Norway Spruce

Picea abies (L.) Karst. Needles: evergreen (1.2 - 2.0 cm), stiff, 4-angled, sharp pointed, spreading on all sides of twig from short leafstalks; twigs: hairless, reddish-brown; European, widely planted for Christmas trees.

We went to Maple Row Tree Farm yesterday and cut our Christmas tree. In the past we have always gotten firs (e.g. Balsam Fir, Frasier Fir), but this year we found such a perfect specimen of Norway Spruce that we decided to make a change. It does have really prickly needles, and it maybe it will dry out a bit faster than a fir - but the form of this little tree is absolutely perfect.  Plan is to start trimming the tree later this morning.

[NOTES: The tallest Norway Spruce is 63 m tall, growing in the Sutjetska National Park of Bosnia-Herzegovina. The city of Oslo provides Norway Spruce trees to New York, London, Edinburgh, and Washington, D.C. each Christmas to show their gratitude for the assistance of these countries during World War II].

Tree at Rockefeller Center

One of the things I did last weekend was go see the Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center. Unfortunately, there were tons of people out doing the same thing - or looking at the window displays at Saks Fifth Avenue (Land of the Bubblemakers) across the street. Which is where I took this picture. Crowded, but great fun. A wonderful place to be for Christmas. 

Cut Your Own

I know, I know, it was the day after Thanksgiving. Still, it was unanimously decided by the entire family that yesterday would be the perfect day to get our Christmas tree. And also that, this year, we should drive to Maple Row Tree Farm in Easton, Connecticut and select and cut our own tree. So we did.

Maple Row has been in business as a tree farm since the 1950's and comprises about 200 acres of tree plantations.  The grow eight different species of Christmas trees, i.e. Douglas Fir, Frasier Fir, Balsam Fir, Concolor Fir, Blue Spruce, Norway Spruce, White Spruce, Eastern White Pine. The species are mostly grouped into stands, and you walk around with your saw, inspecting, discussing, and dissing each one, until you find the perfect Christmas tree. And this can take a while because there are a lot of great trees here.

Once you select and fell your tree (we picked a fir), you tag it with a number, load it on a tractor trailer that is circulating the lot, and then walk back to the main building where they wrap your tree.

You then tie it on top of your car, and drive carefully home down the Merritt Parkway, hoping all the time that the tree stays tied on top of your car.  And then you carry it into your house, put on some Christmas music, and spend the next couple of hours adding lights and ornaments and making frequent comments about what a beautiful tree it is. And it really is a beautiful tree. [NOTES: I didn't see any other cars on the Merritt Parkway with a Christmas tree tied on top. Is this not allowed or were we just one of the first tree buyers? Main reason for buying our tree so early this year is that I leave for Laos on the 10th of December (more on this later) and I won't be around during the normal Christmas tree buying week].