The Woods Are Lovely, Dark and Deep

I took another trip back to the woods this past weekend (in the Valley - it's a short trip.)   We took our semi-yearly excursion to find a tree for my parents' home.  While there are plenty of arguments for and against using real trees (why kill a perfectly good tree/the fake trees clog landfills and cannot be recycled,) we feel that our location and local facilities are conducive to harvesting a live tree.

Our area is richly forested, and re-planted with seedlings each year by the local forestry workers.  We also have a community program run by the local fire department and community agriculture department.  The fire department accepts cut trees, with a donation that goes to procuring new equipment for the department, and the trees get chipped to provide mulch for city gardens and flowerbeds.

Please know, that I do understand that some people do not agree with cutting a live tree for ANY reason, regardless of the re-use of that tree later.  This is simply my own practice.

That being said, tree hunting is not an easy task.  Live trees do not look like the ones you buy in a store.  They look a lot more like Charlie Brown's famous tree. Tree hunting makes you feel a bit like Goldilocks too. 

Too small:

Too big:

The most important thing about tree hunting is the food!

My niece shows us how it's done:

Don't forget the marshmallows!

I feel very grateful to live in an area, where the woods are a short drive, the seasons are gorgeous (if not particularly cold this time of year,) and there is always something lovely to discover.