Today we went to cut our Christmas tree at a tree farm near Cottonwood, Texas. We drove and drove and drove and drove and then we were in Cross Plains. We weren't supposed to be in Cross Plains. We were supposed to turn before we got there but we must've missed the turn. We stopped at a convenience store and asked about the tree farm. Someone gave Tim directions...turn left past the school and it's in Cottonwood. We got to Cottonwood and it was so cool....abandoned old buildings that had once been a hub of activity. We stopped and read the historic marker...it was settled after the Native Americans were pushed out in the the late 1800s and was peaceful but gun battles were not uncommon. There's an abandoned church that is amazing. It would make a beautiful setting for a wedding....white and worn with decorative trim above the windows which are big and clear, a cool old door, and a steeple. They also have a community center that obviously used to be their school and there's an old bank and post office. We rode through town twice because we were lost. At the other end of town the paved road ends and continues in two directions. There is a sign at this point telling you how far each way everyone's farm or ranch lies. But the sign didn't help us. We drove back into town and Tim stopped a couple in a truck to ask if they knew where the tree farm was. They did and said that they were headed that way also to get a tree. We followed them back to that same fork in the road and we went to the left to The Childress Farm....just past the bag your own pecans farm. We can tell right away that we are in the right place....trees. We drive up but there isn't anyone in sight until an older women driving a fourwheeler pulls up beside us. There was something so appealling about this woman...older, healthy, fit, light in her eyes....she told us to pick any tree that we like and cut it and bring it to the corner to be shaken. We start on our search but the trees are all so very different from any trees that we have ever seen used for Christmas...some of them were even blue...I mean really blue...they were called Arizona cypress. There were Afghan pines and Leyland Cypress. We chose a Leland Cypress. Obviously, it is too tall. I will give you an after picture when it is decorated.
On the farm they had emus. They were such cool animals. Big fat bodies with feathers that drape over their bodies and thick strong legs and tiny heads with inquisitive eyes. I would like to have visited with them longer.
I described the wife to you but her husband seemed like a typical Texas farmer....leathery from the weather, friendly, handy and talkative. They lived in a house that was mostly round on top of a hill. The first floor of the house was completely underground except some windows...cool.
On the way into the farm and out we saw the biggest pig that we have ever seen. Remember the big mean pig from Charlotte's Web...that is what that pig looked....huge, furry and with a furry, curling tail.
What a fun adventure we had today. We were gone for about 4 hours but it was worth it.
Our tree reminded me of one of my favorite Christmas books from when I was little...Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree.
I have been reading in every little bit of spare time that I can find lately. I have been avoiding doing any housework or anything else that seems like work....and I have been reading. I have read three books over this break. 
