Christmas

 

Not sure why the tree looks different on the bottom then the top.  I tried taking the picture from several different angles, but it didn't seem to help.

Crocheted snowflakes on the french doors from the dining room leading out onto the deck (I didn't crochet them)

Dining room table

The fireplace, candles, wreath and nativity (hand painted by my Mother in Law, many years ago.  She did a fantastic job.

Close up of the nativity

A Merry Christmas to you all, Happy Hanukkah and whatever special holiday you celebrate.

Merry Christmas, AND

 

Our tree is a bit smaller than normal, shaped nicely.  Lots of ornaments from places we've traveled, some special ones from when our daughter was young representing her school days, and plays she performed in.  One ornament left from when hubby was a child.  So each ornament has meaning.  No designer tree here, but a rather old fashion one.  The candy canes are always the last I add as a special tribute to my Grandfather.  My Dad's Dad loved candy canes and he would sneak them to my brothers and I while Grandma would scold him about us not needing candy.  

Dining room, but I don't know if you can see the snowflakes on the window.  No need to make it look like snow now though, our rain yesterday turned to snow as the temperatures dropped mid afternoon and into the evening on Christmas Eve.  Only 17 now that it's warmed up, so the snow isn't going to melt anytime soon.  Boooooooo

There are tiny lights in my pot design that weren't on when I took the photo.  And battery motive candles inside the candles on the mantel which we only turn on at night.

I've continued to work on Coffee Latte, the afghan, but haven't taken any new pictures.  It's measuring about 19 inches now, so good headway...considering I've not had as much time to knit of late.

This is one of the books I've recently listen to as I walk.  I found it rather enlightening and recommend it for some insight into Racism in our country.    I used the library's Libby app and find the time goes quicker in my walks then it previously did.  I've found the selection for audio books to be very good.  I've read/listened to:  The Room Where it Happened (well almost all of it, need to get it again to finish), A Warning, Unhinged and both Michelle Obama's book and one of Barak's earlier books, Dreams of My Father.  Was on a political bend for awhile then switched gears to 

which I really enjoyed.  After finishing this one, I read another from the same author, Everything I Never Told You.

Then moved onto 

A fascinating read that is both sad and uplifting.  I highly recommend this book.  Next on my reading shelf is another by the same author Cilka's Journey.  But, I'm a bit boggled down as I'm using a 30 day free trial of Audible so I can listen to Obama's new book.  It's long, so hoping to get through it before my trial runs out.

****85 Days til Spring

The family and I did not get together for a family Christmas, all choosing to do our own thing and not mingle to stay safe as we await the vaccine.

Knitting Continues on Cardiac Collage, Vote !!

I'm a bit delayed in posting the next stage of this knitted afghan, Cardiac Collage.  It's named (for those who may not have been to this blog before), Cardiac Collage, because I started it while sitting in the ER while my husband was having a cardiac event.  The first square made is the middle top.  You can see each square is different in what colors are used, how many colors were used, as well as how big each section is.  Truly no pattern...much like an unpredictable cardiac event.  Since this photograph was taken, the 9th and final square has been started.  As I'm working on it, am trying to decide what color I want to use to edge and join the squares with........AND whether I want to stitch them together, or crochet them together.  Leaning towards blue...the medium blue you see in the middle square bottom row closest to you.

Yesterday by way of my absentee ballot.  I like voting from home, where I'm not rushed, can double and triple check myself and look up issues and people on anything I'm not sure about.  Did you know?

• You might be able to track your vote? Through on line registration in your county.  I was able to see the date my absentee application was accepted, the date the ballot was mailed out, in a few days I should see the date my ballot was received, followed by the date my ballot was accepted
• PLEASE remember if you have any trouble when you try to vote with your name, being listed, address etc.  Ask for a provisional ballot.  They must be law give you one.  Don't leave without voting.
  
  I was surprised to learn this a few days ago.  Time is getting tight; but please check what the situation is where you live and vote.  It's important, even if not a Presidential Election.  Many people have sacrificed for us to have the privileged of voting.  Don't shirk your responsibility.

For my cross stitch friends.  This counted cross stitch was a Christmas gift for older brothers wife many many years ago.  Just came across a picture of it.  It's so appropriate for her, she loves kids, her's and others.

