"LUMBER JACKS AND CHRISTMAS TREE HUNTER"

IT IS THE TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN WE TRADITIONALLY GO, TRACK, PURSUE AND SNEAK UP ON THE EVER ELUSIVE CHRISTMAS TREE.

IT IS A TRADITION TO FIND A FRESH AND WONDERFUL TREE, AS WE APPRECIATE THE SACRAFICES AND WONDER EACH TREE GIVES IN ITS LIFE, WE APPRECIATE THE CHUCK (CHARLIE FOR THOSE WHO DONT KNOW HIM LIKE I DO) BROWN TREES, ONE OF MY FAVORITE BOOkS IS "THE LITTLE CHRISTAMAS TREE".

I HAVE DONE THIS TRADITION SINCE I WAS A YOUNG MAN AND HAVE HAD GREAT AND POOR SUCCESS, ALWAYS BAGGING MY TREE, COMING HOME WITH A PRIZE.

IN THE PAST I HAVE SPENT HOURS LOOKING FOR THAT SPECIAL TREE, I HAVE COMPARED COUNTLESS TREES FOR THAT ONE THAT WILL FILL THE PLACE IN MY HEART THAT TREES GO AND WARM ME. THIS YEAR, WE WERE PRESSED FOR TIME, HAVING ARRIVED HOME AT 3 IN THE AFTERNOON ON SATURDAY IT LEFT US WITH LITTLE LIGHT AND TIME, WE LOADED THE 4 WHEELERS QUICKLY AND PROCEEDED TO THE GAS STATION(OF COURSE WHEN I AM IN A HURRY THEY ARE OUT OF GAS).

IT IS ABOUT DUSK WHEN WE ARRIVE IN THE FOREST, EXCITED AND FILLED WITH THE ANTICIPATION OF THE HUNT WE PARK THE TRUCK, UNLOAD AND HEAD INTO THE WILD WILDERNESS, BRAVING THE DANGERS OF THE UNTAMED MOUNTAINS.

PROCEEDING ALONG THE ROAD, WE TAKE TOTHE WOODS ON ROADS AND TRAILS THAT HAD NOT BEEN TRAVELED, YOU KNOW THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED AND KNOWING THAT A PRIZE LIE AHEAD.

LOOKING QUICKLY AT A FEW AS I PASSED I COULD NOT IGNORE THE LIGHTS SHINING ON A TREE FROM THE HEAVENS, THE CLOUDS PARTED, ANGLES WERE CAUGHT UP IN ANGELIC WHIMSICAL TUNES AND THE HARPS WERE PLAYING A HYPNOTIC TUNE AS I GAZED UPON PERFECTION................................MY TREE.

MY EXCITEMENT TOOK OVER, ONLY 15 MINUTES INTO THE HUNT AND I HAD BEEN BLESSED, I APPROACHED THE TREE WITH CAUTION, MAKING SURE THAT I WAS READY TO DEFEND AND PURSUE THE CAPTURE WITH THE NEW RANCHER 550 HUSQUAVARNA 20" CHAIN SAW.

AS BRYCE AND I APPROACHED MAKAYLA, MALLARI AND ZACH LOOKED ON (mal and zach had come along as expert guides, they had bagged a quite impressive one earlier) WITH SPARKLES IN THIER EYES, THEY COULD FEEL THE WARMTH THAT THIS TREE WILL BRING TO OUR HUMBLE CONDO THIS SEASON.

QUICKLY WITH THE SPEED OF A ZEPHYR I PULLED THE STARTING CORD OF THE SAW, AND NOTHING, PULLED IT AGAIN, NOTHING, THEN PULLED ONE MORE THE SAW LEAPED INTO ACTION WITH A MIND OF ITS OWN, HOVERING ABOVE ME AS IF TO SAY "I WILL SAVE YOU " THE SAW WITH EASE CUT THROUGH THE 3 INCH TRUNK OF THE TREE, WE HAD BAGGED OUR TREE.

AFTER DRAGGING OUR TREE TO THE 4 WHEELERS, AND TIRING OURSELVES OUT FROM THAT 10 FOOT WALK WE TIED THE TREE BEHIND AND PROCEEDED TO EXIT THE UNTAMED AND DANGER OF "THE WOODS OF GROVER PARK"

AS YOU CAN TELL FROM THE PHOTOS, I AM VERY PROUD