Trees in Snow-dust

Last night, with respect for the new moon, I undressed the Christmas tree we had in the house. It’s rather unusual for us to have a cut tree in the house. Normally, we have a small live tree indoors for a week, which is typically planted by this time.

As you may have read, this year we planted a Blue spruce, and brought in a cut Fraser fir. So far, the Blue spruce has tolerated the transplant (but the first couple years are the real test).

The biggest surprise was the cut tree we placed in the house. It stopped taking water about two weeks ago, but apart from a little browning at the top of the tree, it still looks GREAT! I am seriously impressed by the longevity and vigor of this cut tree after standing in our home for almost two full months. Now that I've removed all the ornaments, I'll be cutting off the branches and chopping up the trunk to bring it full circle back to the earth.

Among the many trimmings to come off the indoor tree last night were a few strands of popcorn and cranberries. After the last attempt, I decided to hang these on the two planted Christmas trees this morning in order to increase my chances at spotting the snackers in action.

I also sprinkled bird seed on and around the Eastern white pine outside my window so that I can enjoy the colors and songs of all the overwintering birds. This morning we have a small dusting of snow to show for last night’s flurries. It’s a tease, but I’ll take it!