Hobo Jungle

[E7]

Dennis, when the redhead saw this vignette, she at first thought it was a painting by Edward Hopper. The scene sure has that feel.
I see that as a compliment.

Interesting. The first thing I thought of was Sarge's Armstrong cafe ala the "Nighthawks". The mood is certainly very similar. The attention to detail really nails the mood of the scene.

Rich

Pondering the scene a bit more, looks like the Merc may be about to go onto the "wrong" side of the tracks.

[DennisB]

Thank you, gentlemen. It's nice to be home.

Dennis

[Tramp]

The yearly photo of the tree. This year, since some of you enjoy visual tests, see if you notice the change in the decorated tree that's different from all the others. Would also like your vote whether to keep the change or not.

Here's wishing all you hobos a wonderful Christmas. Looks like we're in for rain, which after our Labrador November is fine by me.

[rogruth]

Impressive and beautiful as ever.

I have no guess concerning a difference.

[2railjon]

Tramp, that tree is absolutely regal!!! I don't know how you and D continue to outdo the years previous trees!!!!

[healey36]

Brings back a lot of memories, especially the search through the tree lots of Baltimore when I was a boy, watching ol’ Henry Sonnemon pound the trunk of each potential purchase on the pavement to see how many needles would fall off. Nothing like a balsam fir at Christmas…the scent reaches me here in Maryland. Fantastic and beautiful…thanks for posting…

Hope Santa is good to everyone.

Healey

[DennisB]

A real beauty, Tramp. I will have to compare to note the difference.

Dennis

[Rufus T. Firefly]

An outstanding tree! Brings back the memories of when as a child we would dig a tree - usually a blue spruce - and put it and everything else in the station wagon, and then travel the 4 hours across PA to what is now my place in PA to have Christmas in the woods with my grandparents (and great-grandfather!) and that entire extended family. And after Christmas, we would take the tree outside and plant it that week. There are still 2 of these trees standing there.

[rogruth]

That's nice, Rufus.

[Tramp]

Rufus, there's funny (in retrospect) story of a friend of mine who attempted the dig, drag, and plant tree method. Lugging the tree out of the house he destroyed his back and was laid up for weeks. He joined the cut yourself crowd after that. You must have had strong relatives or maybe they were smarter about the size of the root ball.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

The yearly photo of the tree. This year, since some of you enjoy visual tests, see if you notice the change in the decorated tree that's different from all the others. Would also like your vote whether to keep the change or not...

Electric lights in addition to the real candles?
Murph

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Rufus, there's funny (in retrospect) story of a friend of mine who attempted the dig, drag, and plant tree method. Lugging the tree out of the house he destroyed his back and was laid up for weeks. He joined the cut yourself crowd after that. You must have had strong relatives or maybe they were smarter about the size of the root ball.

Looking back on it I am unsure of just how my father managed to do this. I helped as much as a small lad could, and my mother was as tough as a good country lady might be, but we managed to get them into the back of the wagon somehow using ramps, tarps, levers, and whatever it took at the time. More than once in the snow digging them out and then re-planting them in some seriously rocky soil in Franklin Co. What I lack any memory of is how we managed to get them up the steps into the house! That they all seemed to survive for decades thereafter still impresses me.

Looking back now it might have been some sort of seasonal madness, but maybe also a good madness, too. I wanted to do the same 20+ years ago here in VA and got a very serious major league hairy eyeball from the CinC and never broached the subject again. She bought an artificial tree and declared the topic closed.

So it goes.....

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Rufus, there's funny (in retrospect) story of a friend of mine who attempted the dig, drag, and plant tree method. Lugging the tree out of the house he destroyed his back and was laid up for weeks. ...

Looking back on it I am unsure of just how my father managed to do this. ...
... That they all seemed to survive for decades thereafter still impresses me.

Looking back now it might have been some sort of seasonal madness, but maybe also a good madness, too. ...

So it goes.....

Our motto (albeit reluctantly on one of or parst ) this Holiday has been: "Let's not kill [Murph] this Christmas." Thus, we cut waaaaaaaaaay back on outside decorations (non-existant, alas) and the size of the indoor tree (10-14 ft. down to 4'.) Murph is happy with the decision/motto.

Here's one of the rooms I did put some effort into again this year.
Murph@70

[rogruth]

Very nice, Murph.

Just enough.

We cut the amount of outside stuff in half but inside is still a lot.

[E7]

Rufus, there's funny (in retrospect) story of a friend of mine who attempted the dig, drag, and plant tree method. Lugging the tree out of the house he destroyed his back and was laid up for weeks. He joined the cut yourself crowd after that. You must have had strong relatives or maybe they were smarter about the size of the root ball.

Tramp, The tree is magnificent. Don't have a clue what the difference might be, but given a "lineup" of trees past and present, I "suspect" (no pun intended ) this years would be my choice. You and Daisy are light years ahead of me artistically speaking so I defer to your pick for favorite, whichever it is.

As for live trees, my last adventure with one of those ended when I drug it into the garage and decided I was too tired to continue. The temp plummeted that night and the root ball froze, so the tree resided in the garage until Spring when I drug it back outside and planted it. It is now circa 60 feet tall.

Hope ALL here have a wonderful Christmas,
Ol' Humbug Rich