Home-grown Christmas trees

In the light of day the hard-pruned pine tree doesn’t look too bad.

But it’s a bit like being an amateur hairdresser. I could ‘snip’ off that right hand branch to even things up. But no doubt that would start me on other branches and I’d end up with a bald patch.

And goodness, look at what I lopped off.

You could make a good Christmas tree display out of that lot. I might salvage some branches before I reduce this pile to chippings.

But we already have our Christmas tree. Our festive indoor decoration.

And in keeping with tradition, I was looking carefully on the walks round the mountain this week. There were some beauties – but not on our farm. So I decided that we go for cutting down one of our weeds and not loot someone else’s.

Yes. It’s wonky.

But it has a certain charm. And as it was growing in the middle of a bramble patch jungle up near the top potager, I am pleased it is being put to use.

Naturally seeing it in its glory in the forest I had a pang. But not so much that I didn’t look around and think ‘damn, we really need to get on top of the brambles up here.’

Always, always something to do.

But at least ‘find tree for house’ is off that list.