For the last couple of years, “taking down the tree” after Christmas, in our house, ultimately ends up as “planting out the tree”.  Last year’s Christmas tree hung around in its pot until late summer when it was added to the south wind break we’ve taken to calling, “the tree line” At least this year we got the tree in the ground before the end of January!

Sue made a basket that will surround the roots for many years, giving the tree a good foundation. The only bad thing about that is that the hole must needs be larger. So we began together. At least we had had some rain two days before, and with the snows we had previously, the ground was quite damp.  We dug a hole 2 and 1/2 feet deep, maybe more, and about 2 feet wide – never did we hit dry dirt – that is a really great sign! As we always do when planting around here, the basket goes into the hole, some dirt is placed in and around the basket, then some type of compost is added, we used mushroom compost, just as we did with the entire tree line.

The tree, when planted, was taller than Sue, but it looks so small out there in the wide world, as opposed to taking up a corner of the living room! It is a good strong Eldarica pine which are supposed to do really well here. Here it is, in all its splendor. You can see we made a nice large well to capture the rain water during monsoon. We’re hoping that we’ll have a wet spring as well, but you can never bank on that sort of thing.

We did some other tree related things afterwards, started in on the pruning – finished, maybe, a third of trees and bushes. I’m hoping to get to the roses and the almond tree before they burst forth, which could be in less than a week!

I thought I’d leave you with this poem entitled “Taking Down the Tree” by Jane Kenyon– seemed fitting when I ran across it in my e-mail.

“Give me some light!” cries Hamlet’s
uncle midway through the murder
of Gonzago. “Light! Light!” cry scattering
courtesans. Here, as in Denmark,
it’s dark at four, and even the moon
shines with only half a heart.

The ornaments go down into the box:
the silver spaniel, My Darling
on its collar, from Mother’s childhood
in Illinois; the balsa jumping jack
my brother and I fought over,
pulling limb from limb. Mother
drew it together again with thread
while I watched, feeling depraved
at the age of ten.

With something more than caution
I handle them, and the lights, with their
tin star-shaped reflectors, brought along
from house to house, their pasteboard
toy suitcases increasingly flimsy.
Tick, tick, the desiccated needles drop.

By suppertime all that remains is the scent
of balsam fir. If it’s darkness
we’re having, let it be extravagant.

Hope you can enjoy some “taking down”, “planting out” and “pruning up” in your week soon. Until then, as always~
Thanks for reading.

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Today’s Weather: Gorgeous! We’ve had beautiful weather the last three days. Today, it was all the way up to 80° after we came in from doing the chores. It was 42° when I went out this morning. Currently, at 8:08 p.m., it is 54°. Overnight low is supposed to be 35°. Sunrise today was at 7:19 and sunset at 5:44. Tomorrow we’re looking at clouds and a high of 64°.

Egg Report: Saturday – 19 chicken, 1 goose. Sunday – 11 chicken, 1 duck.