lose them fast too.
Last night, I spoke with a friend who is a Republican (and 2x Trump voter) but is now a big Vivik fan because of his great performance at the last debate. Not concerned about Vivik. Trump has the R primary locked-up unless the Dems/RINOs succeed at keeping him off the ballot. They will likely fail.
Another liberal family member (also a 2x Trump voter) now loves Bobby Kennedy. We discussed this a bit. I begin by saying I really like Bobby too and I’ve listened to several of his interviews…. I praise Bobby but follow-up with the reality that Bobby can’t do this grueling job in 2025+… and he cannot. Only Trump can and I’ve explained why… and say … maybe Bobby can run for POTUS in 2028 after Trump has cleaned-up our corrupt govt. This will take a lot more convincing… but I don’t need to do it yet. Plus, Bobby is now running as an independent so he has zero chance of winning the election. He can now only harm either Trump or Biden. She absolutely does not want another Biden term.
We truly need Trump to win in 2024 to have any hope of saving our Republic and Western Europe too. And, PDJT will absolutely need a Republican controlled House and Senate. Yes, too many RINOs exist in Congress but Trump has little hope of accomplishing his policies with a Dem controlled House or Senate. Reality is that Republican voters simply have more influence over Republican politicians. We have zero influence over Dem politicians. We do need to primary-out the RINOs but that’s a tough task and will only be accomplished over many/several years. It’s not going to happen by 2024. Even a Republican Congress will be tough for Trump to manage but a Dem controlled Congress will be impossible. If we must hold our noses in 2024 and vote for a RINO to give Trump the Republican controlled Congress he needs, so be it.
OTHER JOB/POSITION INTERESTS:
I am open to any regular full-time salaried (or even hourly) position that is mobile (work from home) or hybrid (one or two days in the office) that includes healthcare and some other benefits. Real estate is expensive and 100% commission.
*** My second choice would be any position in which I can truly help people work through the stuggles in their lives including health crisises because I now have actual experience myself. There is also a spiritual aspect to that because that’s where the… hope for a better future comes from. Unfortunately, a BS/BA degree, even a masters degree, in social work is required for most of these types of positions. Protecting and helping abused children, battered women would be a very rewarding job.
*** PRO-LIFE is another movement/battle that is important to me. Especially now that Roe has been overruled, we need to develop succinct, clear messaging that explains what abortion is and why restrictions are necessary and reasonable (e.g., 12-15 weeks restrictions on abortion). Outlawing abortion (e.g., Kentucky) isn’t going to work and it didnt. Over time, in the future, hopefully we, as a nation, will grow and eventually be able to outlaw most abortions.
Also, authentic pro-life messaging isn’t being successfully explained to the public. Many americans, even most, simply do not understand fully what abortion is, how it’s performed (quite medieval and barbaric) and why it’s morally wrong and uncivilized.
Recently, I spoke w/a leftist/Dem family member who declared that many of these proposed state abortion restrictions include denying women a D&C when the baby is still-born or for an ectopic pregnancy. She believed that b/c the left HAS successfully peddled these and many other lies. I explained that neither of those are abortion. A still-born baby dies of natural causes. Abortion deliberately and directly kills a living, healthy baby in the womb.
*** I have many years experience as a Realtor. Before I was diagnosed with cancer I successfully negotiated, on behalf of my clients, to win a unique $1.5 million property in a fierce 5-way multiple bid competition in which all competing prospective buyers could put-down $600-800k in cash. At least 2 were willing to, and one did, fight to the death for this property. Ultimately, my clients won but it was a tough negotiation.
I will have a few repeat/past Real Estate clients in the next 2-3 years but I am not interested in expanding my client base. There are way too many realtors today; and, a number of them have ethical and knowledge deficiencies. As a last resort, I may refocus on real estate. I would likely need to join an established team because I don’t have the financial resources necessary to rebuild my business.
Again, I am open to any type of position that will enable me to work from home or mostly from home.
Thank you for asking Missy! I appreciate it. If you have a position or know of one that you believe might be a good fit for me, I would welcome the opportunity to discuss it with you.
I’ll check back here to see if you’ve responded. If so, I’ll give you my contact information. If not, thank you for your kind words. And thanks to all others who offered their kind words too. I appreciate it.
And, yes, God’s help and intervention to save my life multiple times has truly been… remarkable. I’m not sure why but He knows. Hopefully, He will reveal it to me so I know how best to serve Himgoing forward.
You are a multi talented lady..fellow Realtor here..for 55 years…specializing in rentals and property mgmt. I always said.
PM can lower your life span..!!! started my own business when I was 31…and just divorced…have no idea how I came out
the other end..still working at 86…but God is good and I have been blessed. I know that you will find something wonderful.
Thanks Annie! Nice to meet a fellow Realtor. I am very impressed that you are still working at 86! God bless you.
Yes, I’m impressed with your resume. I’d like to refer you to my friend who has a position open. You can work from home.
But …How can I contact you privately? Is there a way thru the admins here? Does anyone know?
She is a trustworthy person, very smart, honest, a person of faith as well.
Thank you very much, Missy.
I will contact the moderators and ask them to give you my email address. Then circle back to this post to explain how you can get it. At the moment, I’m not sure what the procedure is.
I really appreciate you help!
I contacted CTH admin. Waiting on a response.
AdRem sent you my email address.
💕🙏
I love peoples stories! Its a good reason to read the CTH.
I’ve told a few stories here on the CTH. I think what changed my life and what about it that is funny. A paper air plane?
My family moved to Australia (1969). I was 13 1/2 close to 14. I was enrolled in school, all boys school where you wore a uniform, because that is how it worked there (Catholic influence). Well one day the teacher left the room for a short period of time. One kid decided to make a paper air plane, he through it and it landed on my decks, of course I had to through is also and guess what the teacher walks back into the class room just as I let it go. No hesitation, you come with me and we head to the school office, she goes into not a principle office a (Head Master) office. She is out of there and in I go, the Head Master proceeded to tell me how wrong I am in that funny language they speak over there. All I see is that thin cane he is holding, he say hold out your hand and he proceeded to wack my right hand three times and then my left hand three times. Needless to say that hurt and it left three welts on my hands.
