This morning the Gambits headed out in our annual search for the perfect Christmas Tree. This will be our 51st married tree (all live). The weather was an ideal 31 degrees, with a wind chill of 28 and a light snow falling.
Our quest took us to our favorite tree farm in Beaver County and, as expected, there were not many other patrons there as most folks have had their trees up for days, or weeks. We put ours up closer to Christmas but leave it up until February. Down before Lent begins is our rule.
After a cursory look in the Barn for pre-cut trees, we jumped aboard the hay wagon for a jostling, tractor exhaust filled, journey into the fields. We generally look for a 9-10 foot tree, although for the past 2 years my wife has suggested we go to a 6 footer, only to change her mind when decision time arrived. This year she cut to the chase and said 9/10 foot was her desire and I happily agreed.
My wife has had some knee issues so we agreed that when we got to the fields, I would do the scouting and when I found a few trees that I knew she would like I'd call her on my cell. That idea lasted until we got off the hay wagon and she said "I want to come along." I said, "but Honey, your knees" and she sternly said "I'm going with you". After 50 years of marriage, I know that tone of voice and so I extended my hand and off we went.
Even when she was much younger, my wife moved slowly in the fields, taking in all the sights around her. With the bad wheels, she moves even slower, but I take pleasure in watching her enjoy the journey.
Let me take a moment here to offer a bit of advice. Unless you are on level ground, when looking for a tree always begin your search at the bottom of a hill, if possible, and walk to the top. If you start at the top, and walk to the bottom, you will find a perfect tree that must be lugged uphill and with large trees that can be quite the task. Today we started at the top. Not good.
OK, back to the search. We're moving about 1/4 mile an hour but there are many great trees all about us and, after a few minutes, my wife says "I like this one." It was a great tree, well shaped, and about 12 feet tall. That's perfect because we will cut a foot or two off the bottom when we get it home. Now, as is my custom, I walk around the tree looking for imperfections, and I move the branches to make sure the trunk is straight. As I did this something came out of the tree at high speed and flew just past my right ear, so close that I felt a breeze as it moved. My wife was standing few feet behind and to my left, but I was startled and fell backward knocking us both to the ground. I yelled "What the hell was that?" and she, ever the birder, said "a Red-breasted Nuthatch." I said "it damn near took my ear off" and she said "you startled the poor thing". Great sympathy for the bird.....less for me. Fortunately, neither one of us was injured and, after a brief kiss (in the old days it might have been more) we got up and I said, "OK, we'll take this one" and she said "We can't". Now I knew what was coming but I simply asked "Why?" and she said "the bird might return and find it's favorite tree gone." Now, I know enough about birds to know that if they are not nesting, they do not always return to the same tree at night, but I was not one to argue and so we moved on.
Fortunately, just a few yards away was another great tree but this one was much larger, easily over 12 feet tall. It had a bit of a bad area near the bottom, but that would gone when we took 2 feet off to get it down to our 10 foot goal. I carefully examined this one, wary of another bird attack, but there were none and we both agreed this tree was to be ours.
Now the fun begins. I get to cut the tree down and then we need to lug it uphill. The cutting wasn't bad, but moving it uphill with my wife was, shall we say, unpleasant. It was "on three.....one..two..three", and we moved the tree a few feet. Fortunately, a very nice young man and his wife heard and saw our struggles and he asked "can I help?" I quickly agreed, and just for fun, I said "You will be fine. My wife is stronger than she looks". Everyone laughed...well, except for my wife, but she knew I was kidding and, with the help of this stranger we quickly made it back up the hill. I offered him a bit of cash but he waved me off with a "Merry Christmas!" and we wished them both the same.
The rest of the journey passed without incident. The hay wagon arrived, the driver and I loaded the tree, and we got it back to our car and loaded on the roof for its journey home.
On the ground it measured 13.5 feet and, when we cut a couple of feet off the bottom, the small bad spot on the lower right will be gone and the tree will fit perfectly into our home.
After a day of indoor acclimation, the decorating will begin. This is a magical time for the Gambits and I pray it will be the same for you.
