Big and Tiny Trees

Oh, Christmas tree!

This weekend, we took the kids to the same Christmas tree farm we always went to when I was a kid.

Summer’s lies just outside of town, tucked between beautiful, rolling hills.

It was strange to be there without snow; usually, the kids bring their sleds and romp around as we look for the right tree. When they were little, we pulled them along behind us, wrapped in their puffy snowsuits.

But the place was just as cheerful as ever:

This year was a big moment; Li’l Buddy wanted to cut down the tree himself!

He got that saw in there and worked away, and did succeed in felling the tree (with a little help from dad).

Without snow and sleds, Mike and I used our muscles to carry it back.

With lights, paper chains and all of our favorite ornaments on our sweet fir tree, we’re ready for the holidays!

Oh, and we did get our snow, just a day later.  🙂

Our tree gets its own tree

Last week, I had the dear pleasure of having coffee at the Sow’s Ear with Susie Anderson, whose mitten and tiny ornament patterns are causing such a stir on Ravelry.

This weekend, I made her Tiny Tree, and liked it so much, I’ve already cast on my second one! It would be so fun to make one for each of the members of the family, each with their own color of embroidered ornaments…

We also got the holiday baking rolling with Thumbprint Cookies from the book Gluten Free Christmas Cookies. Belle loves both chocolate and lemon curd, so that’s what we made!

Next, a new recipe: Coconut-Apricot cookies from Carole Walter’s Great Cookies (a splendid gift from my mom in a Christmas Past).

These looked like shortbread cookies:you roll them into a log and slice them; but they have the soft, moist chew of a macaroon. Definitely a new favorite.

In the lair

It’s Yarn Club package time again! All last week, I’ve been winding, dyeing and working on getting all of the treats together. Clubbies, your packages will be going out in the next day or two!

Have a great Monday,

Jaala