Make the story short, went home and never said a word, my mom new, when she got home from work something is up, but she never would ask whats up, she would wait till my dad got home and tell him somethings happened. At dinner my hand were sore and I could not hold my fork right. Dad asked whats wrong with you hold that fork right, I can’t, WHY. I told him what happened. He said no more. The next day, he went to school with me and we went straight to the “” Head Masters “” office. We waited to see the Head Masters, finally my dad went in all I heard was swearing and threatening to get your but’ kicked for about 15 minutes. Dad comes out, we left and I never went back to that school.
My whole life changed that day of the paper air plane event! The rest of that Australian story set my life in such a different direction. 13/14 years old.
I have a similar story. I played football and tennis in HS, then college. My buddy Duane invited me to a wrestling match one day where he was competing. The other team’s coach was a former pro wrestler named Boom Boom Mahulloch (sp?). The ref made a call favoring our guy and Boom Boom went to the mat steaming mad. Everyone was booing and I kept shouting, “Get off the mat you big baby!” In a cadence repetition. I kept that up and then all of a sudden, it was as if a switch was flipped and everyone but me silenced. Boom Boom heard me and zeroed in on me in the stands in the gym. He started charging my direction and our coach and his assistant held him back until I got the heck out of there. I was a bit scared of this monster of a man. Duane thought it was so funny that he wore the story in the memory book of our 25th reunion. I regret I never made any of those reunions but work took me to many different parts of the world. We were living in Buenos Aires at the time and a trip to SoCal was not in the budget.
When I was at school in the 60s it was when the boys were sent to the headmaster for 6 of the best if they were naughty. Girls got lines to write out. There was aguy in my class–poor Porky S—- we used to call him. He wasnt bright but his family were wealthy farmers and he was damn good horse rider. So when he got sent to headmaster he put some books in his trousers. But the headmaster found him out from the sound and gave him double. Poor Porky
Sometimes the whole class got 1000 lines to write out. I figured out quickly that if you tape 2 pens/pencils together you can write them twice as fast.
Anyway in my last year at primary school we had a real sadistic teacher with a german name -I swear he was an ex Nazi- who used to hit anyone with a metal edged ruler on their hands.Sometimes on the calves. For anything–dirty white socks, socks not pulled up, shoes not cleaned and shined,homework not done, talking in class etc
He could NEVER fault me on anything, except one day he got it into his head that I bit my nails so he started hitting me too. I dont know what happened to him, but his wife killed herself after that and I left that shool
Well I survived and it made me tough.
If this happened to today’s snowflakes there would be hell to pay.
Such was life in the 60s
My grade school principal in Minnesota patrolled the halls with a plank of wood that had the words “Board of Education.” I was sent home in 6th grade for wearing pants to school.
I’m probably a better person for the administered whacks I received.
My dad went out and found me a job.
Worked at a place called, https://www.halvorsenboats.com/about/ copy paste. Came back to America and ended up going to Oklahoma State, then enlisted in the Air Force, reason Ford Carter idiots kind-a like now. For me the 70’s was an adventurer. Then 80’s 90’s 2000’s, work and work marriage family work work retire! Now, getting ready for what ever may come and family survival.
Kick the can till street lights came on. Backyard baseball games, apologies to neighbors broken window as the boys grew bigger, treehouse with poison ivy at the base (sent me to the Dr) dirt compact basketball court my dad and his brothers spent a weekend making. The list is endless. We didn’t have $ we had love, some fights, family and lots of friends.
The tenderness and simplicity of today’s post and the comments brought me to tears. When that happens I know healing is working. Thanks and God bless ( his name is Jesus).
I’m so grateful for my husband who is my best friend. We married very young and have had a wonderful life together. We have 3 bright, conservative and successful children. I tell him often that I wish we could do it all over again!
Enjoy a restorative break, Sundance!
What fortunate Beings you and your Family are. Thank you.
Beautiful message and during a Thankful season. I am thankful to have found The Treehouse in the spring 2015. I have shared and posted SD’s articles on Social Media, through texts, and Email. God bless The Conservative Treehouse and its Staff.
I arrived here in 2015 when I was looking for like-minded people who supported Donald Trump. The first thing I noticed was the depth of knowledge everybody has here, especially Sundance of course.
The added blessing was the acknowledgment of God many of you have. That combination was all I needed and knew this is truly a Refuge. I love the idea of being in a Treehouse club too.
I love to be here and I’m so grateful for all your excellent, diligent, well-researched consistent work each day. It’s mind-boggling how much material you are all posting to help support Sundance and the whole family. I would feel totally lost and alone without all of you.
Some of us have come to that acknowledgment late in life.
Better late than never, I hope…
You’ll be just fine. Everybody finds their own way… in their own way. It’s a schooling experience that can be awfully painful and I’m still getting bad grades.
Atlas is shrugging.
To me the most important sundance post was about the coup that happened on jan, 6,2021.
This one all important article puts all other posts in perspective.
If the internet and websites are shut down by the corrupt fcc etc the horse has already left the barn and I and others know why jan6, 2021 was a planned coup.
If you don’t know what I am talking about read the sundance article below.
https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2023/03/12/the-parliamentary-motive-behind-the-j6-fedsurrection/
Currently all we can hope to do is rearrange the chairs on the deck of the titanic and continue to play musical chairs.
I’ve been in a position that has allowed me to talk to many different people over the years. While I don’t have too many of my own stories, my position allowed me to listen to some of theirs. I remember one very kind older gentleman that had been a kid in the Great Depression. He told me that while things were hard his family had mostly made it out okay, and that one day him and his father, while cleaning out a garage had found a Mercedes Benz 770, the same limousine that Hitler used. He went into the Army, I forget what year, but was trained to be a pilot. He would have been one of the few to fly a small observer plane off an escort carrier for the invasion of Japan. An Army pilot flying off a Navy ship. Obviously he didn’t have to do that!
