Jan 1 – New Year’s Blog Resolutions

I have never been a good digital camera photographer. I have gone through 3 cameras over the years as well as multiple smart phones with cameras inside and yet I have never gotten organized about taking pictures, uploading them to the computer, and organizing them well. Most years, I have taken photos to document my gardens for future planning only to do no such thing. I even lost a camera with several months worth of pictures at a museum. As a result, my blog has never been as visually stimulating as it could be. While I was blogging with Windows Live, I had a very pretty backdrop that kind of made up for this until I saw what other gardeners are up to. So, for 2011, I WILL improve my ways – stay tuned!

Christmas Tree Cutting

Holiday Task List – Cut Tree

We were almost tempted by the post-Thanksgiving ads. You can picture it: $38 for a 6′ pre-lit tree. Everyone has them – and that is fine. I know families with allergies, or friends who want their tree up a long time. My children even have a 4′ one in their  playspace – they can decorate at will and even hang all those handmade, daycare-provided decorations I don’t want on my tree. Their tree is actually very cute.

But, we have never had one for our main (I mean my) tree. We go out to cut it.

This year was no different – the boys did not want to miss out on what has been an annual event. We charge the walkie talkies, pack ribbon for tagging prospective trees and hope there will be snow. We really ought to take a family picture in our Santa hats, but somehow, we never remember the camera – need to add that to the list, I guess.

Some things are the same every year too – we always think the trees are smaller in the field than what they will be in our house – three lines on the ceiling prove the number of times we have been more than a little wrong.

And, some things shouldn’t keep happening… when Jackson was 2 and Logan was strpped to me, riding in his front pack, Jackson did a total facial into a mud puddle and had to be picked up by his  snow pants’ suspenders. This made for a very quick selection and Donny dragging the tree back to the truck my himself.

Deja Vu 2010 – Jackson stepped back into a 2′ deep hole – left by a dug out tree – filled with frozen water skimmed with a thin layer of ice. He was soaked and his boot needed emptying! Another quick dash back to the truck to wrap his frozen toes in the only dry thing left – his Santa hat. Again, where is the camera for this?

Donny, with Logan’s help, was left to drag the tree, muttering something under his breath, to the baler.

I think next year’s tree may come from Lowes…