Happy 12th Birthday, Baby Spruce!

Once upon a time, I wrote about Baby Spruce constantly. He was the star of the yard, the holiday centerpiece, the tree who could rock holiday lights better than any pine on Pinterest. Then life barged in, and somehow his story got buried under “real-world” chaos. But here we are — 12 years later — and Baby Spruce is still standing tall (well, short-but-mighty), still green, still thriving.

He started out as a rescue — a tiny two-twig dwarf Alberta spruce scooped up from a home improvement store. Not much more than a hopeful sprig with a lot to prove. And prove it he did.

This year he pulled off the biggest glow-up yet: Baby Spruce became a main character in my book Gnome Tree: Gnome Roots. 🌟 From ornamental shrub to literary legend, he’s proof that when life hands you needles, you make plotlines.

But Baby Spruce has always had a knack for going beyond the yard:

• ✉️ He once had his very own postcard exchange website (currently covered in a decorative layer of spiderwebs — his idea of digital tinsel).

• 🏎️ He even blogged on a long-ago NASCAR champion’s website, proving that speed and evergreens do mix.

• 🎃 He’s worn tiny ornaments like earrings.

• 🎄 He’s carried holiday baubles without complaint.

• 🐣 He’s been dressed for spring like he was headed to a woodland prom.

• ☀️ And this summer, while we melted in the humidity, he stood firm and serene, soaking it up like a spa day.

Sure, the decorating slowed down once life threw curveballs, but Baby Spruce didn’t need the costumes. He was always quietly becoming something more — the yard’s anchor, a book’s inspiration, and now a 12-year-old tree with a résumé that could rival a minor celebrity’s.

So here’s to you, Baby Spruce:
🌿 Guardian of the yard.
📖 Hero of gnome tales.
🌐 Former webmaster and blogger.
🎉 Survivor of every season (and humidity too!).
💚 The little rescue who grew from two twigs into something bigger than I ever imagined.

Happy Birthday, old friend. You’ve got deep roots and a starring role now — not bad for a dwarf spruce with holiday cosplay experience. 😉

✨ A word from the gnomes:
“Steady as ever, green as ever — Baby Spruce is more than a tree. He’s our council post, our shade, our reminder that even the smallest among us can hold the biggest stories. May his branches always whisper to those who listen.”