He went back home, got an engineering degree, and eventually owned a machine shop. My memory is hazy when that came to be, I want to say the late 50s or the 60s. A decent sized shop, even when I talked to him many years later. He told me state/federal inspectors were typically lazy and/or incompetent, and it was a bit of work to just keep them from getting hurt on a visit to the shop floor. He would tell me how he would get a personal rail car and travel to the SW for business, this was out of Chicago. I want to say he told me a few business stories about that time but I have since forgotten. He was by comparative standards wealthy, looking to leave the business to his daughter if I remember.
I kind of get the sense that he’d of talked to anyone if they’d have taken the time to listen. He worked hard, had some grit and a little luck, and was one of the people that built our great post war society. Now I can still recollect his features but can’t remember his name.
I believe I was part of the original blog Sundance had before this one started, and was saddened when that one ended (for obvious reasons), and thrilled when I found this site. Although I have never known for certain that the old site belonged to Sundance, just the way it was presented, how it was presented, and how knowledgeable everyone there was made me pretty certain it was Sundance — by another name at another site I no longer remember.
But every once in a while, late at night, I’ll remember the tag line, or the site name, and smile, or cry, remembering how the last site ended.
As for Sundance’s time away — I imagine him and his family having a fabulous time away from all the cra-cra of this world, enjoying the sun, loving one another, and barely thinking of this Treehouse, knowing you are here taking very good care of it, and us.
Thank you, Menagerie.
Menagerie thanks for holding down the fort while our host is away blessings and prayers for you Sundance and the CTH team much love and appreciation
R.D.
my online journey began with a nascar message board..
my love for music led to visiting a musician’s newly created website/message board whose music i had a (personal life) bond with ..
timeline 1999 –
then Dale Earnhardts tragic death took the wind out of my sails for visiting the nascar website anymore..
(his favorite musicians were Alison Krauss and Big & Rich) btw 😉
as with most , ( not all ) rock musicians lean left ..
so comments on the musicians message board mostly aligned with that..
after the 2004 election when bush defeated kerry ..
i remember it was just days , after the election, when i first saw/ heard the name barack obama ,on that message board.
i had never paid much attention to politics..
but then i started.
and then sarah palin happened..
and i found the website “conservatives 4 palin “
there was a poster there i remember , wee weed ?
and then i found Andrew Breitbart .
who i adored.
my heart got broke again.. and i fell away for the most part from 2008 –
then …………………….. 2015
Donald Trump
i started reading again at Breitbart .. and a link to the treehouse was posted in the comments.
i’ll never forget my first visit here..
SO much truth!! and there was music too !
i couldn’t stop reading for days ……
i was/am in heaven .
love you all, though i’m still a misfit ♥️
thats my story and i’m sticking to it.
~ dreamboat annie
A reference from a poster in the comment section of Breitbart was how I found out about the Treehouse too. I no longer visit Breitbart.
We’re ALL misfits sweet Annie! And I was there, being a misfit as well. Alison Kraus and Big & Rich still rule with moi.
Have to add something else. . . a word of joy.
Things are oddly quiet around our house, our yard, our street, our little town and our part of the world right now.
Yesterday I went out to feed my pet crow, a crow I call to and he calls back before circling overhead to make sure I butt-out before he comes down to grab-n-go.
But it was bizarre being outside in the middle of the afternoon and not hearing a peep; nothing, nada, zilch, not even my crow call back. I felt like people in the next town could hear me calling the crow — it was that quiet.
I stood there, paid attention to the silence and wondered, what sound can I put in the air that might uplift others who are waiting and listening like me.
Then God reminded me of how early one morning my husband took his bagpipes to the shore of Lake Superior, and as the sun rose over the lake he played ‘Amazing Grace.’ (tears run down my cheeks remembering the day)
My husband hasn’t played his bagpipes for a few years now, life has been kind of crazy with too much going on. But last night I asked him if he would start playing again, and send a message of joy and hope out into the world with his beautiful music.
He just dug out his bagpipes and played the scale on his chanter. I am thrilled and full of joy at God’s amazing grace given in big and small ways, and my heart pounds in anticipation of a Heavenly concert soon to come.
beautiful.
and odd you mention the stillness.
i felt it last night just out of the blue, standing in my kitchen .. it has to be spiritual.
I feel it, too. my friend said that fall is the quiet season.
I’ve had plenty of Fall quiet seasons where you hear the leaves fall… this is different.
Absolutely. Very strange stillness here, as well.
Teen daughter had interview today and landed the job. We went for a nice walk at a park and she wanted to treat me to dinner. We decided the Old Spaghetti Factory.
The restaurant opened at 4 pm, but when we got there are 4:30 pm, it was locked and a fire alarm was going off. We could peer inside the windows and see teenagers to early- twenty something year old kids inside.
Something didn’t feel right.
Went to the police department next door and found a street officer. Mentioned it to them, but then they witnessed someone walk into the restaurant. We started to go back to get a table and something in me just couldn’t do it.
Something didn’t FEEL right!
As we were leaving the area to go elsewhere, we are next to the high class Palladium event center in Carmel, Indiana… and there were two dirt bike riders on the public sidewalk descending from a terrace area of one of the posher restaurants in a display of chaos and public menace.
We ended up at a pizza joint we frequent to in a town west of there and it’s Saturday and they’re absolutely dead. We mentioned how EERY it was. Just as deadness in the air. I told the young girl taking our order it was as if we were missing some really important news event or something.
About 20 minutes later we were descended upon by about forty people, more than half of them sixteen year older boys having a very rich person’s extravagant birthday party. They were in two teams and traveling place to place in two large rented vans having a larger than life scavenger hunt. They asked me “a stranger” to lead Hunter’s birthday song, because that was part of the list and they recorded me as if we had been enveloped in a huge frat party. Hunter looked stoned.
We literally had strangers sitting at our four top table… and I thought my subdued daughter would come out of her skin. It was like being consumed by a tidal wave flash mob. We were kind and swept up in the party, but this was a really weird night.
My spidey senses are tingling.
“scavenger hunt”
We had one when I was 10 or 11 at my birthday party
But I was a bit too conscientious about finding everything on the list
I ended up about 6 blocks away after about 45 minutes
By the time I got home, all the other kids had left
I guess I needed more of an explanation, gnome sayin’?