**Hey did you notice, I added a game for you in my right sidebar.  Try your hand at Sudoku

Cardiac Collage, Toilet Paper Advent Calendar and Christmas Quilt

Cardiac Collage is coming along.  I played with placement today, thus the delay in getting my post typed.  8 squares/rectangles done, 9th one started.  Need to think a bit more about color now, as I'm out of some of the colors, and am still wanting to spread the color.  There's so much give to the squares, I'm currently thinking 9 squares will do it by the time I get them edged and attached and then a border of somekind.

More ideas of what you can do with your toilet paper rolls.  I think the advent calendar idea is pretty cute.  You could paint each roll, or cover with paper (construction paper or wrapping paper), to make it less brown and dull.  Cut cardboard to fit the ends.  Glue one then fill with trinkets, gum,candy etc, attach the top so it can be easily removed.......I won't be doing this, have no little ones at home or grands...but I think a pretty cute idea.  What say you?

One of the Christmas Quilts I've made.  This one for my younger brother's wife.  She has a huge Christmas Village she puts up every year so thought this fabric was perfect.  I am not a "real" quilter..I mean I don't do special cuts or traditional designs or have a special machine etc.  I just find fabric I like, tear or cut pieces and stitch them together.  Then quilt by going around the designs.  She puts this quilt out every year.  I think Christmas is at her house this year...from memory anyway.

From Socks to Veggies at Christmas

 Do you sport fun Christmas socks?  This is a pair my Darling Daughter got me a few years ago.  LOVE them.  Please click to see the Martini Glass.

 This is a pair I've had for awhile, but hey...no holes yet soooooo

 Cute, Cute idea for a veggie tray.  Perhaps less variety than many veggie trays though.  Might give some thought about how you could change it to use a bigger variety of veggies!!  Thoughts ideas?  I've never made this, but saved the picture from Facebook either from last year or the year before.

And did I mention Kitties at Christmas?  

Totally off topic, does anyone know how to change the font, the default font on blogs?  I know I can highlight and select after the fact and change to what I like .....but, how can you do it without having to change it each time you post?

Christmas Eve Memories

This isn't the best of pictures, it's small and granny.  Most pictures we took with those little Instmatics with a cube for a flash were.  This was Mom long ago in front of the fireplace on Christmas Eve.  My family always did the family exchange on Christmas Eve while Christmas morning was saved for the presents from Santa who came during the night.

I don't know what year this was, she looks so young.  The afghan she's unwrapping was one I made for her that I had sorta forgotten about until seeing this picture.  It was really heavy I remember as it was made with rug yarn.  It was really colorful though all you see here are shades of brown.  It had blue, red, green and gold I think from memory.  The afghan was made with octagon's and sewn together.  No idea what happened to it this many years later, it could still be there at home somewhere I guess.  She used it for awhile on the sofa which was brown then later as a rug to coordinate with her oval braided rugs.  Remember those?

I love looking at old pictures and remembering the details, particularly nice when Mom isn't with us anymore.

Got memory?  Please share.  Post your picture and story, add this badge to your post

and link back here.  Add your name and url to the linky, visits others and have fun.  Apologies for those I couldn't visit from the last Memory Monday.  I was having blog issues.  I will visit you all.

*If you get here before the linky, it just means you've beat me.  Please pop back, as it will be posted when I get up.  Wish you could post them ahead but you can't.*

**You can also visit any of the previous Memory Monday's by clicking on the Memory Monday Tag**

• Had issues with my old blog and had to change templates.  Not thrilled with this one, as my other one was a 4 column style; but trying to make it work
• Anyone know how to make the facebook, twitter etc logo's in the upper right go to my pages vs where they go now?

The Magic of Cardboard and Tissue Paper

Join me in the way back machine again for another round of Memory Monday.  Long long ago, when make believe was truly magical.  Mom used tissue paper to make a fire place.  We had those cardboard ones later...prefab design, but here Mom use a book case and turned it into a Christmas Fireplace so we had a place to hang our stockings and a place for Santa to enter the house.  I loved having tea parties, big brother Chuck was playing along.  Shouldn't there be a rule against wearing ones pistol at the table?  lol  Younger brother Mike in the jumper seat.  Oh those were good times, not because we got alot at Christmas, we didn't ...money was tight; but oh the magic of make believe.  Mom was sooooooooo good at it.  She was so very creative.

