Christmas tree episode, 2002

Welp, ya’ll knew it had to happen! I did, too! And I’m here to tell ya…IT HAPPENED! For those of you unfamiliar with the following, you can brief yourself here http://davesgarden.com/t/368285/

It all finally came about this past Monday. While Alex was in school I had my usual pot of coffee, fed the critters, checked on the greenhouse, then jumped in the pick-em-up truck and bought us ‘the tree’. As in times past I headed off into our woods, across the crick, and found a nice spot close to where the woods end and the neighbor's pasture begins. I had to find the perfect place this year. After all, my DD wasn’t a two year old any more like when this tradition first began! Nope, she is now 8 and 11/12th years old! (That means nearly nine! And smart!)
The perfect place turned out to be on the root system of an over-turned tree, similar to what I did last year. It was elevated up in the air, making it look taller than it really was, and three saplings grew up there with it…perfect for adding support so the tree wouldn’t fall over! It was a wonderful display for the perfect tree!
I picked Alex up from school, she had a snack, and off we went…Wife,Daughter,Rosie Jane (our dachshund), me, and guess who else! GARDENESS TRISH! Yep, she was here visiting so of course you know she had to come along on the adventure!
We wandered into the woods. We checked out the “Charlie Brown” trees. Daughter Alex knew not to give them a second thought! Her eyes were searching the landscape like a hound-dog’s nose reads the air and ground we all walk on! We went this a-way…then that-a-way! Up the hill, back down to the crick…along the crick, then back up the hill. (Along the way, Gardeness Trish checked out a few likely hopefuls. Her little legs did their best to keep up. Only once did she trip and had a minor accident but no damage whatsoever. She just giggled, got up, and continued the search!)
Then, Alex spotted the “perfect tree”! There it stood, high on the hill, silhouetted with what was left of the afternoons daylight. I did my usual routine, pretending to saw it down, then we headed on home. All went well. We had our tree, we had our annual adventure, and me, once again, carried a tree outta the woods that I had just taken in there a few hours earlier!
That tree soaked in a bucket of water overnite. Last night we put it up and decorated it. I took a break while DW put the lights on it (her first time!), then she and Alex hung the garlands. Once that was done the rest of the decorations came out of three different boxes and we took turns hanging them. There were decorations that date back to when I was Alex’s age (possibly further back than that); decorations that Alex made in school over that past few years; decorations friends had made and given us as gifts. When it was completed I sat there, momentarily feeling complete. The lights on the tree were reflected in the TV screen. They were also reflected in the living room window. I also noticed that in what appeared to be a way to acknowledge and sing back the shine and glow of those Christmas lights, the ever-watchful moon peeked back in at all of us thru that same window. All was as it should be.
And now ‘tis the following day. As I write these words, I remember going back up to the house late last night. I was finished for the day with computering, writing/reading, record-keeping. The womenfolk were sound asleep. The house was quiet. The moon shine still came in thru the window, as if telling me to turn on the tree lights again. I obeyed, then noticed the perfume. Ahhh yess…the smell of pine, Frasier fir. It permeated our house and brought those once-a-year memories with it! The smell of Christmas was upon us. We made it thru another year!
And to sum it all up, like that famous and happy little boy once said, “God Bless Us, Everyone!”
Happy Holidays!

=) Shivers, I've got 'em. Great story, Shoe. You guys are really blessed.

aw, that's wonderful!!!! Shoe, you are one of a kind.

What a nice story Shoe, I have a feeling she will never catch on so that she won't spoil it for you.

*clap*clap*clap* YAY! you pulled it off Shoe! Thanks for the update and whatta guy :-)

I want to be one of 'Shoes kids!!! You are the dearest man...and I know both you girls appreciate you so much. Love & Hugs Jo

Oh Me!
This has gotten to be a tradition with me, the annual "cutting of the tree" at Shoe's house. I love it and I am sitting here feeling so stinkin' sentimental it is pitiful. It is kinda like the feeling I get when I watch "It's a Wonderful Life" for the hundreth time. Shoe, you are soooo special and your family is like one in story books from times past. Keep up the good work, my good man. You are building memories for your family that no one can ever take away and you are also building memories for those of us with whom you share your wonderful life . Yes indeed, it is truly a Wonderful Life that the good Lord has given us. Merry Christmas everyone and Happy Birthday JESUS!

Waaaaah! I want to be Shoe's kid, too! (which would be a mighty good trick, seeing as how I'm old enough to be his mother) This answers my question in the recycled thread I just posted to. Yep, he got his tree, yet another time. I wonder how that sweet little girl never fails to pick the target tree. She must spend a lot of time up in the woods, memorizing each existing tree so she will notice a new one at the proper time. How sweet all around.

Aww Shoe, What a wonderful Christmas story.

:~) Grinning from ear to ear! Such fun and I hope you can carry off this fun for years to come.

Oh Shoe, as soon as I saw this I ran down the steps knocking my kids down on the way, filled up my coffee cup, ran back upstair's yelling to DH not to bug me for at least 15 minutes, lit up a smoke and planted my butt down to read the Christmas Tree adventure!!!!!

It is just another great Shoe family adventure and just like Zany I am grinning from ear to ear!!!!!!!!!

Now the problem I am going to have is explaing to my family what the H_ _ L I was in such a hurry about!!!!!!!! hehe


Have a wonderful Holiday and thank's for another great story!!!!!!!!!!


sue

awwwww i got a lump in me throat!

Aww Shoe...I'm bawling like a baby...and being the storyteller you are, I smelled that pine tree, and yes, I had that feeling that we all get at this very special time when we are alone with the Christmas tree and it seems like a million Christmas's ago that we were the little ones like Alex, all excited with the magic of this very special time. What a neat story. Thank you so much. God bless!

Thanks folks! And by the way...I just posted pics of Gardeness Trish with us on the above adventure in the Paper People Forum. Have a look!

http://davesgarden.com/t/369039/


This message was edited Thursday, Dec 19th 11:25 AM

I want to own the first signed copy of your book when you publish :) Brings a lump to my throat every time I read one of your fantastic narratives.

Love this Story, Now we need to see it up and decorated.