At your own party, Nim? Sounds like your parental units might have redirected once you were straying from course.
This was no ordinary birthday party. High elitists. We know the type intimately from private school days. They were also collecting “human subjects”… me included as the “stranger leading the singing” for Hunter the stoned kid.
Their party guest was a black Kenyan with a 2 year old who seemed rather young, infantile. She was standing on the sidelines as there was no room with child in her arms and none of the teens gave up their seat for her. I invited them to sit with us, as their presence took up every inch of the small place.
I noticed no black kids amongst these WASPs. I asked if she had a teen child in the group? No,
just her toddler daughter.
She told me they’d known each other from Eli Lilly and she was a Pharmacist. Her 2 yo daughter Leona had a raging ear infection yet out with these rabble rousers. I wondered why an older mother would bring a sick infant out among that?
She told me how it was hard to keep up with her job due to pharmaceutical companies changing names all the time. I mentioned that back in “our day” a company would never think of changing names, let alone do so frequently, as the goal was to become a recognized household name for marketing goals. She is 39 yo and I am 50 yo.
It seems pharmaceutical companies don’t want us to know their names anymore. We all can reflect on why that is.
She tried to encourage my daughter to enter the military. She, not knowing our ties to the military, I soberly stated she would do no such thing in the military climate we were in. She acknowledged, agreed, and somewhat acted like today was any other day in the world and the military perfectly safe for guiding teens into a career there.
These people were perfectly insulated from reality.
She did not have her own car there and when the party was ready to go on to their next locale, she was not prepared as the young daughter was still finishing her dinner. A chaperone had to stay behind to collect her and take her to the next location.
We got to our car and I was mentally calculating the cost of this party. With $4 mini cupcakes being passed around like confetti at a NYE parade and $30 pizzas of which maybe 15 plus ordered. The two large passenger vans. The two team custom t-shirts. And without even knowing the multiple locations they were descending on… they were spending thousands. This was not a modest neighborhood they all lived in… homes there are 7 figures mansions.
In recollect, was the Kenyan woman… was she part of the scavenger hunt, as I became an unwitting participant in the hunt, as well?
Some of the adult chaperones were uncomfortable at the excess and deeply apologetic to us. Four of them separately apologized to us for the intrusion on our evening.
We live in what feels more like the Twilight Zone day by day.
I love the bag pipes and I love that you launched that message in the air.
The trumpets of Heaven
I am so sorry you had a weird night, JWoo. Yes, this quiet is different. To me it seems too quiet.
I will be thinking of and praying for the Lord to surround and uphold you in His peace and joy this night, to remove the “weird” that Satan tried to consume you with, and fill your heart with joy.
Come to the shore of the big lake with me, and together we will worship our Savior and His amazing grace.
Raven, yes by the big lake. That would be very nice.
I was thinking exactly that on our way home last night and voiced such to my teen daughter. Wishing for a lakeside respite and solitude.
This was but one example of the unusual that is occurring in our lives. We are seeing these things everywhere.
Things, places, and people are weird, weird, weird.
We are His spectators and speak His Truth into darkness wherever we can.
We take shelter in the cleft of the rock guarded by our Sovereign Father’s Righteous Right Hand.
Blessings on you, Raven, for your kind and thoughtful prayer.
“We are His spectators and speak His Truth into darkness wherever we can.
We take shelter in the cleft of the rock guarded by our Sovereign Father’s Righteous Right Hand.”
Your words will be my comfort and joy this night, JWoo, while I think of and pray for you with thanks.
I am an immigrant. Born in London in 1956. My brother was also born there in 1947. I was born 6 days after the QE2 coronation. My parents, who were born in Poland, landed there after fighting for the allies in WW2. My father was part of the siege of Leningrad also was part of the DDay invasion. He and his fellow Polish Armored Division liberated a town in Belgium, where they were all honored in 1994, 50 years after the liberation. On his tombstone, we had “Dday defined him ”placed on the marker, after realizing that his history truly was nothing more than heroic.
My parents Polish friends all moved to Chicago in 1956 and we came across aboard the SS United States. Legally. Several years ago, My brother retrieved their signatures from Ellis Island, which is still amazing to me. It was their journey in life. We had nothing, except some clothes and my mother’s Old Singer sewing machine. (which I still have.) and lived in someone’s closet for the first few months we were there in Chicago. My father got a 2nd shift machinist’s job at the Goss Factory in Cicero and soon thereafter got their own apartment. They saved their money and bought a house in the suburb of Oak Park in 1962 for $20,000 and they paid it off in about 10 years. Amazing. I still remember the first thing they bought in Oak Park was an American flag, which they proudly displayed every holiday. At that time, everyone on the block displayed one. They were proud to be an American and in 1964, we all became naturalized Citizens of the USA. That pride flowed down to me and my brother.
My father only had a 4th grade education, but he was the smartest man I knew. We used to play bridge, and he always won. He figured out where all the cards lied after the clues in bidding. My parents always knew that education was the key to life and my brother became a physicist and me a chemist. We both received MBA’s and those degrees gave us a foothold to great careers and a start in life.
I have been happily married for 45 years to my wife Mary, and we are so close that our names are one letter off, (Mine is Mark) our SS’s are almost identical and we are 12 days apart in age. I call her a Cougar, as I am younger than she. LOL She is the unquestioned boss of the family and I wouldn’t have it any other way. My two kids always laugh but that is the truth. That has made our house a happy place and to this day, I seldom disagree with her decisions.
35 years ago, we left Illinois to the better weather of SCal. 1 mile from the Nixon Library and 15 minutes from Disneyland. We are still in a “red” area, and most of the liberal nonsense is far away from us. Although in 2020, I almost got run over from an ANTIFA protestor when they made the mistake of trying to come to our little City of Yorba Linda and cause some shit. She is now in jail, for actually running over two people. Thank you, Orange County Sheriff’s Dept. Google Tatiana Turner, to read what happened that day.
