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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1987-12-23, Page 19from page 18 the feel of it, the color of it and the way it made the meadow look so white. But he had nobody to talk to. The birds left and the little animals didn't come around as often. Some of them dug holes in the ground and disappeared. A large tear started to form and rolled down one of Picky's little branches. Then it hardened and turned into gum. It seemed like forever and, while he was just sitting there one day, Picky noticed that the sun was getting warmer. The snow was starting to melt. ,He heard a stirring next to him. "Andy the Apple Tree ! " he cried. "Oohhh..." Andy yawned, "where have I been?" It was spring. Andy's little leaves started growing again. And then Willard the Wild Cherry Tree woke up, too. Picky was`so happy he didn't care that he had needles instead of leaves. His friends were back. They spent another glorious Sun.imer and the only bad time was when a terri- ble machine drove up, spewing exhaust fumes that made the three little trees eyes water, It was a car and people out looking for fruit. "Nothing here," they said, and away they went, more fumes left behind them. "That certainly is a terrible smell," Andy said. Picky and Willard agreed with him. The birds were back, the animals came up from out of the ground. "Please don't leave me again," Picky said to his friends. "We won't," they promised. But they did, as soon as fall came again. Picky spent another winter alone, unable to sleep, more tears running down his branches to make pine gum. They came back again with the sun and the spring and Picky was the happiest tree in the forest. There was a change in his friends, though. Picky had tried and tried and still couldn't grow a leaf. He was covered with picky needles. Andy and Willard grew their leaves. again and then, for the first time. hrnkP GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1987—PAGE 19 The Christmas saga of Pick the Pine Tree out in the most beautiful, sweet-smelling blossoms. "Look at me, Picky," laughed Andy the Apple Tree. "I'm covered with flowers, I have leaves and you're still covered with those picky needles." Another tear rolled down one of Picky's branches. Willard the Wild Cherry Tree laughed. at Picky too and another tear appeared. The blossoms were breathtaking and pure and another of those horrible automobiles showed up one day. This was a bigger one, even more foul-smelling, called a bus and many, many people came strolling through the field with cameras. "Oh look at the beautiful apple tree and wild cherry tree!" a lady cried. They gathered around the three trees and the people took pictures of one another with the blossoms. "Be careful of that pine tree in the middle," one man said. "Those needles are sharp." The people didn't see it, but another tear trickled down one of Picky's branches, turning into gum. "I had 22 pictures taken!" Andy boasted when the people had left. "And I had 18!" smiled Willard. "How many people took your picture, Picky?" they asked. "None," he said, another tear moving down another branch. As the summer wore on, Andy and Willard realized they had more in com- mon with one another and they started to ignore Picky. Andy the Apple Tree would flutter his leaves to talk to Willard, the Wild Cherry Tree without going through Picky who now stood taller and straighter than both of them. Andy and Willard's branches grew straight out, stumpy -like and Picky kept growing, his needles reaching for the sky. Now he had to shout down at them if he wanted to talk. Sometimes, though, they wouldn't even answer him. Great red apples hung from Andy's branches. Round solid wild cherries hung from Willard. Andy stayed green. He only had needles. His bran- ches, covered with tear -gum, reached up and odt. More bad -smelling cars carne in the fall and the people picked the apples from and the wild cherries from W. :rd. "Be careful of th pine tree," another Suddenly he felt very giddy and a little and Willard could be here." ._ person said. "Tho 'e needles hurt." bit dizzy and he started to topple over. Picky the Pine Tree stood straight and They sat on a blanket and had a picnic. Swoosh... he landed gently on his side tall throughout the holiday season and, When they left with their baskets of ap- in fresh snow. The 'w.... idled Picky when they turned on his lights at night, pies and cherries, they left their soft behind him did they`' ed him on top of a