Christmas present roundup

It's that time of year again! Time to count the loot.

1. My family bought a live Christmas tree this year. We've never done that before, and I warned them: you can't bring the tree inside and leave it inside like a cut tree. But they were committed to the live tree, and I think this was at least partly a gesture to me, which I appreciate.

   The tree is a white fir, native to the Tahoe area where we spent Christmas and due to be planted in the same location. As a Christmas tree, well...it wasn't the most impressive tree ever. Maybe four feet tall, and almost as wide as high. Frankly the tree provoked a few chuckles, and one family member called it a "Christmas Bush". After we got it decorated, though, it looked pretty good. Now to keep it alive until spring.

2. An old-fashioned glass bell for rooting cuttings. I was touched that my family thought I could do any gardening task in such a simple way! I root cuttings that require four months under mist, and even then only 5% root. The bell should be useful for rooting fuchsia, though.

3. A tree calendar. Yes, there is such a thing! Many lovely photos of trees. Unfortunately I wasn't able to find a link.

It's also time for the Grinchly accounting of what I didn't get. I didn't get a gift certificate to ForestFarm so that I could buy some subalpine larch, Larix lyallii. My wife will pay for this ommission, though...had she given me a gift certificate, I might have trimmed my spending to accomodate her expectations. No longer!

Merry Christmas