Oh Tanenbaum

I’ve always loved White Pine for our Christmas trees.  We used to be able to find them at a local tree farm and cut them ourselves.  Now we’re lucky enough to find them at all. It seems that Concolor and Fraser Fir are all the rage.  Feeling a bit like Charlie Brown, we search out the lots and usually find a few white pines.  Way at the back of the lot.  This year the selection was particularly small.

But we're fortunate enough to live in a part of Lancaster County where several local businesses  carry trees.  There's no need to go to Lowe's or Home Depot, or, gasp, Costo.  It really adds to the experience when the entire business is dedicated to Christmas.   Frysville Farms is one of our favorites.  It's family run and in business since 1760.  They not only carry trees, but have pine roping and a great selection (over 80,000) of poinsettias. I’ve blogged about these beautiful poinsettias before.  See:  Great Places to Shop.  

But on this particular day it was all about the tree.  So we set out looking for White Pine.

Concolor and Fraser Firs were piled high over my head.   

 Spruce and Douglas Fir were also plentiful.

 

As we made the long walk to the end of the lot, I wished we had come earlier in the year—even though it was still November.

 

There they werek, at the very end.  We usually take advantage of the tall ceilings at the inn and get a very substantial tree, but this year, we had to settle for one just a little over six feet tall.

 

It looked even smaller after it was wrapped.

But once our modest White Pine was decorated, it was transformed- just like Charlie Brown’s - into a beautiful tree, with its long graceful needles softly enveloping the ornaments. 

Holidays are often noisy and fun.  They fly by way too fast.  But those days that the tree is in the house are wonderful, filling the air with its scent.  I love to light the tree in the morning while it’s still dark outside, or sit in the room at night with only the tree lit.  It’s about my favorite thing to do at Christmastime.

Perhaps it’s the symbolism of light in the darkness, or the memories reflected in the ornaments, or the fact that ours will be a quiet celebration this year, but more than ever before it seems that the little things mean the most - like the tradition of caring for a live tree.

And when the quiet, bare days of January come, I will surely miss the noisy, cluttered days of Christmas, but I’ll be especially aware of the empty spot in the sitting room where our tree stood.

Spring is (Literally) Just Around the Corner

I couldn’t fight it anymore. I saw the lights on late at night. I knew what they were doing in there. I’ve driven by the signs, fighting the urge to turn in. On quiet days I could hear them call me by name. And once the weather broke a little last week, I was overcome with desire. My willpower caved, my resistance forgotten and I just had to go.

And so began my visits to the nurseries. They surround The Artist’s Inn in Terre Hill, and range from small mom-and-pop greenhouses that are only open until they sell out their inventory, to large wholesalers like Frysville Farms that grow 500,000 mums in the fall and just as many poinsettias at Christmas time. One thing all the greenhouse owners have in common – they are passionate about their love of growing plants and very knowledgeable about what they do.
Oh what a treat it was. As you walk through the door, you’re greeted by green, green, green in every direction. It’s the promise of Spring and all the hope it brings. You can feel the mist and rise in humidity as it falls from the overhead sprinklers (and straightens your hair), smell the herbs as you explore new varieties, and almost hear those happy little leaves growing as they gobble up the nutrients in the soil.

It is a bit of a tease, as it’s really too early to plant anything. But oh, the dreams these trips feed. Your mind races as it tries to visually place flowers in just the right conditions in your gardens. I usually explore Lancaster County greenhouses with my two innkeeping buddies, Ruth from Flowers and Thyme, and Carl from Harvest Moon. Together we have found many treasures for our yards, taking notes about new varieties, adjusting our lists of what we want more than need, pulling our wagons through the perennial beds, up the gravel lots to the annuals, oohing and ahhing our way through and cramming our cars full of newfound plants like excited kids on a scavenger hunt.

Some of the greenhouses have come to know us (is that why they call for more help as we head for the check-out?) – we certainly do not go unnoticed at many. Between the three of us, we can usually talk about our past success (or not) with most plants, discussing the benefits, the drawbacks, the pests and the blooming cycle. Of course, my specialty seems to be finding plants that take over your garden, encroach on your neighbors and seed half the town….but that’s a blog for another day. We clog the aisles, get caught in the rain, pull carts through the mud, and wolf down lunch along the way, all the while answering our cell phones and taking reservations.

Ah, but those trips are a few more weeks away, and we still have a little time yet to prepare for our annual trek around the county. So make your lists and plan now to take advantage of the best selections that our local nurseries offer. Weaverland Auction, just a mile from the inn, will soon be opening, offering wholesale prices and breathtaking displays if you can buy in bulk.

Black Creek is now open year round and we had a nice conversation with the owner about what is new on the herb scene. Actually, we were working on research for our Herb Tour on May 9, but that is another blog for another day. They always have a great display. That is where these pictures are from – I love the brave little flower blooming its heart out - do you see it? It’s certainly bigger than the leaves and stem that support it.
Your list of local greenhouses that surround the inn, complete with directions, is waiting. And if you listen closely, you can hear those plants calling you. They know your name. We hope to see you soon. In the garden! After all, Spring is just around the corner.