No snow at least

Snow has been falling in Central Illinois, and I check the back weather page of the morning paper for the forecast. Low fifties here in Northern Virginia, but I see the Peoria area is two color bands below in the thirties. It always seems to be at least ten degrees cooler back there; the weather front seems to warm a bit after crossing some mountains before it arrives here, reminding me of my Pacific West Coast December weather: rain & daytime temperatures ABOVE the freezing point.

If I want snow I can drive into the mountains. I remember someone described snow in the Williamette Valley this way: "I go to the snow when I want snow, the snow doesn't come to me."

Christmas without Doug Fir trees

I've been searching online for local u-cut tree farms, etc. The selection available seems to be the Norway Spruce & Scotch Pine which grow all over the place out here, and the Canaan Fir of which I'm not familiar. But I'm looking for a genuine Doug Fir; forget the traditional Noble Firs shipped around the world, I'll take a scrawny Doug Fir all the same. I miss those trees, and I think having one in our living room would alleviate my homesickness which seems to manifest after all the trees have dropped their leaves and the temperature drops below freezing at night.

I remember, growing up, the wind & rain would sweep in from the Pacific during late Autumn, blowing down a big Doug Fir or two in our back yard, and after the storm my father would cut off the top eight feet to install in our living room as a Christmas tree (the rest of the tree would be cut up & split for the following Winter firewood supply). We never had snow, just rain on Christmas, or coastal fog, but I miss it all the same. After two Winters endured in Central Illinois I don't care much for snow anymore.