Monday, December 8, 2008

Each year our small town of Gardiner has an evening of caroling followed by the town tree lighting and hot cocoa.This year the Gardiner Association of Businesses (GAB) added The Trees of Giving to the festivities. Members of GAB registered to compete in a tree decorating competition. Needless to say,this week I have been working behind the scenes putting together a tree for the event. Working within the size guidelines and the call for each tree to represent ones business, I got painting. The theme for my tree..."HiHo the center of the hamlet". I did quick thumbnails of the buildings in town and proceeded to simplify them in paint on ornaments. Time was a factor.


WORK IN PROGRESS ON TUESDAY

Bryan stopped by the shop the evening of the event with Humphrey's favorite girl, Audi. Dawn, my friend from the barber shop across the street joined Everett and I in lighting 100...that's right one hundred luminaries, that lined the way for the carolers. At seven o'clock crowds of people lined the street singing in the holiday season, it's so nice to be proud of the community you live in.

BRYAN WITH AUDI AND HUMPHREY
I'm sorry I don't have a shot of the street lit up, but I was in the moment. The Trees of Giving portion of the evening was after the tree lighting. People gathered inside the Town Hall to view 18 trees, they are wonderful. The trees are on display all this week and you may vote for your favorite by placing non perishable food products in boxes under each tree. Hence the name Trees of Giving! The Town Hall is open from 9 to 4.
EVERETT AND HUMPHREY
WITH THE HIHO TREE