HAPPY NEW YEAR

Placeholder for future post.

CHRISTMAS TREES

A couple of days ago, the newspaper had an article about live Christmas trees versus artificial ones. When I first saw the headline, I got all excited because I thought there was going to be a discussion favoring growing and using potted, LIVE trees. When I realized that "live" trees to the journalist meant cut trees that would soon be dead trees, I stopped reading. Being 2 days before Christmas, I didn't have time to waste reading that.

I have grown my own potted trees for several years. One grew so big that it doesn't fit on the perch in the living room any longer. It could be used in the cathedral-ceilinged family room, but that's not where we put the tree.

The picture shows this year's tree. It is a star pine that has 2 main branches so it is not your traditional-looking Christmas tree. As you can see, it is almost too tall too. We have used it the last 3 years since the other Star Pine got too tall. With luck, it will fit for a couple more years.

Those of you who are old enough to remember Red Skelton's poignant skit where he is a Christmas tree who is wondering why he was cut down in his prime, will find one clue why I favor growing my own tree.

(I also think we should start a campaign to require all Orange County homeowners to plant at least one orange tree in their yard so that we still deserve our name and the air can get closer to smelling as wonderful as it used to do.)