It is almost impossible to believe it, but today is the 10th anniversary of The Conservative Treehouse. I will never forget that day as long as I live! This is what happened – most of this post is taken from the one I wrote on our first anniversary, February 1, 2012.
Our “oldest” Treeper friends first met at another political blog site, hillbuzz, in 2009. Some of us were new to the world of political blogs. Many found the way there via an open letter to Rush Limbaugh, which Rush mentioned on his radio show. For me, visiting with my “imaginary friends” became a welcome part of my day (and a large part, LOL), even better than reading the blog posts. I’d usually jump right into the comments on the Open, especially as time went on.
Terrible Saturday in November, 2010. Above-mentioned blog owner has a breakdown of some sort, insulting his visitors, most of whom had been supportive with praise and money. Hurtful words were exchanged, resulting in visitors either leaving voluntarily or being “banned”.
Horrified at the real possibility that we would be separated from our friends forever, a few of us used what information we had to gather the troops together at lucianne.com’s The Connection.
After a couple of days of putting out a clarion call to any lost friends who might see it, one of our group set up a WordPress blog called Honeytrail. We were very lucky to gather as many of our friends together as we did, and greeting every new arrival was reason for a party. It was wonderful! None of the several administrators had much experience with blogging (except Sundance), so we made our own rules as we went along.
The shining stars were Sharon’s “Mailboxes and Old Barns” posts, which we all looked forward to eagerly each Sunday morning. Many of Sharon’s later MBOB posts are still available in the CTH archives.
Unfortunately, fallout from our previous blog association caused a rift in the ranks, and the founder of our little blog abruptly pulled the plug when it was just a couple of months old, completely deleting our site (with no notice to the rest of us) on February 1, 2011.
I’ll never forget that day. The blog was shut down and deleted in the afternoon without notice to any of the rest of the admins. The way in which this happened was unfair and shocking. When I attempted to visit the blog from work that afternoon, this is what I saw:
We admins were in total shock, communicating by email. As much of a shock as this was to us, can you imagine how our visitors reacted? What if you clicked on your link to Stella’s Place or CTH one morning and found out that they were gone forever?
Once again we gathered at The Connection, and it didn’t take long at all (maybe 3 or 4 hours, instead of several days, like it did the last time) to set up anew at WordPress. I remember Finch and Sundance wondering aloud what they had done THIS time!
Finch said “Do you think it’s us? We keep getting kicked out of the treehouse. I’m starting to get a complex ;-)”
and SD said back, “@Finchy, you get a complex? How do you tink I feel? Yikes, I’m like the fat kid in dodgeball.. Whammoo”
Then our dear Menagerie, who we didn’t know as well then as we do now, said: “Sundance, I suggest The Last Refuge, or something, anything. We had too good a thing going to let it stop here. I am just feeling like I came home to find a tree on my house or something.” SD replied, “Menagerie, I understand. TOTALLY. Hey I like that name “The Last Refuge” … Missfits R us…”
That Menagerie was always a smart one!
We talked among ourselves for a little while at The Connection – SD, Finch, WeeWeed, Bijou, Garnette, Menagerie, with Ad Rem and Sharon standing by to see what would happen next (I was at a wake in the middle of a blizzard until late in the conversation). Of course, some people knew where to look for us this time. We all offered to help.
Menagerie said, “I can learn fast. I’m willing to go set one up, but I’ll wait until we talk a little more, see what everyone would like to do. We just gotta do something. I need a drink. If typos get worse, you will please understand I am spending time with the Gentleman, Jack that is.”
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- Sundance took charge, as he usually does (I like that about him), and said,
“OK, I’m gonna try to do sumptin quick. Hang on. Be back soon. Fix Bayonetts and CHAAARGGGEEE!!!”
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- And before you know it (really, 20 minutes) he was back with news:
“OK here we go. Go here and we’ll figure out the rest as we move forward: http://….. theconservativetreehouse….com”
There were two “official” posts that SD wrote right away. The second one was actually the last one he wrote for our other blog forum. It is called, “A New Beginning…..”, and it has become our mission statement. You can read it here.
There are a couple of earlier, getting-it-together, posts, but the VERY FIRST REAL post is called, “Clearing The Literal Air”, and it is here. What SD says there about US is the absolute truth, although I always thought that SD was our Pied Piper:
“The reason ya’ll are assembled here ain’t because of the likes of me. It’s because ya’ll like each others company. Each of you enjoys a little community of peeps, and you’ll share your flashlights on the path so each can find their way safely. Look to your left, and your right, and you’ll find a great friend to lean on, laugh with, and cherish. That is what brought you to this place. Remember that. Sometimes things seem weird, and uncomfy, and yes at times a good screamin’ is needed, it clears the air. Like sittin’ on the porch listenin’ to the neighbors have at each other, it can be unsettling. But, if you know em’ well, you know that is just life, and tomorrow they might just be listenin’ to your version.”
