Tag: Christmas

Whatever Weds. The Santa Train

Posted in Christmas, Holidays and Observances, Nikon, Photography, Trains, Whatever WednesdayTagged , , , , , , , , , , 48 Comments

Copyright ©2019 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

In December the Nevada State Railroad Museum located in Carson City, NV rolls out N°25 to drive The Santa Train.

You know when I went to the Railroad Museum before she wasn’t out that time. click here to see that post.  I’ve wanted to get back up here to see the Steamie since.

Just as I did before I arrived early hoping to see the crew rolling her out of the garage, but I was a wee bit late she was already out and building pressure.  N°25 was built in 1905 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works.  She’s a 78-ton 10-wheeler. She hauled both passenger and freight cars between Carson, Virginia City, and Reno from 1911 to 1947.

Now she runs on special days throughout the year.

Copyright © Deborah M. Zajac ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

One of the special events she’s rolled out for is during December when she’s The Santa Train which is  N°25, a passenger car, and a red caboose. Passengers come for a ride around the station and Santa Claus is on the train to talk to the children, and I hear he passes out candy canes to everyone.

Here she is at the station getting some water, and passengers.

The Santa Train

I spy Santa!  He’s with the Conductor, Engineer, the Brakemen, and some Elves disguised as cowboys. 😉

Santa Claus

Here comes THE SANTA TRAIN!! TOOT! TOOT!

The Santa Train

I don’t know if I’ll be posting much anymore this year things are going to get busy pretty quick. Big Baby Boy and The Crosscourt Kitty🐈 are arriving soon for the Holidays and #1 Grandson is coming to visit too!

There’ll be kids jingle belling, holiday greetings, gay happy meetings, and tales of the glories of Christmases long, long ago! It really is the most wonderful time of the year!

In case I don’t get another chance to let me wish you all a very Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, and a Happy, Healthy, Prosperous New Year!! xx

I’m chugging out…TOOOOT! TOOT! 😍

Nikon D810| Nikkor 24-120mm| PS CC 21.0.1| Lexar Digital Film

more to come…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.nsrm-friends.org/vtrr25.html

Merry Christmas!

Posted in Bokeh, Christmas, Close-up photography, Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments, Holidays and Observances, PhotographyTagged , , , , , , 57 Comments

Copyright © 2017 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

I just wanted to take a moment to say MERRY CHRISTMAS! to all of you who celebrate it. I hope your holiday is wonderful, and filled with love, and lots of laughter.

Having a little one in the house has given me an opportunity to watch a favorite Holiday movie.  Frosty the Snowman.  I enjoy this movie and song so much I had to add the ornament to tree.

So, what’s going on at my house besides watching the old Christmas animated movies?

I’ve shared with some of you about my tradition of putting my collection of stuffed bears, and animals around the tree as soon as the tree goes up in December.  Part of that tradition is that the bears and animals leave sometime before Christmas. They leave a note on the tree telling us that Santa really needed their help to get all the final things ready for his most important flight of the year.

I woke up yesterday morning and they were gone. The note was on the tree saying they’d gone to the North Pole to help Santa Claus and Elves make ready for Christmas.  They thanked us for understanding, and assured us they’d be home soon, and signed their note with lots of ♥ and paw prints. 🙂

#1 Grandson who just turned 5 this week is a bit concerned about their departure and is anxiously waiting for Santa and the Bears, and other animals to return. He is worried about the Bear Cookie Jar that went too. He’s worried it might get broken.  I hope it doesn’t, but I’m sure Santa can fix him if it were to get broken. 🙂

Big Baby Boy, and the Dark Haired Beauty flew in last night. We’re all excited to have them home for Christmas.  Dark Haired Beauty is the reigning 2016 champion of the game  Mexican Train a family favorite.  We’ll see if she can be unseated this year.

Baby Girl’s sofa, Coffee, and end tables arrived yesterday.  She’s very  relieved that we all won’t be sitting on the floor while she hosts her very first Christmas in her very first apartment.

Our new house has a renter. I’ve still got mixed feelings about that as I’d love to be living there; we can’t right now, but things are lining up.

While I haven’t been too chatty with my posts this year good things are happening here.  He-Man and I are beaming with joy, and feel very blessed for it’s been a really great year so far. (knocking on wood!) 🙂

I’ll be back next week with Wordless Wednesday, but will be on a wee break til then spending time with my children, and Grandson.

If you don’t celebrate Christmas I hope you find some delight in the Holiday joy, lights, decorations, and enjoy a day off. 🙂

MERRY CHRISTMAS! xx

Nikon Df| Nikkor 105mm| SanDisk Digital Film| PS CC 2018

more to come…

Thursday Doors 51/52

Posted in Adorned Doors, Doors, Doors After Dark, Nikon, Photography, Project 52:Doors, Thursday DoorsTagged , , , , , , , 58 Comments

Copyright © 2016 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Since this week’s Thursday Doors falls during Christmas week I thought I’d share some doors that are decorated for Christmas.

N°2259- Blue light special

N°2259

N°4925 The stained glass window pane has a whale in the sea theme.  I love this stone wainscoting that is popular around my area now.

