1. Solar panels and battery setup - enough to charge power tools and run fans at night;

2. Metal roofing that can be erected over a bamboo structure;

3. Gutters and PVC pipe to feed into the water tank (I have the tank already);

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For those of you who haven’t traveled to Central America before, Isla Colon is a beautiful island in the Bocas Del Toro Province of Panama. Bocas Del Toro consists of a series of islands that are accessible by boat taxi, or “lancha”. The city center is often referred to as Bocas Town and there are restaurants, bars, grocery stores, etc. The house that I am staying at has four cats - two of them long haired that require daily brushing, one that is a smaller rescue, and another rescue that is a reformed Tomcat. The woman who normally lives here is traveling around Panama and South America for five weeks.

For you new readers, I’m going to try to explain why I started this substack. Originally, it was to document my journey building a treehouse on my property in Penshurt, Costa Rica. That project is taking longer than I anticipated due to title issues with the property (which ARE getting resolved - I have to keep reminding myself). Costa Rica is a very bureaucratic country and can sometimes take a long time to get legal or administrative issues sorted out. I’ve been in the middle of this land purchase contract for the better part of two years now. However, I have faith that all will be resolved, and probably sooner than I anticipated.

Without correct title or a folio real number (basically, the parcel number), I am unable to obtain power from the electric utility or get water from the municipality. Therefore, at this time, I am contemplating an off-grid living situation. The owner is an older farmer who is not very savvy when it comes to buying and selling property. We do have a recorded land purchase contract, and I have been given permission to occupy the property. However, as a single woman, I am honestly scared to death to do this on my own. I need not only helpers, but there is safety in numbers.

If any of you are interested in helping me with this project, I welcome participation and involvement. I’m looking for people who aren’t afraid of hard work or camping in the Costa Rican jungle. If I don’t find anybody soon, I will be taking on this project alone, because there is a lot of work to be done and I can’t put it off any longer.

My goal with this project is really two-fold: to build an organic farm with a 30x40 foot greenhouse and fruit trees, and to construct a bamboo treehouse that can be rented out to visiting writers or other travelers.

If you want to support this seemingly-impossible dream, please consider subscribing to my substack. I will be posting more in-depth details, photos, and personal reflections there.

Thanks for reading and I hope that you have an amazing rest of your day!

This is a conversation space exclusively for subscribers—kind of like a group chat or live hangout. I’ll post questions and updates that come my way, and you can jump into the discussion.

Join chat

How to get started

1. Get the Substack app by clicking this link or the button below. New chat threads won’t be sent sent via email, so turn on push notifications so you don’t miss conversation as it happens. You can also access chat on the web.

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2. Open the app and tap the Chat icon. It looks like two bubbles in the bottom bar, and you’ll see a row for my chat inside.

3. That’s it! Jump into my thread to say hi, and if you have any issues, check out Substack’s FAQ.

I landed into Costa Rica April 21st and have been enjoying a good blend of a little quiet time and time reconnecting with friends. I even made a new friend (from TikTok no less!).

Today, I woke up early and went for a leisurely walk on the beach at Playa Negra. I'm staying in my duplex until I have some simple living situation established at the farm property. Oh, and I bought a motorcycle in January and have been having fun practicing riding on it. I am going to pick up a helmet from my friend today and a reflective vest to provide more visibility and to be in compliance with local regulations.

A project like this requires so many different moving parts - some of which I am in control of and others that are outside of my control. But, if I can start a FDA approved seafood processing plant in rural Alaska, I can take on just about anything.

The next phase of the project is going to require some basic infrastructure. Without the proper title to the property (still waiting), the best I can hope for at this juncture is to envision an off-grid living situation that incorporates my existing 16’ bell tent, water harvesting with a cistern, and possibly electric generation with a solar generator. I plan to set up a basic outdoor kitchen and a composting toilet system. But, I am still in the same predicament as before and not wanting to do this alone.

Feel free to share your thoughts or ideas.

Reimaging your life is a challenge on multiple fronts. One of the challenges is trying to envision something that nobody has done before. Most of the women in the my family are grandmothers by the time that they hit 50. I just turned 51 and my youngest just turned 18. She plans on going to community college and then University. She has told me she wants to wait until she’s 30 to have a kid, and I wholeheartedly agree with that timeline. If that changes, I will plan on coming back to the United States so that I can be THAT grandma like I had growing up. So, in the meantime, my life consists of strategizing, planning, purchasing supplies for my organic farm life that I am planning in Costa Rica and an inordinate amount of discussions with AI regarding requirements for Costa Rica construction, development, and residency requirements. The wealth that I envision for my future self is the type of wealth that consists of a life of ease, abundance, organic food, and exceptional health.