he was so proud, shivers went up and drink cans and bottles behind them. car. They dive past ►laces that Picky down his trunk. Andy and Willard went to sleep again. had never seen before. roots. He couldn't bend over to pick them all of this," Picky said to hiAnd then, just after New Years, Picky Picky, standing his loney vigil, left "Oh, I wish Andy the Apple Tree and started to get sleepy for the first time in broken glass cutting through one of his Willard the Wild Cherry Tree could see his life. His needles were .dry and relaxed himself.and they started to fall on the floor, just up and it hurt very much. They drove Ap .o a little farm house like Andy's and Willard's leaves. Picky and the fa, ter to' k Picky down from the car and m inside. was happier than he had ever been in his life. "Mom y! Mommy!" the little girl He was closing his eyes, dozing off, cried. " e found the perfect Christmas when he heard the little girl ask her tree!" father: The f . ,�L stood Picky in a corner of "Daddy, why don't Christmas trees t e liv�ro� and Picky prickled all have leaves and why are they always o at t e w nderful feeling he go 'from green?" the fla the fireplace. They put an angel on his head, hung, "The pine tree," he said, "is very That evening they dressed Picky up. special. We call them evergreens, which means they are the same color all year streamers on him and put a string of round." "But why don't they have blossoms like lights around him. Then they piled gifts at his feet. Picky the Pine Tree had apple trees or wild cherry trees?" she never felt so elegant, so useful, or so asked. happy. "They weren't meant to," he said. Oh, if only Andy and Willard could see "Different trees are beautiful in different him now! He was no longer just a tall ways. Did you ever see a tree that looked gawky pine tree with needles. Picky was more beautiful than our perfect the most colorful tree there ever had Christmas tree?" been. "Never!" she said. He smelled the turkey and stuffing and "Trees, like people," he said. cranberry sauce when the little girl and 'sometimes have to wait longer than her parents had Christmas dinner. He others to be discovere of fully heard her happy laughter as she ripped appreciated." open the gifts that were piled at his feet. "What you mean is a tree is a tree and And, in the middle of the night, he met there is room for all of them," she said. an old man with a red quit and a white "Exactly," he said. "Just like people." beard who was the happiest old man he Picky smiled the biggest smile a pine had ever seen. This man came in a tree can smile. He dosed his eyes, dropp- sleigh, pulled by animals with horns that ing off to sleep for the first time in his Picky had never seen in the forest. They life, wishing Andy the Apple Tree and didn't smell like the automobiles. Willard the Wild Cherry Tree could "Oh," he said to himself. "I wish Andy understand. "They shouldn't have left those things here," , he said to himself. The next summer was even worse. An- dy and Willard did not talk to Picky at all. He was too tall now, anyway, and they made jokes because Picky couldn't grow leaves, blossoms, or bear fruit. Picky was very hurt. He kept making more tear -gum. He couldn't understand his two friends ignoring him this way.. Certainly, he was different from them. But, after all, he was a tree. He drank the same water from the soil, loved the same sunshine. When their blossoms had turned into fruit, their leaves turned brown and their leaves fell again, "Picky watched as they both went to sleep and prepared himself for another lonely winter. The snow was especially white and everything was peaceful. It didn't hurt nearly as much being alone in the winter as it did in the summer. "Daddy! Daddy!" a little girl cried. "That's it! That's the perfect tree-" Picky watched hall asleep, as the little girl and her father crossed the snowy field toward them. "Hmmm..." he thought, "I wonder if they're talking about Andy or about Willard?" "That's the one I want!" the little girl said. "I've never seen such a perfect tree." "My goodness," Picky said to himself, half -smiling, "They almost look as if they're pointing at me." The father had a saw and he walked straight up to Picky. "You're right," he said to his daughter, "This will be a perfect Christmas tree." He started to saw at Picky's trunk and Picky started to laugh because it tickled. It was also stopping the pain where the broken glass was cutting into his root. Resident wished speedy recovery Euchre