Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Christmas Decor

We started our decorating a little early this year and even got our tree a few days before December first. That's a first.

Even though no one can see our house clearly due to it's wooded location, we still string lights and decorate as if they could.
WE can see it after all.
This year, we're making the move to LED's for the same classic look, with only 10% of the electricity.

If "The Graduate" were being made today, the advice would not be "Plastics", it would be "LED's".

You will be lighting your house with them in a few years.



The Halloween pumpkins that avoided the carving knife have been transformed by Emma into Christmas porch decorations.

She's a clever lass.

The talking Christmas tree in the center greets anyone who walks up on the porch. He's the happiest nonliving being I've ever known. Apparently his cheery attitude upsets some mysterious Scrooge in our tribe.

Somebody keeps switching him off, but I flip him back on when I discover this treachery. We have had him for a very long time, I get nostalgic when I hear him go off.



Some Christmas Tree farmers planted our tree when my son was about half his present age. How nice of them to think ahead like that. This is just the remnant from the fresh cut to free up those xylem tubes so the tree can drink easily.

We always get a Fraser Fir ... such a wonderfully smelly tree.



Of course, no Christmas decorating is complete without the Christmas Chick showing up to supervise.

If you've been following Pure Florida for a while, you may remember the two LOTR chicks that lived in the living room until they were big enough to go outside. The beauty on the porch rail is one of those two birds. They have both matured into beautiful "pheasanty" looking birds.

They have remained very tame and goofy.

Off to one more academic team tournament today to close the nerdbowl season.
Wish us luck!

Not you Hurricane Teen, we're playing your school.

Be true to your school, dude.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Now that's one beautiful chicken - whatever her name is.

Anonymous said...

Go country nerds, beat the city nerds!

Doug Taron said...

We also made the jump to LED Christmas lights this year. In addition to the low power use, I like the very intense colors that they have. Go nerds!

Dani said...

We love Emma's pumpkins. What a great idea!! I have a feeling Elizabeth will be breaking out the paints after school. Good luck today with the team and what a nice looking chicken.Love her coloring.

Thunder said...

Eco friendly LEDs, good job!
Sorry, but I think Plastics still rule as a top industry, however the current boost is for "Naturals" rather than "Synthetics". I can explain more sometime when you're having trouble sleeping!

Good luck to the Nerd Squad!

Leslie said...

That's a beautiful chicken!

We agree, LEDs are the future.

How come your post is dated Wednesday the 5th? You're really rushing into Christmas this year, huh?

kathy a. said...

nice decorating! cool chicken!

SophieMae said...

Cool chick(en)!

I've been decorating in my mind. Does that count? 8-} I like that little wooden tree in the first pic. Did you make it?

Now I need to turn on the radio or that song'll be bouncing around in my head all day. (*;^)

GO TEAM!!!
and GO HurTeen's TEAM!!!
8-}

Florida Native Musings said...

LED Lights? Gotta go to the Walmart more often. Let me know what word you can mispell with them in the famous redneck christmas tradition....and how do they last out all year long? Don't know anyone from my neck of the woods in the Panhandle that takes them down.

Yours in the Bond

OldHorsetailSnake said...

I have to agree: that is a very pretty chicken.

Rebecca Mecomber said...

Funny how most of the comments are admiration for your chicken! I was going to gush about the bird, too! So, what's for dinner? KIDDING.

So the wave of the future is LED, huh?

NY is trying to "prove" we're the Empire State (again) by trying to ban incandescents and force all to use the compact flouresecent. That has its own new set of problems, because there are laws about mercury disposal around here (in brief: you can't dispose of mercury here), and CFs have mercury in them. Ugh, leave it to the politicians. And Dustin Hoffman...

CUTE TALKING CHRISTMAS TREE, by the way. There's a vote in your favor.

MinorcanMeteorolgist said...

Hey now, Cathy, we're not ALL city :-D Just most of the people here now }:-(
I guess I can say that no matter who wins, I will be happy. I still lead toward the country nerds, though!
What a beautiful hen! Exactly which one is that, ha ha?

R.Powers said...

Wren,
Thanks, these two chicks turned out so amazing. Neat genetics at work.

Cathy S,
Unfortunately we didn't.

Doug,
I love LED's for just about everything light.
Walmart is actually stimulating advances in LED tech due to a huge worldwide plan to relight it's stores with LED's.
Wouldn't that be a sweet contract.

Dani,
Have fun! Pumpkins last so long we had to find a way to work them into the Christmas season.

Dave,
That's because you're living in the incandescent past dude.
:)

Lesle,
Because I'm was a goof in a hurry this morning. I'll fix the date!

Kathy A,
I'll shoot some night shots after it's done.

Sophie,
That tree was some crafty gift I think. I know you're supposed to paint them, but we like it woody.
Hurricane Teen's team was the better team ... this time.

Scott,
I think LED's would weather a full year even better than incandescents. Let you know next year.

Hoss,
Pretty exotic lookin'.

R.Powers said...

Mrs.McC,
I think it is. Less juice, less heat wasted, less toxic materials than any light alternative.
We went to compact FL years ago ... voluntarily... and I have loved my power bill since then.
Thanks for supporting me and the talking tree :)

Hurricane Teen,
Hey, your JV team did great and even though it was back and forth for 2/3 of the match, they pulled away from us in the last third.
It was a good match and your team showed good sportsmanship.

LauraHinNJ said...

Hey - can I steal your xmas pumpkins for my quirky christmas decorating photo thing?

;-)

  said...

It's obvious, and right there in front of you: the chicken is turning the talking christmas tree off!

Sharon said...

My Mom bought all of us a talking tree from Cracker Barrel years ago...none of them worked! She was so mad. :)

R.Powers said...

Laurahinnj,
Steal away Laura!
Let the Christmas pumpkin decorating craze begin!!

Lesle,
Duh! Why didn't I see that?
Crazy, wacky chickens.

Sharon,
This thing just keeps going. It must be 5 or 6 years old.

MamaHen said...

I know this is going to sound psycho (I'm not really) but if that tree started up on me I think I would want to beat it with a stick. Sorry! I know, that's mean but I just have this thing about objects that talk or sing. It just ain't right.

R.Powers said...

Edifice,
You are not alone. I think my son feels the same way.