HAPPY HOLIDAYS

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THE PETE RETELLE CLASSIC: WEEK 14

It's the last week of the regular season and the competition is fierce for the last two playoff spots. With TST and FDF securing spots 1 and 2 weeks ago, the remaining two are still uncertain for Saskachewan, Foster Boys (aka Papa Bri), Dome Rockers and MHD (who both need big wins this week to contend). Depending on who takes the Sas vs. FB matchup the 4th spot will go to overall points in the 7-6 position, which could be a problem for big boy Sas who scored a disappointing 58 points vs NI in week 12. Anything can happen on Sunday, but I'm betting on seeing TST, FDF, FB and DR in week 15.......

- teenage dream (nightmare)

THE PETE RETELLE CLASSIC: WEEK 10

Competition is heating up in the Peter Retelle Classic and with only 5 games left in the regular season, managers can practically smell the playoffs.

Strongly reclaiming second place, Saskatchewan once again proves that he belongs atop the leader board. Despite his #1 scorer Phillip Rivers having a bye this week, Saskatchewan will rely on an experienced receiving core led by Desean Jackson to lead him to victory over 9^th placed Brigade. Though Brigades record is lackluster, their more than capable of pulling out the big win, putting up 162 against DR in week 4. Brigade will be looking for her veteran line-up to come up big against an over-confident Saskatchewan.

In other match-ups, #8 teenage dream will continue to make the case that their a playoff contender, squaring off against #6 ranked Nancy Irby, who’s fallen slightly through the ranks. Fresh off a 2 game win streak, td looks to fill the newly acquired void at wr after the loss of Austin Collie, a primetime receiver. TD’s management will be put to the test, as she’s also faced with a shortage of capable rb’s, in a do or die blood bath with nr. NR expects their overall consistency, provided by wr Hakeem Nicks and rb Frank Gore to propel them to victory. It may be too early to suggest that the loser of this match will miss their shot at the ship, but coming back from a loss will certainly be no easy task.

T-Shirt Time peaked in the standings last week at #2, and is looking to reclaim such status after dropping to #4 this week. Despite a lackluster accumulation of total points, tt has a knack for pulling out key victory’s against formidable opponents. His resiliency will be put to the test this week, as he faces a strong contender for the playoffs in mad hung disease. Able to put up big numbers week after week, mhd is looking for consistent production amongst his elite wr’s. After a controversial win 2 weeks ago, tst wants to prove that they can take down a worthy opponent (that has a full starting line-up).

In the key match-up for week 10, First Down Finishers is playing Papa Brian turned Brad Loses, for his 6^th consecutive win! Fdf leads the league in total points, and is making the case that he’s a lock for the championship game. Led by wr Roddy White and rb Adrian Peterson, fdf has the confidence to go the distance. His opponent, bl comes off a rough week in which there was much disagreement amongst management. Apparently bl has resolved its issues after putting up the most points in the league for that week…. BL hopes for another big week from star receiver, 55 yr old Terrell Owens. It’s sure to be a heated match-up.

Vicks Killer Dogs has become quite the wild card in the Peter Retelle Classic, knocking off top ranked Saskatchewan in week 7 for their only win. After aquiring the team from Lee Retelle in a controversial take-over, vkd has made steady improvements, ultimately establishing a team which has the ability to deliver a blow to any team in the league. His opponent, Dome Rockers, hopes their not a victim of such a blow. DR has been flying under the radar, floating around between the #6 and #2 spot, currently residing at #3. Some say his team has fallen victim to over management, trading away top receiver Deasean Jackson and more recently Kyle Orton. Only time will tell. -The Commish

Thanks, Commish, for this thorough examination of the week 10 match ups... GOOD LUCK KIDS!

the pete retelle classic: week 9

Another exciting week in the PRC as pivotal matchups will begin to decide postseason ranks. The league’s top two teams (FDF and T-ST) battle for sole position of the top spot. T-ST’s low scoring team should struggle against the Danny Woodhead-led FDF, but that’s ok with manager cf. “If hatin’s your occupation, I’ve got a full time job for you” he says in response to the flack his team has received during their quiet rise to the top. The league’s next four powerhouses (DR vs. NI and mhd vs. Sas) should provide close games. DR and NI are coming off big wins last week, while mhd and Sas were on the losing end of week 8 games. td, coming off a big upset in the ‘domestic dispute bowl’ over mhd looks to keep the momentum going with a victory over her aunt Br, who was pummeled by her big sister NI last week. The ‘brother bowl’ (VKD vs. PB) may get coach Brian’s team back on track, depending if coach Rik remembers to change his lineup or not (thanks Rik, by the way). “The best team doesn’t always win” said coach Brian. We’ll see if his newly acquired fatherly wisdom holds true in week 9…