parties will commence again on Tuesday, January 5 at 8 p.m. at the Com- munity Hall. Mr. Harold Baechler is a patient in St. Josephs Hospital in London where he under- went eye surgery on Sunday. He is wished a speedy recovery. Sympathy is extended to Mr. and Mrs. Jim Glousher and family on the death of her father John Snyder in Stratford Hospital in his 76th year. He was a former resident of the Auburn area. He also farmed at RR 5 Goderich a few years ago. Recent visitors with Mr. and Mrs. Tom Jardin were Mr. and Mrs. Doug Robertson of Brampton,. Mrs. Annie Robertson of Meaford, Mr. Paul Jardin and Mr. Donald Jardin bother of Kitchener. Pastor Jim and Lorraine Carne were very surprised at a pastor and wife appreciation night held at the home of John and Helen Baumback in Port Albert. They were reci- pients of a dishwasher and a microwave stand. Recent visitors with Pastor and Mrs. Carne were Miriam Carne, Stoney Creek, and Chem acey of Fruitland Ontario. Women's Institute On December 18 at 12 noon, the Communi- ty Hall was beautifully decorated for their Christmas meeting. The committee was Marion Haggitt, Erma Cartwright and Viola Raithby. The president, Mrs. Len Archambault welcomed 12 members and four guests. The Ode, Mary'Stewart Collect and Grace open- ed the meeting. Everyone enjoyed a pot . luck dinner. Ruth Jardin led for the singing of the carols and told the origin of some. Roll call was donations to the children's aid society and each one gave a Christmas tradition. Marian Haggitt read a poem en- titled "Christmas 1987." Viola Raithby read "What Priceless Gift." Card report was given by Lillian Leatherland. Erma Cart- wright read "Special Christmas" and "Christmas as we knew it." Prizes were given to Martha Daer for the most Christmas cards received, Eppie Lawrence for the anniversary closest to that day and Sherri Cartwright being all ready for Rath ell -National Realty Inc. 8 Huron Street, P 0. Box 1060 Clinton 482-3981 e"elm d and all the best C for a prosperous New Year AUBURN Mildred Lawlor, 526.-7589 Christmas. The meeting closed with the singing of the Queen. Church service Rev. Dave Snihur conducted the Christmas service and the senior choir opened the service with beautiful Christmas carols under the direction of Lori Millian. "Joy to the world" and "The first noel" were sung followed by the announcments. The fourth. candle for Advent, the candle of the wisemen, was lit by Susan and Gail Dobie. The children's time consisted' of a children's band. They were each given' an instrument and they sang "Jingle Bells" and "Happy Birthday Dear Jesus" followed by prayer. The junior choir sang an anthem under the direction of Mrs. ALlan Webster and Mrs. Gordon. Gross as pianist. Scrip- tures were read followed' by the prayer chorus, prayer of thanksgiving and' concern. The senior choir sang "Go tell it on the mountain." The minister's sermon was entitled "The gifts we give." He said to first buy yourself a gift and then two gifts for God. The offering was received by Bob Worsell and Larry Plaetzer followed by the of- feratory response. The hymn "Angel from the realcfa of glory" was also sung. The ster pronounced the benediction. Institute plans dinner party Myrtle Kerr, Lois Lee and Beth Rutledge, branch directors for the Dungannon Women's Institute, planned the Christmas dinner at the Candlelight, Dec. 3, for the > members and their guests. After dinner, a short business meeting and program was held. There were 39 ladies and guests who answered the roll call with a $3 donation to Family and Children's Services, and a Christmas verse. Christmas greetings from the Home - i bound, Clinton and the Wingham Home- bound were received. A sing -song was conducted by Louis Lee, accompanied by Roberta Linskill on piano. Following .their selection of Christmas CarelkRoberta played an aceordian solo. --The--br.ch directors were thanked by Willetta McWhinney for planning the Christmas party. President Elmira also thanked the directors and closed the meeting with a Christmas poem. ALL POINTS REALTY INC. Goderich 5242111 THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS This year many people found homes through Bill Clifford Real Estate. Our sales representatives and staff would like to say T' anks, Season's G.. `:ngs, and all the best h 1 1988. • ••• Marianne Mcisaac Bill Clifford Pat Norman BROKER .n� Enid Bell Doug Bill Brown a1 •v Mol 53 West Street. G c erieh. Ontario. 524-7316 FARMS q- RESIDENTIAL — VACATION -- COMMERCIAL RURAL Jack Cummings