Both our kids have great educations from Cal State Fullerton and they are both off my payroll and have two kids apiece and very successful careers. Now after 25 years in executive corporate positions and 23 years of my own Mortgage broker business, I am now semi-retired and now relegated to running my grandkids to school and back, and I am affectionately called “The Bus Driver.”
Now you know why I call myself, “Clulessgrandpa” with one letter missing. Yes, it is on purpose. I don’t want to know a lot of stuff with the kids and grandkids. They all know that I am educated, but not much common sense and feign a lot of nonsense with all of them. I leave all the serious crap to my wife. She loves all that drama. Just give me more of Sundance, CFP, Gateway Pundit, and Breitbart to read, listen to Real America’s Voice and enjoy them all and leave me alone. I just want to know that they are active, loved, hanging with good kids, and maximizing their potential, whatever that may be.
Before my Dad passed after Obama was elected, he said “America in big trouble!” He had no idea, but was correct.
I end this with my secret to a happy marriage. I have 5 things to say to my wife whenever we argue and it ends the argument. It is good sport and I urge each of my fellow husbands to try this.
They are, in order:
1. Honey, you are right.
2. You must admit you are wrong, because it just not enough to say she is right.
3. You must say the “S” word. You gotta say Sorry. I know its hard, but you gotta say it
4. You have to promise that you won’t argue the point again. You both know you are fibbing, but you have to say it.
5. You must admit you are an asshole. No other word works. I have tried others, without any success.
With that, they shut up. Argument over. They win, you lose, and I can go back to my reading, and she is happy. Try it, because those 5 things are what the argument was about..
Have a great Day, Treepers!!!!
Mark
A beautiful journey
MARK
YOU and YOUR PARENTS / FAMILY ARE What Our Founding Fathers Envisioned for This Nation.
My Great Great Grand Father NEVER Gave Up His Canadian Citizenship and was ALWAYS LISTED, Til His Death as an ALIEN.
YOUR FAMILY ARE The EXAMPLES Of – ” PROPERLY IMMIGRATING and INTEGRATION ” into Being an AMERICAN !
Salute Sir, BLESSINGS to YOU and YOURS.
wonderful story, grandpa
your 5 things list reminds me of a story my friend would tell
he was with a world-class surfboard shaper in his shaping room when the shaper fielded a phone call
only hearing 1 side of the conversation, he said it went like this:
“yes, baby”
“yes,baby”
“ok, baby”
‘bye, baby”
Hi! My prayer is that this will be a recipe for Connor. I’d forgotten that he has autistic symptoms. I’m way longer in this world than Conner, and have developed my own symptoms from long term Covid that will be helped and hopefully eliminated with treatment with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) and my thanks to the Lord for His healing. HBOT is new to me; I thought it was just for divers. To my delight, I have learned that HBOT has long proven to be of great help, even to cure many “uncurable” diseases and conditions. The book THE OXYGEN REVOLUTION, 3rd edition will provide much info, as will https://hbot.com/
HBOT is not widely accepted as a medical treatment, nor is it approved by common medical authoroties, nor by most insurance. Surprised? Many folks with both military and first responder lifestyles are benefitting greatly from HBOT, especially for brain injuries, often received some time ago. There are non-profits that make such treatment affordable. I am beginning my healing both with prayer and treatment in Arizona. Please let me know how I can help.
I just read Sundance on the battle of the farmers and the Lost Climatologists in the Netherlands. Over the years I’ve noticed very few Americans spell “Pete” as the Dutch and I do: Piet. So you know for sure whose side I’m on, I want to assure y’all that I have NO relationship to this very sad Dutch farming mess…other than to firmly believe that God Himself is in charge of our climate. My parents enjoyed Piet Mondrian’s art, and I am gifted by being named after him. Again, as I mentioned above, HBOT has saved and improved many lives, and I hope that by mentioning it here some will dig in and benefit as I am doing.
I wish HBOT was more available to all of us.
I also got whacked with Long Covid. I live in Colorado high country and temps under 25 degrees would start a new coughing round. The Front Line Critical Care Alliance put out a protocol with Nattokinase, Quercetin, and Curcumin from turmeric that I’ve been taking for for about 2 months. Last cold snap was 15 degrees and no coughing..
More recent arrival here, took awhile to become a regular. My heart is full and my smile wide with gratitude for this site, especially for this particular post and the links to the earlier posts. I often wondered about “the beginning” of CTH. I also marvel(ed) at the camaraderie among y’all. I have a better understanding now.
LOVE the photo, humor, and Treeper stories. (Are there Treeper t-shirts and hats?)
Also appreciate hearing Sundance is taking care of business, hopefully rejuvenating, and that this site is in good hands.
Blessings to y’all.
Dear Menagerie,
Thank you so much for your thoughtful post and deserved praise for our great Sundance.
I suppose like myself and millions of traditional Catholics around the world you will scandalised by the latest evil from our Holy Father in dismissing Bishop Strickland.
But then when we read about his satanic machinations in the upcoming global warming witches gathering in the middle east we should not be surprised at anything he does. Tonight we prayed the rosary for Bishop Strickland (and Pope Francis)
May the good Lord enhance your efforts on the Treehouse.
I am not catholic and I am incensed. but, not surprised.
Bishop Strickland is sorta local to us in LA and it was a shock here, as well.
I have been just sick at heart all day over Bishop Strickland. God, please send Saint Michael to help us. I’m also in Louisiana and a Catholic.
The current pope is not a “holy father.” He is an evil man. Archbishop Vigano is truly a holy man
You are so right, Lorrie. The eyes have it! 😉
What a lovely, heartfelt post you’ve gifted to us in Sundance’s absence, Menagerie. Thank you for asking us to contribute in kind. Perhaps you and CTH readers might appreciate my latest blogpost at my website HeartfeltLeadership.com, titled What Was Your Most Humbling Experience? I’ll post the first few paragraphs here, then anyone so inclined can mosey over there to read the rest at https://www.heartfeltleadership.com/blog/2023/11/11/what-was-your-most-humbling-experience.html :
Every now and then, when you least expect it, someone will say something especially kind about you or do something on your behalf that touches your heart and leaves you feeling undeserving, yet awe inspired. Such gestures can sometimes leave us forever changed for the better. Has this ever happened to you?
