Xmas Tree Hunting

[whc03grady]

As participants in an old German tradition, we took Gertie into the woods so we could saw down a small part of said woods for temporary installation inside our house. Miller Creek Road, South-southwest of town in Lolo NF offered prime hunting opportunities.

At first, Tater Tot was indifferent to the whole scene. I think bumpy roads are evocative of the womb or something and put her to sleep.

Back from the kill. It was growing up out of the stump of what once had been a much larger tree.

All the tree-tying-down commotion woke Tater Tot up just in time to have some fun in the snow. We held the first session of Outdoor Winter Survival 101--when dining upon snow, eat the snow off tree branches, not off the ground.

In the meantime a red Volvo (Headlight wipers? Pfffftt.) had pulled up aft, stymieing my plan to back back onto the road, which made Gertie's exit less than graceful. Melissa made both of these hats and the scarf.

A kid hauled this contraption out of the Volvo. It seemed to work okay, but the pedals came too close to the ground, IMHO.

On the way back into town, we heard this Jetta Passat honking at us. Who was it but Sarah, John, and Avery (Esmé's BFF, in the rear seat), just back from defoliating a bit of forest for themselves. And in their VW wagon no less. Truly it was a Christmas Miracle--or an Xmas Coincidence, depending upon one's predilections.

(miles 711-748←click for map)