Annual Tree Hunt...bringing life back to an old family tradition

(back post 12.12.09) One of my favorite childhood memories, and perhaps one of my families only "real" tradition, was driving to Southern Missouri in the hopes of finding the perfect Christmas Tree. I grew up in the suburbs of St. Louis County and every year my grandfather would make the drive down from Springfield, Illinois and pick us up in his old blue truck. Year after year my mother and step-father would cram into the front cab with him and since the truck bed had a camper shell my childhood friend Katie (whom was always up for the ride) and I would ride in the back. Every year their was always this great sense of adventure and excitement as we traveled to the tree farm bundled in our best winter gear, riding along in the back of that old pick-up truck.

Finally, and usually after much debate, my mom would choose the perfect tree which we would cut down and then toss in the back of the truck. Both Katie and I were strategic in our plan to avoid the needles and squeeze around the tree. However, despite our best efforts neither one of us ever figured out how to completely escape from the short, stiff needles of the over sized spruce tree. I'm not quite sure why or what brought an end to our tradition, but once it was over the assembly of the artificial tree took the place of our family's annual tradition.

Normally Nathan and I take our daughter to pick out a tree from the local boyscout or VFW stands, which usually happen to sell trees cut from local tree farms. Like years prior, that was our plan for this year, but after seeing an article in yesterday's paper I was reminded of my favorite Christmas childhood memories. This year Nathan and I decided that we would bring life back to an old family tradition and make it our own. Hence...the "Annual Family Tree Hunt!" So, today we set off on our first excitement filled expedition and finally found the perfect, local, cut-it-down yourself Christmas Tree.

Pictured: (Left) Nathan & our daughter try to decide on a tree. (Right) Completely overlooked and a little neglected, we discovered our perfect tree hiding at the back of the field amongst the overgrown brush. Our daughter uses the saw to make the first cut...well she makes a great attempt! (Middle) The first Christmas Tree at our tiny 2 Acre Farm.

Ready For Winter?

Despite the radical weather fluctuations common in the Midwest the unseasonable November weather has been truly bizarre. Over the Thanksgiving holiday my Uncle John, now living in California, confessed that the warm morning air of the Bay area felt cool compared to that in St. Louis. Just yesterday, December 1st, as I was headed outside in a t-shirt to pick leaf lettuce for dinner, I noticed the wireless weather station read 71 degrees Fahrenheit. Although I am grateful to still have fresh produce in the garden (lettuce, spinach, kale, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage) it is now December and I am ready for winter to come...well, at least I think so.

Even though, Nathan had mentioned last night that the forecast was calling for extreme temperature drops over the next few days, and I also heard yesterday on NPR that they were predicting snow in today's forecast, the truth is, it just sort-of went in one ear and out the other. When it's 71 degrees and your outside working in the yard on December 1st, well, I guess I just didn't pay that much attention. However, I should have know that when it comes to weather in central Illinois...anything is possible. Pictured above, today, the first snow of the season!