Tree Trimmed

The house is decorated and ready for Christmas.

Each year the mantle has a new variation.


One year Emily or Sarah received these Father Christmases to paint. I've added some more to them. I suppose whoever's they are will want them back some day?

Egg Ornaments

In 1991 every time I used an egg I would blow out the insides rather than crack it open. I gathered at least 6 dozen eggs this way. Sarah and Emily were 5 and 10 then and they undertook the project of painting the eggs as ornaments with me before Christmas. Our tree that year was covered with egg ornaments.

Since that time I don't always put these ornaments on the tree but do like to display them on a smaller one. This year I purchased a better looking small fake tree. Here is my egg tree this year with a close up on some of the ornaments.

Untrimmed Tree

We have enjoyed cutting Christmas trees over the years. Last year we found this place in Carroll County that had a wide assortment of trees. They discounted trees when trees were the last ones in the parcel and they wanted them cut so they could plant new in the spring. Dan and I went back there on Saturday. We found a tree that stands at least 10 feet tall that was marked $29. Others of that height were $92. We think ours was marked down because it had a yellow hue next to the other trees. For us, it fit the price, was the right size and shape. Here at home its looks green.

Here is is untrimmed.

First Snow

It snowed last night for the first time this December. We were to go out to a party last night but we called with regrets. Our driveway is extremely steep and though we'd have gotten down we wouldn't have gotten back up safely. Fortunately the drive faces south and the sun is just now warming the dark pavement and melting the snow for us.