Looking at the comments the first couple of days was wonderful. All of our old friends gathering together again. Their comments still touch me deeply, because you can tell they felt the loss of community as much as I did. MRM and zmalfoy, Bijou and G8rmom, Ad rem (first in line for s’mores), Menagerie, WeeWeed, waltzingmtilda, Patriot Dreamer, GracieD and RedPill, AFinch and tnwahm, Ytz4Me and ZurichMike, Amsterdam Expat and librarycountess, Hxbuff and Sharon, Michael F and wendyann. I know I missed a few!
Here’s a good example:
And another:
“The conversational nature of this whole blog is wonderful. Really – coming here is like sitting down in a room with a bunch of friends. The chatter ranges from serious to silly, from educational and informative to just plain fun and entertaining. We laugh, we cry, we pray, we share. That’s THE recipe for friendship in my book – and I consider you all my friends. I love you all!”
That’s how I feel about it too. And I hope and pray that we can continue as friends, helping one another, laughing, playing, crying and praying together, for many more years, both at the Treehouse and here at Stella’s Place.
And, as Sundance said in the very beginning,
I wish for each of you a long chain of bold, strong, beautiful links, polished with the reflective brilliance of Love……..
Stella's Place 
Thank you Stella for the reminiscences. Happy Anniversary!!
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Is Conservative Treehouse back, I know WordPress kicked it off earlier. If so can you give link to new site?
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It’s the same address. Has been back for some time now. If you are directed to the old site instead of the new one, be sure to clear your cache and cookies and try again. Most people have found it by now.
https://theconservativetreehouse.com/
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I’m new to this site, I read where Treehouse was kicked off WordPress. Is it back up and running on another platform?
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https://theconservativetreehouse.com/
Pretty seamless switch to a new server. Has been on the new site since the end of November.
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Thanks for the memories!
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I remember many from Lucianne and The Connection. Glad to see ZurichMike posting here from time to time. I didn’t find CTH until the 2016 primaries when the negative stuff about Donald Trump drove me away from Lucianne. So happy to have found this place! Must admit that I do miss Yotty and NuGoddess having fun there.
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PS: I also miss Mrs. Cow. Loved her stories from “The Barn.” When I drove myself from SoCal back home to OK, she sent me a hand-made quilt for my “courage” as she put it. It remains one of my prized possessions.
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Thank you for sharing the founding of The Conservative Treehouse. I can’t tell you what it means to have some background and context. I wish I had found you all sooner. I’m sure it would have helped my sanity tremendously. It and this site really keep me grounded and focused in our endlessly more challenging political landscape.
I realize the goal of the opposition is to make us feel less connected thus more isolated. That is why these sites are invaluable.
We’re not alone, there are a bunch of us that remember the freedoms we had and we seek community to attempt to maintain them.
Bless you all and another heartfelt thanks.
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Echo from me…a refugee from Scoop and a few others now forgotten. Truly a refuge – CTH and Stella’s – and so very appreciated.
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:0) Awesome post Stella, thx.
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It’s certainly been a full and exciting 10 years! Sundance doesn’t quite have the inexhaustible stamina of President Donald Trump, but just about. All the moderators come in a close third in that lineup.
Don’t remember now what first caught my eye that sent me to CTH. I do know that I was visiting the site for at least part of the Trayvon Martin case investigation and on through the Michael Brown incident and into the beginning of Donald Trump’s run for the Presidency and Leader of the Free World.
CTH helped solidify my support for Candidate Trump. I only knew President Trump from his real estate ventures and never watched any of his TV shows since “reality” TV just isn’t my thing. I used to joke that my only real estate “claim to fame” was placing a call to the then-merely-Mr. Trump for my boss who had an interest in real estate, building/construction, “collecting” and investing.
May the next ten years be even greater, centering on the quest to maintain our freedoms as American citizens. God bless the entire crew and keep y’all safe!
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Wow, Stella. So good to think back over the years and see the photos-of-the-mind.
I wanted to share something of “the rest of the story” re Michael F.