When one of my sons was in military flight school—learning to fly F/A-18 fighter jets—he’d occasionally come home on leave and head down to one of the local pubs at the beach to catch up with his buddies. More than once, he came home from the pub with a look on his face that I would label as stunned and undeserving disbelief. When I’d ask him if he’d had a good time, he’d humbly reply, “Yeah, and I didn’t even have to pay the tab.”
Turns out, when he would try pay his tab, he’d be told the bill had already been paid by some anonymous patron. He couldn’t believe anyone would do such a thing for someone they didn’t even know. It was obvious to me that the benevolent patron, in their own unique way, had thanked him for his service. I know my son always appreciated it—and so did I. It was a lesson in gratitude for us both.
Ever since, I’ve strived to perform my own little acts of kindness now and then—like the time a …
aww. as it should be.
First, this site is a blessing in my life. I’ve been lurking and sometimes commenting since 2016.
I grew up on the coast of North Carolina at a time when the coast was still mostly wild and wonderful. My childhood in the fifties and early sixties was the best. Thanksgiving was my favorite time of the year. We had our first break from school and we were able to play in the woods. The weather wasn’t too cold, the skeeters were gone and the snakes (all poisonous) were burrowed away. My mom was the best cook in the south to us. She shooed us out of the house on Thanksgiving morning and we returned to a feast. Turkey, dressing, giblet gravy, deviled eggs, candied sweet potatoes, turnip greens, yeast rolls and sweet potato pie. She died in 1989 and I started my own Thanksgiving tradition, but this time of year makes me want to be back in those days. I no longer live on the coast. I’m a couple of hundred miles inland in NC and have been for many years. The coast has changed so much over the years, I rarely go back home. So I sit on my branch in the Treehouse most days and thank Sundance and everyone here for the wonderful fellowship. Love to all. Have a good rest Sundance!
My journey to Sundance:
I’ve always been interested in leaders, especially the leaders of this country
I chose medicine as the platform to lead other people to wholeness, and to me the Lord is the author of that path
I came to a small town in 1992 to set up my practice, and all the major industries were moving to Mexico.
We had Bush as president and I couldn’t imagine how a republican could be allowing this but someone was letting the country down
I started reading about politics in increasing measure. I got involved in leadership, especially as it relates to medicine
I noticed that the culture of the honorable profession was being dismantaled and replaced with the medical industrial complex
I found Drudge, Brietbart, and Lucianne, among others and they seemed to be speaking the truth I was seeing
I watched Andy get killed (that’s what I believe) and Drudge, then Lucianne go to pot and like others somehow followed the crumbs to CTH. I’m not sure when that was — I think in the Obama years.
One of Obama’s first acts was to take down NASA — I still don’t know how we let that happen. I have a brother in law who piloted the space shuttle multiple times.
My story:
My parents were born in Kentucky and Tennessee. My dad was the son of a sharecropper.
They met in church in Detroit where both families had migrated for work in the 50s
My dad moved when he 14. The farm had no cars, no electricity, no running water, no outhouses
My dad graduated in MI, got a job as 1st employee in a factory and rose to become VP and ran that plant for 35 yrs
My dad and many in my family represent the American dream to me.
I wanted to be like my dad, but he wanted me to be more. Mom got her GED and became a nurse
I wanted to practice like a modern country doc in my Dad’s hometown
I did that for 15 years, but it consumed me. I have 4 boys, and divorced after two decades
After 6 yrs I remarried and the stress of a physicians life trying to be what I was called to do is daunting to all of us
The people I care for are family, friends, brothers and sisters from church — they are all family
I feel like David as a private physician against Goliath- the medical/industrial complex with crooked politicians who are siphoning 4 Trillion dollars from the american people, causing people to die, and healthcare workers to be enslaved/abused/their compassion taken advantage of.
My friends/family/mentors who raised me to be a servant, now think I’m insane for what I do — unless of course, they need someone to help them at 3 in the morning.
CTH is a refuge of hope and truth for me. The reality you see (good or ugly) makes sense with my daily experience and if validates that I am not crazy.
Though the news and observations be grim at time, you all have the same faith in Good over evil, and no matter what, demonstrate to me that my daily job is to not lose faith, and continue to reflect the Glory of my Creator
Though I am ready to do what it takes for my country and for right, CTH/Treepers have been a tempering voice
Sometimes restraining, sometimes inspiring me to take action.
My greatest regret about CTH is I wish we were all working together on solutions to eliminate/neutralize the evil in this country and this world. I pray for a handful of you to be
To that end I hope you all are grooming more Sundances, providing internships, creating backup systems, archiving information, an dpreparing backup so that all our eggs are not in one Sundance basket..
“I wanted to be like my dad, but he wanted me to be more.”
That one simple line tells an amazing story of love.
The love you have for your dad is something a lot of men never have, but have longed for,
and,
the love your dad had for you, by putting your needs, your life and your choices over his.
You are your Heavenly Father’s son, too, which is the best thing your father showed you.
Thank you, Raven
“My greatest regret about CTH is I wish we were all working together on solutions…” Welcome to the future voice conundrum. One of the challenges of seeing the consequences in the near future of actions now is getting others to hear what is being seen. Most are focused primarily in the here and now and that future vision is .
Celebrating the successes publicly give people a clue to my heart and more leverage/purchase/influence the next conversation. This is a great thread to celebrate the unbelievable voice that Sundance and Mods have in putting words to those future possibilities.
I believe we must bond together in our local communities to achieve those solutions because Minuteman didn’t stop to post on a blog before Lexington happened. Blessings and look forward to future interchanges..
I started reading at CTH because of the Trayvon Martin story. I had seen a picture of a pretty young black boy who was shot and killed by an evil white guy who hunted him down and killed him for no reason. I was totally taken in and started looking for more info. Well, I am not sorry I was taken in because when I found CTH, I became educated to what the msm was doing to us and how careful we have to be with what they put out.