Some might judge my decision to leave my home country to move to another country away from my children as selfish - and I would agree. However, as a woman, I have put myself last for far too long. Now that my children are adults, I will be putting myself first, and that includes living the life that I have dreamed of for decades.

Since I have been strategizing this move since 2021, I am doing my best to move with precision and efficiency. I recently got a job that I can do remotely. I start Monday! Once I get the knack of the job and can demonstrate that I can do it effectively from Costa Rica, I will be packing up to make my final move there.

So, buckle up - my substack is about to get a lot more interesting in the next three to six months as I reinvent my life in Costa Rica! Thank you for your continued readership and support.

This is a conversation space exclusively for subscribers—kind of like a group chat or live hangout. I’ll post questions and updates that come my way, and you can jump into the discussion.

I will also be hosting a weekly Zoom meeting for those women who are interested in joining me this summer in Costa Rica for the buildout of the project. The Zoom link is below:

Joint our weekly Zoom meeting.

Topic: Costa Rica women only intentional community project - Zoom Meeting

Time: Jan 25, 2026 10:00 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Every week on Sun, 110 occurrence(s)

Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.

Weekly: https://us05web.zoom.us/meeting/tZ0odOmhrTsuE9dEAJbzURssq95a2reQEazm/ics?icsToken=DAt64ZdneBXzWGapeAAALAAAANqjMh0M9dUG2L-u4oPzmxG-N1UV9QkNZRo4pLLHWWgTJM0MfW--WEbUi_6oCLT66ag5OyMRQC2JykL3MzAwMDAwMQ&meetingMasterEventId=9243wDh3SyuHR9llp5u7rw

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us05web.zoom.us/j/89530930493?pwd=aAUSwszIhZtJW53bwbOqykjsPcwcIH.1

Meeting ID: 895 3093 0493

Passcode: 8NyStp

Join chat

How to get started

1. Get the Substack app by clicking this link or the button below. New chat threads won’t be sent sent via email, so turn on push notifications so you don’t miss conversation as it happens. You can also access chat on the web.

Get app

2. Open the app and tap the Chat icon. It looks like two bubbles in the bottom bar, and you’ll see a row for my chat inside.

3. That’s it! Jump into my thread to say hi, and if you have any issues, check out Substack’s FAQ.

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Once I have this document and the document is registered with the national registry, I should be in good form to do what property owners do such as getting power to the site. Once I have power on site, I am fully prepared to move to the property and start building my treehouse.

And because I don't want my idle hands to turn into the devil's playthings, I have remained busy working on my duplex in Puerto Viejo and practicing with bamboo woodworking. I've also been going gangbusters on planting seeds to grow trees at the property. My goal is to have 50 to 100 trees ready to plant along the edge of the creek, to prevent erosion and also to begin the process of building a food and medicine for us for the residents of my planned subdivision.

Here's a few pictures of projects that I've been working on.

Anyway, getting back to the title of Skills Transference: I am still intent on starting and completing this project as soon as it’s financially, logistically, and legally possible. However, due to the serious delays of the title transfer (because of the survey) and the delay in getting myself to Costa Rica based on my own financial constraints at this time, I am going to be looking at all of the ways that I can shore up the skills and experiences that I currently have and how I can apply and strengthen these skills/experiences for this project.

Because much of the work will be done up in the tree that I’ve selected, I will need to definitely strengthen my upper body muscles so that I can hold and maneuver myself and whatever hand or power tools I need to construct the treehouse. That means that I’m going to need to focus on weight lifting like my life depends on it. Because, realistically - it does! So, I’ll be working on my core and upper body strength in the upcoming weeks/months. I’m considering going to rock climbing sessions at Rocks and Ropes to get experience in using a harness so that I can feel comfortable up in the tree.

Additionally, I will need to transfer and modify the knife skills I’ve garnered over decades of working in the Alaska seafood industry to be specific to bamboo woodworking. I’ll need to invest in a good sharpening stone that is big enough to sharpen cleaver-type knives that are specific to cutting bamboo, as well as learning how to maintain and sharpen my machete that I already have in Costa Rica. I’m looking at purchasing a tool that splits bamboo into pieces - I’m thinking the one that splits the wood into 8 sections. They have ones that cut into four, six, eight, ten, and twelve, but I feel like eight sections will be enough to make the pieces small enough to split further into strips. I plan to plait the slices of bamboo into beautiful woven mats that I can then use for wall coverings, ceiling coverings, and floor coverings. The outside of the treehouse will be made with more of the rough style bamboo and the roof will be made with bamboo half sections nestled into one another.

