Tree Cutting Expedition

This morning was our 10th Annual Tree Cutting Expedition. A local tree farm donates close to 200 trees every year for our Holiday Lights Show. We get a caravan of trucks, trailers and volunteers and head 40 minutes or so to the tree farm. As Larry cuts them, we load them up, secure them, drive them back and place them out in the gardens. The intent is to stake them up temporarily as small evergreens (6-9' tall) that we then put lights on. Having hundreds of these out thru the gardens is a nice touch and they are easier to decorate with lights than the taller trees. We have a good portion of our lights show up already and I'm immersed in the arduous task of running power out to everything. It was a productive day and while the group above (Rollie, Andy, Dick H., Kurt, Rick, Tony, Larry, Dick P., Bob A., Bob T., Ron, Dick K., Jim, Vern, Terry) was a great team, Marv, Marianne, Jerry, Urban, Dr. Gredler and Gene hung back to work on gardening and more lights show related tasks. It was chilly but the sun shone most of the day.

To the left is a nice specimen of the weeping Alaskan cedar (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis 'Pendula') near our gazebo garden. This specimen is a real eye catcher and looks good every day of the year. There is a nice variety of this same species called 'Green Arrow' that is very, very narrow but with the same droopy look. The variety 'Van den Aker' is supposedly the most narrow and is certainly a focal point in the garden. We have a golden version of this species as well although the variety name eludes me right now.