N°4725

…and N°4758- my front door. It’s a bit sparse these last few years. After He-Man ruptured his Patella Tendon he wasn’t able to get up on a ladder to hang the Christmas lights.  I’m not one of those people that keep their Christmas lights up all year, but let me tell ya…these last few Christmas’s we’ve missed the lights!

This year He-Man has seen great progress with his knee recovery. He can climb a short ladder, and he can stand up in the saddle. A BIG DEAL for a Cyclist who rides up mountains.   However, since our home remodel the gables are higher than our ladder and he feels it’s still too high for him to climb, and we need new hooks all around the front of the house. I don’t know how to do that. I can’t even hammer a nail in straight, so we’re going without lights for the time being.  Maybe next year.

N°4758

Beginning Friday I don’t anticipate being online very much. Big Baby Boy, and Dark Haired Beauty are arriving Friday evening for Christmas.   Baby Girl, and #1 Grandson are staying home for Christmas. YEAH!

I’m done shopping but I haven’t begun to wrap, and I need to begin cooking for Christmas dinner.

For those of you celebrating Christmas I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas!  Hanukkah begins the 24th I think. Happy Hanukkah to those of you who celebrate that!

If you don’t celebrate Christmas enjoy the season, the lights, the joy, and good cheer that comes with the season, and I wish you a wonderful week-end!

This post is part of Norm 2.0’s Thursday Doors.  If you love doors and would like to see the doors others are posting, or post doors you’ve photographed and join other door lovers from around the world click here.

At the end of Norm’s latest Thursday Door post is a little Blue Link-up/View button click it to be taken to a page with all the links to view all the posts, and add your own if you’re a door enthusiast too.

Nikon Df| Nikkor 17-35mm| Delkin Digital Film| PS CC 2017

More to come…

 

MM2 38/52 Christmas Where You Are

Posted in Black and White Photography, Christmas, Monochrome Madness2, Photography, TraditionsTagged , , , , , 21 Comments

Copyright ©2015 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Theme week 4 for the month of December is Christmas Where You Are. For my entry I’ve shared our tree, and some of our Christmas decorations.  I really love the tree this year.  Even sans the topping star. I couldn’t find it for weeks! I found it 2 weeks ago, but am afraid I’ll topple the tree if I attempt to put it on, so we’re topless this year.

#1 Grandson (he turned 3 last Saturday!) really loves the tree with its ornaments, lights and Bears.  A tradition that #1 Grandson is going to start understanding this year; when he wakes up tomorrow The Bears will be gone! They’ll leave a note on the tree that says they’ve gone to help Santa with the last BIG push to get things done in time for his trip Christmas Eve, but don’t worry! They’ll be back Christmas morning. 🙂

I think he’s brought the magic, awe, and joy back to the house this Christmas, and it’s infectious. YEAH!

From my house to yours may your hearts be filled with everything joyous, and wonderful this season brings.  Merry Christmas!

Monochrome Madness 2 38 Christmas Where you Are

Visit Leanne Cole’s Monochrome Madness 2 to see all the entries this week.

Nikon Df| Nikkor 24-70mm| Hoodman STEEL Ultra High Speed Digital Film| PS CC 2015

More to come…

P52 50/52 Letters to Santa

Posted in Christmas, Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments, Photography, Project 52, Santa Claus DecorationsTagged , , , , 8 Comments

Copyright ©2015 Deborah M Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

I photographed several of my Santa Ornaments for week 36  December Santa or Elves Challenge for MM2 hosted by Leanne Cole. I didn’t share them all in the post for that challenge so I thought I’d post another image for my Project 52 this week.

P52 50 of 52 Letters to SantaI have quite a few Santa ornaments for my Christmas Tree. I just love Santa and the season! I hope you all are enjoying the Season too!

Nikon Df| Nikkor 24-70mm| Hoodman STEEL Ultra High Speed Digital Film| LR CC 2015 & PSCC 2015

More to come…

Gingerbread House

Posted in Bokeh, Christmas Cookies, Food Photography, Gingerbread Houses, Holiday Baking, Holidays, StrobistTagged , , , , , , 7 Comments

Copyright © 2014 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

It’s been a long time since I last made/decorated a Gingerbread house.

Gingerbread House

This time I bought a Gingerbread House kit to save me some time fooling around with a template, and measuring and marking the doors, and windows myself. As it turned out this particular kit didn’t have the door or windows stamped on the Gingerbread so I ended up having to do that anyway. It also didn’t have enough icing. Next time I’ll make my own Royal Icing. Piping, icing, and working with fondant is challenging. I need a lot more practice, but it was fun watching the transformation from plain Gingerbread to the finished house, and I think my Gingerbread Christmas Trees look pretty good with the house, and next year I’ll make a couple taller trees too.

Nikon Df| AF-D Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 @f/4.5| ISO 250| Tripod| Manual Priority| Matrix Metering
SB 910 @ 1/32 pwr camera left front high through shoot through umbrella, SB 600 @ 1/32 pwr camera front low as fill light for the tree behind the Gingerbread house.Triggered w/ SU800

More to come…