This page contains a single entry from the blog posted on December 3, 2007 9:45 AM.
The previous post in this blog was It can't happen here....
The next post in this blog is Mew.
Many more can be found on the main index page or by looking through the archives.
The other night the Mrs. and I were walking along Alberta Street when we spied a Christmas tree lot across the way. We've been buying our trees every year from a church lot near our house -- we recently switched from Doug firs to nobles -- and it's outrageously expensive, but convenient.
Anyway, the sign over the lot on that Alberta corner caught our eyes.
Me: "All sizes $10." Wow.
She: What kind of tree is it we get again?
Me: From now on, the $10 kind.
Comments (10)
Or you could ask yourself, "How is it that tree lot can sell trees for a mere $10? Are the trees donated, stolen, from China?" There is a lot of stolen nursery stock that gets sold somewhere.
Not green, I suppose, but we went over the wall four or five years ago and bought a fake, pre-wired (with lights) tree at Home Depot. Never looked back. It's probably an age-related thing. I suppose that if we had young children at home, we would have to take their opprobrium (not to mention obloquy and calumny) into consideration.
Oh yes, I went with the fake prewired tree about three years ago. Bought my parents one as well. I was getting way too old for that heavenly holiday experience of crawling on my belly in the mud with a band saw at u-cut places. And of course the recutting of the stump and trying to level the darn thing with those little screws in the base.
Now I just bring the box down from the attic, pull out the pieces, pop em together and plug er in. Too lovely!
You can get a permit from the forest service to cut your own Christmas trees for 5$.
MAX doesnt go out to the forest...
We bought a fake tree a few years ago as well. Mainly because of the cost of the trees. The last time we bought a tree, it was a 7-ft doug fir that they wanted $65 for. Not any more.
I got one of those $5 permits from the Forest Service a few years back. It's not a bad deal so long as you don't mind tromping through the snow under large, humming powerlines to find a tree within the height range specified on the permit. I ultimately found a decent tree, but the powerlines certainly detracted from the experience.
I go native - fork over the 5 spot, rent snow shoes or x country skis (depending on snow conditions) bring a thermos full of hot chocolate and Schnapps, and help the forest service thin it's noble firs (silver tips). Generally peaceful and a great work out. The outing always inspires a sense of satisfaction even if the tree looks a bit sparse. It's a festivus tradition. Kids love it.
I dunno about kids being into it today. My daughter told me cutting down trees was bad! I asked her where she heard that...she said her teacher told the class that. She was in the second grade at the time.
I tried the Forest Service bit one year: Trudged up various logging roads until we found THEE tree. It was a little sparse on one side as it was in the shadow of another tree, but the show side looked great. Took it home, decorated it, and stood back to view the wonder. It fell, side heavy with ornaments, and broke our many hand-painted ornaments. Fake tree time for me!
Charamba, Douro 2008
Horse Heaven Hills, Cabernet 2010
Lorelle, Horse Heaven Hills Pinot Grigio 2011
Avignonesi, Montepulciano 2004
Lorelle, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2011
Villa Antinori, Toscana 2007
Mercedes Eguren, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Lorelle, Columbia Valley Cabernet 2011
Purple Moon, Merlot 2011
Purple Moon, Chardonnnay 2011
Abacela, Vintner's Blend No. 12
Opula Red Blend 2010
Liberte, Pinot Noir 2010
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Indian Wells Red Blend 2010
Woodbridge, Chardonnay 2011
King Estate, Pinot Noir 2011
Famille Perrin, Cotes du Rhone Villages 2010
Columbia Crest, Les Chevaux Red 2010
14 Hands, Hot to Trot White Blend
Familia Bianchi, Malbec 2009
Terrapin Cellars, Pinot Gris 2011
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2009
Campo Viejo, Rioja, Termpranillo 2010
