Letting Go of the Bay Leaf: Tree skirt

Showing posts with label Tree skirt. Show all posts

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Mosaic Monday #59: Christmas Contentment

Greeting cards have all been sent
The Christmas rush is through
But I still have one wish to make
A special one to you
"Merry Christmas Darling", written by Frank Pooler/Richard Carpenter

Are you still in the grip of the "Christmas rush"? Leading up to December 13, I was feeling that crush. #1 Son was due to arrive that evening, and I had a long list of to-dos: housecleaning, finishing the tree skirt, completing hand-made gifts, tying up loose ends on my various volunteer projects, decorating the house. Unexpectedly, I was called upon for an evening shift at the Sparrow's Nest; it became a win-win in that I was able to work on one of my hand-made gifts at the same time.

This runner was an early Christmas gift from my mother-in-law

Preparing to cut the tree

But since then, my days have brought delightful relaxation.

First up? Cutting and decorating our tree. As I reported in last year's post, we are blessed to have a wide variety of trees on our property. Spousal Unit and I had pre-selected two candidates, and #1 Son had the privilege to make the final choice. Isn't this spruce a beauty?

Heave-ho, boys!

Tree nears the house

Drip dry in the entry

Tree in the stand, warming by the fire

We bust a gut when Spousal Unit went to install the angel on top of the tree. (I will admit that she climbed into the place of honor a little bit out of order. Traditionally, she is the last decoration on the tree, but logistics with a 15-foot tree dictate a different approach. We employ a 10-foot step ladder to populate the upper half of the tree, and if you place ornaments on the lower branches while moving that ladder in and out and around the spruce, you are bound to break some delicate decorations!!!)

Anyway … imagine if you will, Spousal Unit near the top step of said ladder, armed with a marshmallow skewer.

"Glad Mom is capturing me as I fall to my death," he says. (Note: capturing, as in photography, not catching, as in falling.)

He stretches forward carefully and maneuvers the angel onto a branch that is pointing straight up to the ceiling.

"Glad you have life insurance," #1 Son says.

But is the angel straight? No, she leans, somewhat to the side and somewhat forward, as if preparing to fall to earth.

"That may be as good as it gets," #1 Son offers helpfully.

Spousal Unit withdraws the skewer and pokes with futility at the cotton.

"Yep, you might want to cut your losses," #1 Son says from the safety of the floor.

And so she remains, a bit tilted. But isn't that a suitable metaphor for the human condition? None of us are perfect. And what better time than Advent and Christmas to strive for improvement? "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Make straight the way of the Lord'" (John 1:23)

A couple of weeks ago, we were surprised and delighted to receive a medley of tree ornaments from a good friend. Catering to our whims, he sent fishing-oriented decorations for Spousal Unit and moose-adorned baubles for me.

We have been debating about the size of the tree - taller than last year? I dug through my archives, and hereby present a side-by-side comparison for you. What do you think?

Left - 2018 tree Right - 2019 tree

Did you notice the new tree skirt on the 2019 tree?!? SO EXCITED to finally see it in place. November 17 was the last post that showed progress on the skirt; at that time, it had three rows of burlap pleats. The final skirt has 10 rows; I had planned to add three more, but at the time we were ready to put it under the tree, I realized it would be necessary to cut some slits in the remaining felt in order for the skirt to lie flat around the wooden structure that holds the spruce upright. Boy, am I glad I didn't burn the midnight oil to attach those remaining rows!

Holidays are joyful
There's always something new
But ev'ryday's a holiday
When I'm near to you

Once the tree was complete, we turned our attention to other family traditions, such as board games, movie nights and baking cookies, often accompanied by Christmas music playing on our 52-year-old Magnavox stereo.

I won Trivial Pursuit - 1980's version (but I am REALLY bad at trivia)

"Do we have any paperwork on the stereo?" queried Spousal Unit earlier this week. For some time, he has been thinking we should replace the needle on this vintage Magnavox Astro-Sonic Radio Phonograph. "If we have it, it would be in with the records on the storage side of the stereo," I responded. And voila! Look what we found!

