Oh Xmas Tree

I have a fondness for xmas trees. I didn't have them as a child so they're a happy addition to my life. I even moved to Oregon where there's lots of xmas trees and double rainbows. But you know, I've never had the experience of hiking into the backwoods and cutting my own. No, I've always gone to the lot.

Now I'm very discriminating about which lot I go to. No Boy Scouts or religious lots for me. I apply my political correct standards even on a poor xmas tree that has no control over it's origins. But nevertheless I'm picky these days about whose pocket I'm lining with my hard-wrought money. Something like I don't want to give my money to the enemy and undo all our work.

When I was with my ex and was properly introduced to the xmas season, we bought our tree, a Blue Douglas Fir, from a nursury. It was so beautiful. I got to give my ex that, she knew her xmas trees. My ex had worked for Oregon's forestry service and was a country girl too. Xmas trees were an art form of nature to her. Bless her.

Well, soon after my ex and I split up, I went shopping for xmas trees with Kathleen. We'd go to a lot around the block from our place. The guys who run the tree lot look like they could also be selling moonshine, if you asked for it. But I shouldn't say that because they've been respectful and helpful to us (They even delivered and set-up a couple of our trees. We weren't feeling too butch in those years.).

But for all their beauty xmas trees are messy. Sure they smell great and aren't really a fire hazard if you water them everyday but when it's time to take them down...well you know about those little needles and all the vacumning. I guess as I've gotten older the effort to clean-up the mess just got overwhelming.

So we made the switch. We brought a huge 7 foot artificial tree. It was a bitch to put together. Almost impossible for us to manage. But we put it together twice and since then we have given up. It's trunk is made out of steel and is just too heavy for us. So in the spirit of xmas we're giving it away for FREE!!!

This year we have a table top artificial tree. I'll put a few of our hand-painted ornaments on our baby tree. It's enough of a xmas tree for me. And anyway it's really a solstice tree for me. Well, xmas or solstice...it doesn't change spirit of the season.

Cheers,
Diane