This was in an old house on Johns Street in Marion, before we moved into our new house on Lilac Lane.  If memory serves this was really an old house we rented, there was an open furnace right in the living room.

What's your memory for today?

• Write your Memory Monday Post, add our badge, and link back here.
• Leave a comment so I know you were here
• Visit others and have fun

Teavana Tea Time

My special tea corner, thanks to my fabulous Darling Daughter, Christine.  One of the cool, really cool Christmas Gifts she got me was this Teavana Tea Set.  There are the foil bags of loose tea which are pretty heavy duty foil packs for freshness and can sealed...like a zip lock.  You get cute tea canisters, a special tea measuring spoon, a cool pouch of raw sugar cube.  The bags and the canisters have the information you need to know about much tea to use and how long to steep it.  You can write the name of the tea right on your canister, wash it off later if you store a different type of tea in it.  This nice wire basket was from another Christmas gift from Stacie and Megan.  Wanted you to know, all the goodies from it may now be gone; but the basket is being used.

In addition, you get these awesome tea pot.  It holds a nice large mug size amount, and or two nice tea cups worth of tea.  The diffuser is in the bottom of the pot.  Notice the little legs holding the pot up about 1/4 inch?  The bottom of the pot is pressure sensitive....so, after it's steeped, all you do

 

is sit it on your cup/mug and it starts to drain,

leaving you with a nice cup of hot yummy tea.   I generally leave the loose tea in the pot in case I want another cup.  Sometimes you can get a 2nd round...depending on the tea and how long you let it steep.  Sometimes I add just a pinch of fresh loose tea to make the 2nd cup.  Awesome gift.  I've used it almost everyday since Christmas.  Even took it to Hilton Head with us several weeks ago for vacation.  Enjoyed a cup after being out and about on the bike tooting around.  Thank You Darling Daughter.

Three in the Works

 It's Sunday, time for another Year of Projects Post (badge and links in tab across the top of the blog).  Got 3 afghans going at the moment (well really 4 if you count my on going knitting on Sea and Sand...even though it's been idle this week, so no updated picture to show you).  Pushing forward on my list it says 10 afghans from donated squares, 2 down and 8 to go.  Well...here's the next 3.  Several thoughts on this, it's really red, made me think of candy canes and almost thought of edging with wide white and joining and bordering in white...but, I thought it would limit it's use due to dirt, and how it might not be real versatile.  Sooooooooo, how about Buckeye Blitz?  After all, Buckeye colors are good all year long, and the large percentage of the people in the state do follow the Buckeyes.  Sooooo, current plan is to edge squares in the dark heather gray (2 rows), then re-measure and either add black or lighter gray...depending on how it looks and how it measures.  **Since photographing I've made headway with a handful of squares being edged**

 This will make a wonderful welcome home for a family moving from the shelter into permanent housing as we're in the holiday season.  I don't think there's a need to edge these squares at all, as the size will be appropriate as is.  I will crochet these together with white, and check my stash for perhaps a dark green for the border..or at least that's my current thought.  **Since laying this out, have made some headway, in that it's all tied together ready to go. Hoping to start crocheting it together either tonight or tomorrow**  Christmas Time is this one's name.

This is the same picture I posted previously, My Granny is the name of this one, but it's almost finished as I post this morning.  Only have 2 more rows to join and then will work on the border with black of course.  Might get this finished yet today.

All 3 are being made from donated squares through Bridge and Beyond, and all will be donated to Homeless Families for Project Welcome Home.

Work continues on Sea and Sand (knitted afghan), and the jewel tone traveling scarf.

Columbus, Aruba, Cleveland and back

Isn't it loverly!  Sigh, much more un-knitting got done then knitting, or perhaps that's not true.  The same amount of knitting followed by un-knitting got done.  This awesome yummy yarn is soooooooo soft, so pretty, so shinny.  It's to become something for my DD who LOVES purple.  It's Berroco Bunsai.  Bamboo and Nylon, mostly Bamboo 97%.  Not sure what my problem was, but I couldn't keep count.  Finally after the 2nd try realized the pattern wasn't quite right and tweaked it and figured that would do it.  And it would, if I could have concentrated.  Perhaps getting up at 4am to depart the airport and head for Aruba was the problem.  I was both sleepy and excited.  So....really nothing to show you.  Then I left my bag with my counter, pattern, stitch markers, and scizzors in the seat back in front of me when I disembarked.  ARGH.  I've never done that, left something behind.  Apparently this project was doomed, truly so.  I don't even remember the name of the pattern so...at some point I'll look again and hopefully manage to pull it off.  I also lost a different size needle from my Denise set in the bag.  As I had 2 sizes to work on different projects during the flight.  Sometimes, you just need a change.  After all, the first flight was 4 hours, followed by 1.5 hours in the 2nd leg.  This is named as project for Christmas for DD on the year in progress list.

