corner view~traditions

As a girl I witnessed my grandfather making wreaths out of Pennsylvania ground pine that he picked by hand in the lush woods that surrounded his home.  Even a couple of days before Christmas we would go with him to help pick the pine, because inevitably he would have given all of the wreaths away that he had made, (usually 25 or more) and want to make just a few more.  We walked to the end of his street where the paved road became a dirt road, a few hundred yards until we came to a clearing on the left.  We would wade through the snow and brush it away before we picked the pine, stuffing it into large plastic bags.

Then we went back to the house where grandma would have hot chocolate for us, and we went to work.  Grandpa taught us all how to make the wreaths.  I remember him showing us how to make them really full, and tie the pine tight so it wouldn't fall off.  It was important to him that the wreaths were beautiful from both sides, in case people wanted to hang them in windows.  It seemed like he thought making a wreath with only one side was kind of cheating.

The kids' wreaths were always a little lopsided, but he would always tell us how great they were.  His were perfectly round.  He showed us the value of working with nature to make something beautiful.  I can still picture his agile hands working, and the smile on his face.  As the years passed someone convinced him to charge for the wreaths, as he was spending so much time filling so many orders.  He never charged over $5 a wreath, all his life he kept his price that low. 
 
Thanks to Cherry B for this idea.  Next week's theme is "the December holidays."

In the holiday spirit, we are doing a giveaway this week!  Please stop by my previous post and leave a comment there if you wish to partake in the giveaway of my husband's music.   

Have a beautiful week, my friends.