It may not have helped with locating a new needle, but the paperwork was fascinating in its own right. Mainly because there are not one but TWO receipts from Rike's Department store, dated four days apart. I asked my Mom if she remembered a story about two stereos, but she said Dad handled all the purchasing at that time. The receipts show two different model numbers, and the one with the later date was slightly more expensive - $414.44. To put that in perspective, the median household income in 1967 as $7,143 and an average house would set you back $24,600! Stated another way, $414 in 1967 money would be worth $3,000 today. Wow! Here is Marshmallow World by Johnny Mathis, a vintage song spun on that very stereo.

My friend wrote the following: This card reminded me of your

beautiful new Christmas tree skirt. Awww!

As December 25 draws near, each day brings new Christmas cards, and an occasional holiday surprise such as a neighbor dropping off a plate of home-made cookies. Yum!

The lights on my tree
I wish you could see
I wish it ev'ry day
Logs on the fire
Fill me with desire
To see you and to say

I am content. The cat is on my lap, and a Frasier Fir candle is casting its pine scent into the air. I sip a holiday highball, and my thoughts turn to our daughter, who will arrive Monday morning. Our family foursome will be complete. What could be more fulfilling than that?

I wish you Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year, too

Mosaic Monday

Welcome to Mosaic Monday, a weekly meme where we get together to share our photo mosaics and collages.
Please include at least one photo mosaic/collage in your post.
The link will be open from 1 p.m. Sunday until 11 p.m. Monday (U.S. Mountain time).
Remember to add the link to your Mosaic Monday post and not the one to your blog.
Please link back to this post so that your readers will be able to visit and enjoy more wonderful mosaics; taking the MM blog button from my sidebar is an easy way to link back.
As host I will visit every participant and leave a comment so that you know I stopped by.
Please try and visit as many other blogs as you can, especially those that join in later, so that everyone's creativity can be appreciated fully.
Thank you for joining in today and sharing your mosaics with us.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Mosaic Monday #54: October Odds & Ends

Is it too late to write about October? I still have a mountain of material from our trip to Europe, but some odds and ends from last month are calling to me. So, take a clue from the turkey - slow down, get a cup or glass of your favorite beverage, and read on!

We began the month in Missoula for Homecoming festivities at the University of Montana. We are not alumni, but we miss the sentiment of hometown football games, especially the marching band. For four years back in Ohio, we never missed a game. We had quite a merry group of band parents, and relished supporting #1 Son in the drum line. Spousal Unit and I both needed a "marching band fix", and were prepared to drive 2.5 hours to get it!

Coincidentally, downtown Missoula has a farmer's market on Saturdays, and we strolled among the vendors prior to attending the Homecoming Parade.

The University marching band led off the parade, followed by your customary floats, horses, Shriners driving miniature cars, dance troupes and politicians angling for your vote.

I admired the creativity of the "stage" float, with actors performing skits the entire parade route, and the "dueling" pianos.

Units were still rolling past with no end in sight, but it was time to make our way to the stadium, a 15-minute walk. With our tummies rumbling, it was convenient that we would pass through the market once again - who could resist a waffle sandwich?

My blogging buddy Kit of A Montana Life is a stalwart UM fan, and she advised being in our seats for the pre-game show, which includes Monte (the team mascot) and the band entering the stadium. She was spot on! It was a special treat to see the skydivers land so expertly smack in the middle of the field.

We were glad to have our waterproof coats and a waterproof blanket as the weather alternated between light rain and blue skies. UM's fortunes waxed and waned with the rain, but they ultimately dominated Idaho State 59-20. We enjoyed the night life in Missoula that evening, and after attending Mass, returned home through the rolling hills the next day.