This was started on the way home from Aruba on the flight.  Something much simplier was in order I thought, plus I needed to go with the size needle I had on hand.  I LOVE LOVE this yarn and the colors.  It's Mochi Plus, Crystal Palace Yarn, 80% Merino Wool and 20% Nylon.  It's lovely to work with, slides so nicely and is soooooooooo soft and light weight; but will be warm with that amount of wool.  Just blocks of different sizes of good olde garter and sections of stockinette stitch....just wanted a bit of texture.  The yarn is so lovely, not sure much detail is required.  This could perhaps become an object for Christmas for DD.  So, am naming this "Traveling Scarf".  It went from Aruba to Columbus via plane, and Cols to Cleveland and back via car.

And while, I've not shown you Sea and Sand in awhile, I have made progress.  When I last posted a picture HERE, I was working on the brown variegated section.  Finished that and the larger light grey section and am now on the next variegated section. 

Hoping I can get one more row with these current variegated then will do one more section of the light grey, variegated and then the dark grey...soooooo feel like I've really turned the corner on this.

I've been busy and haven't blogged as much, missed lots of WIPW, FOF, and YOP post.  Hopefully, I'll be seeing you all more.  I was out of town for an extended time.  I was enjoying the Aruba weather as the title suggests.  Sadly though, my friend in Cleveland had a huge tree fall on her house, thus the trip there.  Not that I can do much, but hubby and I wanted to provide some moral support for a long time friend.

YOP list, badge and link in tab on blog top.

Family Christmas Quilts

This is perhaps a bit of cheat post, in that this finished object was made years ago. I made this (my first quilt) for Mom who loved Poinsettia's. From looking back through family Christmas Pictures, it seems it was probably made sometime before 2002; though I can't say for certain. It's not a traditional quilt pattern, in that the pieces weren't cut to any specification, nor was it stitched in known quilt pattern. I cut pieces basically the size I wanted (actually thinking back I don';t think I cut them at all, I believe I tore them...based on what an elderly quilt maker told me). I hand sewed the pieces together, used solid red for the backing with batting in-between and green basis tape for the edge. I used a circle quilt frame.
Mom always put it out as part of her Christmas decorations. The last couple of years, since Mom's death it stayed in it's zippered bag. This year I mentioned it to Dad, and after Christmas he gave it back to me to use and enjoy. The stitching/quilting portion was done around all edges of the separate pieces, a Zig zag was used on the red striped which you can see, I did x on some of the squares. Basically each different fabric had a different design in terms of stitching. The Poinsettia's were all stitched around to make them pop a bit.

The year (whatever year it was), after making this quilt I made one for my 2 brothers and their families. My older brother always liked Norman Rockwell and I use a famous Rockwell Christmas print for the center of his quilt, though I didn't take a picture of it. Need to ask him to do so. My younger brother and his wife, love blue and Olde Time Village Christmas decorations so this is the one I made for them. I was able to photograph it as part of their traditional Christmas Decorations several years ago.

I always intended to make one for myself, but never quite got around to it. I do believe I still have fabric somewhere. Perhaps one day I'll find the fabric and make one for my DD. There are nice to display year after year. I'll now be able to do that with the one I made Mom and Dad.

**Since most who visit this blog are crafters (knitters, crocheters, quilters etc.), could I ask that you scroll back to the previous post. Would love some insight, thoughts etc. on repairing an antique afghan.**

A Christmas Reflection

Christmas 2011 just recently past, though the holiday times are still with us, I thought I do a bit of a reflection. Not the best of pictures, think my batteries were low at this point which made the picture grainy. When this photo was taken not everything was wrapped and under the tree as DD still needed to get some of items under there. She always shops and wraps after she makes it home.

