Nativity

I miss my collection of Nativity sets.  We actually have a Christian book store here and they sell Nativity sets.  But they look very "American" and cost $36.  I might pay that much for a set that looked Indonesian but I won't pay that much for a set that looks like I bought it at Walmart.  So I decided to make my own.  Those of you that know me, understand how that could be quite a joke.  But..... I found instructions for a paper set in my favorite magazine Life:Beautiful.  I will put in a plug for the magazine right here.  It is a beautiful Christian magazine.  I found it a couple of years ago at Walmart, of all places.  I love it. 

 



















The instructions for the Nativity were pretty easy if I can do them.  I just had to photocopy the patterns, trace them onto cardstock and cut them out.  I haven't made the "stable" yet.  It's a little more complicated.  I'll have to work up some umph before I tackle it. 

I was relieved not to have shepherds, wise men and angels to make also.  That might have been too daunting a task for me. But I managed the main characters. 

 

Well, that's all from me for this time. Hope you are enjoying decorating for the holidays.  Enjoy the cold weather for me, ok?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Street vendors

Two Sundays without a post.  Did you notice?  :o) Excuse #1:  Last week the power was out when I got home from church and stayed off til five.  Excuse #2: The week before that.... hmm, don't remember.  Laziness perhaps.

Last Saturday, I spent some time at the Underhill's home.  I hadn't been there long when I heard some kind of whistling noise outside.  I asked about it and was informed it was the man who sold some rice concoction.  I don't remember the name for it right now. 

Since the Underhills were going to buy some of these rice things, I got a chance to have a cultural experience. 

Let me try to briefly explain what happens.  A gentleman brings his "store" with him on the back of his motorcycle to a neighborhood.  The whistling sound, which attracts customers, was the steam coming from his "stove."  (A lot of  " " in this post.)  The procedure:  he scoops a bit of green rice from his drawer and stuffs into hollow bamboo tubes.  A layer of "brown sugar" goes in next topped with another layer of green rice.  He sets these bamboo containers onto  a little hole on his "stove" so they will steam.  Once he thinks they are done, he takes them off and pushes the rice cylinders out with his handy stick.  He tops it off with a generous sprinkling of coconut and voila - green rice things.  I made myself eat one - I reasoned that the steaming surely would kill any germs, right?? It actually wasn't bad and I didn't end up with dysentery .

 

 That's all for this Sunday.  Grading and lesson plans are calling my name.