Band spells out G-R-I-Z

Harvested seeds in my "bucket"

At that point, only six days remained until our departure to Europe. I focused heavily on my to-do list, which included planting flower and grass seed. We had some native grass seed left from last fall, but it was not enough to cover the bare patches that required re-seeding. I resorted to harvesting grass seed from our yard - it's not a physically demanding task, but it is tedious and I was repeatedly amazed at how quickly I spread what had taken me an hour to collect. I didn't keep track, but I invested many hours in this process over those six days.

In my October 6 post, I wrote about some challenges with my tree skirt. Before our trip, I created a new pattern and went to Hobby Lobby to purchase new burlap colors. This allowed me to cut all the strips so they would be ready and waiting for my return. I am going to cheat a little and give you some current pictures of the skirt in progress - I am thrilled with how it looks so far!

Three weeks is a long time to be away from friends, so visiting with my dear neighbor friend was a priority before our journey. We kayaked on a misty morning, and later in the day she brought us some fresh cinnamon rolls, just ideal with afternoon coffee. We walked the frosty hills, and that is when I snapped the picture of the turkey crossing sign, which stands to one side of a track through her property. "What is this doing here?" I asked. "Well, remember that this track used to be the county road before they developed the current route. So, this sign was installed by the county to warn drivers about a frequent turkey crossing, and it was never taken down." Oh. Wouldn't you love to have your own turkey sign?

On one of my other walkabouts, I passed this snake on the road just outside our driveway. With a sunny day, it was obviously trying to capture the last of the fall warmth. Normally a snake like this will slither away on your approach, but it did not move, even when I crouched down to take a close-up. I spoke to it, telling it to find a different sunbed or risk getting squished. Maybe I should have been more proactive, because when I returned later, I found a snake that would not be slithering any more. Sad.

To wrap my oddities post on a more cheerful note, I was tickled a few weeks ago that LeeAnna of Not Afraid of Color posted a moose in my honor. Since then, I keep seeing flamingoes EVERYWHERE. LeeAnna, this mosaic is for you.

Left - aren't these just ADORABLE slippers?

I always endeavor to close a post in a nice, neat way - this comic fell into my lap, bringing us full circle from turkey to flamingo!

Mosaic Monday

Sunday, October 6, 2019

Mosaic Monday #48: The (brief) Interval

On the last day of September, friends and family members from outside Montana were texting me. Are you snowed in? How much snow did you get? Apparently, erstwhile news outlets reported Montana with deep piles of the white stuff, an outcome of the September 29 storm. To set the record straight - we woke to a dusting. Areas east of us, such as Browning, had four feet of snow. Those schools were closed on Monday and our Governor declared a state of emergency for certain localities - both rare events in a state that prides itself on making it to school and work and Costco no matter the weather.

Down by our lake

As I reflected on my pictures from September, I had to wonder - is that it? Was that our Fall? Was that THE INTERVAL between Summer and Winter? The current forecast calls for highs in the 40s for the foreseeable future - yep, feels like Winter to me. So I am grateful that I captured a few Fall photos while I had the chance!

In September, plants featured berries and fresh technicolor coats. Mushrooms sprang up, the birthright of bounteous precipitation. Some insects seemed to slow down with cooler temperatures, such as this dragonfly that I encountered on the road during a run.

In honor of the changing seasons, I replaced the summery flag in front

of the house with the fall-themed Moose Lodge

I didn't know it at the time, but a kayak on the lake on September 22 with Dear Neighbor Friend may be the last of the season for me.

We attended the Celtic Festival in the middle of the month. It was one of those days when you really don't know what to wear. The morning started off brisk, but then the sun bore down and you wished for shade. And just for good measure, we had a light rainstorm in the late afternoon! We loved watching the athletic events, the dancers and the musical groups. Nothing could match Amazing Grace on the bagpipes. The video below does not present the performance in justice - one bagpiper started it off, and after the first verse, the rest joined in. Stirs my heart every time. (And sorry it's sideways!)

Just for fun, I have included this video of the Sheaf Toss. A bundle of straw weighing 20 pounds is tossed over a ever-rising bar, using a pitchfork. The highest toss wins.

