Friday, 13 December 2024

The Christmas Train

Joe likes his trains. I take photos of them, since our country depended so much on trains in the early days (as is true of many countries), it is part of our history. 






Our visits to the train museum with the grandies were fun in the old days. We wrote, and self-published, a story about it!


I printed three copies, as I recall, and donated one to the museum! The dude on the left worked at the museum, the dude on the right was one of many volunteers.

I had to look back and see how I set up the table. You know how that is. It requires some work and preparation. The train is busted, you see, but it looks so pretty. I'd totally forgotten that I'd set it up on the games table, right over the coffee table. 

Joe brought up his supplies box by box. 

Cinnamon was heavily involved. 
Moral support?! He's not much help.

There are always tweaks to the arrangement. Note Nutmeg watching the whole thing from her spot on the couch.

There we go. The train set is HO gauge, and the engine is no longer picking up power from the tracks. 

I remembered something I had in the Christmas trunk! While someone was shopping, I brought it up, replaced the batteries, and we were lit! 


I didn't say anything. Somebody sat down for lunch.  SURPRISE! 

The little glass trees have a wee string of lights, hot glued to the mouth of the container. They contained vodka, as I recall. I really got into my work!




Cinnamon inspected!

Ever the inspector, he nudged the trees on the end, and I had to set them up again!

Anyway, these are good days for indoor play. There is ice and snow on the driveway that I couldn't get rid of. We had a sudden freeze and it is bitterly cold out there.


14 comments:

eileeninmd said...

The train gardens are so popular during the holidays.
My grandsons love trains. Great collection of photos.
Take care, have a great day and a happy weekend.

Anvilcloud said...

Trains are the best, whether they work or not.

Kathy G said...

Although it's not as cold here (and is predicted to warm up over the weekend) I'm also coming up with a list of indoor projects.

Barbara Rogers said...

I love little HO train sets, and also the big guys doing the work of industry. Our tracks (coming over the continental divide from the east) were so damaged by Helene that it's questionable that they will be repaired for the couple of daily trains going to and from Asheville. I've seen some repairs in Black Mountain, but the various curves through the mountains are probably the problems. Loved your little bottle trees, as well as helpers!

DrumMajor said...

When it's that cold, you need those little vodka trees! Linda in Kansas

RedPat said...

That is a perfect project for this weather.

tz_garden said...

Cinnamon was clearly helping by holding down the table! Ha ha, what a great display.

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
Hoorah, good to see the train set again! YAM xx

Nancy J said...

I see some of the pages for B C weather say, snow and cold, then Heavy snow and very cold. Love the train set up, and all lit, Santa will see the way even in the dark. XXX p.s. My Canadian Geography is getting better day by day. The distances mind boggling to us down here!!!

Elephant's Child said...

I LOVE your work - and that of the snoopervisor. Stay warm.

Jeanie said...

Your photos answered my question -- do the cats get on the set-up after it's finished? Yup! You are a saint! And a very clever one, too. It looks terrific. I love the lighting. Also loving the red train photos, so striking, that red. And the story of the book, too!

Red said...

Train people have great fun.

Val Ewing said...

I love train sets! I don't have a place for them, but may in the future.
I love your idea of lighting up those little bottles...errrr trees!

Kay said...

That train set is so cool! We had one for the kids when they were growing up. I wonder what happened to it.