CHRISTMAS
MyEagleNews.com
Wednesday, December 23, 2020
A3
Monument author contributes to
Christmas Chicken Soup for the Soul book
Howe tells the true
story of a small tree
off the side of the
road decorated for
Christmas
By Steven Mitchell
Blue Mountain Eagle
The Eagle/Rudy Diaz
Mt. Vernon residents had the option to deco-
rate a tree provided by the city or to decorate
their own tree.
The Eagle/Rudy Diaz
Residents in Mt. Vernon used a wide array of
items to decorate trees on Main Street.
A local author contrib-
uted to this year’s Christ-
mas edition of the long-run-
ning anthology Chicken
Soup for the Soul.
Rose Howe, a published
author from Monument and
widely-followed blogger,
told the Eagle she had never
heard of the Chicken Soup
for the Soul series.
“I thought it was some
sort of cookery book,”
Howe said after a writer
friend
suggested
that
she submit her story for
publication.
Howe, who runs the Tri-
ple H Ranch with her hus-
band of 33 years, Darrell,
said she was “astounded”
at how big and far-reaching
the series is.
“I felt very humbled, that
they would consider my lit-
tle story,” Howe said.
Contributed photo/K’Lynn Lane
Monument author Rose
Howe at the Condon holiday
bazaar.
H o w e ’s
contribu-
tion to the
book tells
the
true
story of a
young girl,
Ashley Mund, who roughly
a decade ago began decorat-
ing a small scraggly tree off
of the side of the road every
year at Christmas with her
father, Mitch. The tradition
carries on to this day.
Howe, who, at the time,
drove an ambulance late at
night, said the tree always
made her smile — and, she
said, soothed her after diffi-
cult calls.
“You come around that
corner and in your head-
lights pick out that purple
tree,” she said. “It really
does kind of give you a
sense of peace and make
you tear up.”
She said she thinks the
story evokes in people the
realization that the world,
even before the pandemic,
goes at such a fast pace and
is ever-changing.
“They’ve got their fancy
phones and they’re always
on the internet and Face-
book and this, that, the
other,” she said.
With families becoming
more and more spread out
and disconnected, she said,
the meaning of Christmas
can get lost.
“I think it appeals to
people when they realize
that there is still a young
lady out there who is com-
mitted, and determined,
no matter where she is to
come back and find a scrag-
gly little tree on the side
of the road and decorate it
so that when people drive
by they see this tree,” she
said, “and it honestly can-
not help but bring a smile to
your face.”
The Eagle/Rudy Diaz
The Eagle/Rudy Diaz
People traveling through Mt. Vernon’s Main
Street can see various Christmas trees deco-
rated in front of businesses.
Courtney Montague, the organizer of Mt. Ver-
non’s second annual Christmas tree decorating
contest, said she hopes the decorations and
trees lining Main Street will help build Christ-
mas spirit this year.
Christmas trees bringing
holiday cheer to Mt. Vernon
By Rudy Diaz
Blue Mountain Eagle
Main Street in Mt. Vernon
is lined with Christmas cheer
as residents decorated trees
for the most wonderful time
of the year.
Courtney Montague, the
organizer of Mt. Vernon’s sec-
ond annual Christmas tree
decorating contest, said they
wanted to do something fun
for the community during the
season.
She also said she hopes the
decorations and the trees will
help build Christmas spirit
amid the tough year it has
been.
“It has been a rough year,
and that’s one of the reasons
why I wanted the trees, so
people driving through Mt.
Vernon or walking can have
something nice to look at,”
said Montague. “It’ll hope-
fully boost people’s spirits.”
Montague said a couple of
years ago she purchased 10
trees for the city for this event
to have residents decorate.
She said the event is planned
next year as well.
“I’m hoping this builds the
community spirit and gives
people something to look at
as they’re driving through
town,” Montague said.
From Doug and the crew at
Ferguson Surveying &
Engineering,
May your
holidays
be merry and bright!
S220965-1
Wishing you the Peace and Joy of the
Christmas Season. Best wishes for 2021 from
your friends at Eastern Oregon Realty.
Merry
Christmas
From the Staff and Management at
Malheur Lumber Company
Jerry, Michal, Lindsey,
Traci, Deann, and Jo
S219842-1
S220860-1
S215862-1
and a happy New Year,
from all of us at
We would like to wish
you and yours a very
Merry Christmas.
S219703-1