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About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 16, 2015)
Polk County Living Polk County Itemizer-Observer • December 16, 2015 9A Finding a fresh tree is as easy as... You’re ready to get out the lights, the garlands, the baubles and balls, but don’t get ahead of yourself. “Know how to choose a fresh tree and how to keep it that way or you’ll be disap- pointed,” said Chal Land- gren, a Christmas tree spe- cialist with Oregon State University’s Extension Serv- ice. “It’s also not safe to have a dried-out tree in the house, so it’s doubly impor- tant to know what to do.” A lot of information swirls around the issue of how to purchase and preserve a Christmas tree once you get it home, some of it mislead- ing. Landgren helps you get it right with answers to the most pressing questions. Q: How do I know a tree is fresh when I purchase it? A: Choose a tree that looks green and healthy with needles that snap like a fresh carrot. Shake it a few times to get rid of old nee- dles. When you’re home, place the tree in water if you do not plan to put it up im- mediately. Choose a large, water-filled stand to display the tree indoors. Check the water level daily; trees will be very thirsty the first few days inside a heated home. Q: Do I need to re-cut the stem after I get my tree home? A: Yes, if more than 24 hours has elapsed since the stem was last cut. The fresh K YM P OKORNY Your Garden cut helps water uptake and the sooner you can get the tree into water, the fresher it will be. Q: Do I need to cut 2 inches off the tree base for it to take up water in the stand? A: No, cutting 1/2-inch slice off the base is plenty for water uptake. However, clearing the ceiling is anoth- er question. Q: Do I need to cut the base of the trees at an angle, drill holes in the base or in- stall plastic tubes so the tree can get water? A: No. Water begins the path up the tree via micro- scopic tubes called “trachei- ds” in the wood just be- neath the bark. The wood near the outer part of the stem conducts water effi- ciently and becomes less so toward the center. Simply cut the stem perpendicular to the trunk to maximize the area exposed to the water. Complicated cuts, drill holes or I.V. tubes do not help. Q: Do I need to add something to the water to help the tree stay fresher? A: People have added all PHOTO BY LYNN KETCHUM It’s best if the tree does not run out of water, so check it every day, especially the irst few days. kinds of things to water, in- c l u d i n g v o d k a , 7 - Up, bleach, aspirin and sugar. However, clean, cold water is all that is needed. Some additives actually can cause the tree to shed needles or dry out more rapidly. Q: Will any tree stand work, as long as it holds the tree up? A: No. A stand should hold a quart of water for every inch of stem diameter. A tree with a 6-inch stem diameter will need a stand that holds a gallon and a half of water. Very few stands have the ca- pacity for today’s large trees. Consider purchasing a new stand, or a smaller tree, if the water capacity is not ade- quate. Q: If my decorated tree runs out of water, do I need to take it down and re-cut the base? A: No. If you refill the water stand within 24 hours of going dry, most trees (Douglas fir, noble, Nord- mann, Fraser) should re-hy- drate just fine. For grand fir, 12 hours may be the limit. Of course, it’s best if the tree does not run out of water, so check it every day, especially the first few days. Your pets may be helping themselves to the water, too. If your tree becomes dry and brittle, it may be time to take it down. MI TOWN I know people who are so organized, their shopping was done weeks ago. Christ- mas cards were neatly stacked on the corner of the desk, ready to be taken to the post office Thanksgiving weekend. Others are waiting for another payday before they can begin, and most of us fall somewhere in be- tween. At our house, some cards still need to be ad- dressed, but somehow it will all come together just in time for happy family gath- erings and good times to share with friends. — Whether Christmas plans include a splendid table set with our best china and crystal, or a warm and welcome gather- ing at the kitchen table with mugs of cocoa and bowls of soup, we want to P ATTY T AYLOR D UTCHER Columnist make this a wonderful and memorable season for those we love. So much de- pends upon the spirit of the season and in the hap- piness and good conversa- tion shared with friends and family you love. — Bazillions of articles are written about how to “sur- vive” the holidays, and books appear on the shelves telling us how to manage to get through the days and weeks from Thanksgiving until New Year’s Day. All this makes me wonder why one of the most joyous times of the year can create so much stress and chaos, and why we let it happen. The people we love can get lost in the madness of it all. — In MI Town, there’s time to relax with friends and enjoy time with family with- out turning it into a major production. We can make a big bowl of punch and have the kids string popcorn and cranberries for the Christ- mas tree. We can bake cook- ies and make candy and share it with our friends and neighbors, and brighten somebody else’s day with a smile or a special compli- ment. If there isn’t time for baking and cooking — along with everything else — our local stores have goodies available for every taste and budget. A RLENE K OVASH Columnist ing of the forests is threat- ening the existence of the established trees and also compromising the habitat on the forest floor for new seedlings to