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    Home » Life » Podcast/SHL

    December 13, 2019 | By Jami

    Podcast Ep.67: Christmas Trees - Real vs. Fake?

    In this episode we go deep into our pasts as we look at the holiday debate for the ages: buying a real Christmas tree every year or buying and reusing an artificial one? The argument is getting more one-sided every year. Which side do you think we're on? We also have some actual updates on the old farmhouse to share - yay! Plus a week of easy dinner recipes for winter, and some recent cool discoveries. Yeah, it's a good show!

    Podcast Ep.67-Christmas Trees-Real or Fake

    You can download this episode from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and TuneIn Radio – or listen to it below right on your computer! Then use this page to check out any links, notes, or photos we talked about in the episode. Note: If you’re reading in a feed reader, you might have to click through to the post to see the player below.

    Prefer reading? Use the PODCAST TRANSCRIPT! Click here to open in a new window and read.

    Some links in this article are affiliate links and if you click on them I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.

    Christmas Trees - Live vs. Fake?

    Buffalo check Christmas tree

    Above you can see our tree from 2018 - it's a live noble fir, one of the best for being able to hold a lot of ornaments. It also has fairly stiff branches for those heavier ornaments, too. Which of course makes it the most expensive in our area. (And isn't seeing Samson again great? We're sure missing him...)

    Here are links to more of the Christmas decor I've shared through the years:

    • Galvanized, Green & Buffalo Plaid Simple Christmas Decor
    • Pottery Barn Inspired Snowy Galvanized Christmas Decorations
    • Cottage Christmas Decor Ideas
    • Christmas Home Tour: Green Plaid, Metallic, & Natural

    vintage tinsel tree

    Here's a vintage tinsel tree I found on Pinterest that looks a lot like the one I mentioned having for a number of years when I was growing up in California in the early 1970s. Even at the time I thought it was weird, but I guess there's something to be said for just embracing the fakeness, ha!

    Here's a link to Episode 15 - Christmas traditions and memories where we first talked about our one experience going to a tree farm with the kids.

    Farmhouse Updates

    sheetrocked master bedroom

    That's our master bedroom with the sheetrock on that emphasizes the tall ceilings (Sorry for the photo quality - we're in the middle of our gray, rainy season!). Our plan is to add wood beams to help bring it down to human level.

    laundry room plans

    Above is the laundry room plan we spent so much time working out. It's not completely to scale, but it gives us the idea of where the fixtures will go.

    You can see we're trying to fit a lot into this space - laundry, mudroom, freezer, storage, and a counter for seed starting. Not quite like our last huge laundry-mudroom, but with this plan, it should check all the boxes.

    What's Cooking

    Bowl of Spicy Beef Tomato and Corn Stew

    Here's your real food Winter Menu for Busy Weeks:

    Monday- Spicy Beef, Tomato and Corn Stew (make enough for leftovers for Tuesday), served with cheese quesadillas
    Tuesday- Haystacks - spoon leftover spicy beef stew over tortilla chips and top with shredded lettuce, chopped onions, grated cheese, sour cream, and whatever other toppings you'd like.
    Wednesday- Easy Lemon-Garlic Roasted Chicken and Vegetables, served with bread and green salad (roast extra chicken for Thursday)
    Thursday- Thai Inspired Turkey or Chicken Vegetable Curry (using leftover chicken), served with rice
    Friday- Greek Style Shrimp and Orzo Recipe, served with a green salad
    Saturday- Burgers, fries, and cut vegetables
    Sunday- OYO (On Your Own)

    This is Really Cool!

    Fiskars titanium shop shears

    Brian's: The Fiskars Titanium Shop Shears that makes him think he's getting away with using his mom's off-limits fabric scissors. Plus, they're really sharp and useful for cutting lots of things DIYers need.

    vitamin c serum
    Jami's: Vitamin C Glow Boost Essence with Hyaluronic Acid. No tingling or pain like other vitamin C products I've tried and I've been complimented on my skin a couple times since using it.

     

    Thanks for listening! If you like this podcast, you can really help us out by telling your friends, subscribing on iTunes, and leaving us a review – that’s how other’s will find us too.

    And if you'd like to ask a question or leave an idea for future podcasts you can call (541) 658-0215 to leave a voicemail and we'll talk about it on the air!

    For more from An Oregon Cottage, follow on Instagram @AnOregonCottage, Facebook, and Pinterest, and subscribe to the AOC newsletter.

    Missed previous episodes of An Oregon Cottage Podcast? You can listen to them here.

     

    Disclosure: affiliate links in this post will earn commission based on sales, but it doesn't change your price. Click here to read my full disclaimer and advertising disclosure.

    About Jami

    Since 2009 Jami Boys has been helping readers live a simple homemade life through whole food recipes, doable gardening, and easy DIY projects on An Oregon Cottage. From baking bread, to creating a floor from paper, to growing and preserving food, Jami shares the easiest ways to get things done. She's been featured in Cottages and Bungalows, Old House Journal, and First for Women magazines as well as numerous sites like Good Housekeeping, Huffington Post, and Apartment Therapy.

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