A Christmas Tree from "Down the Creek"

Down the Creek. Photo courtesy Aimee Leary Rowe.

Aimee Leary Rowe is the daughter of Sharon Leary and the late Benny Charles Leary.  Aimee, along with her husband William and two sons live in Lowland. As the only child of Benny Charles and Sharon, Aimee was both daughter and son.  Not only did she do all those things that girls do growing up, she also had to do the "boy things".  Hunting, crabbing, and trapping were included.  Aimee has shared a Christmas story.  Enjoy!

     One Christmas, Mama told Daddy that she needed the Christmas Tree out of the attic.  I overheard Daddy mumble that he had traps to set and things to do; he'd do it later.  I've always said that Daddy wasn't happy unless he was down the creek or stomping through the marsh.  Daddy left in his little Datsun truck, high tailing it to what ever made him happy.  As he pulled out of the driveway Mama said, "I guess we won't have a Christmas Tree."
     Growing up, I enjoyed looking through all our picture albums. I remember coming across Christmas photos of Daddy's family, the Learys.  Pictures of Christmas' that were taken before I was born. I came across one picture.  It was probably taken in the late 1960's.  It was a Christmas picture and the only child in it was David, son of Uncle Roland Jr and Aunt Ila. David was the first grandchild in the Leary family.   In this picture I noticed that the Christmas tree was real and looked as if it came straight out the woods. So, when Daddy came home, I approached him with the idea of going" down the creek" to look for our own live Christmas Tree. Of course, he agreed.
     So bright and early the next morning, we bundled up and headed out. I thought we would be looking for a tree and heading home. Nope, we were looking for otter crossings.  We had to set traps. We then had to set nets. Finally, after all these tasks, we began looking for a tree.  I remember we looked and looked and looked. I knew we had to bring home the perfect tree or Mama would say, "See you should've gotten the one out of the attic."
      Finally, we found a tree! I was a first timer at picking out trees. I thought me and Daddy had done pretty good.  When we drove up to the house with the tree hanging out the bed of the truck, Mama was standing on the back porch with her hands in her hips.  I knew by her expression that she was thinking, 'good heavens'. Me and Daddy unloaded and set the tree up. In my mind, I was thinking, it was the ugliest tree on earth and I knew Mama thought the same thing. She never voiced it but our feelings were mutual. I heard Daddy say, "Sharon there you go. She's all yours!" All  I could see was Mama setting fire to it.  But, she never said a word.  We got busy and decorated the ugliest tree on Goose Creek Island.
     When you're young, Christmas trees are exciting. It doesn't matter how big, how small or how ugly. The tree was confirmation that Santa would be on his way.
     I will never forget that Christmas. Because that was the ONLY year that we ever had a live "from down the creek" Christmas Tree.

Merry Christmas from Aimee Leary Rowe and her family, William, Charles, Aaron and mother Sharon.