Holiday wreath season starts before Thanksgiving, when I gather the ingredients from around the farm. This year it was holly from the front yard, pine from the rose bed, and, from the arboretum: Modoc cypress, Arizona cypress, and lots of Eucalyptus because it was leaning over a path and invading "China". As always, I wind grapevines (from our grapes) into circles for the wreath framework, then stick the greenery into them to create the wreath. My workshop is the stock trailer, repurposed. When the wreaths that get mailed to friends and family are ready, Johnny packs them into boxes that he creates. This year we mailed eight.
Here is the workshop with wreaths waiting to be given away:
After Johnny packages the wreaths, we take them to the post office and get a long list of tracking numbers. I follow their progress on the computer... We call it the wreath race. Some years a wreath gets delayed for days or even weeks... usually the one going to Colorado and one to California. This year, though, all arrived on their estimated delivery dates... a miracle for sure. Some recipients send me photos of their wreaths after they are displayed. I love getting those photos. The first one to arrive this year was from friend Hazel in Washington:
The one below came from son Steve. His poor dog did not look happy wearing the wreath...
Nephew Rob always uses their wreath as a table centerpiece...
Local friends often add a red ribbon to their wreath. Here is Carol's...
And Linnet and Gina's...
Along with the wreath comes a Holiday Wreath letter with a description of the ingredients and suggestions on how to keep them from falling out... which doesn't always work...
Grandson Ian hangs his on their apartment door... and describes the process...
Every year some greenery is left over after the wreaths have been distributed. I can't stand to waste any of it so I make the leftovers into more wreaths and hang them here... on doors, barn walls, arena mirrors, wherever. This year I salvaged enough greenery, mostly eucalyptus and holly, for five wreaths.
This one has been through a wind storm already. The Resist Frog was made by a friend. 
On the side of the woodshed, facing Johnny's shop 
This one is on one of the arena mirrors and is pure eucalyptus and holly.
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| The goat barn doors are wreathed now, too. |
The holiday wreath season will last through Christmas, New Year's Day, and beyond... depending on wind storms...
HAPPY HOLLY DAYS!!!
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