Darling Daughter coming home for a week long visit is the best part of the season for me. We just don't get to see her as often as I would like. She's busy, we're busy, and the distance and cost of visits plays into that.

I'm not offended when people say Happy Holidays to me, instead of Merry Christmas. Doing so implies they may not know if I celebrate Christmas (meaning they may not know my religious beliefs...and that's ok with me. I consider religious beliefs to be a personal and private thing). I don't think saying Happy Holidays takes Christ out of Christmas at all, those feelings are in ones heart. I also think it covers more then Christmas. Happy Holidays, Season's Greetings to me covers Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and The Jewish Holidays as well.

I do not shop on Black Friday...I do not shop on Manic Monday. Don't belief you could pay enough to do either. I absolutely will not shop at stupid hours be they at 6 am or 12 mn. Reduce your hours so your employes can sleep, spend time with their families and be safer. I am beyond applaud by people who fight each other for gifts. I belief if people would show some personal restraint and not go shopping at those ridiculous hours the stores would be forced to alter their hours and things would be safer.

We generally eat a nice meal at home for New Years or go out but make it home early enough to have Champagne at home when the clock strikes 12.

I was disappointed I couldn't find real candy canes this year for the tree. Real ones to me are the red and white. The best I could do was green and red. They're not as pretty, but far away better then those awful strange colored ones. Putting Candy Canes on the tree always makes me think of my Grandfather, such a fond memory. It's an important tradition for me.

I did not get all the knitting and crocheting projects I wanted done by Christmas, but came very close. Naturally, continuing to work on those that didn't get done.

Next year I plan to buy more from local venders and those on line who do "homemade" vs the chains.

I hope everyone had a joyous holiday with friends and families. And now looking forward to New Years........what will 2012 bring?

Santa Claus Memories, Thank you Mom

This is an old bookcase, been in the family forever. The shelves are adjustable (to a point), and the case has been painted many colors throughout the years. I remember it mostly being black in my younger years. A very fond memory of Mom comes to mind especially this time of year especially. She transformed this old bookcase into the fireplace that Santa Clause came down...year after year.

She'd remove all the books, and many of the shelves and using crape paper that looked like bricks...bingo, right before you very eyes a fireplace would appear. We watched her do this multiple times...and with her use of magic snow, hanging our socks on the mantle; we believed the Jolly Old Man truly did come down that very chimney.
After all, the proof was there every Christmas morning. The colored pictures don't withstand the test of time as well as the old black and whites (1952 and 1953). But clearly you can see, Santa did come to visit and bring great excitement and joy to us kids. My older brother Chuck and I playing cowboys and Indians and even before people knew about the word multi-tasking...clearly we were...we were also having a tea party. Younger brother Mike in the jump seat.

Thank you Mom for the wonderful memories.

I'ld like to add, this magical bookcase has been painted once again, creamy white this time round and is in DD's house.

Merry Christmas Mom.

Magical Bookcase

Magical bookcase? The title and the picture must have you scratching your head. Let me fill you a bit. The bookcase is old, it's scratched and in need of paint...that you can see from the picture. It's sitting in the garage here, in what hubby calls the staging area. It was loaded onto a moving truck about a week ago and hauled out to St. Louis for our daughter. There it received 2 coats of new paint. No pictures yet of that. Maybe in a couple of weeks, but back to the story.

This bookcase will now reside with our daughter, as I indicated. It's the 3rd home for the bookcase, the 3rd generational home that is. We've had it since she was a baby or soon thereafter. I think it was black when we received and it got painted white, cream, and yellow along the way. Magical, the shelves were moved around and my daughter and I turned it into Barbie's house. We covered the walls with paper, covered blocks and other items to make furniture for Barbie. It was a town house of course with multiple levels. I wish, really wish I had a picture of it. She and I played and spent many great mother and daughter hours together around this bookcase.

When I was young this same bookcase, the magical bookcase was in my parents home. There again it received multiple layers of paint and a variety of colors. During the year it was a bookcase in the living room; but...at Christmas it became the chimney that Santa came down. Yep...Mom used to remove the books, cover it with crept paper. In those days one could purchase crept paper that looked like red bricks. She made a fake fire with a little flickering light bulb. I guess we kids weren't too bright. We watched her do this, and I think even helped from time to time. Then she hang the Christmas Stockings. I need to look through old photo's, I think there's probably a picture somewhere. (though my scanner's not working). We'd sing Christmas Carole's around this magical bookcase. On Christmas morning it wasn't uncommon to find Santa's footprints in front of it, proving of course to us...that he did indeed come down the chimney using his magic dust.