survive, so now was the time to go. — Madagascar is the poor- est country they have ever visited. Some put it in the poorest 10 countries of the world. Most people do not have electricity or running water. It took 22 hours of fly- ing time to reach the main airport at the capital of Madagascar from Portland. While there, Fred was able to meet up with Dallas High friend Mark Flaming for several hours one after- noon and evening. They had not seen each other since 1978. — The calendars aren’t actu- ally available at Dancing Oaks, but are available at www.lulu.com, and, since they ship in three days, are a great last-minute gift. Look under Leonard’s name to see all three of their calen- dars. On the other hand, they have T-shirts for sale at the nursery, so call them at Tad and Roseanna Larson, of Monmouth, will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary with family. Tad Larson and Roseanna Cham- bers were married Dec. 15, 1990, at First United Methodist Church, of Salem. The couple has lived in Polk County the past 26 years. Tad and Roseanna love to travel. They also love to go camping with their family and riding ATVs at the sand dunes in Oregon. Their family includes Justine and Kyle Netcher, of Mill City, Stephanie Larson, of Monmouth, and Brian Larson, of Monmouth. The couple has one grandchildren. BIRTHS Arredondo Ezequiel Orlando Arredondo Jr. was born to Ezequiel Arredondo and Aliyah Hayward, both of Dallas, at 7:59 a.m. on Nov. 23 at Salem Hospital Family Birth Center. He weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces, and was 20.5 inches long. Ezequiel is the couple’s first child. Grandparents are Jesse and Patricia Lara, of Independ- ence, and Elvira Landero, of Independence. Great-grandparents are Simona Ochoa, of Independ- ence, and Donna Carlton, of Dallas. Schmitt Aria Marie Schmitt was born to Aron and Andria Schmitt, of Dallas, at 10:58 a.m. on Dec. 1 at Salem Hospi- tal Family Birth Center. She weighed 8 pounds, 3 ounces, and was 20.5 inches long. Aria is the couple’s first child. Trinity Concert - “Carols of Christmas” — This may be the first year your children are home from college. They’ll be eager to share stories about classes and university life and their newly found inde- pendence — or they may not. They may also want some quiet time to relax and see neighborhood friends and catch up on some much needed sleep. — During this season, we need to take time to think about our families, our friends and our neighbors. It’s a good time to count our blessings and to share what we can with those who have not had such a wonderful year. Our communities have a long history of taking care of our own, and what a bet- ter time than now to show that we can, and we will. 503-838-6058 to come by to purchase them, since they’re only open by ap- pointment during the win- ter. — Pedee survived the rain- storms quite well, with only a few trees down and little water over the roads. — Pam Burkhalter present- ed Tammy Ames, of Silver- ton, the patriotic quit raffled off by Pedee Women’s Club. The ticket was drawn on Nov. 14 at the close of the holiday fair. The club will be raffling off another quilt in 2016. Proceeds go toward the costs associated with monthly shipments to de- ployed military members. IMAGINE Our Communities without our LOCAL Larson - 25th Trinity Lutheran Church presents PEDEE NEWS Recently I had the chance to see the calendars that Leonard Foltz and Fred Weisensee made of plants at Dancing Oaks Nursery, plus the one of their trip to Madagascar in September and October, and they are beautiful. — Fred and Leonard’s trip to Madagascar, an island near the top of Africa, was the fulfillment of a lifetime wish of seeing the Avenue of the Baobabs on the island. Al- though the Baobabs are the size of large trees and can reach ages of 1,000 years old, they are actually giant succulents that survive the dry climate by storing water in their huge trunks. Burn- ANNIVERSARIES NEWSPAPER! Thank the businesses who advertise in the Itemizer-Observer. without them... AAAAAH! I n t e r e s t e d i n a d v e r t i s i n g ? C a l l 5 0 3 - 6 2 3 - 2 3 7 3 Sunday, Dec. 20th • 6:30 - 7:30 pm Features: Scripture, Adult Choir, Bell Choir, Christmas Carol Singing and special pieces by children and youth. Cookie reception follows. dallastlc.org ~ 503-623-2233 320 SE Fir Villa Rd, Dallas West Valley Housing Authority will hold their Regular Board Meeting on Wednesday, December 23, 2015 beginning at 11:30 p.m. at 204 SW Walnut in Dallas, Oregon via con- ference call with regular attendees. An Exec- utive Session pursuant to ORS 192.660 will be held immediately following the Regular Meeting. Agenda for the meeting is posted on the Housing Authority website at www.wvpha.org. The location for the meeting is handicapped accessible. Please advise the West Valley Housing Authority if you need any special accommodations to attend the meeting. For information, please call 503-623-8387, TDD 1-800-735-2900. Providing holiday meals to Dallas-area families in need for more than 50 years Put Christmas Cheer on your giving list this year! Make checks to: Christmas Cheer PO Box 661 Dallas, OR 97338 Do you or someone you know need a little help? Ask for an application or go to our website to apply: www.dallascc.org All volunteers are encouraged to bring canned goods when coming to help sort, shop & deliver food boxes on Christmas Eve at 6 am, Thursday, Dec. 24th at LaCreole Middle School More information: 503-623-3585 Coordinators: Warren & Sue Lamb — 5013C — Non-Profit Organization Follow us on Facebook & Twitter RECYCLE this newspaper.
