Winter Comes...

What is it about snow that brings out the child in us?


Saturday morning it started to snow while Sam put the Christmas lights on the house and I set up shop for the anticipated tree shoppers.  Christmas songs played on the tabletop CD player as a light snow began to fall.  Soon I found myself standing in the front yard,...arms stretched out,, head flung back.  Earthbound feathery flakes drifted from the sky, landing on my nose, cheeks, and...I couldn't resist it...my tongue.  I'm talking BIG feathery snow flakes.  All this while Ella Fitzgerald sang, "Let It Snow."  How apropos.

In no time at all the snow transformed the Christmas tree farm into a winter wonderland, adding that extra seasonal element.  I cranked up the Christmas music to the delight of the customers.  Found myself dodging many well-placed snow balls, and not all those thrown were by the hands of children.  Several were thrown by my bosses' husband.  They purchased a 15 foot concolor fir, which weighed a ton!  It took four of us to get it in the pick up; the guys were at the base of the tree, my boss in the middle and I at the top of the tree.  When I lifted my end it wouldn't budge from the ground.  So I thought...okay, I must be standing on some of the branches.  Check my feet,, no branches are trapped beneath the shoes.  Try again.  Several grunts later we finally hoisted the heavy evergreen into the bed of the pick up.  Whew!  That was one heavy tree!

Many of the trees experienced quite a growth spurt this year.  One tree in particular always gets my attention when I walk past it.  I've named this one my 'Whoville' tree.  I can just see Cindy Lou Who standing next to it.  It will be interesting to see if the width of the tree catches up withthe height.  Personally, I've never seen anything like it.
Business is slowlypicking up on the tree farm.  This coming weekend I doubt I'll have time to do anything but help customer and crash at the end of the day.  I've had very little time for writing or journal hopping; which is disappointing for me but there is so much to do.  In the past week I've managed to make about 30 hand made Christmas cards for family and close friends.  Now I just need to get them addressed and in the mail.

The Christmas Star is lit on the hillside; it's nice to know some things never change.  No one here in the valley ever complains about that star and seeing it shining at night, just as it has since my first winter here in 1972, is a peaceful reminder that while life may shift certain values and traditions will stand the test of time.  And this year, the 'Winter Spirit' display is enormous!  I think the number of lights doubled this year.  I'm hoping to have the time to take a few pictures of the display to post in this journal.

In the mean time, Allie is doing her best to get into the spirit of things.  She loves her festive collar cover, but not the reindeer antlers.

Her enthusiasm is infectious.    . 

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