Ravenswood, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2010
Waterbrook, Reserve Merlot 2009
Lorelle, Horse Heaven Hills, Pinot Grigio 2011
Tarantas, Rose
Chateau Lajarre, Bordeaux 2009
La Vielle Ferme, Rose 2011
Benvolio, Pinot Grigio 2011
Nobilo Icon, Pinot Noir 2009
Lello, Douro Tinto 2009
Quinson Fils, Cotes de Provence Rose 2011
Anindor, Pinot Gris 2010
Buenas Ondas, Syrah Rose 2010
Les Fiefs d'Anglars, Malbec 2009
14 Hands, Pinot Gris 2011
Conundrum 2012
Condes de Albarei, Albariño 2011
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2007
Penelope Sanchez, Garnacha Syrah 2010
Canoe Ridge, Merlot 2007
Atalaya do Mar, Godello 2010
Vega Montan, Mencia
Benvolio, Pinot Grigio
Nobilo Icon, Pinot Noir, Marlborough 2009
Portuga, Rose 2011
Revelation, Chardonnay, Pays d'Oc 2010
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 2005
Monte Alto, Tinto Reserva 2005
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Cabernet, Indian Wells 2009
Espiral, Vinho Rose
Vin-Koru, Pinot Gris 2011
14 Hands, Hot to Trot Red 2009
Rodney Strong, Cabernet, Sonoma 2009
Abacela, Vintner's Blend #11
Portuga, White 2010
La Bourgeoisie, Red 2009
Januik, Red 2009
Three Rivers, River's Red 2008
Kirkland, Alexander Valley Merlot 2008
Muga, Rioja Rose 2010
Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2009
Mauro Molino, Barbera d'Alba 2009
Garda Chiaretto Rose
Columbia Crest, Two Vines Vineyard 10 White
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley 2009
L'Hortus, Rose de Saignee 2010
Maculan, Pino & Toi 2008
McKinley Springs, Bombing Range Red 2008
Trader Joe's Pinot Gris 2009
Montes Alpha, Cabernet 2007
Gran Sasso, Sangiovese, Terre di Chieti 2009
Garda, Classico Chiaretto Rose
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1999
Picos del Montgo, Tempranillo 2008
Chateau de Montmirail, Vacqueyras 2008
La Granja 360, Syrah 2009
Montgras, Carmenere Reserva 2009
Lange, Pinot Gris 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet 2008
Kirkland, Pinot Grigio 2010
Trader Joe's Coastal Syrah 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Merlot 2008
Trader Joe's Coastal Chardonnay 2009
Vieux Papes Red
Domaine de l'Aujardiere, Chardonnay 2009
Santa Rita, Cabernet, Medalla Real 2007
Penfold's, Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet 2008
Guild, Red, Lot #02 2008
Dievole, Dievolino Sangiovese 2008
Laforet, Burgogne Chardonnay 2009
Columbia Winery, Merlot 2007
Bonterra, Cabernet 2008
Elk Cove, Pinot Gris 2009
Maquis Lien 2006
Scott Paul, Pinot Noir, Le Paulee 2007
The Occasional Book
Neil Young - Waging Heavy Peace
Mark Bego - Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul (2012 ed.)
Jenny Lawson - Let's Pretend This Never Happened
J.D. Salinger - Franny and Zooey
Charles Dickens - A Christmas Carol
Timothy Egan - The Big Burn
Deborah Eisenberg - Transactions in a Foreign Currency
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. - Slaughterhouse Five
Kathryn Lance - Pandora's Genes
Cheryl Strayed - Wild
Fyodor Dostoyevsky - The Brothers Karamazov
Jack London - The House of Pride, and Other Tales of Hawaii
Jack Walker - The Extraordinary Rendition of Vincent Dellamaria
Colum McCann - Let the Great World Spin
Niccolò Machiavelli - The Prince
Harper Lee - To Kill a Mockingbird
Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus - The Nanny Diaries
Brian Selznick - The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Sharon Creech - Walk Two Moons
Keith Richards - Life
F. Sionil Jose - Dusk
Natalie Babbitt - Tuck Everlasting
Justin Halpern - S#*t My Dad Says
Mark Herrmann - The Curmudgeon's Guide to Practicing Law
Barry Glassner - The Gospel of Food
Phil Stanford - The Peyton-Allan Files
Jesse Katz - The Opposite Field
Evelyn Waugh - Brideshead Revisited
J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
David Sedaris - Holidays on Ice
Donald Miller - A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
Mitch Albom - Have a Little Faith
C.S. Lewis - The Magician's Nephew
F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby
William Shakespeare - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Ivan Doig - Bucking the Sun
