tree hunting

Christmas tree permits are only $5 so who wouldn't cut his own? We bought 2 permits and one expensive forest service map and off we went into the mtns. After a couple of unpromising stops we found it, the perfect place to cut a perfect tree.It didn't take us long to spot one, and then another and another. Beautiful little grand fir, but this isn't the one we cut. The kids couldn't come to a unanimous decision so we made then flip a coin.


Connor won the coin toss and this is the one he chose. Beautiful, and a little bigger.

Here's the one for our living room which has a vaulted ceiling. And it was complete with a bird's nest. So Reed got out the saw. As soon as it was down we wondered what we were thinking! Trees look smaller in the woods....the limit is 15' and this was stretching it. But of course we always cut a bit off the bottom, or even 2 feet. And the spindly top had to go. Then came the exhausting part, dragging that tree up the hill to our van. And then to somehow throw it on top. Reed and Connor started up with the bigger tree while Alaina and I dragged the other. We learned a few things for next year. Park downhill from your perfect tree! Picking it up would be better than dragging or at least use a tarp. The trees took a beating. But it was a great day and we'll be ready to do it all again next year.