This year's tree

We bought a permit to harvest this year's tree on our own out in the woods.



It's hard to tell if we cut a legal tree or not.  The forest service map showed that most everything 2 miles west of Harlan was public land.  I guess no one will ever know if our sweet little tree is illegal or not.



The river rushed below.  I tramped through thigh-high sword ferns and salal to investigate others, but eventually returned to the little tree right by the side of the road.







Some six feet tall, but the trunk is only an inch in diameter with 6 rings.  It took Jeff all of 10 seconds to cut her down.  Calder could carry it on his own, and it fit in the back of our car.









We had hot chocolate out of thermoses, peppermint Jo-Jo's and mandarins, then wound our way back out of the woods, and brought our little tree home.









The branches sag under the weight of light ornaments... a baby tree to be sure.  Spindly in all her glory.  She is ours this Winter season.