He was such a gracious soul. I remember conversations with him in the chapel where he would quietly lay out his choice to not pursue faith in the Creator, but would also quietly indicate his appreciation for those who were communicative about their faith and his readiness to listen to their stories.
At some point, he visited my blog (active at the time–MBOB) and we exchanged a few emails.
He was living in Canada and dealing with health issues of various kinds, which ended up taking his life.
He became aware of my deep interest in all things Russian–culture, history, geology, etc. He had been a lifelong collector of Russians texts, coffee table books, deep views into various aspects of Russian life, including some complex and intricate texts regard the Russian military “back in the day”. Because of my interest in the subject and knowing his health was failing and he soon had to move into some kind of residential care, he chose to give me his Russian library. 30-40 volumes that filled two good sized mailing boxes. I was completely blown away by his generosity and kindness.
Near my home here in Oregon is one of the communities of the “Old Believers” Russians–there are only three of them in the world remaining, as I understand it. One of them is in Argentina. Don’t remember where the third is. I have an acquaintance here who is married to a Russian (he is not a part of the Old Believers Orthodox group but she knows many of them as a result of that connection). A few years back, she learned I had all these Russian books and as we visited, we felt that both that community and also the local schools could make good use of them with the Russian children, so she came over for coffee one afternoon and we selected out about 15-20 of them which she took to her friends and to the local school.
One day, in one of the emails we exchanged, Michael F challenged me with a blunt comment: “Sharon, with your interest in spiritual things, I think would you really do well as a Buddhist. Would you consider becoming a Buddhist? And if not, why not?”
Wow. Had to think about that for a couple of days. I wanted to answer him very honestly and without being defensive or super-spiritual or whatever. But he had kicked the door wide open, so I gave an equally blunt response, outlining the privileges and blessings that are mine because of the death and resurrection of Christ, things that Buddhism could not offer. He received my response graciously, as always, and we continued occasional communication.
Many months after our final communication, I received a very official letter (with different kinds of seals on it) from his attorney (it was a different designated title–a Canadian/British word of some kind), notifying me of Michael’s death. My name and address were on the list of the people he wanted to have notified when he died. I was shocked and somewhat heartbroken. Among other things, that correspondence with that surprising conclusion reminded me that so many are willing and open to make themselves known in one way or another, looking to have their lives rounded out a bit as they move through their own lives.
It was my privilege to be Michael F’s friend in that way. I will never forget him.
Thank you, Stella.
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Sharon (always so good to see a comment from you!), we have a community of Russian Old Believers here on the Kenai Peninsula in southcentral Alaska. I did not realize that there are only two other such communities in the world!
https://www.adn.com/peninsula-people/2018/07/22/people-on-the-peninsula-the-old-believer-tour-guide/
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It may be that there are more than three? Very limited, in any case.
They are such hard workers. I think their “inner circle” of living is pretty rigid. Those here are all farmers and are wealthy. They don’t spend everything they make. Their clothing and dress (men and women) is very simple and easily identifiable. Their pickup trucks are huge and new. (and fly Trump flags…up until a month ago)
Their homes are huge, constructed often with brick. Their land holdings are not huge–being Oregon, they don’t have to be…but their orchards and fields are beautiful and perfectly kept.
They have had no problem hanging on to the work ethic and pride of ownership. Some of the rigidity within their family dynamic is not so easy…..
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Here’s a photo of their local church
https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=AwrWp2SxKCBgSlgAGRwPxQt.;_ylu=Y29sbwNncTEEcG9zAzIEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Nj?p=Russian+orthodox+church+near+Woodburn%2C+OR&type=type7039874-sv7-dGFnUTEyMzI2NjktcGFja2FnZXRyYWNrZXI-c34397ed3177020680ee324daf7bf3d6¶m1=15838¶m2=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¶m3=8&hsimp=yhs-001&hspart=sz&ei=UTF-8&fr=yhs-sz-001#id=3&iurl=https%3A%2F%2Ffarm9.staticflickr.com%2F8134%2F8835526799_42f463b215_z.jpg&action=click
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that huge link goes to the big search area….toward the bottom of that page, there is a series of photos that includes their worship center here…..oh, well!
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Stella, I wrote a long comment that had to do with Michael F. Fortunately, I copied it! because when I hit “post comment” – it didn’t. Maybe it’s in the bin, because when I tried to repost the copy I had made, it tells me, “Looks like you already said that.” Thanks for checking….you can delete this one if the other turns up.
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It was in the bin! Sorry I took so long to rescue it.
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Oh, no problem at all!
