Christmas Tree hunting

Getting a Christmas tree this year and then decorating it was a little problematic. First... we called the farm where we wanted to get the tree and they refused to answer the phone. So we were left with the dilemma- were they open this year? Did they want us to come and purchase a tree? Should we drive all the way over there? These dilemmas led us to go on the drive to the San Gabrielle mountains for the day.

So in the car on the way home we called again. There was no answer again. So we were faced with buying a very over priced tree that had been cut down in Oregon and shipped to California or cutting down a Monterey Pine. (I do not like the Monterey Pine at all and refused to bring one into my house. Every year Cameron's parents get one and every year it is dead by Christmas. Although they do smell wonderful I like a tree that looks alive.) Finally we consulted with my sister and Tony via 2 way radio and they said to just drive there and see if he was there- so we did. (It is the first time in history I actually listened to my little sister.)

We arrived at Gunther Tree Farm and they were there and indeed open. The farm is amazing. It is on the backside of the mountains and it is 32 acres that this one old man and woman run. It is a little hokey and run down but they have planted trees for years and you can go and pick whichever one you want and cut it down. (This is the only place I know of in the mountains around here where you can do this.) Many trees are overgrown and much too large around for a house. He doesn't trim them the way they should and so they have the wild, natural look.

After walking until I was almost exhausted around the farm, Cameron found a tree that looked tall and very thin. It was the right height for us and so I said it was fine because I was done hunting. We cut the tree down, tied it up, paid our money and headed for home anxious to decorate the tree.

At home we got our Christmas tree stand out, Cameron cut the tree so it would soak up water, and we tried to set the tree up. After about ten minutes of trying we realized the tree stand was broken and also leaking all over the floor. Cameron called his mom to see if we could borrow her tree stand and then get her a new one later. It was fine and he went to find that tree stand. He couldn't find it and came home with nothing. (No stores are open after six on the mountain.) So he tried to fix our stand.

The next afternoon we tried to use the newly fixed stand and it broke again. So Cameron went to the local hardware store and bought a new stand. (It was kind of cheap but it was the only one they had.) After he had it up and the lights were being put on this stand broke too! Now Cameron was really mad and close to swearing. He called his mom and asked her if since she was down the hill she would pick up a Christmas tree stand and bring it home for us. They were very nice and did this for us without complaining.

We finally picked up the tree stand that did work came home and decorated the tree. The tree looks wonderful and is not too skinny at all. I will try and post a picture later but I can't find the cord right now to transfer anymore pictures. The moral to this story is check the Christmas tree stand before getting the Christmas tree and make sure it is not broken. Or get a fake tree....