Montana Ponderosa Pine Needle Basket: A Labor of Love for Family and Friends

You have our permission to use it.

Of course you can

@Dallas @Ferg
THANK YOU!!🥹🙏
Once I get it updated, I'll leave a message here🥰

You’ll have my permission if I ever get you a picture🤦🏼‍♂️

Sounds good.

Of course you can use my picture!😁

@David itd be an honor.

Nothing was better than seeing, feeling and hearing a big ponderosa hit the ground out cutting firewood.

@Chuck Lol....I am thankful that I have patience...and
I'm often S L O W anyway. 😄 So you're good, my dear friend!

@David
Thank you David! I'll be back late next week hopefully, once I have the site fixed. 😁

@Coyote They are amazing trees, aren't they!!

We were caretakers of an estate south of Hamilton Hamilton, MT. Some of their trees got hit hard with beetles, and we had to cut down, cut up, and burn so many. Hard work! Respect to you! The trees are my favorite though! Do you have beetle issues where you are?

@Lisa I thought the Mountain Pine beetle primarily killed lodgepole pine trees.

@Lisa you can absolutely use ours however you see fit as soon as I get you one. Kinda like Chuck... The flowers up here in the Bighorns will explode soon, and I will get some pic to you. Take care, T.J. and Tiffany

@Lisa about 6 years back we had a bark beetle problem but the forest seemed to recover. I’ve cut down ponderosa so big you couldn’t hope to get your arms around cause there was another 3 feet between your hands. In fact this certain tree at antelope lake where I used to live was a big ponderosa. Every single time I passed on the way to the fishin spot I’d touch it and say hey I’m back again and ask it if I could catch some fish. I’m hoping for a not good winter cause I go back to visit every November to visit my friends and if I ever can make it to the lake I intend to go touch that tree and say hi, sorry it’s been so long since I’ve been back hit I told you I’m living to Nevada and I don’t know how long it will take me to come back and say hi. Yes I talk to a tree at a lake.

@Dallas We cut down many Ponderosa Pine trees that were beetle killed. If I come across any photos, I'll share them😉

@T.J. Sounds awesome, TJ! Thank you!🤗

@Coyote Love it!! I'm sure the tree senses you. 😇
I have a photo somewhere of me hugging a HUGE Ponderosa pine tree. I've looked and looked for it, but can't find it. I took it in 2012 when I was up on top of one of the mountains we were exploring.
You'll have to take a photo of your tree once you get there again.

@Lisa someday I will. Let me tell you how it all started. I was walking to the fishing spot and looked at this tree I seen many times. Only I look at this particular pattern in the bark and think hey that looks like my hand with my fingers together, extended and thumb along side my palm. So I walked up to the tree and put my hand on it and it fit inside the pattern. I said hey looks like you’ve been waiting for me. After a long dry spell, which happens fishing one day I touched the tree and said do you think I can catch some fish this time, and I did. From that day forward I’ve never not touched that tree and asked if I could catch some fish. When going home I touch it again and say see you next time I’m here.

@Lisa there was a fire and the burn map showed the burn all the way to the water. I almost got sick thinking my tree is gone. And also how weird it is I moved and the tree is gone course I’m not there to touch it anymore. Luckily I’ve been told the fire did not make it to the lake and my tree is fine.

We were delighted with the basket and so was Mom, and had a beautiful time celebrating her birthday. We appreciate all your hard work @Lisa!

@Coyote I absolutely love that story!! I smiled and laughed and then thought, "oh no!!🔥🌲🔥
I sure hope you can get back there and see! You sound just about as tree crazy as me!! Lol.
I have a horrific time throwing away apple seeds, lol, because every time I see them....I think, "How many apples can come from that one seed if it gets planted?!" @Focus I was blessed Mark took one of my trees and Dad took 2 of my apple trees (from one of my times of growing them from seeds I couldn't toss). I actually save seeds....I love to.
Anyway, I'm going astray here. But pleaseeeee remember to take a photo if you ever get back to your tree. I don't plan to ever leave GoWild, so I'm 55 now and praying the Lord keeps me healthy and around for many more decades. So in other words, you have time. 😁 but hurry! Lol

@Alana Your message makes me so happy, Alana! Your Mom is such a treasure! I've been emailing her a few times tonight and I have to say that I have a new friend in her!🥰

@Lisa I will do my absolute best to remember. I’ll try to put it in my head that seeing where input my hand will remind me to take pictures. I’m 53 and I don’t plan on going any time soon either.

@Coyote Awesome!!

June 7, 2023

To those I made baskets for.....I just uploaded the lovely photo of Dallas's wife, Kandi onto the website, my Mom, the fantastic Schrock family photo, and our buddy David Nowakowski.
I won't publish it (meaning changes can't be seen until I do) until probably the end of this week, so you still have some time. If you're able to put it on your to-do list for this week...that would be awesome!
If time just won't allow for this, but maybe later....I'll put on my "hunting patience," and wait. 😉

THANKS EVERYONE!!🙏 The page looks so much better with everyone's beautiful smiles!🙏