Aaron and I have the awesome opportunity to harvest pine trees from White Water Ranch, my grandparents' Arkansas land.
At last count, Uncle Mark found 130-140 pine trees that are leaning toward the beloved 1960's family home, as well as a cherry tree next to the back deck. The past few winters have made it obvious that something needs to be done in order to protect the house.
Long story short, Aaron and I are in the position to slowly take out those trouble trees. Here's the best part: we get to keep them for ourselves! All that lovely yellow pine will be milled into lumber or debarked and left round. Initially, we'll use a little of the booty for the newest addition to our barn (I know, unromantic...but practical), but the master plan is to eventually use them in the construction of our home! 
As a little squirt, I loved playing in the woods when I visited my Grandmother and Papa Gentry. Their trees grew on a crazy-steep hill, and I would have a blast climbing up the hill with cousins Zane and Jeremy, clinging to the sticky pine-bark. It was impossible to keep your feet from sliding on the dead pine needles that blanketed the floor. I often played Indiana Jones with Zane and Rheagan (Zane, of course, was Indiana, I was Willie, and, poor Rheagan was continually forced to be Short Round...we attempted to make her feel privileged in delivering her one line: "You call him Doctor Jones, Dawww!!" We'd enthusiastically slide down the hill, desperately grabbing at trees while we descended. God (and our mothers) only knew how dirty we truly got--we didn't notice the grimy fingernails and sticky arms (at least, I didn't).
So, a few weeks ago, Aaron and I went through Initiation of this milling job. In between praying for my husband's safety as he climbed the 50 ft. trees, praying for the house's safety, and pulling the taught rope directing the trees to fall away from the house (and up the hillside), I had moments to pause, lean on a tree, breathe in the aromatic pine scent, and remember my childhood spent in that magical place.
This project will take months to complete. We're learning, tweaking ideas and gaining additional tools as we go (thank God for portable winches). We're collecting much more than "free" building materials; we're preserving memories of a family that embodied faith, laughter and love.
