Putting away for another year

We returned yesterday to glorious sun in the city —and in time to go to an excellent lecture at an art gallery about the upcoming Seattle opera, reminding us why we live here.   Also came home to Christmas in our condo, which took some effort to put away…for another year… feels better now...

This is one of the 3 magi belonging to the Mexican creche that my aunt and uncle drove up to Chicago from Mexico in 1950…. rendered in mono as I’m learning to see everything anew, thanks to my Creative BW photo online course.   It’ll be fun to shoot some old familiar city sites in Mono…  I’m beginning to appreciate the artistic power of Black and white. :-) 


Never have been sure about these “kings” bringing gold, Frankincense, and myrrh to the Christ Child.  One could write a treatise about them…..and how many there were…but those 3 gifts seem to be agreed upon, all originating in or near Arabia.   I think this is supposed to be Balthazar, king of Egypt, on my favorite, the elephant ,bringing Myrrh.     Melchior, King of Arabia brings gold on a white horse and Gaspar, King of Sheba on a camel brings Frankincense .  They are old and fragile and have broken parts as you can see —the ear pieced together and a missing foot.   This is about 14” high i think  The granddaughters do like to unpack them at Christmas (not every year) —I think next year Ill replace their old original cardboard boxes with nice plastic ones to keep them in. -it's a very interesting and beautiful clay set. (see extra... the girls arranged them and Fiona added Mr and Mrs Santa--she also named all the shephards..Jesus's' "brothers and sisters..")

I do hope we're all here next year...fingers crossed...