Christmas past

I was putting away my nativity scene yesterday.  I love getting it out and putting it away, it gives me a chance to look at and hold each piece.  This year I put it on the shelf below Susan Cook's wonderful painting of the ranch.  The colors in the painting and the colors on the figures were wonderful together, and I think the palm trees provided a great background.  The pine trees were all made by my dad, on an old lathe in his shop in Gunlock.  I noticed this year that several of the delicate tips have been broken, I hope he knows the damage just came from loving use.  I especially love the tree with the brown trunk. 

 Dad made a lot of the trees, and gave them away to family and friends when they admired them.
They make the scene uniquely ours.

What a magical set of people and animals.
What a part of my Christmas these figures are.

 The stable was also made by Dad, with a small shelf for the owl to perch on.

The oldest of my pieces are 48 years old.  On my 13th birthday my parents and brother gave me Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus, and our friends Ruth and Dana gave me a king and his helper.

I'm sure it was Ruth who gave my parents the idea to start a set for me because Ruth had a set of her own made by the same woman in Germany.

  Over the years, for birthdays and Christmas I was given more pieces.  Each in a little decorative paper bag with a drawstring.  Only one paper bag remains, they became softer and softer and finally wore out. But the figures have survived being arranged by all three of the kids and now the grandsons.  My Uncle Clark used them as inspiration for a set of his own and carved animals for my children as well.  Only wonderful memories come to me when I look at these figures.  Only wonderful.