Mike Brown is now on blueskyDec 21, 2022

Every #wintersolstice we celebrate by bringing a fresh tree into the house, adorning it with candles (!?!?), turning the lights out, lighting the candles, and singing holiday songs while we watch the candles slowly go out and the darkness re-envelop the room. This year we are cheating and doing it tomorrow to allow our niece to be here. Stay tuned for pix of Very Scary Candles Burning On A Real Tree^*

*don't try this at home.

Show threadMike Brown is now on blueskyDec 21, 2022
Step one is acquiring a tree the day before. Gotta be a fresh cut tree or the house might not survive the night. Christmas tree farms seem to keep closing; we used to have one in Pasadena but it closed. So we had to drive 45 minutes to Orange County but it closed. Tried a new one in Riverside but it was already closed so we drove 90 minutes away and found the perfect tree.
Show threadMike Brown is now on bluesky
Luckily it survived on the rooftop while going 80 on the freeway back to Pasadena. Next step is trimming, by which I literally mean trimming. We need a nice open tree to have room for the candles and their flames. Tomorrow it will come inside to be decorated. Stay tuned.
Dec 21, 2022 at 11:13pmWeb
Show threadMike Brown is now on blueskyDec 22, 2022
Lighting the candles on the tree tonight! It's really really hard to light a fresh tree on fire. Though we always try.
Show threadMike Brown is now on blueskyDec 22, 2022
The candles sit nicely in their Danish Christmas candle holders
Show threadBettinaKozaDec 22, 2022
@Mikebrown
What kind of tree is that? A pine? Never seen one like this.
Show threadMike Brown is now on blueskyDec 22, 2022
@BettinaKoza These are Monterey pines. They seem to be the only things that grow and look Christmas-tree-like here in southern california.
Show threadBettinaKozaDec 23, 2022
@Mikebrown
Ah! Thanks. Happy holidays to you and your family. 🎄