We got our tree yesterday. It’s a fun part of our Christmas preparations each year, and we like to go into the mountains and choose one straight from Mother Nature’s own back yard.
Last year it was way too cold in the mountains, and so we bought our tree from a local garden center in town. Even at half price-it was expensive. Still, it was a beauty-tall, full, and perfectly shaped.
Setting out with our $5 permit, we had just a couple hours to find our tree before a big storm was due to hit. It’s gorgeous up in the mountains, but it’s not a place to be when the snow falls so hard you can’t see your hand in front of your face. There was another reason to make this trip a short one. The snow already on the ground was so deep that it was rough going, and we quickly got tired.
We wisely left Willow home this trip-she’s nearing 15, and she would have been helpless in all that snow. It’s a sad reality. Willow has gone along every other time in the last 10 years, but she’s not the dog she used to be. We did bring Kona. At 7 months she has more than enough energy for everyone, and she was in her element in all that snow. She didn’t stop to rest until she was loaded back in the car for the trip home-and then she faded into sleep like a melted snow flake.
We found our tree pretty fast. Even when there isn’t a storm bearing down on us, or snow so deep it’s up to our knees, and we can afford to take a lot longer to find our tree-it isn’t really about the tree. We are enjoying the hunt-the mystery of what lies around the next bend—or down a path begging to be taken. When measured against the gold standard of what makes a perfect Christmas tree, the ones that we find are certainly far from it-trees in nature seldom are as perfect as commercially grown Christmas trees. But somehow, every year-at least in our eyes-we end up with the most beautiful tree, ever.
Your tree is beautiful ... It's such a peaceful sight, seeing the Christmas trees quietly illuminated like this. I can't believe how much snow you have there. Here in southern New England, we haven't gotten any snow yet, and today it's in the 50s and raining buckets :/
ReplyDeleteNo snow yet Joanne? That is strange! It reminds me of the movie "White Christmas." Hopefully you will get snow in time for Christmas, just as they did in the movie. Thank you so much for your comment, too! In addition to our tree looking so pretty-this year it is so fragrant too-such a wonderful scent!
ReplyDeleteWhat a cute tree!
ReplyDeleteWe haven't had a real tree in years. I think our first Christmas as a married couple we had a real one - and it was a nightmare! Needles all over the floor, wouldn't stay up in the stand, etc. We've had an artificial one ever since. But I'm thinking I need to go with a live one next year. :-) It looks like you had such a fun time!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Tanya!
ReplyDeleteMelissa, I know what you mean about needles all over the floor-they sure hurt when you step on them!! Plus it's always crazy when I am still trying to vacuum them up in June! Then there is the risk of missing an ornament when the tree gets undecorated and taken down-and in our case, we burn all the branches-so missed ornaments would be toast. This year we tried to simplify by only putting out the truly meaningful ornaments. (We have a lot of ornaments!) We've had our tree fall over before. I think I cried!