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Saturday, December 12, 2009

12 of 12: A Day on the Christmas Tree Farm with the Skis

So begins the last month of the year - a year in which I documented every 12th day of the month in 12(ish) photos. Sometimes a bonus photo as well. Like in this month.

It's the brainchild of Chad Darnell, who provides the outlet for people around the world share their days with one another.

As we live on a Christmas tree farm, here's our Saturday on the second busiest tree weekend of the year. :)

A little surprise for Uncle Johnie • 9:22 am
Johnie's daughter, Jana, asked us to help with a secret mission for Johnie's 70th birthday on Monday. We picked up two sheet cakes to celebrate, and I made signs for the tree house to ask everyone to wish him a happy birthday. One cake for today, one for tomorrow. That's my kind of 'weekend long' celebration.

Johnie on the phone • 9:30 am
Thanking his darling daughter in Iowa for the surprise. :) He's not big on fanfare, so it was good to be able to give him a bit!

Malachi in the snow • 10:51 am
A Finian Road shoot in the fields -- found this patch of frost/snow. He loved it -- as long as it didn't get stuck in his gloves!

Oh Mike's, I Hardly Knew Ye • 1:10 pm
More carnage of the deep freeze we've been in all week. Mike's was the first to shatter/explode in the ice. The winter ales were more hardy. That pool beneath the bottle? All ice.

Checking things out with Auntie Sandi • 2:13 pm
From Thomas's vantage point in the tree house (where we sell trees from), all is good in the tree hood.

Uncle Johnie in the window • 2:16 pm
I love Thomas's grinning reflection in the window.

The Tree Baler • 2:19 pm
This thing is so cool. I could watch it all day long.

The Tree Baler {the bonus image} • 2:19 + 20 seconds pm
All bundled up and ready to go home! I love watching this thing.

Thomas and Auntie Karen • 2:31 pm
She's teaching him to make big bows for the wreaths. Or really just letting him bang things around with the potato masher/bow maker and pine cones.

Uncle Jerry • 3:26 pm
This is actually a big moment. Jerry has a rule about holding wee ones. They have to be more than 10 pounds so he 'won't break them'. At 11 months, this is the first time he's held him. Thomas was in heaven. Uncle Jerry and Thomas's Grandpa Larry were brothers growing up, and they looked pretty similar before Larry passed away...so this is as close as a "Grandpa" photo as I'll ever get. :)

Russian Tea • 3:27 pm
This stuff is like Christmas crack. So incredibly good. Tang + tea + sugar + other goodness.

The Lougheed girls • 3:47 pm
What a great surprise! Their aunt lives in Rainier, so they stopped by on their way home! I miss seeing the girls when they'd come visit their mom and stop by my office and play with the copy machine on Take Your Daughter to Work Day. How much have they grown?!?

Appeal for money? Fail. • 5:13 pm
American Heart Association? You must be hard up for cash if you're asking our dog to donate. And honestly, I don't think the two free gifts will persuade her, unless they are in the form of Costco bones. That's really her hot button, I tell you.
{this is why all of our magazine subscriptions come to our animals' names so we know who sells our name}

And that is a slice of our tree farm day. Sales were great - beautiful day, cold but not bitter cold, and snow potentially tonight. YEA!

6 comments:

Pete Cullen said...

Wow Uncle Johnie is 70? All that fresh air must be working wonders you would never know.
Do you mind me asking what type of camera you use? It takes beautiful photos.

Needless to say, gorgeous pics this month!

Jana said...

Awesome Shelley - thanks for being my co-conspirator - he sounded quite surprised when I talked with him on the phone!!!!

khowaga said...

GORGEOUS photos (as always -- yes, that's slight jealousy coming out). You have a great eye!

I don't think our dog has ever gotten mail before. But, as they say, times are tough :)

Merry Christmas!

Dogeared said...

What a great idea getting the mail to the pets!

And wow, living on a Christmas tree farm must be awesome. So much greenery and you get the best one!

Bec said...

Your pictures brought back memories of getting our live tree... I hope we get a real tree next year. I love my pre-lit fake, but the *experience* of choosing your tree and watching it go through that machine (and the hot cider in the store while you wait!) can't be beat!
Your uncle looks great! Happy birthday to him!

Unknown said...

I LOVE the idea of putting your magazine subscriptions in the name of your dog in order to figure out who sells your information. That is genius!
I am going to start doing that too!

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