On top of a rolling Virginia countryside hill sat a sweet old farmhouse surrounded by corn, hay, and cows. Out front, a gravel driveway off the narrow dirt road led to two magnificent maples sheltering the house away from the hot summer sun. For three little girls, this place was a wonderland. Barefoot and free to roam and play, they had epic games of hide and seek; caught fireflies in jars; spent hours reading and coloring on the front porch; picked cherries, raspberries, and blackberries; jumped from hay bale to hay bale; grew sunflowers; played and squealed in the sprinkler; built castles and tunnels in the sandy horseshoe pits … never bored, always exploring and creating.
One of their favorite spots was up in the branches of the grandest of the two maples, the one with the view of the cows grazing in the fields in front of the Blue Ridge Mountains. For anyone else, it was a beautiful old tree; for the sisters, it was another world.
To the untrained eye, there wasn’t a treehouse built among the branches, but in their imaginations (which often melded into one brilliant mind of endless possibility), there definitely was one, and it was perfect. On a rickety wooden ladder wedged between the gnarled roots, they climbed into their “castle in the sky”, hauling pillows, blankets, coloring books and crayons, chapter books, and snacks. They read, created, and dreamt days away. A branch for each, and another that held a hammock swing below. Ridiculous negotiations were held daily over who got which spot, unless of course, the black snake was there; she always won. Hours and hours were spent on the wide branches, which sometimes tested their bravery, taunting them to climb to new heights, and sometimes cradled them under the canopy of leaves that dappled their newest artwork or book pages with beautiful shadows and flickers of sunlight. This place was theirs to make into whatever they needed it to be. It was an escape into the best parts of their creativity.
Forty years later and 1,600 miles away from that tree, the three sisters now live in Colorado, having traded maples for aspens, and the Blue Ridge for the Rockies. They each live creative lives: photographer, painter, illustrator, gardener, muralist, teacher, cook, writer. Each approaches life in creative and curious ways, just as they did when they were little.
And now, two of the sisters and a friend, who has climbed many a tree in her day, are imagining a new kind of treehouse. Not built in branches, but rooted in community and creativity. Launching this fall, Grove’s Treehouse is a series of local gatherings we’re imagining as “create-ins.” Think of them as a cozy, imaginative treehouse for grown-ups—no ladders required.
Each gathering will offer:
A welcoming space to meet other creative souls
A shared, lighthearted creative activity (a little creative “play”)
Time for independent work
Optional sharing and reflection with the group
Whether you're a seasoned artist or just exploring your creative side, these gatherings will spark joy, curiosity, and connection. A place where you can climb into your imagination again—and maybe discover new heights you didn’t know were there.
Stay tuned—Grove’s Treehouse Gatherings are just getting started! Sign up for our monthly newsletter or follow us along on our socials for upcoming fall events in Fort Collins and Colorado Springs, CO.
As always, thank you for joining us in the Grove,
Lisa, Jenny and Cat