We put up a balsome tree. It has been purchased but ourside in the garage until just before Christmas.

We finally got a real tree this year...a Douglas Fir. While our son was toddling we just had a small artificial tabletop. I felt kinda guilty cutting it down. It does look nice tho' - we just finished round two of hanging stuff on it.

Most of the outdoor lights went up this weekend as well. It'll be nice to have directional beacons available during snowstorms ...I usually don't take them down 'til late winter.

I love a short needle tree. We have a tree and lights inside as well as outside.
I strung lights around the 2 teutures in my garden. I'll take photos tinoght at dusk when they come on.

I had strung lights all along our driveway border garden fence last year, but not this year. Now, I'm using the outlets that provide power for the pump in the summer water feature...that cord is buried, so there's nothing to trip over or possibly chop up with the snow-blower. I like it much better this way as the snowmen, polar bear and other assorted kid-pleasing stuff is a lot closer to our windows. It looks very nice this morning....something other than dark to look at!

boy that was a cold day to play some footballl...brrr..beer freezing...thats cold... My nephew bought a Subaru at the end of the winter last year.He called when we got the 6 inches of snow a week ago,he said ,I love my car,it goes in snow ...LOL..I wouldnt know what to do without my 4x4,we live rural,and I clean houses ,I my Ford explorer with 215,000 miles on her..

Janice , The hydrangas are Macrophylla Glowing Embers,I moved them into more shade,last year ,so Im hoping they take off this year.With the drought they just survived this past summer. How much shade can they take ? and still bloom ?? Wishing I would have never spent the $$ on them.

I have a pencil tree up , I put lights on it,have not decorated it yet... I have the house decorated .Wishing I could hang lights outside somewhere. I dont have shrubs or small trees I think I will buy icecicle lights and gutter hangars for the front porch and get them hung in the fall ,next year,that will make the dh happy ...

Tam,

Decorate some stuff perhaps?....we do this vintage sled every year too. It's sitting by the front door (sans the print!).

I love my old ornaments. We also dont go too heavy on home decor.
This is the tree and a few ornaments
https://picasaweb.google.com/j...

Lucy, bet the Balsam tree smells wonderful!

Chelle,the Douglas fir must be so pretty! Great to have outdoor outlets.
Love your lit sled!!! Wonderful.

JoAnn, great idea...lights in your garden! Love to see the photos.

Tamara love the country look of a Pencil tree. At the risk of sounding like a broken record...... pics, if you are so inclined!

Re: Hydrangeas. Glowing Embers is a pretty variety I have not grown.
The Nikkos I grew were in full sun in Zone 7A, but watered with irrigation every day.
I have also grown in part shade, but got better bloom in full sun. They do like their water.
You probably already know some bloom on dead wood, so I always leave the stems till late summer, when you can see if they are truly dead.
Otherwise blooms are sacrificed to neatness.

Hope this helps http://www.hydrangeashydrangea...

The garden lights are on a timer that goes off at dusk around 4:30 its also the best time to photo because the teutuers are still visible.Fifyeen minutes later and its too dark.

JoAnn, your tree and ornaments are just beautiful!
Love the adorable paper birdhouse.

Again, Chelle, that sled is lit to perfection! Love the vintage sled.....

Sweet tree with garden-themed ornaments. Lovely, Jo Ann.

I spent the weekend rearranging, putting things away to make room for an artificial tree and my Christmas village. Haven't done the outside decorating in about two years since I won't go out and freeze to do it and I don't want to think about Christmas at Halloween when its warm enough yet to do it. My Mum does but she's nuts anyway.

I also put stuff on the mantle too. Most of it has songs and dances so dgd has had a ball getting then all going at once,.

My mantle............

My Christmas village

My tree is up but I need to fiddle with it a couple of days to get the "holes" filled up before I decorate it. Pretty particular about some of the things I have. Much to Ariana's dismay. I let her put a few on last night of the bulbs I am phasing out just so she can say I "helped": decorate the tree...............

Love your Christmas village and mantel, Cherie! Wonderful!

lovely

Our daughter in Ohio has the New England village (dept. 56). She wants it to remind her of growing up here.

Lucy, that must be great!
I am guilty of the Dickens Village obsession myself!

Merry Christmas to all my friends on ATP!

So cute, Janice!

I'm glad I remembered to turn my volume up. My pair of Zebra Finch ( ahem, and myself ) were singing right along with it! What a cacophony!

Loved it! Thank you!