Here’s a YouTube video depicting what I mean about bamboo splitting and weaving:

As a child, growing up in Alaska, we spent summers at “fish camp” - sometimes in remote areas camping out with no electricity or indoor plumbing. Everything we needed for the season we would have to make or improve on. Every spring we would dig an outhouse for use over the summer, as well as setting up rain catchment systems or some method for hauling water. Although I don’t love camping like some people do, I’m willing to bring these outdoor adventure skills to bear on this project. After all, I’m here for the plot and this story starts out very rough. Although I plan on getting electricity to the property as soon as I have title in my name, that may not happen for a while if this survey business doesn’t wrap up quickly. In the meantime, I plan on getting access to the municipal water that is located at the edge of the property, so that I can have potable water at a minimum. I may need to purchase a generator from Panama until I can get electrical service to the property. I sure hope I don’t need to do that, as it is expensive, and generators are noisy. I don’t want to hear the sound of the generator as I would much rather listen to the sounds of the jungle and all of the amazing cacophony of birdsong.

From a professional standpoint, the construction of a dwelling in a medium I’ve never worked with before is more of a challenge than a daunting task in my mind. I’ve overseen construction projects with stick/frame construction and more recently (last summer) with prefabricated concrete block. I’m not afraid to try new mediums and the only snag may be the installation of windows in a treehouse up high in the trees. I plan on making friends with the local arborist as I may need to hire them to help with the window placement when that time comes. The logistics of such a project are not too overwhelming, as the majority of the construction materials are grown right on site - the bamboo. There are about four large thickets of bamboo on the property and I just need to focus on cleaning up and eliminating the bamboo that has already been claimed as food by the local termites. If I can coordinate last mile delivery of building materials for post offices throughout rural Alaska, I can certainly coordinate purchase and delivery of building materials in Caribbean Costa Rica accessible by road. Even if I have to make some purchases in Panama, it’s only about 1.5 hours to the border and I have friends that work in transport, so that isn’t too onerous.

So, in short - although I have never built a treehouse before (other than as a kid), I know that I can transfer the skills I’ve gained over my life to bear on this project.

As a self-employed creative entrepreneur type, I have been incorporating AI into my daily life, my business plans, and have met with quite a bit of success with this integration.

Last week, while driving Uber, I had the pleasure of meeting somebody who uses AI as an integral part of their business and teaches in this area as well. His mother was also neurodivergent and he recognized that aspect in me right away. We had a brief but riveting discussion on AI and how prompt engineering can help specialize the responses elicited.

So, last night while I was getting ready for bed, I began pondering how to create not necessarily characters but more like aliases using AI so that I can elicit valuable responses without having to provide the specific preface with each question. Because I didn't really know where to start, I turned to my AI assistant that I'm using at this moment - Google's Gemini chatbot. I posed a very specific question and that was how to create these specific roles for each of my tasks that I'm delving into. Without hesitation and without having to wait for days long response, Gemini provided me with the information on how to create these aliases/roles/characters so that I could simply call on them by name and get the answers that I need from those specific types of questions.

The first character I created, Maria, is inspired by my realtor, named Maria. I know - it's not that creative. However, I wanted something that was easy to remember and that I plan on referring to often. So, I gave Maria the attributes of somebody with a specialization in Costa Rican real estate development, a deep understanding and knowledge of local resources and expertise in the field of construction, utilities, and a bunch of other attributes. So, now, when I want to ask general questions about property development in Costa Rica, I simply ask in Gemini and pose it with the question of “Hey Maria . . . “.

This was so easy and fun that I immediately followed up with another character. I named him Don Jose because he is an expert in Costa Rican property development but also has over 10 years of experience doing heavy equipment and working in the field of infrastructure and road development as well as utility installation and construction. To get a little bit nerdy with it I asked Gemini to modify his voice to be a mixture of Pedro Pascal and Antonio Banderas, with a sprinkling of the man from the Negro Modelo commercials. Don Jose speaks to me in Spanish but I'm also able to see the written responses which is very helpful to me. He's a bit of a sophisticated man and speaks with a bit of lyricism, which I appreciate.

I then took it a step further and asked Gemini what other characters I should be creating based on my topics of conversation and the questions that I posed to the AI chatbot. My questions and interests fell into about 10 different categories, so I will be creating characters for each of them with names and specialties.

So last night, I had a dream that I was introducing my realtor - Maria, to Don Jose and we were working on my next subdivision plan - a master planned sustainable community in Caribbean Costa Rica.