I haven't taken the opportunity to play the piano much this summer, but anticipating a smidgen of indoor time, I followed up with the Piano Man on the repair of the "action" on our upright piano. I am pleased to report that the piano has now been restored and re-tuned as far as he could take it without breaking any strings. Just look at the fresh new leather strips, and the unblemished felt hammers!

On a recent volunteering day in Whitefish, I found myself with extra time and I enjoyed a stroll around town as I used to do when we lived there. It was quite nostalgic, and I might have even sucked up a tear or two!

With the onset of fall in Montana, it is critical to pick fruit that can be an attractant to bears. With great joy we plucked apples from my Mom's Goodland tree for the second year (see first year story here and here.) It was enough for an apple pie, and I can't put into words how I felt when I dove into it. How do you express cinnamon and love, apple and childhood memory, butter and the miracle of the fall harvest?

As long as we are on the subject of food - Head Chef has turned to some of his fall favorites, and as always, I am glad I have a strong workout regime or my waistline would be expanding!

Upper left: Roast Beef, Yorkshire Puddings, Mushy Peas Upper right: Pizza with home-made crust

Bottom: Zuppa Toscana with home-made bread

Inevitably, cooler temperatures inspire my inner craftsperson. I have taken to sending hand-drawn and hand-written birthday cards. Imagine!

I hosted my first Munch and Make session since April. In Montana, summer is precious and most folks wouldn't be caught inside when the mountains are calling! Now, with shorter days and questionable weather, crafty birds flock together.

April Munch and Make - my neighbor, who is a hula dancer, works on a raffia headband. The hula group makes

every element of their costumes.

September Munch and Make: A friend brought hand-made ceramics and glued them to narrow wood pieces

Bottom pictures are the finished product on her bedroom wall

For my part, some new Christmas ornaments are underway.

Pinterest Ruffle Skirt

But I am most excited about the Christmas tree skirt. I mentioned it in my last post about Josie, and now it is appropriate to tell you more. Last year, we bunched up some burlap around the base of the tree, in keeping with our rustic theme. But I wanted something a little more formal, and Pinterest came to my aid with a ruffle skirt design. You would be so proud - I have been able to take the basics of the design and ADAPT it - not usually my strong suit!

The skirt is six feet across, with brown felt as the base. Per the Pinterest design, I began cutting the burlap I had into three-inch strips, using conventional scissors. After my hand nearly fell off, I invested in a rotary cutter and a cutting mat.

Using my superior math skills, I created my own pattern, assuming 13 rows of ruffles and utilizing the burlap on hand. Here you can see Josie helping me measure the radius. No problem.

Not so fast! I dramatically mis-calculated the amount of burlap required. It's the pleats, you see. A seven-foot piece of burlap becomes a 3-foot piece once it's pleated. I need A LOT more burlap. And does Hobby Lobby have the color I need? Nope. I can't really blame them; burlap dyeing is variable, to be sure. So I went back to the drawing board and I believe I have a workable pattern that doesn't waste the burlap I have. You are sure to hear more about this in a future post, whether you want to or not! I might have been a little (!) frustrated, but Candy Corn helped me get through it!

By now you have forgotten (like me) that this post started with snow. But one thing's for sure - my plants are not coming back. While the snow may have been shallow, the temperatures were in the deep freeze, and shriveled fleshy plants.

Left - Pink Poppy on September 27 Right: Same plant on September 30

You might expect me to be outraged, or at least disappointed, about this. As you know, animals who nibble my plants can have that impact. But somehow, I am taking this in stride. Maybe it's because we head out of the country in a week - I am not going to be here to enjoy the garden anyway. Or perhaps I accept that this is a force I can't control with chicken wire or a spray. Or possibly, just possibly, I am growing excited about the Winter - skiing, snowshoeing, the Christmas season - did I mention that both of the kids are coming for Christmas? That's enough to tip me over the edge and past The Interval.

Mosaic Monday