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Saturday, November 17, 2012

Getting on the Green . . .

 
 
Years ago I was a Christmas decorating maniac
It was not unusual for me to have five to seven live trees in my home..
The living room always had a live blue spruce.
17-18 foot was the largest, like this one in 1997.
It was purchased at Montague Tree Farm.
 
  
Times have changed.
Less trees. Less decorating. Less everything. 
Now there is only one tree or vases with fresh boughs instead. 
 
 
A few nights ago my friend Barbie and I treated ourselves
to a "make a wreath" night at the tree farm.

  . 
The wreath making was so much fun. 
Talk about swift, five minutes after arriving we were gathering up our greens,
 placing them in the ring, pressing the foot press down and ZING,
the wires grabbed the greens and the wreath was in the making. 
  
 
Barbie added pine cones and a bit of glittery to hers.
 
 
Friends Jane and Sue were there.
They have been making wreaths here for several years. 
 
 
Moms, grands, friends and children were busy creating. 
 

      
 

It was such fun . . .  I went from this . . .
 
 
to this


and then this.
(last years bow though, visit again soon to see my change.)
 

Barbie asked if they had assorted greens
so they brought us some cedar to use with the pine and spruce. 
The fragrance was wonderful!

Here is Barbie's wreath at the farm above and her wreath at home, below.
You might want to visit her, she would love it. 
 She has a wonderful blog about her family, stitchery, recipes, creating and more.
 
 
 
The greens came from the tree trimming that happens at the farm..
 


Thousands of wreaths and trees were waiting on trucks
ready to move out in the morning to be sold.

Gorgeous weather here in Michigan as I write this.
Montague Tree Farm will be open for families 
to walk the fields and find and cut down their perfect tree. 
 
 
A great evening indeed and a tradition we will do again next year.

How do you decorate for the holidays.
Fresh tree or Artificial
Greens and Boughs
Glitz
Vintage
Collectibles
Or?

 
Yesterday was the final leaf pick up day for me.
The blower, rakes, tarps, and tractor mower are tucked away in the garden house.
I am ready for my favorite season of the year.
winter
 
LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW
 
~ ~ ~
 
 
 
 

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Beautiful!

I remember my first wreath. I had planned to mail it to a friend.( You think duh me) Time I got in the box. Not good.

So then I cut off this and that. No good.

Well I kept it for self.

I live in country so yes lot of branches.


I love all your activity work pictures.


Lovely, lovely!


eileeninmd said...

Hi Lynne, the wreath making night sounds like fun. I love the scent of pine. You did a great job on your wreath it looks pretty. I will check out the link to your friend. Since my son is older, I cut back back big time on decorating. A small artificial pre-lit tree is just my size now. Hope you are having a great weekend.

Lynn said...

Hi Lynne,

Thanksgiving is so close now! Inside, still dusting orange stuff for one more week. Every year I wonder will this one be the last for extensive decorating and every year I’m grateful I hauled it down and put it out. True what used to take me a few hours now takes several days. Outside, I use a mix of artificial and fresh ~ fall mums in sunny spots and silk flowers in the shady ones. This might be a good year to pack inside and outside decorations separately . . . something to think about.

Both you and Barb created lovely wreaths. I like simple with a few treasures tucked in for those who take the time to find them.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

Raindrops and Daisies said...

Hello Lynne,

Looks like a wonderful day
was had by you both.

I love the wreaths they are fantastic.

You too must be experts by now.

I would love to do a class like that.

Wishing you a very happy Thanksgiving.

Fiona

ps Lynne, let it snow where you are
and keep it there please
don't send it my way
I don't like snow unless it is on
Christmas Eve when I am snuggled in at home and don't have to drive anywhere.

LANA said...

The wreath-making looks like a lot of fun. So nice to have an old-fashioned tree farm nearby. Good Lord, you used to have 7 trees at Christmas!! Not me, only one ever and a few years ago I gave away a lot of my decorations and only kept the really special ones. Makes the holidays so much easier, and now I really appreciate the decorations that I do have. I can't wait til the day after Thanksgiving so I can hang out the decorations!

Gail said...

Beautiful wreaths.

I am not ready for cold or snow.

Bonnie said...

Oh I love your wreath. I love the holidays, but Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday. I will begin decorating upon my return from a brief Thanksgiving holiday.

Your yard looks so clean and tidy. I am hoping for some snow this year...who knows.

TexWisGirl said...

those are pretty. i could almost smell them as you worked on them. :)

Anonymous said...

I was out window shopping today in a sweet little gift shop and the lady behind the counter and I were discussing how much less we decorate our homes now. She as 3 years younger than I and has all but given up on decorating for the holidays. I love looking at other homes on blogs that are over the top decorated for Christmas but it's so much easier to be lazy and just put up a couple of pre-decorated trees. I'll bet your home looks lovely for the holidays. :-))

laurak/ForestWalkArt :) said...

mmmmm...the scent of the fresh cut pine!
looks like fun!! such beautiful hand-made wreaths. a nice new tradition!

i've always had live trees. well, in the past...YEARS ago, we used to get cut trees...then we went to potted trees, but that was too expensive. a couple of years ago i gave in and bought an artificial. it's not really the same at all to a live one...but i guess it was my way of 'saving a tree'...even though so many of them are cut down each year.

OH! and happy to hear all your leaf collecting is finally done!! for now, eh?? =)

Anonymous said...

Beautiful photografes.

Linda @ Life and Linda said...

Hello Lynne, your wreath is so pretty. How special to get together with friends every year and make these lovely wreaths. Fresh pine is so welcoming in our homes. I know what you mean about decorating less. I keep thinking how would I feel, if I skipped decorating for Christmas this year..... Happy a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Thistle Cove Farm said...

Lynne, I bet it smelled amazing! I decorate with whatever I can find. I'll go to the mountains and search out goodies and I'll use fake wreaths as well.
This year, I'm in the mood to do a little decorating...that's a step forward.

Nancy said...

Your yard looks wonderful Lynne -- can I hire you all to do my pine needles? :)

It's just me and the hubs here, so I have a small, 2 1/2 foot lighted, artificial tree I bring out each year. We are no fuss type folks so it suits us just fine.

dee dee said...

Lynne,
I can only imagine how fresh and wonderful your new wreath smells! Simply beautiful! Looks like fun was had by all!
dee dee

Bianca said...

How wonderful to make your own wreath! Good idea!!
I have a fake tree and a tiny one at that! In two weeks time we will go to a big Christmas-market in Germany and I'm thinking of buying a new and bigger one.
But a wreath made with real green is oke I guess. And when it does let his needles fall it will be outside anyway.
Enjoy the winter!!!