Where there is a will, there is a way!

WOW, it's been over a week since I posted anything!  Last Sunday we went up over the border to New Hampshire to a tree farm and got this years Christmas tree.  We thought 4 days after Thanksgiving, no problem, they will have plenty left.  We were told they were practically sold out.  Since I LOVE their fragrance, and people seem to like that fragrance in balsam gift, I have been procuring fraser firs the last few years.  OMG, there were only about 6 of them left that had not been either tagged (someone has bought it) or completely cut down...LOTS OF STUMPS!  They bale the tree up for you so it is basically tied up.  Since we got home after dark, it spent last week out in the car port.  My husband bought it in yesterday and it is "resting" out on our 3 season porch where we always put the tree up.  Since we are all allergic to balsam, it is placed in front of a window where it can be viewed from outside and also through the living room slider..  This way we can enjoy the tree without having to inhale the allergens.  Many people have said, you work with balsam and make gifts even though you are allergic to it?  Over the years I have found ways to work with it that limits my exposure.  The tree is stored out in the garage once we are done with it and that is where the balsam drying station it.  Once the boughs are trimmed off the tree I put them into a large drying "safe" my husband built for me which is basically a large, well insulated wooded "safe" that sits on the floor. It has a 200 watt light bulb in the bottom of it. Once I load up the safe, the 200 watt light bulb generates enough heat to dry it out enough to strip the needles off of it in about 48 hours. I also do all the stripping of the needles out there.  Once the needles are stripped, they go into the freezer and I take a shower to remove any reside.  When I stuff the pillows and sachets, I take an antihistamine before hand and then wash my hands afterwards.  They also get stored in the freezer until they go into the stores. These keep the needles fresh and limits my exposure to the allergens.  My favorite part of Christmas has ALWAYS been the tree and I like being able to recycle it into something decorative that can be used throughout the entire year so where there is a will, there is a way!  Now, if only some elves would drop my and decorate that sucker for me!!!!