Perfect
As my children and I were out walking today, the conversation somehow got around to Christmas trees. Yes, Christmas trees. In June. It's perfectly reasonable.
And, as we walked, I explained to my children how lucky we are to live in Oregon, which is native land for Christmas trees. About forty percent of America's Christmas trees are grown right here in Oregon. In other places, I explained, real, fresh Christmas trees cost a lot of money, because they had to be shipped all the way from Oregon. And so in other places, I told them, people often buy FAKE CHRISTMAS TREES. (I am strongly prejudiced against fake Christmas trees, and I am not ashamed to be passing on my feelings on to my children.)
"Is that why we live in Oregon, mama?" Beth asked. "Because of the Christmas trees?"
"No, sweetie," I said. "The main reason we live in Oregon is because of our families. Both of our families are here, and we love being near them."
The girls loudly agreed with me, and began naming off all of the family members whom they love. This went on for quite some time.
"That doesn't mean we'll always live here. We might live somewhere else someday, and we would make friends and meet people wherever we might live. But for now we're happy being here," I said.
"But Oregon sure does rain a lot of the time," Beth said.
"Yeah, it does rain in Oregon. And this year has been an especially rainy year, way more than normal," I said.
"But not today," Beth said. "Today Oregon is just perfect."
It's really hard to argue with her on that one. This is what "perfect" looks like here in my yard today.
This is what June in Oregon is supposed to look like.
And all of us Vitamin-D-starved Northwesterners said AMEN!
And, as we walked, I explained to my children how lucky we are to live in Oregon, which is native land for Christmas trees. About forty percent of America's Christmas trees are grown right here in Oregon. In other places, I explained, real, fresh Christmas trees cost a lot of money, because they had to be shipped all the way from Oregon. And so in other places, I told them, people often buy FAKE CHRISTMAS TREES. (I am strongly prejudiced against fake Christmas trees, and I am not ashamed to be passing on my feelings on to my children.)
"Is that why we live in Oregon, mama?" Beth asked. "Because of the Christmas trees?"
"No, sweetie," I said. "The main reason we live in Oregon is because of our families. Both of our families are here, and we love being near them."
The girls loudly agreed with me, and began naming off all of the family members whom they love. This went on for quite some time.
"That doesn't mean we'll always live here. We might live somewhere else someday, and we would make friends and meet people wherever we might live. But for now we're happy being here," I said.
"But Oregon sure does rain a lot of the time," Beth said.
"Yeah, it does rain in Oregon. And this year has been an especially rainy year, way more than normal," I said.
"But not today," Beth said. "Today Oregon is just perfect."
It's really hard to argue with her on that one. This is what "perfect" looks like here in my yard today.
Blue, blue skies and big, puffy white clouds.
Green everywhere. Flowers everywhere. Bees sucking in the sweetness.
Roses glowing in the sun.
And more roses glowing in the sun.
This is what June in Oregon is supposed to look like.
And all of us Vitamin-D-starved Northwesterners said AMEN!
4 comments:
Mmmmm hmm. Can I get a double AMEN?!?
Yep, on these OR days I am glad I live here.
Preach it, sistah! :)
I saw you girls out walking yesterday taking in the Vit. D. And you are not the only one prejudiced against fake Christmas trees. The symbolism just doesn't transfer to plastic needles and wire limbs.
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