The Christmas Tree Adventure!!

Up early we were today to go and cut down our Christmas tree - this was a new experience for Kazi and I.  Since my parents passed away - my mom in 2000 and my dad in 2003 Kazi and I have travelled up to my sister's home in Bracebridge so we had a really nice but artificial tree that we didn't have to worry about drying out while we were away.  When she was little we used to buy a real tree but I would get it in the city from one of many churches that sold trees for a fundraising venture. I never considered venturing out into the country and sawing down a living tree.  The is our 2nd Christmas together - Michael, Kazi and me - last year we

travelled to Bracebridge, this year we are staying home and creating new traditions.

After getting lost - well WE weren't lost according to Michael - he just couldn't remember exactly

where the farm was - we were guided by a kindly stranger and found the farm.

The Christmas Tree farm was out near Coldstream, about a 20 minute drive from the city.

The couple's daughter, who is about 14, has a developmental disability and has decided she wants

to be a farmer when she grows up. She's got a good start already: several sheep - that's Buddy above - and a few Rhode Island Red's (chickens for you non-farmer types)!

Here's Kazi doing her best chicken-call; the chickens all ran back into the barn so she's going

to need to work on that one a bit more:)

It was a perfect day for an adventure - a little bit of fresh snow and not too cold.

While trudging through the fields looking for OUR tree we were "surprised" by a number of very speedy

moles zipping away from us as we disturbed their nap. They were not much bigger than a

mouse - I didn't realize they were that small.

Hmmmm...why is it every tree looks perfect from a distance but when you get up close they

have all sorts of defects?

Enjoying the adventure:)

Happiness is being outside, roaming through the fields without a worry in the world.

This is it!! This is our tree!!

And it was.

It had its imperfections but it spoke to Kazi and we found its

flaws endearing and with all of us in agreement we started to cut it down.

On second thought.....nope this is it!!

Getting the sawing started.  Isn't it amazing how Michael can pose so nicely for

photos no matter what he's doing?

Yes, he's well aware of how photogenic he is:)

I didn't realize I could saw and smile for the camera at the same time

but apparently......OUCH.....I can! 

The wagon came along at just the right time to give us a ride back to the house.

My, that tree is looking kinda big....can little Cora handle it??

Enjoying the bumpy wagon ride back - hold ON!!

What a cute....TREE!! OK, Michael you are cute too!

Getting ready to head inside with the owner for some

FREE cider and cookies:)

Getting our photo taken for the Wall of Visitors in the background.

Say....Christmas Tree!!

We got our tree, Bruce the Spruce, home safely and now he's

sitting in a bucket of water waiting til he can come inside and get decorated.

This will happen tomorrow because both Kazi and Michael had to head off to work and

they don't want me to decorate without them.

So I'm blogging and doing laundry.

Tonight Michael and I head to Sarnia with our friend Troy to visit another friend Susan.

We are going to dinner at Lola's - the first of many festive get togethers.

I'll post my Weekly Wrap tomorrow.

What are you putting up this year - real or artificial??

New Year's Day - 2010

Today we had our first significant snowfall and it was extra nice as we weren't driving anywhere. YAY. Last night, or this morning I should say, we drove home from a party through freezing rain, luckily only a few blocks.

This afternoon Michael and I had started dinner preparations as we were having a neighbour over but he was so excited about the snow we turned the stove off, put on our snow gear and headed outside to play.

I could say we have resolved to have more fun this year - but we have fun all of the time. We did lay in bed a long time this morning figuring out what our New Year's traditions would look like next year and we decided that we would stay in bed all day long, eat a big breakfast in bed, write in our journals, read, and watch movies.

Gee, wish I didn't have to wait another whole year before implementing this plan!