by Rain Trueax
Well, a weird thing happened right before Thanksgiving. We had one of those prepared dinners, didn't check carefully enough and one of its ingredients was red bell pepper. Nightshade intolerance has it on its list. The next day, I was sick. Still not feeling well as I write this. So not many words but wanted to show something we did for our Arizona home.
We stopped cutting Christmas trees some years back when nobody was coming to our home to see the decorations. It made no economic sense. But we had resisted the artificial ones. Then one year, we bought some artificial garlands, liked them. Last year, down here, we put them around with fairy lights. Fun
This year, with so many upsetting things happening, I got the yearning for a Christmas tree but not a real one. I know how early they are cut having lived in the area where they are grown. Also we've had allergies to bringing in greens. I had some reservations on having a tree at all but after researching the artificial ones that would fit in our limited space, as well as how inexpensively I could get it some ornaments, we went for it.
This tree came in a box. It has to be put together and then fluffed out. It came with its own stand. The photos below show what it took to get it up. I think the total cost for tree, lights, star, and ornaments ran just over $100 (Ranch Boss bought 8 others to add to the originals, which ran another $16-- the owls and Nutcrackers). In a time where joy is much needed, it was well worth it.
If we finally can get back to Oregon, I will take a couple of its ornaments for this tree as I have them from mine and Ranch Boss' childhoods as well as ones we bought through the years. It's what I miss with this tree-- no history. We will have to build one.
7 comments:
Hope you are feeling better soon.
Your tree is beautiful!
I have two small artificial trees that I got at goodwill for next to nothing, ornaments as well.
Thank you. I felt well enough Friday to enjoy our Thanksgiving delayed dinner :). The one good thing about the intolerance is it doesn't last long.
We have such a small artificial tree that it warms the home but I have to put it up o a stool. We used to celebrate at the kids homes and thus no one comes by. I am not into cooking anyway. I think you will soon find that the little tree will bring new memories each year.
Hope you are feeling better. I guess it is time to start decorating. So far I brought out dolls of my mother's in holiday clothing. Your decorating is festive and well done.
Lovely tree and also like your table top decorations with fairy lights. Do take care with your holiday eating.
Since I've been alone I've put up a small table top artificial tree with miniature ornaments I leave on it from year to year, a few other mantle decorations. Years earlier the Christmases when my children and family could be here we did put up a much larger artificial tree they could erect and decorate. My husband and I had reluctantly started using the tree instead of a real one when his medical issues complicated our lives for doing a number of things. I still use battery powered candle lights in my kitchen window that faces out to the house front as we never put up outdoor holiday lights.
I do not know about Tucson this time of year but here it is dark when I get up in the morning and dark before I finish the dinner dishes. I can't wait 22 more days until it starts getting light again. guess I will have to get busy and creative. Or or ?
Tucson is also dark seemingly forever and I also can hardly wait for the turning when the days slowly get longer.
What I learned on the nightshades is don't buy packaged dishes, which we had often done with like noodles etc. You never know what else is in them when they say natural spices and the print is so small.
We used to do outside lights when we lived at the farm and sometimes went all out with little white lights on the rhododendrons. In Tucson, we never have done outside as our little neighborhood doesn't.
The thing I have against the battery powered fairy lights is it's hard to replace the batteries in some of them. I will be more careful what I buy in the future and am quite pleased that the lights on the artificial tree plug into the wall :)
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