The little tree that could.

Hope is in the air again.

For the first time since Sam and I purchased the Christmas tree farm 20 years ago, we sold a tree before Thanksgiving! While we have customers who always come and tag a tree in November, no one ever took one home
to decorate before Thanksgiving!! And that weekend, Sam sold two more.

The Christmas spirit is thriving once again. And people are excited about the future.

I know I am.

Hope and faith are very much alive and thriving in our little tree farm, in the form of a simple Fraser fir tree. Yes, a little tree. So, what's the big deal? It's a Christmas tree farm, and that's a tree. Hardly worth getting excited about, right? Well, Fraser firs do not thrive at this elevation or in our climate. They require a rain forest climate to grow and aren't well suited for dry climates with low humidity.

The Christmas trees we grow are a white fir species called concolor fir, so named for the variety of colors the tree comes in as it matures. This species is native to the southwest, is drought tolerate, and well suited for the Lewis-Clark valley climate.

For the first few years, we only ordered and grew concolor firs, but people kept asking us if we had any grand firs, or fraser firs, as these are the species most well-known and what you will find at any tree lot. So in 2015, we ordered a small batch of grand fir, fraser fir, and noble fir seedlings as an experiment, 10-20 of each species. We planted some here, and I took a half dozen up to our cabin (elevation 3,800') to see if they would grow up there. To my disappointment, none of the seedlings survived...except this one single fraser fir here in Lewiston. I thought maybe the ones planted at the cabin would make it, but the summer proved too hot and dry; by fall only a twig and slip of marker tape was all that remained. And so, I turned to this one simple tree and silently asked it to stay and grow. Then I stood back, checking on it occasionally, always wondering how much longer it would stay.

The lone Fraser fir, December 2016.

It became my little tree that could. A testament of my faith when all seemed lost...and hopeless. Yet, in that simple tree, I found a miracle. I know it seems silly, but I love little things like this; I tend to believe in the impossible.

Sam standing next to the lone Fraser fir, December 2019.

Christmas can be a time for hope, faith, wonder and maybe a bit of magic. I hope as you read this, you find the faith you need, and it fills your heart with joy in the simple things we may overlook.

The lone Fraser fir today, December 14, 2024.

All grown and thriving at over 7 feet, December 14, 2024.

#fraserfir #treefarm #FaithJourney #keephopealive #christmastreefarm

Monday Morning Motivation, December 25, 2023

 

Today is the day many children look forward to with wonder and delight. And yet the day may come when the feelings of wonder and delight slowly fade, replaced by responsibility and perhaps obligation as we mature.

On this day, my wish is that you allow room in your heart for the wonder and delight you felt as a child; even if it was only once and short-lived, push through whatever it is that separates you from that lightness and joy. Think back to the best memory you have of a Christmas past (or any event), linger in that moment in the present, and hold on to it so you can carry it forward to the future.

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Familiar things in unfamiliar times

 

In this constantly changing world, which leaves us feeling unprepared, there is a feeling of nostalgia and even a sense of comfort that comes with the familiar. This little reindeer stamp is one of those familiar things.

 

In December 1988, I was in Markettime Drug when this fun lil’ character, sitting by itself on a shelf, caught my eye. I was smitten with its charm and without hesitation snatched it off the shelf and headed to the cashier. It's probably the only thing I ever purchased at Markettime Drug, and it’s been with me ever since. Funny thing, before that night, I never visited Markettime Drug. I drove by it hundreds of times, never stopping; yet that night I felt compelled to stop and go in.

 

The ink pad dried up years ago, but as a card maker I have enough red ink pads to keep it going. Every year when it appears in my workspace while I am sending Christmas cards, it puts a smile on my face and a bit of joy in my heart. A tiny reminder of a different time, and yet serves to remind me that not everything has to change.

It's My Favorite Time of Year

 It's my favorite Christmas song, which I listen to all year long.

Florin Street Band - My Favourite Time of Year

The making of My Favourite Time of Year. How much do I love BTS for anything on video? A lot!!!

BTS for the video

Capturing December, day 25

 Capturing December, photo a day challenge. 

Day 25. Christmas morning. 

Breakfast burritos with Mimosas! A Christmas morning tradition (Mimosas, that is).

Capturing December, photo a day challenge. 

Black pepper cookies...who'd have thunk?

Do you ever collect recipes, thinking to yourself, "Oh, I HAVE to try this!" You save the recipe and there it sits, in your recipe box, or book, or Pinterest board. The problem with those recipes, if you didn't try it beforehand, is you didn't try it beforehand so you have no idea how it will turn out. Time marches on. Then one day, you see that recipe you had to have so long ago and finally decide today is the day. And when you do, one of two things will happen; it will either take you totally by surprise and be shockingly, mouth watering, yumminess. Or it will be a total flop. 

Those are the kind of recipes I tend to collect. And this is one that I've had for at least fifteen years, if not longer. I know this because it's a Marlboro Country Store recipe, that likely came from a carton of cigarettes I purchased before I quit in 2004.

While sorting through Christmas cookie recipes this month, I came across this recipe as I do every year. This time, I decided to give it a try.

Who knew black pepper works so well in a cookie? It does, and these are amazingly good. Everyone who tries them, wants more. They remind me of a ginger snap cookie, with just a hint of warmth from the black pepper.

Surprise.

File this under, you just never know...

Blue Skies and Gentle Breezes: Good Intentions, the Truth, and the Spirit of Chri...

Blue Skies and Gentle Breezes: Good Intentions, the Truth, and the Spirit of Chri...: Every year, as Christmas draws near, I am taken back in time to my youth...back to high school, back to 1973.  I was a junior that year, wi...


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Trippin' Through the Snow...

...better late than never. Cliche, I know, but true.





Right after Christmas the hubster had a serious case of cabin fever. After being tied to the house and tree farm every weekend since Thanksgiving he wanted to get outta Dodge. So we did. Might as well take advantage of the low fuel prices too (I can't believe I actually filled my tank for under $20 not so long ago...of course that was short lived...nice but short lived).





With record holiday snowfalls in our region, it was a perfect time to take the Jeep on a four wheeling run. Friday, December 26 we headed to the mountain towns of Waha and Winchester. On Saturday, we headed to our cabin in the mountains of Clearwater County.