'tis a tree

I know I was vastly proud of last year's tree, but this year's is even better. We got our $8 permit again and returned to the Uncompaghre in search of the perfect Pinion Pine. This year there was no snow, it was mild and beautiful. As is usually the case with most of my decision making, we came back to the tree I liked first and chopped it down, but not until I'd seen every other tree in a reasonable (and unreasonable) walking distance from the car. I don't know what I'm going to do when I have to share the Christmas tree picking with kids, Ben generously left it up to me again this year.
Joachim playing hide and seek in the sagebrush and chase in the gullies.(and stick and rock collecting)
Here we are, the grateful recipients of a wild tree who gave it's life for our holiday cheer. I think this is the closest I will ever get to hunting.
The best surprise of all was that while we were loading our tree on the car, our brother and sister-in-law and nieces and nephews passed by. We knew they were up for a tree too, but didn't expect to run into them on the mesa. This picture's for Baba because it was his birthday.
Here's the perfect tree, full from the front and a flat from the side so it doesn't take up much space in our tiny apartment. This year we hung hotpeppers from our garden to fill in the gaps between our ornaments.