THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS AROUND US

These are two cute little ornaments that Emily saw at Macy's and picked up for me. She is so sweet.  Sometimes when we are alone shopping, we will pick up two of the same thing for each other because we like the same stuff!  It seems like years ago that I was lugging mulch around in the backyard and watering my new plants.  Once January comes and winter really settles in, my mind will turn to those warm memories in the sun... digging and planting and imagining the day when my garden will be lush and full of color.  Well, that looks like a Christmas tree in this wheelbarrow so I better get back on the page here.

Saturday we were off on our adventure to the Christmas Tree Farm.  Yep, just looking for that Christmas spirit!!  It was about a 45 minute drive south of here.  Lots of farmland and little subdivisions popping up here and there.  We really had high expectations for a fun afternoon.

Here's The Husband standing by one of the strange carts that you pull the tree on once it's cut down, almost like a stretcher you would see in a hospital.  That should have been our first clue that this grove of evergreens stretched for miles!

There were a few pretty horses to admire and a "Warming House" to go in and I guess 'get warm'.  I didn't see anyone going in or out, the place actually seemed a little quiet.  Oh well.

Evergreen trees stretched as far as you could see on both sides of this frozen, barren path.  The sun was deceiving and although I had on a warm coat and boots, I forgot a scarf and gloves and I was shivering right away.  I would say it was about 20 degrees (we have since gone down as low as 4 degrees so this was a heat wave).

A tall elf appeared to help us in case we didn't want to wield that dangerous hack saw and he pointed out the different trees as we walked along.  There were many and I started to get excited every time we'd see a fir, but it would be a Norwegian fir, or Australian fir and they have much longer needles which makes them not so ideal to decorate as a Frasier or Douglas is.  I was finally so frozen and dejected, I headed back to the car.  The elf had on nothing more than a hoodie but I'm sure he's used to these temps up in the 'Pole'.  At least one of us had the spirit.

 

Sadly we left empty handed after giving the elf kid a nice tip and as we headed home we came upon a big local nursery just outside of this town.  The trees were kept inside a pole barn type of place and they were suspended by the ceiling with rope.  I just can't get the image out of my head of all of these trees swaying eerily, their trunks not touching the ground.  I told The Husband to pick one out and then let's get the heck going!  Next year I think we'll just go to the lot up the block.

So here's Douglas Firbanks, Jr., just sitting in the middle of my living room, soaking up sugar water and gently letting his branches down before we add lights and ornaments.  

They saved the lower branches of the tree when they trimmed it and I cut some pieces up and I have them in this big roaster so that I can mist them periodically.  And then I stopped in Home Depot yesterday and picked up garland, 25 feet to be exact.  I'll have plenty for my mantel and above my kitchen cabinets and I'll make swags for here and there.  It smells heavenly in my house!

To make it even more like Christmas, Emily and I were off and shopping yesterday.  As cold as it has been, I really wanted to do more shopping out in the big world than online.  I've been a real avid online consumer over the past few years and I think I have really muddled up the concept of buying a gift and true gift giving.  Don't pay any attention to me...I just miss the good old days of being around people, the crabby and the cheery, all at once, weighted down by bags and the sights and smells of Christmas.  The mall we went to wasn't crowded at all and we rarely had to wait in line anywhere.  As usual, Emily is great at putting together ideas...if you get someone cute jammies, get them a scented candle, too.  If you find the perfect book for someone, how about a cute mug for their tea?  I crossed a lot of people off my list.  We shopped from 1:00 to 5:00 and I could have kept going!

Remember Pauly the Personality from my last post?  Yes, the master carpenter that put my hall closet doors on.  He was back again bright and early to install my new light over the sink and add the wood panel with the hooks to the closet.  Does he not look just as I described him?  He never stops talking and once you get used to the never ending dialogue, it seems pretty normal.  He's quite fascinating.  Today I found out his son is a professional motorcycle racer and his daughter is an award winning competitive equestrian jumper.  They have several horses on a farm in an area they own acreage in and plan to move to one day.  I was taking my mantel apart, actually the whole house it seems, to decorate and he jumped right in with ideas for the mantel.  And they were fantastic!  Later he showed me some pictures on his phone of homes he has worked on, remodeling/renovation type of work.  My mouth was hanging open.  He did $1.2 million dollars of work on a beer baron's 5K home up near Milwaukee.  The staircase alone looked like it belonged in Liberace's home.  Yes, as you get to know people, you can unearth some interesting things.  I thought my morning was going to be spent listening to him talk and perhaps even rap a little more today for us, but instead I was asking him question after question  He really is an amazing guy that loves life, loves his life and after you get used to him constantly moving, talking and laughing (and using a power drill I might add), he's great!

This is the light I picked out for over the sink.  We uset to have a recessed light just behind the apron that I never used.  It's hard to tell but this is seeded glass.  I just fell in love with it.  He also finished off the closet, adding a 7 foot board I painted white with the hooks on it.  Project done!  Now I have to put my curtain valance back up and hang those coats.  And you know, he didn't charge me anything.  "Merry Christmas." He said. Ah, there's that spirit again! :)

Seems I am always ending a post with good old Rusty!!  Actually, it's my son in law Mike's birthday and I wanted to share this.  What a great guy he is.  He puts up with a lot taking care of my little Emily.  She tortures him by taking his golf clubs or the remote for the TV to work with her, she comes up with hair brained decorating ideas that leaves him scratching his head, but the two are so meant for each other.  Tonight they are going to see the play Elf at the Cadillac Theater downtown.  Brrrr.  Happy Birthday, Mikey!!

Now, I assume you all know what I have ahead of me to do, my house is in total disarray.  But I made the mistake of opening this book the day before yesterday and it has me rushing through everything to pick it up again.  Do any of you follow the alphabet series?  It's hard to believe I read A is for Alibi a good 20 years ago.  I truly savor these mysteries, I have to wait almost two years for the next one.  And I'm sure we fans are wishing there were more letters in the alphabet than 26!!

Stay warm and dry.  I will have some pretty pictures for you the next time I pop in! :)

XO,

Jane