You'll have to drag me kicking and screaming...

...out of the Christmas season.  I love Christmas.  I love Nativity scenes.  I love lights.  I love Christmas trees.  I do not love BUY BUY BUY! signs.

We still have a bit to update you on as it comes to Christmas, so please forgive me!

When Jim & Sharon were still here, we went to a presepe display at Montesanto.  Montesanto is one of our local monasteries, and is a short walk outside of Todi.  A lovely walk, I might add.  The driveway up to the monastery has Stations of the Cross in little shrines.

Todi in the distance -- yet it's just a short walk away!

The rosy light of late afternoon is just lovely

The spire of San Fortunato

The back of the wall leading to Montesanto; you can see the shrines

Above the church entrance at Montesanto

Persimmon tree -- do you like the ladder?

Again, I'll mostly defer to Jim, since his photography is far superior to mine.  He did not take any pics of the presepe (and looking back, I realize that I didn't even have the camera with me), so you'll have to content yourselves with a brief description from me.  The presepe came from all over the world (so interesting to see the contrast between those from the Philippines and those from, say, Russia or Kenya), but there were many local contributions as well.  These are generally elaborate, with lighting, motion, or both -- and lots of landscaping.

Looking at Jim's photos, you can see the dramatic changes in the lighting just through the course of the afternoon.  It is this ever-changing scenery that I find so interesting -- the shapes remain constant, but with the wild fluctuations in lighting quality, there's always a different experience.

Love,

Alexandra