Comments on: In Search of a Christmas Tree

By: Claire

Claire — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 03:53:45 +0000

Merry Christmas Dick and Gretchen,
I love reading your accounts of life on the farm.
Peace to you this holy night.
Claire

By: Russell Regnery

Russell Regnery — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 19:17:19 +0000

Dear Grethen and Dick,
Your blog; what a great ‘self-assignment’ as well as a gift to the rest of us!
I picked up on the reference to balsam fir and the mention that this is a very common local tree approaching the “weed” category. At the highest altitudes of western North Carolina (e.g., >5000′) balsam firs also occur, however, here I believe they are becoming something of an endangered species (along with several other good tree species). Enjoy your Christmas tree!
Our Christmas tree consists of a very small (~12″) red spruce (nursery purchased) which also grows at more extreme elevations in the southern Appalachians and which we hope will one day be something of a ‘stand-in’ for a few of the Canadian hemlocks which have been a dominant tree, especially along our stream valleys, but which are disappearing before our eyes courtesy of the Asian wooly adelgid. It will be interesting to see if this adelgid makes it to Wisconsin too (so far it has not made it south to the Atlanta area).
So much for trees! Enjoy the holidays!
Cheers, Russ

By: Mary Elyn Bahlert

Mary Elyn Bahlert — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 04:17:07 +0000

Hello, Dick and Gretchen. I enjoy your blog and the pictures. We cut a tree here in Northern California this year, too. But we miss the snow!
Today we received your Christmas letter and personal note. Both Jeff and I read it with great interest. Jeff said he could see himself living the life the two of you have chosen! I was happy for him to meet you this past summer.
We are having cold here in the Bay Area, cold for our taste, that is. We won’t have a white Christmas, though.
We are glad you’ve enjoyed Bless Ewe.
Please let us know if you do make a trip to the Bay Area. We’d love more time to visit.
Warmly,
Mary Elyn