Evergreens, ever important

By CONNIE MERTZ

More than any other time of year, our thoughts are now focused on evergreens.

We want that perfect Christmas tree to reflect a part of us. Homemade ornaments and keepsake specialties are handled with care. Some of our personal ornaments were made by tiny hands over 20 years ago and, though showing the wear of time, they remain part of our decorations. Still others came from special people at special occasions. A Christmas tree isn’t for showing off. It’s for reliving all those wonderful memories of years gone by.

I love pines. I love their smells and I love to hear the wind whisking through their branches. I love to gather pinecones and boughs for centerpieces; somehow it adds to the holiday decor to have the evergreen scent indoors. Christmas truly is a holiday to accent pines.

There’s another reason I admire pines. They have stood for centuries, producing life-saving qualities, often ignored by the holiday crowd. Pines have saved countless people from starvation. For instance, the inner bark and needles supply rich amounts of vitamin C, essential for survival. Because other vitamin C producing plants die off during winter, the pine continued to provide the life-saving vitamin for Indian tribes and early settlers until spring.

Pines are also medicinal. Various parts of the pine provided treatments for colds, coughs, headaches, sore throats, cuts and bruises. The Indians were the experts and they knew exactly what part of the pine to use for ailments.

Pines also provide pinecone seeds for songbirds, mice, red squirrels and a host of wildlife winter’s critters. They also provide cover—from the tiniest spider who seeks seclusion under a pine branch to the porcupine who can remain in pines while a winter storm is raging overhead. Owls, hawks, jays and doves gather warmth from a stand of pines. The low swooping boughs protect the deer, grouse and pheasants.

Pines are more than holiday treats. Sometimes we need to be reminded how important they really are.

Did you know Martin Luther is said to have first thought of the Christmas tree when he was inspired by seeing the stars shining through pine boughs?