![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM38vyuQxf_w0R5s4hJNeDr5KFdgPqaPkB8n8woWJCMrlKdTQ7AmM1VpTkrbpMYRXAO2XqXgg_AeTkL-YOv-it5njpgw7ZWCV8SFgb7vRkU8rb2ouQRolUKFwRRWW8O0qdvDk1NMDiQTj0/s200/slice.jpg) |
Today I join my fellow bloggers in "serving up a slice" to the Tuesday Slice of Life sponsored by
|
One of the perks of retirement is more time to do what I want to do. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to serve as a host at our Festival of the Nativities, a combined effort by many congregations in our area. While I have attended the festival in the past, I've never felt that I could spare the time to host. It was a delight to spend my first shift in the main hall and then spend my last two hours in the Children's Nativity Room before staying to enjoy a performance by the Total Experience Gospel Choir. This event is free and open to the public. As a host, I learned a few important details . . .
# of nativities displayed - 544
# of Christmas trees - more than 100
# of poinsettias - 350 (give or take a few)
and the location of some important items on the scavenger hunt created for families with children.
I spent a large portion of my time in the main hall looking for zebras in nativities. There were supposed to be four, but I found five. Once I started looking for zebras, I was delighted to find many other unusual animals in scenes from a variety of countries. Because I selected an afternoon and an early evening shift where they had the greatest need for hosts (but also the lightest traffic), I took advantage of the time to snap photos of some favorite scenes to share on Facebook, Twitter, and with my fellow slicers.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrLriys21tcv14uxHIE5D_v4MTprOAaCXqfSNTgCr4KDEd4E4HFMTuY-zdDREcIPUmchwDQrSI5pgJ-e1jfBAzV33ZFLtHT7zMADPHnpgV-AtdOlh1OMIqyZBF0B-RUbACskM7meRsH-jc/s1600/IMG_1344.jpg) |
A moose and a polar bear |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgHFZEqFsF9WR1kGe3vHqCqnYAWMp7rhPSMsTf-3jM9Gg2aVnKAIOtwjAnbFQLHZC0_gO-lO6RgcROAJpKuIuoActvneyIG_h6B50R_3nnFhsHZWXmrOS3Aj8-zQPFqq5IW4y9AqeeH0rD/s1600/IMG_1351.jpg) |
An elephant |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRDNRMrisnuIfF3YsusFwVuwz2mPHF4jSd-NxndIi_zMP3sXkoRr6QeKAJQ9yvKdUws4RjjS8z18YlE30uMHnhRwh04aTlhkclJ2jhcLfax7Mqu7Bq311_yZwshPYXEDkwtrFmhMyNG3f4/s1600/IMG_1373.JPG) |
Bolivian nativity with a llama |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLhiWl5iWt6SsQhzuErvL5_NkHhlUX-XKLRb12SWAOHFbz2m9KCF0mb8BruhE1jAnhKlImvPoSLbVQaD3ioWn1NNbR0PABp5PWWOK5BcOu5w1vrn3O69IAYYrTJuZx4STQKQv5PvrNBOuW/s1600/IMG_1387.jpg) |
Carved from one piece of wood |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJskUMWi9lMsx-bLP1KDSTLECSima8sSYPQpUDQ39JC34ROJt8Azo6q7LeDMqoF65Fd-bAK4wPlbmoodjsBmknN6IJ_EFg3cfLDW0gTqj-XYN5Z3QTxmlgLhqzMVuA7HnW0UgVuhu8r3OR/s1600/IMG_1392.JPG) |
My favorite - Raku pottery from South Africa
with a giraffe, alligator, monkey, hippo, & others |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSuZQEDJWuRVy9Ge0qcHpy1837SXkK9g7JZx2sTfGEpMFC8sdbnpoo16XuQ08EEVBprKqrFm8UKP1pSbwpPWL2FqE-Dtx7n-PazkDy0H8Zbc5aNuPBNIM3g09FpRaUqZkCIHONCDxe99Ff/s1600/IMG_1396.JPG) |
Created out of horsehair, from Chile |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh7RDATRzAbu3dR5XEdUG5p5VpNWOcjUAv8Jg3YrWgxZahlH50xAnFXS3jM-yTTB_OAcpFbCpz9i87uhCKxM5a6kLcNeJYnU2L5JKcpx9_p2kgU0fwc2PmFIFgZbuySm01KRqGbkLOY-9p/s1600/IMG_1400.JPG) |
One of the five zebras in the main hall |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieVh4rC5Nqwov8Oi_ajYDdx6y8_F-Ga0hW3sIEKcLdFkWrhyphenhyphenkNeiYexKwFc2nJy0boAhCUQFJocIE_2ZPfN2IFWiub93h5DJ_L8J1yYFlMhKtx3qKXzZmnJs4uAdJfOmxshf1D3WjFARat/s1600/IMG_1407.jpg) |
Cowpokes in the children's room! |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw4_Oo9MUdM8pLPoxBeauHvEqMCM9kC-JdQuRJHCnbE3BqEqGeISPH0LNjtqmMStBeOQNxobbBW5oP_tcaoZc138-wAstwpgjNRoIh1XzahwxxvKUhYKrAGuW5OAyOJuHiiZU4zFPFOxnq/s1600/IMG_1410.JPG) |
A tiny scene on a tree stump |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQFyLm5LpBrk8Ha8J1iv8TLfY6-WkqZuSfkYljc7HInqmx-je3-nQ0iMtIE__vbwOR4Zmi7sj4uhL8zRBH7-H6xh8UwNFxhL6xPr4dzz0qd07JKjWTfDtLM45u0lR5J6v3R4RoaCgnE4ja/s1600/IMG_1421.jpg) |
Alaska |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYx2Zobll9ui59HeUnaWlb-b9p3ubLqyGTO_e5-K9k7fc4fQmzk3gWCa-VPLxUAAjm7R__yQHTNJUKG6FBExie1Q1sAOQA8t2qDvt-dTQrcChTEoiZZPAKFSueGXBAYPVMocqBS9UvpP7b/s1600/IMG_1424.jpg) |
Animals at the manger - for Lee Bennett Hopkins, Helen Cann,
and all the poets who contributed to Manger. |
Thanks for the photos! What a great event, no wonder you enjoyed being part of it.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely variety of Nativities, Ramona - love the one with the polar bear :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful collection of nativity scenes! Quite an amazing assortment! The scavenger hunt really gets people looking ... What a great day to volunteer!
ReplyDeleteThey're simply beautiful, Ramona. I love that last one, just found Manger at the library! It looks like you had a wonderful time.
ReplyDeleteI love these. Such a fun idea to have a scavenger hunt. A tribute to the many ways to picture the nativity.
ReplyDelete