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Sharon, I took some time this morning to read some of your MBOB posts over at the tree. Doesn’t seem possible that so much time has passed since you wrote them, but they are still as fresh and good now as they were then.
Thanks for writing and sharing them with all of us!
https://theconservativetreehouse.com/category/mailboxes-old-barns/
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Our hearts yearn to see and hear and respond to something that is good.
I’m no dreamer. I’ve seen too much not to know that it’s not all peaches and cream, but I have also seen good things diminished and brushed aside with pseudo-sophistication or cynicism silently suggesting that that’s just too Norman Rockwell. Or perhaps it’s brushed aside because we’re afraid of being seen as naive?
I’m so grateful for all you who identify with the good memories and who sometimes just need to hear that your own good memories are valid.
The simple goodness that is part of your life, then or now, is powerful.
The MBOBs of each of us, together or separately, are reminders that it is possible to love well and live well just because we choose to – now.
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Stella, this was really interesting. I knew a little, about the other site closing, but not all of it. I had read a little, very little, on a few blogs but got totally turned off really quick by all the sniping and name calling and fighting. At the time I was just looking for information on the Trayvon Martin case. All paths led back to the Treehouse. And, I liked the discussion and the people there. l
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I can’t remember if I found the honeytrail, or how I got there exactly, but Miss Wee found me wandering in the desert and I’ve had two homes now for the last 10 years. I think I missed the first week or so of CTH, but we tore it up for a few years. Then the dam burst and it’s been crazy ever since. Thanks for giving me a home. Even if I don’t come home as often as I used to. While this isn’t the original…….some of you will remember. 😉
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I remember your coffee quite well T. Always needed it after Wee’s bar closed up the night before.
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Oh my! Didn’t we have some Happy Hour’s. The ice bar, the Tiki Bar, The swim-up bar. Almost too many to count…………or remember. 😉
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And they all had an endless supply of Jack. Then of course, there was my still up in the woods, with Pud always giving away some of my best stuff. Good, good times.
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😉
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Good times, good people, and a few good tunes.
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Mail Boxes and Old Barns links:
https://mailboxesandoldbarns.com/category/books/
and you can also buy the book at the evil empire or apple online store.
The ebook is available here https://www.christianbook.com/mailboxes-and-old-barns-ebook/sharon-torgerson/9781490810904/pd/49174EB This is where I bought my paperback copy along with other items. They are based in Massachusetts and were nice to deal with.
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Found you all on Lucianne, then lost you again for a little while when you moved until I saw another Lucianne link to the Treehouse. Never commented for years, but read and remember the “good old days”. 😉
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How precious are those little memories each original CTH member retains, each memory as special and unique as the possessor of the memory.
Was truly lost after we were shut down for good in 2012, so can completely empathize with your fitful starts. Found you all while searching for info on Trayvon Martin, and made a point of stopping by every day at noon for the Lord’s Prayer.
My memory may be faulty, but my memory includes 3 posts on “Why I Am A Christian,” that let me know I had found kindred spirits.
Learned about CTH from CTH! Yup, read through a good many of the early and middle decade posts, including many of the comments (yup, I need to get a life! lol). Even commented on some of those old posts – freaked one of you Old Guys out with a comment on a six year old post (hey czar!).
Always looked for L’il Birdie’s Prayer every night at 9, and every Friday at 5 was Bar! Beer!
Patriot Dreamer’s posts were always a must-read, but we Newbies made them political with our comments and Patriot Dreamer’s posts, too, ended.
Your recent conversion drives home once again the caliber of the people making all this happen. Some of us know just how much work you all have done. Heck, even Wicked Son said he may not have been able to pull off what you all did.
Lord willing, you all retain good health (especially you, Stella – we’ve not forgotten your/our recent scare) and the next ten years are better than ever.
And thank you.
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Interesting to “hear” all of you reminisce your earlier days together! Obvious how you all care for and enjoy each others company. I had no idea that this was how “The Treehouse” was started. I feel a bit like an uninvited fly on the wall! So glad I found your place also Stella! I’ll be trying those potato biscuits! 😉 BD
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The tree was a much more intimate “club” in the early days. I kind of miss it.
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Stella, I miss the more intimate “club” many times, but new friends are additional sunshine.
A comment made at Right Scoop was how I found the treehouse. A comment made at the treehouse was how I found “Stella’s Place.” I loved the learning and the friendship while sitting on the outside edge lurking inward. I claimed all of you as family. When is your anniversary here?
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Last November 13 was my fifth anniversary! I had to check, because I had this as a private blog for four years before that.
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Thank you.
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