Penda Diakité - I Lost My Tooth in Africa
Grace Lin - The Year of the Rat
Oscar Hijuelos - Mr. Ives' Christmas
Madeline L'Engle - A Wrinkle in Time
Steven Hart - The Last Three Miles
David Sedaris - Me Talk Pretty One Day
Karen Armstrong - The Spiral Staircase
Charles Larson - The Portland Murders
Adrian Wojnarowski - The Miracle of St. Anthony
William H. Colby - Long Goodbye
Steven D. Stark - Meet the Beatles
Phil Stanford - Portland Confidential
Rick Moody - Garden State
Jonathan Schwartz - All in Good Time
David Sedaris - Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
Anthony Holden - Big Deal
Robert J. Spitzer - The Spirit of Leadership
James McManus - Positively Fifth Street
Jeff Noon - Vurt
Road Work
Miles run year to date: 21
At this date last year: 52
Total run in 2012: 129
In 2011: 113
In 2010: 125
In 2009: 67
In 2008: 28
In 2007: 113
In 2006: 100
In 2005: 149
In 2004: 204
In 2003: 269
Comments (10)
Or you could ask yourself, "How is it that tree lot can sell trees for a mere $10? Are the trees donated, stolen, from China?" There is a lot of stolen nursery stock that gets sold somewhere.
Posted by Molly | December 3, 2007 10:24 AM
Not green, I suppose, but we went over the wall four or five years ago and bought a fake, pre-wired (with lights) tree at Home Depot. Never looked back. It's probably an age-related thing. I suppose that if we had young children at home, we would have to take their opprobrium (not to mention obloquy and calumny) into consideration.
Posted by Allan L. | December 3, 2007 10:34 AM
Oh yes, I went with the fake prewired tree about three years ago. Bought my parents one as well. I was getting way too old for that heavenly holiday experience of crawling on my belly in the mud with a band saw at u-cut places. And of course the recutting of the stump and trying to level the darn thing with those little screws in the base.
Now I just bring the box down from the attic, pull out the pieces, pop em together and plug er in. Too lovely!
Posted by nancy | December 3, 2007 11:01 AM
You can get a permit from the forest service to cut your own Christmas trees for 5$.
http://www.oregonlive.com/outdoors/index.ssf/2007/11/christmas_tree_cutting_season.html
Posted by Nick | December 3, 2007 12:04 PM
You can get a permit from the forest service to cut your own Christmas trees for 5$.
MAX doesnt go out to the forest...
We bought a fake tree a few years ago as well. Mainly because of the cost of the trees. The last time we bought a tree, it was a 7-ft doug fir that they wanted $65 for. Not any more.
Posted by Jon | December 3, 2007 12:14 PM
I got one of those $5 permits from the Forest Service a few years back. It's not a bad deal so long as you don't mind tromping through the snow under large, humming powerlines to find a tree within the height range specified on the permit. I ultimately found a decent tree, but the powerlines certainly detracted from the experience.
Posted by Tim | December 3, 2007 1:57 PM
I go native - fork over the 5 spot, rent snow shoes or x country skis (depending on snow conditions) bring a thermos full of hot chocolate and Schnapps, and help the forest service thin it's noble firs (silver tips). Generally peaceful and a great work out. The outing always inspires a sense of satisfaction even if the tree looks a bit sparse. It's a festivus tradition. Kids love it.
Posted by genop | December 3, 2007 3:25 PM
fake trees? too much money?
Thats no way to support farming.
no on 49
Posted by poorfarmer | December 3, 2007 3:44 PM
I dunno about kids being into it today. My daughter told me cutting down trees was bad! I asked her where she heard that...she said her teacher told the class that. She was in the second grade at the time.
Posted by Jon | December 3, 2007 11:45 PM
I tried the Forest Service bit one year: Trudged up various logging roads until we found THEE tree. It was a little sparse on one side as it was in the shadow of another tree, but the show side looked great. Took it home, decorated it, and stood back to view the wonder. It fell, side heavy with ornaments, and broke our many hand-painted ornaments. Fake tree time for me!
Posted by GDH | December 6, 2007 7:24 PM