Thank you, CF, for sharing your point of view with us this week. May the best prevail.

the pete retelle classic: week 8

Although mhd managed to regain the lead in week 7 after a last minute win over brigade (thanks, dez bryant), expect the mighty 4 (mhd, saskachewan, nancy irby and dr) to fall yet again in week 8. Quiet climbers fdf and t-shirt time should continue to make things interesting in the top 4 on Sunday, and although vkd dominated last week vs. saskachewan, they'll need a last minute management scramble to pull together a solid lineup with several players facing bye's this week. The biggest upset will go to teenage dream over mhd, putting them at 3-4 and back in playoff contention in week 9.

RECENT JOB PICS

Check out Dan's stellar climbing skills...

HAPPY FALL :)

Thanks Aunt Jules for the great pic!!!

GOOD LUCK COLLEEN!

Our beautiful niece/cousin just left for France. She will be teaching English outside Toulouse for the next 8 months. We miss her already and wish her the happiest of travels!

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25 FOR $25

In case you missed it, check out Boston.com's 25 Things to do this Fall for under $25. The cheap recommendations include biking on the Reservations Ride and tips on where to take the family apple picking this fall.

Mark Wilson/Globe Staff

BABY KHLOE

now 8 pounds 1 ounce!

FROM THE ARCHIVES

GOING FOR A RIDE

TREEHOTEL

Located in the Boreal forest of Northern Sweden, this mirrored cube is (believe it or not) a hotel room! This Swedish "Treehotel" was built using eco-friendly materials and upon completion will include 24 separate rooms. Check out the full article and more images at Inhabitat.

CAMPING TRIP: COASTAL MAINE

MAGIC MONKEYS

Proof that will a little creativity and a lot of persistence we can accomplish things we never thought possible... check out the full article about these catapulting monkeys here.

KHLOE AT HOME

WELCOMING BABY KHLOE

We are so happy to share with you a new addition to our family: Khloe Elizabeth Retelle, 5 pounds 4 ounces, born 9:30 am on Wednesday, June 30th, 2010. Mom (Ayla), Dad (Brian) and baby are all doing great!

RTC ON CHANNEL 7

Storm damage clean up continues as we were filmed yesterday removing a huge tree from a customers front lawn by the team at Channel 7:

check out the video clip here (filed under 'storm clean up continues')

HAVE YOU MET LARRY YET?

He's our bearded dragon lizard and he loves to chill poolside...

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

Happy Father's Day! We love you, Dad. XOXO.

EVERYDAY FLOWER ARRANGEMENTS

more via Martha Stewart

STORM DAMAGE

Dear Loyal Retelle Tree Customers:
As you can imagine we are completely inundated with calls and emails regarding last weekends storm damage. We are trying to address each inquiry as quickly as possible and apologize if we have not gotten back to you yet. If you still need storm damage cleanup, or are looking for a quote for tree work, please feel free to follow up! We sincerely appreciate your patience during this busy time. Thank you for your business!
-all of us at Retelle Tree (including Sampson)

party pics

Al's 80th was a blast! Here are some pics:

AL'S TURNING 80!

This weekend we are celebrating our founder, Al Retelle! At 80 he can still be found gardening and landscaping around town. Al's 5 children and 13 grandchildren (not to mention many extended family and friends) will be celebrating this Sunday at 82 Bellevue Rd. We will share some party pictures next week... have a beautiful weekend!

on his wedding day

CHERRY TREES

[photo credit]

HGTV Green Home

This years HGTV Green Home is located right here in New England - in Plymouth, MA to be exact. Inspired by the coastal communities of Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, this home was constructed using only high grade sustainable materials, making it the second home in Massachusetts to achieve LEED Gold status. View the virtual tour or visit HGTV's Green Home website to enter the sweepstakes. The home is also open for tours, now through the summer. Green is gorgeous, don't you think?

all images from HGTV

PROFILE :: SNAPDRAGONS

Snapdragons grow in tall spikes, which are covered in small blossoms that bloom in a variety of bright colors. A single Snapdragon plant can produce up to seven or eight 'spikes' each summer and their height and light fragrance make them very popular both in garden beds and as cut flowers. In this region, Snapdragons are annuals that can generally be planted soon after the last frost. Happy Spring!

image via e-how

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK!

the Retelle Tree facebook page

DECORATING IDEA: FLOWERING BRANCHES

Why not try decorating your home with flowering branches this spring instead of traditional cut flowers? We love how natural they are and in most cases all it takes is a quick walk around the yard with a pair of snap cuts to find something pretty and interesting.

image via Shelter (and Fric and Frac)

DID YOU KNOW?