Merry Christmas to all and may God Bless us, every one.
Our quest took us to our favorite tree farm in Beaver County and, as expected, there were not many other patrons there as most folks have had their trees up for days, or weeks. We put ours up closer to Christmas but leave it up until February. Down before Lent begins is our rule.
After a cursory look in the Barn for pre-cut trees, we jumped aboard the hay wagon for a jostling, tractor exhaust filled, journey into the fields. We generally look for a 9-10 foot tree, although for the past 2 years my wife has suggested we go to a 6 footer, only to change her mind when decision time arrived. This year she cut to the chase and said 9/10 foot was her desire and I happily agreed.
My wife has had some knee issues so we agreed that when we got to the fields, I would do the scouting and when I found a few trees that I knew she would like I'd call her on my cell. That idea lasted until we got off the hay wagon and she said "I want to come along." I said, "but Honey, your knees" and she sternly said "I'm going with you". After 50 years of marriage, I know that tone of voice and so I extended my hand and off we went.
Even when she was much younger, my wife moved slowly in the fields, taking in all the sights around her. With the bad wheels, she moves even slower, but I take pleasure in watching her enjoy the journey.
Let me take a moment here to offer a bit of advice. Unless you are on level ground, when looking for a tree always begin your search at the bottom of a hill, if possible, and walk to the top. If you start at the top, and walk to the bottom, you will find a perfect tree that must be lugged uphill and with large trees that can be quite the task. Today we started at the top. Not good.
OK, back to the search. We're moving about 1/4 mile an hour but there are many great trees all about us and, after a few minutes, my wife says "I like this one." It was a great tree, well shaped, and about 12 feet tall. That's perfect because we will cut a foot or two off the bottom when we get it home. Now, as is my custom, I walk around the tree looking for imperfections, and I move the branches to make sure the trunk is straight. As I did this something came out of the tree at high speed and flew just past my right ear, so close that I felt a breeze as it moved. My wife was standing few feet behind and to my left, but I was startled and fell backward knocking us both to the ground. I yelled "What the hell was that?" and she, ever the birder, said "a Red-breasted Nuthatch." I said "it damn near took my ear off" and she said "you startled the poor thing". Great sympathy for the bird.....less for me. Fortunately, neither one of us was injured and, after a brief kiss (in the old days it might have been more) we got up and I said, "OK, we'll take this one" and she said "We can't". Now I knew what was coming but I simply asked "Why?" and she said "the bird might return and find it's favorite tree gone." Now, I know enough about birds to know that if they are not nesting, they do not always return to the same tree at night, but I was not one to argue and so we moved on.
Fortunately, just a few yards away was another great tree but this one was much larger, easily over 12 feet tall. It had a bit of a bad area near the bottom, but that would gone when we took 2 feet off to get it down to our 10 foot goal. I carefully examined this one, wary of another bird attack, but there were none and we both agreed this tree was to be ours.
Now the fun begins. I get to cut the tree down and then we need to lug it uphill. The cutting wasn't bad, but moving it uphill with my wife was, shall we say, unpleasant. It was "on three.....one..two..three", and we moved the tree a few feet. Fortunately, a very nice young man and his wife heard and saw our struggles and he asked "can I help?" I quickly agreed, and just for fun, I said "You will be fine. My wife is stronger than she looks". Everyone laughed...well, except for my wife, but she knew I was kidding and, with the help of this stranger we quickly made it back up the hill. I offered him a bit of cash but he waved me off with a "Merry Christmas!" and we wished them both the same.
The rest of the journey passed without incident. The hay wagon arrived, the driver and I loaded the tree, and we got it back to our car and loaded on the roof for its journey home.
On the ground it measured 13.5 feet and, when we cut a couple of feet off the bottom, the small bad spot on the lower right will be gone and the tree will fit perfectly into our home.
After a day of indoor acclimation, the decorating will begin. This is a magical time for the Gambits and I pray it will be the same for you.
Merry Christmas to all and may God Bless us, every one.
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