Monday, November 19, 2018

A Charlie Brown Christmas Tree

Anyone who knows me, knows that Christmas is not my favorite holiday...for reasons I won't go into.

But we usually do a little holiday decoration here and there: lights mostly, some greens, a ceramic tree that Leon's had for ages, a couple of stockings by the fireplace and a little one-piece sculpted nativity scene.

I heard that anyone with a saw and $10 could get a permit to cut a tree in the National Forest here in New Mexico.

So, in an effort to do my part in the monumental job of forest management, I decided that we (Leon and I and two of our friends) should go on a tree hunting expedition. I wasn't in it so much for the tree as for the day out and a little adventure.
One of our friends slipping and sliding
When we stopped at the ranger station to get our permit, I paid our $10, got a map and informed the clerk/ranger that I had, unfortunately, forgotten to bring along a rake (like in Finland?). She smiled and said, no problem.

So we were off into the Pecos woods in the Ford pickup, through snow and mud (sorry for all that mud on your truck, Leon), in search of a worthy tree.
The pines are nice, but way too big, and not right for a Christmas tree.



One of our friends trekking through snow.
Maybe we didn't drive far enough up the mountain because the trees were not really great specimens for   holiday decorating. Plenty of pines but nothing like a Douglas Fir or spruce. Not sure what type of evergreen we were finding but here is what we got. (I probably wouldn't have paid $10 for it at the corner gas station, but the getting it was worth the price).
Our "Charlie Brown" Tree
This wasn't the first for us: see here, and here.




Got a Pic of a Trio of Deer on Our Way Out
It will go out in the courtyard for the season. I'm not sure if it is even strong enough to hold a string of lights.

Well, it's not the Rockefeller Plaza tree, but it was a fun day out and we all stopped for a late lunch on the way home. Just enjoyed the ride and the company. And, well, forest management, you know.

5 comments:

Moving with Mitchell said...

Looks like fun.. even the tree. I used to love going into the Connecticut woods (aka, huge tree farms) to cut down our own tree. No tree again this year at our house. These two cats wouldn't leave it alone for a minute!

Russ Manley said...

Oh what fun. One of my fondest childhood memories is the Xmas when we went out in the woods and cut down our own tree.

You should have raked up, though.

Frank said...

Thankfully we didn't bring the rake...you know I couldn't rake just a little patch... I would have been there all day because it is one hell of a big forest.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

I'm impressed! That's a lot of work and hassle to find and cut your own tree.

Frank said...

Not at all...as I said, it was the outing, not the tree, that I was looking for.The tree is pretty pathetic but is out in the courtyard as our living room is too small for a tree.

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