The world's oldest known living tree is a conifer* in Sweden whose roots date back over 9,500 years to the end of the last Ice Age. Read the story here.

image via National Geographic

*Conifer: any of numerous, chiefly evergreen trees or shrubs of the class Coniferinae, including the pine, fir, spruce, and other cone-bearing trees and shrubs, and also the yews and their allies that bear drupelike seeds.

MASTIFF FUN

PS this is not Sampson! Just a look-a-like :)

"I GOTTA FEELING... PATRIOTS IN THE SUPERBOWL!"

Ok... not this year, but if you've spent any time at our house you understand this sentiment! We're still hoping for a good game and will be making tons of snacks, such as this 'healthy' 7-layer dip, to celebrate. Have a great Superbowl weekend!

7-layer dip

- 1 16 oz can fat free spicy or zesty refried beans
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 avocado (mashed) or 1 cup prepared guacamole dip
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions
- 1 cup light sour cream
- 3 tbsp canned, drained, diced green chilis
- 1 1/2 seeded and chopped ripe vine tomatoes
- 4 oz shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
- 2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro leaves
- 1/2 cup sliced black olives

In a medium bowl mix together beans, lime juice, chili powder, cumin and garlic.

Spoon bean mixture into a 6 cup glass serving bowl or shallow platter. Using a spatula, spread bean mixture evenly to form a flat layer. Spread avocado mixture evenly over beans. Sprinkle green onions over the top.

In a small bowl mix sour cream and green chilis. Spoon mixture over green onions in a smooth layer. Add chopped tomatoes over the top.

In a second small bowl mix cheese with cilantro. Spread evenly over tomatoes. Sprinkle olives over the top to finish.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 1 day.

Recipe via.

10 USES FOR PLASTIC BAGS

At our house everything that can be recycled/re-used is - whether it's glass, plastic, aluminum cans, newspaper (for starting the woodstoves!) or plastic bags. Supermarkets will recycle your plastic bags if you return them on your next trip, but what to do when you end up with extras? Check out 10 other uses for reusing plastic bags here.

via Real Simple Magazine

TRAILER SOLD

Thanks for your inquiries!

EAGER BEAVER TRAILER FOR SALE

Know anyone looking for a trailer? We have a 1986, tri-axle, 9 ton Eager Beaver trailer for sale. Sandblasted, painted and new wood decking installed in 2005. Great condition. $2,500 or best offer. Call us at 978-475-0841 or email retelletree@gmail.com for more information.

EVELYN AND AL TAKE ON THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS!

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The founders of Retelle Tree Corp, Evelyn and Al Retelle, recently spent two weeks in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands scoping out the birds - such as this Blue Footed Booby - and wildlife there. If you missed the write-up in the Townsman, you can check it out here. You can also join Al and Evelyn for a presentation recounting their trip on February 8th at noon at the Andover Senior Center.

WINTER PRUNING ADVICE

"FEW external features enhance the value and attractiveness of a home more than its trees, those actually on the property as well as any street trees that might frame the setting. A careful program of pruning - whether through a a professional landscaper, in cooperation with the municipality or by one's own labors - is therefore not a luxury but an integral part of any prudent property maintenance program.

The healthier growth that follows pruning, professionals have found, can add privacy and shade, abate noise and even clean the air. Moreover, a neglected tree is more likely to snap in a storm, which can be hazardous.

Pruning is ideally, but not necessarily, done during the deep winter months, when deciduous trees are free of foliage, making them easier and safer to work on. The sap is not flowing, so there is less bleeding, and disease is not as rampant. It is also the time to shop for saplings to replace any dead trees or add new ones for spring planting, since business is slower in the winter and vendors can take more time with each inquiry."

Exerpt by Andree Brooks for the New York Times