I had a bold vision this past weekend. I thought I would make several Christmas wreaths — two for the sides of our front door, one for the back door and another to put out by the mailbox.  Four in all, which sounded reasonable at the time.

Several years back, I took a wreath making class at Monticello. I learned all the basics and I even went out and bought different wreath making supplies from an art store.  Of course, I needed fresh greenery.  So I cut some boxwood from the bushes, collected pine cones in the woods, clipped cedar from the tree and saved several Frasier fir branches from the bottom of our Christmas tree. With all these supplies and my prior lesson, I was sure this was going to be great.

What I forgot to factor in was our huge hound dog, the bitter cold day and my two Christmas crazed children. The dog snuffled around the different cuttings trying to make them into a nice bed to lie down on, the cold December air was freezing my hands outside and my two children were running around the yard happily screaming and playing a game. Apparently, this was one too many things for me and I ended up with only one wreath.  Now, it is a beautiful wreath, but there’s only one. So I’m off to my local nursery to buy the other three.  Next year, I’ll lock myself in my office and try again.

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