Mary Louise Eklund

Tag: tree

  • An Apple Tree In Winter

    An Apple Tree In Winter

    We have an apple tree in our backyard. It is very old and gnarly.  Yet it still has the loveliest blooms in the Spring.  It bears small hard apples  that are wormy.  So bad the squirrels throw them at us in disgust come Fall.  Mike has always wanted the treat to bear eatable apples.  So in spurts and starts he’d fuss with it, trimming, spraying where he could reach and such. Well, this January after a long talk with an orchard owner he set out to trim up this way over grown tree.  We had a warm day in the 50s on a weekend.  So there we were doing ropes to haul down limbs without damaging the neighbor’s garage or our fence.  Mike was being all manly wielding a chain saw while on a ladder or perched in the tree.  Either we killed it or made it better – we’ll know by this Fall which it is but here’s the pictures.

    So this is about what it looked like when we started. WAY taller than neighbor's garage
    So this is about what it looked like when we started. WAY taller than neighbor’s garage
    So Mike would get to the limb that he determined needed taking off. He'd tie a rope to it drop it down to me. I'd get the rope & hand up the chain saw. My job was to guide the loose limb down safely.
    So Mike would get to the limb that he determined needed taking off. He’d tie a rope to it drop it down to me. I’d get the rope & hand up the chain saw. My job was to guide the loose limb down safely.
    Yes I safely guided this one down without damaging the neighbor's garage roof.
    Yes I safely guided this one down without damaging the neighbor’s garage roof.
    So here's Mike in the tree with the saw. I was planning my route to the ER every time he revved that saw's engine.
    So here’s Mike in the tree with the saw. I was planning my route to the ER every time he revved that saw’s engine.
    The yard debris drop off doesn't open until March so we piled the trimmed wood in our garden. A neighbor took some apple wood for his smoker.
    The yard debris drop off doesn’t open until March so we piled the trimmed wood in our garden. A neighbor took some apple wood for his smoker.
    Don't know if we helped or hurt - stay tuned in the Spring to see!
    Don’t know if we helped or hurt – stay tuned in the Spring to see!
  • These Are A Few of My Favorite Ornaments

    These Are A Few of My Favorite Ornaments

    An ornament Aaron made for me when he was in elementary school.
    An ornament Aaron made for me when he was in elementary school.

    Our holiday decorating has scaled back over the last few years.  Trust me years ago when Aaron was little we went all OUT!  I mean I even changed to Christmas themed dishes and no room in that large house was left undecorated!  Today it’s a tree, maybe a bit more in the living room.  No dishes are changed.  Last year we even down sized our tree.

    This year I came home from working the late shift to find the house decorated.  I couldn’t lift, I couldn’t stretch so Mike it did all!  I was thrilled.  The lights were up outside and the tree was tastefully decorated inside with just a few of our most favorite ornaments.  Having gone to a smaller tree less is needed to complete it.

    So enjoy a tour of a few of our favorite pieces.  Some maybe battered from years of use, others may not be perfect but they are to us.

    Golden Violin - Aaron played the Violin for years this ornament was purchased to remember those times from elementary through high school.
    Golden Violin – Aaron played the Violin for years this ornament was purchased to remember those times from elementary through high school.
    A wreath from preschool - do you see a theme developing here? Yep a gift from my son. He made it while in preschool.
    A wreath from preschool – do you see a theme developing here? Yep a gift from my son. He made it while in preschool.
    This Santa was on one of the presents Aaron got for his first Christmas.
    This Santa was on one of the presents Aaron got for his first Christmas.
    Couldn't find a Wolvie one but Aaron liked Spidy so with great decorations comes great responsibility - Spidy guards our tree
    Couldn’t find a Wolvie one but Aaron liked Spidy so with great decorations comes great responsibility – Spidy guards our tree
    What Navy family's tree isn't complete witout a three masted schooner?
    What Navy family’s tree isn’t complete witout a three masted schooner?
    I've not had a tuxedo kitty in my adult life but this one of several of my kitty ornaments. It's a hand painted egg one from Russia. I like it very much and gives me hope that if the Cold War came to an end so can many other horrid things.
    I’ve not had a tuxedo kitty in my adult life but this one of several of my kitty ornaments. It’s a hand painted egg one from Russia. I like it very much and gives me hope that if the Cold War came to an end so can many other horrid things.

    That’s it for this year’s tour. Next year I’ll highlight a few more. Until next time!