Yes, this bookcase may be old; it may be beat up a bit; but to me........IT'S MAGICAL!

Mom was very creative indeed. Do you see a chimney when you look at this ordinary bookcase? Fond memories for me, both as an adult and as a child.

Christmas Pasta

Don't know if there really is such a thing as Christmas Pasta; but that's what I'm calling this. Above you see pretty green spinach pasta on the drying racks. My daughter and I made a ton of pasta. Really both of us worked on it for about 10 hours solid. We were sure tired at the end. This is just 1 of 4 types we made that day. You need frozen spinach, once it's thawed (which takes quite awhile), you squeeze out as much liquid as you can. Keep the liquid though for later. The spinach is your liquid source. Blend in with fork regular flour, whole wheat flour and semolina flour. I usually add about 1/4th cup at a time as it becomes quite difficult to mix. Once you can't mix with the fork any longer, dive in with your hands. Mix and need, over and over and over again. Keep adding flour as you go. Once you feel like you can't add anymore, cover tightly and put in the fridge for awhile. It let's it rest, and you too. Or would if we hadn't been moving right into another batch of something.
You may or may not need to add a little of liquid you squeezed out. Once you remove it from the fridge you'll need to add more flour as you prepare it for the roller in the pasta machine. I have one of those hand cranks ones. I run it through each number several times and usually stop on #4 for the weight of fettucini we like. Your pasta is cut so next you hang it on the rack to dry. I had 3 separate drying racks set up in the kitchen on this day. Whew! I don't totally dry it, but enough that it's not sticky any longer. Then I store in zip lock bags in the freezer. **When you cook fresh pasta you cook it less than boxed store bought.

The meal I've named Christmas Pasta is the homemade spinach fettucini topped with red and yellow peppers, purple onion, and small pieces of ham. The veggies and ham are warmed quickly in the microwave (3-4 minutes) with a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with a light Alfredo sauce and fresh ground pepper. Pretty and yummy!

Don't forget a nice bottle of wine and bread. No need really for a salad, got your veggies right with your pasta.

Christmas Tree

It takes awhile to get my old ornaments all unwrapped and out of the box in preparation to decorate the tree. One year, I tried to upscale and make the tree more modern/classy, the fam didn't like it. You see ribbons, beads and other upscale tree decorations alot these days. But, my tree is pretty much the same as it has been for the past 30 ish years. Wooden and handmade ornaments. Ornaments my daughter made in school, or some her friends made for her etc. So, here they are before they made it to the tree.
And here's the tree finished. We still use a real tree, all white lights, and the last thing I put on the tree are the candy canes which makes me think of grandpa. He always gave them to us after Mom and Grandma would leave the room. It was fun. They'd be busy baking or cooking and we'd put them on the tree. They'd always act surprised when they came back and saw us putting them on the tree, or eating one off the tree. lol Good Memories.

Do you use a real tree or artificial? What's your favorite part of decorating your tree?

Unending Circle of Life

A friend made this wooden wreath for me many years ago. I really like it. Sadly, I think this will probably be the last year for it. As you can see the lights are going. He strung lots of lights to this wooden frame and we place it on the garage just above the door. There really isn't a good way to replace a few bulbs, and the strings are nailed/stapled so removing them would be a job. A good portion of the red ribbon is not showing up, and now some of the greenery is starting to go. Hope we make it through the end of this season at least.
I thought it time to talk about the meaning, the true meaning of Christmas Wreaths. We place them in and outside our homes. We use artificial and life wreaths. The shape is a circle which represents the unending circle of life. Traditionally, wreaths are made of evergreen which represents everlasting life. Wreaths are often made of Holly branches, or sometimes holly branches are added to the evergreen wreath for decoration. Holly branches have thorns which represent the thorny crown that adorned Christ's head. The red holly berries represents Jesus's blood that was shed for us.

Peace and Love to you all during this special time of the year.

**Anyone know why the gadget to show other posts isn't working?
****Did you read the previous post about Nativities and Memories?