{"contentId":"1131007","authorDomain":"ap2398"}

Woman to Decorate Stump After Tree Axed

Thu Nov 29, 2007 5:17 PM EST

us-news, odd-news, odd, christmas, tree, axed, mary-moran

CORVALLIS — Mary Moran figures she'll turn that 3-foot stump in her front yard into a Christmas statement of sorts. Moran awoke Wednesday to find that a long-needled pine the family had decorated for years was cut down and stolen during the night.

The family planted the pine 10 years ago, and it had grown to 15 to 20 feet high.

"The neighbors and grandkids really looked forward to the tree being lit up," Moran said.

She said the thief probably had chosen the house at the end of a dark cul-de-sac and brought a truck to cart away the tree, which an arborist valued at as much as $1,500.

And the thief had fastidiously taken the lights from the tree, draping them on rocks around the tree's raised bed.

"I'm probably going to string the lights around the base of it and just light the base of it," she said.

___

Information from: Gazette-Times, http://www.gtconnect.com

{"contentId":"1131007","authorDomain":"ap2398"}

Enjoy this article? Help vote it up the 'Vine.

Published to:

Associated Press's Column, All of Newsvine
Groups: none
Regions: United States , Eugene

Public Discussion (1)

{"commentId":1229342,"authorDomain":"starker42"}

Angie G

Well, that's a little cheesy. Lighting up a tree stump... it's terrible that people steal this time of year, but at least they kindly undecorated it for her first. Most theives would have hacked it down and taken off with the lights breaking all over the street.

In any case, I'd rather get a new tree and continue the tradition with the kids, to teach them about forgiveness and renewal. Better that than decorating a dead stump, as if to say, "Look kids, look what we don't have anymore, what was stolen. Gaze upon our lit-up stump, the remainder of our glorious tree that someone took. Go ahead and cry as you remember what we no longer have!" Just get a new tree instead!

{"commentId":1229342,"threadId":"183189","contentId":"1131007","authorDomain":"starker42"}