I also found connections with other people that I needed at that time. I had just gotten divorced, moved to another state, and started a new life. The CTH opened me up to things other than what I had been focusing on for that last year or two. And, I am grateful for the refocusing. I don’t post as much now, but I still read here regularly. Also, I post a prayer each night on the Open Thread.
I am grateful for Sundance and the Admins for making me more aware of what is going on in the world around me and finding ways to deal with it.
For the last few days, I have been worried about Sundance. Thank you, Menagerie, for letting us know that he is having a much-needed break.
You all have me trying to see when I arrived at the Treehouse. I guess it was a gradual thing. I see I do have some articles saved from the very early years. Now, as I am older and have more time, I cannot let a day pass without visiting the Treehouse.
We are blessed by Sundance with his God given magnificent intelligence and insight, and Sundance is blessed by you, Menagerie, and all of the gang minding the Treehouse with him and for him. Keeping you all in my prayers.
I feel more comfortable and at peace here at the Treehouse among like-minded people than with many members of my family or with others whom I, at one time or another, may have considered to be friends.
A blessed November to you all……asr
Have been reading and Learnng from Sundance and Crew from surely near the planting of the Tree, and the building of The Treehouse. I have been convinced for most of my (almost) 9 decades, that my Parents were very, very Wise in their habit of having many books in their home(s), even through some ‘scarce’ times, and encouraging me (and my siblings) in the exploration of same. Not the brightest bulb, and have made a couple of sorry decisions throughout that time, but the ‘foundation’ has survived. Have never been in Debt, never taken a Food Stamp or Welfare payment (tho’ my present Wife and I lived for some 7 or 8 years on roughly 3 to 4 thousand per year). Had a great and active Outdoor childhood and youth (not without mishap) and have benefitted in exceptional Health to this date (I do not seek the medical profession for other than broken bones that I have been unable to ‘repair’) and am on NO prescriptions. I do use ‘supplements’ with my diet. We own our self-built home. We have The Treehouse to keep our Critical Thinking neurons buzzing. We are truly blessed. Thank Each and Every one of you. We also give Thanks to those Brave Ones who should be Honored today.
That reminds me of a work story.
The blueMA computer company that I went to work for in the late 80’s was already doing the “diversity training” nonsense – mandatory of course. I went into it expecting nonsense and found exactly that.
In one of the “exercises” (some of us would have benefited far more from some actual exercise!), they lined us up and started making people take steps back for various “privileges” such as being white, having wealthy families, all sorts of insulting and ridiculous things. Then they said: take a step back if you had a lot of books in your home.
At that point I stopped dead and told them that anyone could have lots of books in the home. My dad was an iron worker and my mom stay-at-home. She made it their hobby to go out to garage sales and thrift stores and buy books for a nickel each. He built the bookcases; we had loads of them and all five kids were bookworms.
I’ll never forget the uncomfortable look on the face of that trainer!
I still get the willies thinking about having to do something like that as a condition of employment.
Disgusting that books in the home is a mark of privilege. I used the library when I was a kid and teen. We were allowed 6 books a week -on a Wednesday. By Friday I had read all mine then I read my mom’s books too.
Now I reckon I have over 4000 books in my house. None of the woke rubbish published today. My children and grandchildren all love books and read avidly.
Raised 5 kids and quarter garage sale books from before everything was woke filled our home. When the house burned I measured the 4’ shelves X 12 6’ high and gave the insurance an estimate that they immediately discounted until we started digging through the rubble. The adjuster said they thought i was exaggerating until they saw thousands of book bindings because closed books don’t burn very well.
The wealth form 1960’s books on almost any subject..
“I start thinking more about things and people I am grateful for.”
Lately I’ve been having dreams about things that happen at work.
I wake up in the dark and think I’m going to be late for work.
Then I remember, I retired at 62, 10 years ago.
I’m grateful I don’t have to drive to work in the dark, fog and rain.
I’m grateful I was able to work with some of the best people in construction.
We competed with each other and sometimes it felt like I was in the Olympics every day.
The days went fast because there was never enough time.
Working in construction gave me some understanding of President Trump.
Sometimes it was so hot, it felt like you’re in the oven, other days so cold your fingers hurt.
I always had a positive attitude . Sometimes it was a mask of sarcasm which made me laugh.
That kind of life is not for everybody and I totally understand, but I always came back to it.
“Lately I’ve been having dreams about things that happen at work.’
I always like to figure out why I had a dream.
When I was between 9 and 14, ( not sure how old I was) I played Shortstop on a little league team.
That was a good year. We came in first place.
Throwing a runner out at first base, the feeling and sound of the bat when you hit a home run are some of my memoirs.
Once, I slid into home plate, knocked over the catcher, and he dropped the ball.
Then the umpire yelled “safe!”
These are moments frozen in time for me.
How did my dream connect to work?
Long ago ,one morning , 25 years after my little league experience,
I was riding in a man- lift up the side of a 22 story building to get to the floor I was working on.
We were packed in like sardines.
Someone said, “YOU used to play shortstop” .
It was the first baseman.
I worked for a large company.
He was a drywaller and I was a metal framer for the same company .
His dad was the coach of the Little League team.
I had been to his parents’ house when I was a child.
I remember thinking what a nice family he was raised with and what a small world we live in..
P.s. I fall asleep with the World Series baseball games on tv…..might have triggered my dreams.
As South Africans with strong British connections, we were very interested in the Brexit issue back in 2016. While searching for trustworthy info rather than the CNN etc disgusting screeching, we stumbled onto Drudge, Brietbart and Treehouse. We’ve since dropped both Brietbart and Drudge, but Treehouse is our daily “go to”.
Sundance is an absolute blessing. From him, we’ve learned so much. Not just USA issues, but all around the world too. We LOVE President Trump and are counting the days until he’s back in the driving seat.
As you’re aware, South Africa is in a political and economic mess. We have a highly dishonest President and Government. Theft and corruption is rife. Our institutions are in a state of collapse. It’s actually devastating as we have a magnificent country, founded on Christian principals and it’s so easy to despair. Without Sundance and his honest and hugely insightful daily discourse on current issues, I just don’t think Trevor and I would cope as well as we do. We love all the Treeper comments and thank you all for sharing your treasure with us.
