Bringing Home the Holiday Tree

This morning, while enjoying the unseasonably warm weather, Ann and I purchased a Frazier Fir.  Once again, we went  to the University of Wisconsin Stock Pavilion, where the Forestry Club sells trees. Proceeds support student career development for those enrolled in the Department of Forestry and Wild Life Ecology.

The Stock Pavilion is a grand old building finished in the fall of 1909 and during an era when barns were like cathedrals, built to tell others the spiritual value of agriculture and rural life. These agricultural cathedrals had style and grace in contrast to the utilitarianism of modern day farm buildings. Today's mega-farms, with over 3,000 milking cows, stress efficiency and profit and less the spirituality of agriculture.

I have special childhood memories of the Stock Pavilion. If you have been reading past entries, you know that I attended a one room rural schoolhouse, near Pulaski Wisconsin, for six years. Through the Wisconsin School of the Air, we received our music instruction from a Professor Gordon. Some of his programs were broadcasted from the Pavilion. Professor Gordon directed the audience made-up of students from throughout the state. I always imagined the Pavilion packed with students like myself.  

You drive into the Stock Pavilion, park your car and a cheerful future forester helps you pick out a tree. I always like to look at several before picking one that I think "speaks to me."  We chose one that is about 6 feet tall and full, of course. 

The picture to the right shows the available amble supply of trees. Along the wall to the left are more trees waiting to be unbundled.

While Ann and I picked out a wreath, the cheerful young man tied our selected tree to the roof of our Honda Civic. The young man thought we had a brand new car.. When I told him it was a 2012 model, he remarked that his car is so much older than ours and had some rust.

Ah yes, graduates school days. When I was completing a Master Degree in Political Science in 1968, I bought a 1962 Chev Blair, using funds from a National Defense Education loan. The price was $500, if I am recalling correctly .  I needed a car for transportation to my various part time jobs. One summer I had two jobs besides managing a student apartment building.  Those were definitely not the good old days.

On one trip with the Blair, I discovered why the car was such a deal.  The frame under the front end was welded and the weld gave way, making steering quite challenging. The car was repaired but eventually junked.

 Here I am pointing to the wreath that Ann picked out. The lucky one is not in the picture. It's a beauty that now hangs on our front door. The wreath joined our other front stoop decorations that include lights around the door and the small roof over the stoop, plus greenery in the short pillar-like planters. This weekend I will place the electric candles in the windows.  

  

Home with the tree. Most likely tomorrow, I will put the tree in a stand and place the tree in a corner of the sun porch, an extension of our living room . We like to have a bare tree for a few days; enjoying the beauty of a unadorned tree.

Once again we will haul down the ornaments from the attic storage area. Many now are approaching being 40 years old, bought when we lived in Portland, Oregon during the late 1970s.  Hanging lights is my specialty; while Ann and I hang the ornaments together.

All will be in place when our daughter Emily comes home on December 19th. She will be with us until the 26th. Before her arrival, I must buy some wood for a couple of fires in the fireplace. The wood box out in the garage is finally empty. I will fill it in anticipation of cozy fires and pleasant holidays.