Spruce

Which branch should I choose?

A little bare in the middle but still cute enough.

This branch sprouted on the east side of the tree but definitely wanted to be a western branch.

I don't think it's gonna fit inside the house.

I decided to go really green this Christmas season and use part of the black spruce tree next to my house.  This spruce is old and diseased and isn't growing normally.  Several branches have grown out and straight up. I walked around and around the tree several times trying to pick the best branch to be my Christmas tree.  This tree has more than one branch growing straight up.  The upright branches are tall and tight together so it was hard to see.  The one I chose was higher than I thought it was.  I had to climb the spruce tree to reach the bottom where I could saw it off.  Muttering to myself that it might have been a better idea to drive to the local boy scout tree stand, I climbed the spruce tree.  I found a branch thick enough to support me.  I knelt on the branch with one leg and brought my other leg up to stand on it.  This is no easy task for an arthritic old lady such as myself and I looked around to see that no one was watching. I haven't climbed a tree for I don't know how many years.  I maneuvered myself closer to the trunk and removed the smaller branches that were in my way.  I made the cut fairly easily and thought I was done but the branch just hung there.  I tugged and it would not come down any more than six inches.  I climbed down the tree to pull the branch down but found even the bottom was way above my head.  I climbed back up the tree and wiggled that tree to the north, south, east and west.  Every time I looked up to see if I made progress snow fell into my eyes. I had sticky sap on my forehead and on my coat.  This spruce was not letting go easily.  The branch wasn't budging.  I climbed down again to get some rope out of the garage.  Again I climbed up the spruce tree to tie the rope around the trunk.  After ten minutes of tugging the branch came down. I spent the next ten minutes tugging it out from under the tree and into the yard so I could cut it down to size.  The tree had a 3 feet bare spot.  Should I cut it above the bare spot and have a table top tree or cut it longer and have a Charlie Brownish tree?  I decided to go for the Charlie Brownish effect.  I estimated the height of my vaulted ceiling and cut the trunk.  I put it in the tree stand and wrestled it up the deck steps and put it by the patio door.  I noticed the tree was 3 feet higher than the peak of the house.  Astonished at how inaccurately I guessed I took it out of the tree stand and cut another three feet off the bottom.  Once inside the house the tree bends to the side against the ceiling for about 5 inches.  My Christmas tree is big and bare in the middle but, by golly, it's unique, fresh, and priced right!