If you haven't delved into AI yet, I highly recommend it. It's a very useful tool, not only for achieving your business goals, but can also be used to better your life and become more fully actualized as a human being.

Perhaps when I'm not trying to build my real estate fortune in Costa Rica, I will become formally trained in prompt engineering and learn how to code in Python. But, for now I'm having a lot of fun with creating these roles and using the tools that I have readily available to me at the current time to effectuate my dreams and turn them into reality.

Feel free to share your thoughts on what roles you would create for your AI chat bot.

As a self-employed creative entrepreneur type, I have been incorporating AI into my daily life, my business plans, and have met with quite a bit of success with this integration.

Last week, while driving Uber, I had the pleasure of meeting somebody who uses AI as an integral part of their business and teaches in this area as well. His mother was also neurodivergent and he recognized that aspect in me right away. We had a brief but riveting discussion on AI and how prompt engineering can help specialize the responses elicited.

So, last night while I was getting ready for bed, I began pondering how to create not necessarily characters but more like aliases using AI so that I can elicit valuable responses without having to provide the specific preface with each question. Because I didn't really know where to start, I turned to my AI assistant that I'm using at this moment - Google's Gemini chatbot. I posed a very specific question and that was how to create these specific roles for each of my tasks that I'm delving into. Without hesitation and without having to wait for days long response, Gemini provided me with the information on how to create these aliases/roles/characters so that I could simply call on them by name and get the answers that I need from those specific types of questions.

The first character I created, Maria, is inspired by my realtor, named Maria. I know - it's not that creative. However, I wanted something that was easy to remember and that I plan on referring to often. So, I gave Maria the attributes of somebody with a specialization in Costa Rican real estate development, a deep understanding and knowledge of local resources and expertise in the field of construction, utilities, and a bunch of other attributes. So, now, when I want to ask general questions about property development in Costa Rica, I simply ask in Gemini and pose it with the question of “Hey Maria . . . “.

This was so easy and fun that I immediately followed up with another character. I named him Don Jose because he is an expert in Costa Rican property development but also has over 10 years of experience doing heavy equipment and working in the field of infrastructure and road development as well as utility installation and construction. To get a little bit nerdy with it I asked Gemini to modify his voice to be a mixture of Pedro Pascal and Antonio Banderas, with a sprinkling of the man from the Negro Modelo commercials. Don Jose speaks to me in Spanish but I'm also able to see the written responses which is very helpful to me. He's a bit of a sophisticated man and speaks with a bit of lyricism, which I appreciate.

I then took it a step further and asked Gemini what other characters I should be creating based on my topics of conversation and the questions that I posed to the AI chatbot. My questions and interests fell into about 10 different categories, so I will be creating characters for each of them with names and specialties.

So last night, I had a dream that I was introducing my realtor - Maria, to Don Jose and we were working on my next subdivision plan - a master planned sustainable community in Caribbean Costa Rica.

If you haven't delved into AI yet, I highly recommend it. It's a very useful tool, not only for achieving your business goals, but can also be used to better your life and become more fully actualized as a human being.

Perhaps when I'm not trying to build my real estate fortune in Costa Rica, I will become formally trained in prompt engineering and learn how to code in Python. But, for now I'm having a lot of fun with creating these roles and using the tools that I have readily available to me at the current time to effectuate my dreams and turn them into reality.

Feel free to share your thoughts on what roles you would create for your AI chat bot.

Many people that I talk to are enamored with the idea of Costa Rica, and would love to travel there one day. Many of the people that have contemplated moving there have limitations - either physical, financial, or language issues that would prevent a sustainable life in Costa Rica. I know I’m talking into the void, but if I had a million readers, or even 500 readers, and each of those readers contributed $50, I would be at my goal. This is the angle that I need to start viewing this problem of a hard deadline to pay on my land option contract. This could meet a particular need for readers and supporters to stay informed and feel like they are contributing,

Additionally, many would-be travelers would love the opportunity to travel there with a seasoned traveler such as myself. Knowing where and when to catch the city bus, rather than paying for the shuttle that takes the same amount of time but costs four times as much, what grocery stores to shop at, where you can get a decent meal without gringo pricing - those are all valuable skills that I have to offer. Perhaps I need to be viewing my “problem” in that lens. Do I have 50 people in my network who would be willing to spend $500 for a weeklong experience in Costa Rica with me? Since I already own a duplex and would be happy to assist someone in the travel arrangements, I feel like $500 is a good value for this type of experience.

