suns along the Mohawk

 – this posting has photos of the 2011 tree, from selection to erection, decoration and lighting, plus a complete Slideshow below –

  update (7 AM Dec. 5, 2011):  The lighting ceremony and refreshment party were inspiring and a lot of fun yesterday evening — another special tradition for and by our special community.

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 . . . the 2011 Stockade Christmas Tree: [L] trimmed and ready for lighting (Dec. 4, 2011) & [R] still beautiful the morning after (sunrise Dec. 5, 2011) . . .

– the 2011 Stockade Tree is especially tall  (click for larger version) –

– see the 2010 Tree and the 2009 Tree –

– plus, arrival of the 2012 Holiday Tree & the 2013 Tree –

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– 2011 Stockade Tree seen standing tall at sunrise, December 2 –

– click on a photo for a larger version –

– update (Dec. 1, 2011):  After a crew of City workers installed it next to Lawrence yesterday (Wednesday, Nov. 30.), Connie Colangelo and friends decorated the new Stockade tree.  As you can see directly below in photos taken at sunrise, the tree tilted a bit due to strong overnight winds.

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– by this afternoon, the tree was upright again, with a few more bows; the tree lighting is Sunday at 5 PM –

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– in search of the 2011 Holiday tree –

  Thanks to our Stockade neighbor — and Stockade Association director — Susannah Hand, the NYS Tree Nursery at Saratoga (on Facebook) is donating this year’s Stockade Holiday-Christmas tree.  Susannah works at the 200-acre Nursery on Rt. 50, and she arranged for a tour for Stockade residents that took place on Thursday, November 17.  Mary D’Alessandro (Association President), Connie Colangelo (Tree Maven), Sylvie Briber (Spy editor) and myself (humble, un-affiliated tag-along) were the only Stockade residents lucky enough to take part in the tour.  To my surprise, we not only got to see this year’s Tree, we got to select it.

. . . top of 2011 Stockade Tree on site at the Tree Nursery . . .

Due to another one of my “Senior Moments” (a/k/a Boomer-Brainos), I forgot to bring my camera.  So, we can thank Susannah for yet another aspect of this story: she took the photos with her iPhone of our group choosing the tree, pressed into service unexpectedly under a very bright sun.  You can see the selection process and Susannah’s photos in this Slideshow; read more about the Saratoga Tree Nursery in the upcoming December Spy, and join in the celebration at the Tree Lighting Ceremony on Sunday December 4.  After the Slideshow, I’ve inserted images of our 2009 and 2010 trees in the Lawrence Circle.

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.. Slideshow photos at the NYS Tree Nursery taken by Susannah Hand, Nov. 17, 2011 . .

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– 2010 Stockade tree (L) and 2009 Stockade Holiday tree –

– see more photos of the 2010 tree here –