[null, null, {"document_url": "http://www.ourneckofthewoods.net/2014_12_01_archive.html", "unformatted_src": "http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KIYukaUsAPQ/VIZanfw77iI/AAAAAAAAHLI/5oZVWgVhCLo/s1600/duchie.png", "src": "http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KIYukaUsAPQ/VIZanfw77iI/AAAAAAAAHLI/5oZVWgVhCLo/s1600/duchie.png", "formatted_filename": "duchie", "rendered_width": 640, "rendered_height": 640}, null, {"document_url": "http://www.ourneckofthewoods.net/2014_12_01_archive.html", "unformatted_src": "http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lbslA7lyAsM/VIZbjZ1gvKI/AAAAAAAAHLQ/sM1alj6fDy8/s1600/DSC_6900.JPG", "src": "http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lbslA7lyAsM/VIZbjZ1gvKI/AAAAAAAAHLQ/sM1alj6fDy8/s1600/DSC_6900.JPG", "formatted_filename": "DSC", "rendered_width": 426, "rendered_height": 640}, null, {"document_url": "http://www.ourneckofthewoods.net/2014_12_01_archive.html", "unformatted_src": "http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SiTE8MGR2EI/VIZdz-vsWdI/AAAAAAAAHLc/5NNmvDKsLuk/s1600/xmas.png", "src": "http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SiTE8MGR2EI/VIZdz-vsWdI/AAAAAAAAHLc/5NNmvDKsLuk/s1600/xmas.png", "formatted_filename": "xmas", "rendered_width": 640, "rendered_height": 640}, null, {"document_url": "http://www.ourneckofthewoods.net/2014_12_01_archive.html", "unformatted_src": "http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hs0qMyhfnoE/VIZew4BkLsI/AAAAAAAAHLk/Lq4wzuooi7c/s1600/card.jpg", "src": "http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hs0qMyhfnoE/VIZew4BkLsI/AAAAAAAAHLk/Lq4wzuooi7c/s1600/card.jpg", "formatted_filename": "card", "rendered_width": 462, "rendered_height": 640}, null, null, {"document_url": "http://www.ourneckofthewoods.net/2014_12_01_archive.html", "unformatted_src": "http://i1332.photobucket.com/albums/w619/themefashion/socialmedia/facebook-32_zps655f1c70.png", "src": "http://i1332.photobucket.com/albums/w619/themefashion/socialmedia/facebook-32_zps655f1c70.png", "formatted_filename": "facebook zps f c", "alt_text": " photo 3_zpsba3cba55.png"}, {"document_url": "http://www.ourneckofthewoods.net/2014_12_01_archive.html", "unformatted_src": "http://i1332.photobucket.com/albums/w619/themefashion/socialmedia/twitter-32_zps6682d6bd.png", "src": "http://i1332.photobucket.com/albums/w619/themefashion/socialmedia/twitter-32_zps6682d6bd.png", "formatted_filename": "twitter zps d bd", "alt_text": " photo 7_zpsce59e2a3.png"}, {"document_url": "http://www.ourneckofthewoods.net/2014_12_01_archive.html", "unformatted_src": "http://i1332.photobucket.com/albums/w619/themefashion/socialmedia/email-32_zps2e4f73d4.png", "src": "http://i1332.photobucket.com/albums/w619/themefashion/socialmedia/email-32_zps2e4f73d4.png", "formatted_filename": "email zps e f d", "alt_text": " photo 2_zpsd416e313.png"}, {"document_url": "http://www.ourneckofthewoods.net/2014_12_01_archive.html", "unformatted_src": "http://i1332.photobucket.com/albums/w619/themefashion/socialmedia/pinterest-32_zpsc7fd1707.png", "src": "http://i1332.photobucket.com/albums/w619/themefashion/socialmedia/pinterest-32_zpsc7fd1707.png", "formatted_filename": "pinterest zpsc fd", "alt_text": " photo 8_zps028e1e71.png"}, {"document_url": "http://www.ourneckofthewoods.net/2014_12_01_archive.html", "unformatted_src": "http://i1332.photobucket.com/albums/w619/themefashion/youtube-32_zpsa4cf20d3.png", "src": "http://i1332.photobucket.com/albums/w619/themefashion/youtube-32_zpsa4cf20d3.png", "formatted_filename": "youtube zpsa cf d", "alt_text": " photo 3_zpsba3cba55.png"}, null, null, null]

Christmas Traditions

I just couldn't end the year without posting about our Christmas traditions here on the homestead! Ever since we moved out here, each Christmas we choose a tree from the woods to cut down and bring inside. They are never full, gorgeous trees, but there is something charming about the skinny, non-traditional trees that I love.

We took Duchess with us this year to search for a tree and I think she may have enjoyed the hike just as much as us. We found a cedar deep in the woods that we decided on, and David went to work on cutting it down and dragging back to the house. We had to do quite a bit of trimming to the tree, but finally managed to get it just right. I'm really into the simple, natural look for Christmas decorating, so I added some white lights and called it a day. I love to pull out my vintage enamelware this time of year, and found that leftover cedar clippings and half-melted candles made a pretty display for the trunk/coffee table. I'm still adding some festive touches around the house as I get sudden bursts of inspiration! Another fun tradition is sending out Christmas cards with photos I've taken from around the homestead.  This year, I was looking through some photos and when I happened upon a snowy photo of Duchess from last winter, I knew it was the one. Thankfully we haven't had snow like that this year (yet!), but we'll see how the next few months go.

On a non-related note, I just wanted to say thank you if you are reading this! I know I haven't posted in a long time, so if you are still following me that's awesome :) After starting a new job this spring, I just got engulfed in my new responsibilities and trying to learn everything about my new career path as I could. I'm feeling more comfortable now and have more of a schedule figured out with balancing work and homestead demands, and have found that I really do miss the blogging part of my life. I haven't had a creative outlet in a while and haven't taken many photos at all, and that makes me quite sad to be honest. Taking photos and blogging was such a big part of my life for a couple years (as you can see if you read back through the archives) and it feels so odd that I just basically stopped cold turkey. All of that to say that I am going to try to update the blog on a more regular basis (although not as often as before) and take more photos. And of course I miss the community that I had here as well, because that is what made blogging so rich for me. So I hope you're still out there, and I wish you the happiest of holidays! Labels: Christmas, Duchess, Trees