Back Yard Escape

I have long wanted a half wall tent cabin. I figured it would be inexpensive and somewhat portable. Think of a cabin with a pop-up camper sensibility. A big one would not not need the pull-down-dinette-table-shower-toilet combo. Recently I have found the beauty of the woven plastic fiber tarps. They are cheap and sturdy. Equally cheap are gazebo canopy tents made of the same plastic. I picked one up today at the Kroger for $14. Its ten by ten. pretty small, but I believe larger than an overcab pick-up camper. I erected it over my deck. It was wider than my deck, so it had to stradle it. I further stradled it so half of it was over the deck and half was not. I can create walls out of similar tarps.

** Update 2008. That plastic stuff does not hold up to the elements. Its as though it is made of the biodegradable corn base plastic, because they seem to disintegrate in a season or two. I am going to stick with canvas., I just loath the idea of mildew. There are some commercial products. I saw one on "queer eye" called a sweetwater bungalow. http://sweetwaterbungalows.com/ They seem a bit pricey though. :-(

Future plans include building a new platform in the back of the yard. 11 by 15 or so. I do not see a construction problem at all with that. I'll build it in stages. Call about deck permit. Call about "fencing" around the deck. Ask about erecting a "tent"on the deck. That I believe will get me around any restrictions I may face. Although given the utter throw-aways that pass as affordable housing in town, I think my tent cabin would withstand a storm better than some. I have a pair of apple trees in the back third of the yard. I measured and if I pruned them high, and thin on the inner side, the deck could be built between two trees.

Then I thought I could take it up a step so to speak. Build the deck 4 Feet up in the air. Steps. This would create a tree house effect, and provide separation from the ground. If I have the four foot front "porch" it will allow a little retreat. I envision this as a summer bedroom. Eventually, the tubular frame could be replaced with something more sturdy. Power can come from the garage.

I want to get a full fledged circuit out to my garage, and while I am at it, I can have an exterior grade outlet added to that circuit run up the back deck.

Approaching this area, I plan a board walk. on the left side, approaching the structure, will be left wild, and the right between garage and the the board walk will be manicured shady. My entire yard is mostly shade at the moment. But it is all wild at the moment. I'd like to get it a bit more controlled. But I like the disorder. Not necessarily the dead branches though.

My fencing needs replacing. I have been experimented with tarp as fencing, and have come up with a design I can live with. My fence panels are going to cost me at most $5 a piece. I will do them in blue, the gazebo thing is forest green. I may consider alternating the panels green and blue. I liked how Greek the blue is though.