The tree farm had several different varieties of Christmas trees. I am a particular fan of the Fir varieties and not so much of the Pine varieties. Therefore, we were seeking a nice Balsam or Fraser Fir between seven and eight feet tall with a nice fullness and shape in its branches. On such a momentous occasion we brought our camera to snap photos of our children as they helped us look for the perfect tree. While dad manned the camera, I took charge of the stroller and directed our son towards some good looking Firs. Our little man was immediately drawn to all the trees that were his height which of course were not for sale given their lack of growth. I think he had more fun running through the evergreens and was not so interested in tree hunting. We paused for a moment or two to get a family photo (unfortunately it did not turn out). We finally came upon a grove full of Balsam and Fraser Firs. While my husband continued to take pictures of the children and the trees and other random things, I examined each potential tree (there were many trees that were clearly not an option) carefully looking for signs of a healthy tree. Much to my dismay most of the Balsam Firs had lots of dry and dead needles towards the inside of the tree which indicates that the tree is not getting or absorbing enough water and is dying. The Fraser Firs looked much healthier without brown, brittle needles. I spied a tree that I thought looked perfect but I did not realize that the back side was practically bare. Going deeper into the grove, I abandoned the stroller (our daughter was awake and being carried and the stroller is not easy to maneuver up hills etc.) …
(To be continued…)