I also need to consider that perhaps I need to take this journey on my own. If people are only willing to buy in once everything is already put into place, maybe I don’t need those types of friends and neighbors. Those are fair weather friends that I don’t need in my life. Additionally, I need to be cautious of “interested” potential buyers who want to simply come to my duplex and stay for a week for free. The next time somebody takes this journey with me, I will be charging the requisite $500 for the week, because my time and my investment isn’t free.

The lots that I am selling are approximately 1,000 square meters each, and I’m selling them for $15,000 each. However, the going rate for land in that area is much higher than that. Lots half that size (500 square meters, or a city lot size, 1/8 of an acre) are selling for $25,000. The reduced price is due to the inherent risk involved in land sales because my title is pending and I won’t have it until June 15th. So, once I have title, I will be raising the price of the lots to be more in line with comparable land for sale in that area. In other words, the lots that I have for sale now at $15,000 will be available for sale for $50,000, because I won’t even need to sell any lots at that point.

So, in sum, I need to change the way that I am thinking about this land deal, and also make abundantly clear to people who are interested that I will not be offering free lodging for a little look-see at the property, because I am not a charity and I don’t expect anything for free from anybody. Hence, I should hold firm and not allow people to use me for free lodging or as a free tour guide to Costa Rica.

That is all.

Start a Substack

I have been using an AI tool called ImageFX, through labs.google.com to help come up with different designs for my bamboo treehouse. I play around with the prompts to get different results. Here are the design concepts that I have co-generated in this manner so far:

Option 1: Traditional

Option 2: Multi-level

Option 3: Sleek

Option 4: Bird’s Nest Inspired 1

Option 5: Bird’s Nest Inspired 2

I have a few more, but I’ll save those for another post. What do you think of these designs so far? Please let me know in the chat or the comments, or feel free to send me an email at bambootreehousedream@gmail.com. I want this to be a collaborative process, and also if there is something specific that you would like to see incorporated into any of these designs, please let me know.

Have a great rest of your day and I hope to hear from you.

The Vision for the Dream

There's something whimsical and magical about the idea of a treehouse, isn't there? A secret hideaway, a place where childhood dreams meet the lush reality of nature. For me, that dream has taken root in the vibrant heart of Costa Rica, and it's built of bamboo.

Why Costa Rica?

For years, the vision of a sustainable, eco-friendly housing has danced in my mind. Costa Rica, with its commitment to environmental preservation and its abundance of natural beauty, felt like the perfect canvas for this project. I got the idea on a trip to Costa Rica last summer where I was introduced to an abandoned cacao farm in Penshurt, in the province of Simon. The idea of living amongst the canopy, surrounded by the sounds of the rainforest, is incredibly alluring. I envision a space that blends seamlessly with its environment, a testament to the strength and versatility of bamboo, and the zen like quality of bamboo craft.

A vision of hope, resilience, and perpetual growth

Of course, this project comes with its challenges and a healthy dose of naysayers along the way. Navigating local regulations, finding skilled builders, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the structure are all important considerations. But the excitement of bringing this dream to life far outweighs any obstacles. I'm eager to learn, to collaborate with local experts, and to share this journey with you. Imagine: a multi-level structure, woven together with bamboo, nestled amongst the trees. Open-air living spaces that invite the gentle breezes, panoramic views of the rainforest canopy, and the soothing sounds of nature as your daily soundtrack. I want to incorporate rainwater harvesting, solar power, and composting systems to minimize our environmental footprint. It's not just about building a house; it's about creating a sustainable sanctuary and sharing this journey and the knowledge obtained with an avid community of like-minded individuals.

Considerations:

• Permitting: Costa Rica has strict environmental regulations. Research the permitting process for building in your desired location.

• Sustainability: Ensure your bamboo is sourced sustainably and that your construction practices are eco-friendly.

• Local Ecosystem: Be mindful of the impact your treehouse will have on the local ecosystem.

Let’s build this dream together

What are your thoughts on sustainable architecture and bamboo construction? Have you ever dreamed of living in a treehouse? I'd love to hear your experiences and insights. Follow along as I delve deeper into this adventure, sharing updates, photos, and the lessons I learn along the way. Subscribe to stay updated on my bamboo treehouse journey! Share this post with anyone who might be interested in sustainable living and off-grid adventures. For my subscribers, you can expect the following:

1. Weekly or twice weekly posts detailing progress made on the build. Free subscribers may get one photo per month or so, while paid subscribers will be able to watch the entire process unfold. Get ready to be amazed, frustrated, encouraged, and excited about the progress being made.

Some rough conceptual designs

Many of the designs that I will be posting are AI-generated. I use ImageFX, a Google lab experiment to generate images based on certain words. I mix up different word salads for different results.

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