This is a sad story but there are times in my long life that I feel the need to tell it. The Conservative Tree House brings back this memory because as a 9 yr old we had a tree house. Living in the hills of WV in the 40s & 50s I spent a lot of time exploring with my best pal Rusty, my shepherd mix dog. My alky dad disappeared, I was 9, brother 10, and sister 4. Now a single mom, no job, no car, no income and living in a one room house on a ridge top. My pal Rusty had pups, I kept one and found homes for the rest. Mom said we can no longer afford food for my dogs and that I had to kill Rusty cause she will just have more pups. My brother and I and a neighbor with a 4-10 shotgun took Rusty to where our tree house was. I couldn’t stay and watch my best pal having her life end. I left and while walking down the road home I heard the shot. I cried and I cried, to this day I carry that sad memory of hearing that shot. Mom with little sister left for city life and hopes for a job. Brother and I stayed with grandma. Almost a year later mom sent for us. She had a job doing shift work in a factory. While she was gone a stray little terrier dog came into my life. It was someone’s rabbit dog that got away and became another fav pal of mine. When mom sent for us she said I could only bring one dog. Either Rusty’s offspring or the little terrier I had named bingo. I took Rusty’s pup and said goodbye to Bingo. I left Bingo with grandma and 6 months later when we visited I was excited to hold Bingo again. Grandma said shorty after I moved away the little dog was sad, wouldn’t eat, and crawled under the house and died. The Conservative Tree House means so much to me and want to thank Sundance and all the commenters for giving me hope for us all in these troubled times. Thanks for letting me tell a short story among many in my life.
Dusty Otis, Mothers like yours are the salt of the earth and a blessing
I did not find the Treehouse, it found me, and I am so grateful that it did. At first, I did not think I belonged here. I admit I felt a little intimidated. Everyone is way more educated than me, but I am one who loves to learn, and, on this site, I learn. I remember the first time I read the Presidential and Open threads. I was stunned at the thoughtful and respectful way everyone communicated with each other. There was no vitriol or condescension, yes it got heated at times but even when disagreeing people were for the most part respectful. I appreciate this site and have the utmost respect for everyone from the main man himself to the admins to the chirping birds.
My husband and I share the same birthday. Seven years difference but same month, same day and this year our birthday is on Thanksgiving.
When I was 32 weeks pregnant with my son, I had an ultrasound. The ultrasound said my son was underdeveloped. The doctor ordered me to be induced. I was in panic mode. They were telling me he was less than four pounds and 15 inches long. He was going to be incubated with a breathing and feeding tube. They said his heart, lungs and head were unusually small for a 32-week gestation. They made it sound like he was not going to make it through being born. I demanded a priest and told my husband if anything goes wrong and it me or our boy, he is to save our boy. My son was 6lbs and 20 inches long.
I was willing to die for my son and I believe that because I was willing to die for my son GOD forgave me my sins.
Does anybody remember “the shovel”? 2015 time frame as I recall. Was it Sylvia and her shovel? We used to laugh about who she would whack next.
yes .. it was sylvia ♥️
I think it may also have been Sylvia with the drumbeat of a gun on the nightstand she used to suggest to evil-doers like Strzok during the russia hoax.
Of course those were the days when we imagined he would be faced with retribution..
Oh yes, I remember the shovel!
I remember Sylvia and her Shovel Fondly 😊
That shovel clonked a lot of bad people and ,
I know , many of us Borrowed Sylvia’s Shovel from time to time or got one of our own !
Miss You and Your Shovel ,
Sylvia 😊
Thanks to all of you who posted here today, for the sharing, the stories, and especially the best wishes. I fell behind trying to keep up with each comment addressed to me, as I’ve been in and out, but I will read them all, and I appreciate you guys.
Lets keep it going as a beacon of truth. Thankyou for your efforts.
I first read your post as saying “bacon of truth” and laughed.
I appreciate you too Menagerie!
Love your recipe threads though it’s rare I get time to add one. I think I may have added the one, some time, for Pumpkin Patch (a pumpkin pie/cake).
I was reminded of it today with the Connor stories. I’ll see about getting it on this year’s recipes. After my cast is off and I have a removable brace, I’ve promised to make it in real life this year… Big favorite with one (in my case honorary) “grandboy.”
I too was concerned and wondering why there were so few new posts by sundance as before.
After taking more time to read about how the treehouse began and other things about the people who post articles here and comments.
I am glad I can be here and speak my mind in the comments.
Reading the comments is actually fun and interesting when I find insightful and useful information.
I especially like sundance because he goes into depth and explains his posts.
I to like to analyze things.
I was an electronic tech for 22 years. 2nd and 3rd opinions are what I value to make a decision.
Documentation links etc are like 2nd and 3rd opinions used to back up information.
If the backup information doesn’t jive with the original information I tend to not believe the original info or article.
Sundance was always on the money.
If I can read just one new interesting article backed up with 2nd and third documentation links, I take the time to read the backup info and comments on the original post article.
A lot or reading and research for just one article.
One good article a day or a bonus of 2 good articles a day.
This is what is needed to help keep me informed.
Come back soon sundance.
If not I hope someone can help fill the gap of info and insight while your gone.
The conservative tree house needs that.
I need that.
We need that.😉😀
As much as I love everyone here, I still miss Howie and his clapping seals.
Thanks for the
Howie reference boog71.
I came here for the first time during Zimmerman. Howie’s posts( I think then as doodadaze) had me in stitches. As much as anything they had me coming back!
You post sort of confirms I was right in assuming Howie was no longer with us. If so, RIP Howie!
I Always Miss Howie and his *Mariner* sayings 🙂
I always imagined him living on a houseboat somewhere ..
Say , Hey , Howie !
You all are more than capable of keeping the home fires burning while Sundance is away. Thanks for the stories, and blessings to all Treepers. I don’t know what I would have done after Rush’s passing if I hadn’t found the Treehouse……
LOVE those bare feet. Freedom!!
yes it was. you could do that. now it’s no shoes, no service .smh