Finally, on the evening of the 5th Day of Christmas, I can mange to sit down long enough to wish all my fellow OGR forumites a very Merry Christmastide and the most Blessed of New Years!
Since I change two sections of the big layout in the back room for the Christmastide, I thought I'd show both the way the sections look for the rest of the year as well as the Christmas appearance (for this year).
First, the farm on the bluff inside the loop across from Notch Junction:
Next a shot from about the same angle showing the whistle stop at Bethlehem:
Then, there is the bustling mining district of the town of Marmaros atop Roarke Mountain:
Here are two pics of the same town, one at sunrise, with the town well illuminated and the other at twilight so that the lights are visible:
You have to admire the hard-working townspeople: they actually swapped the hotel and the train station across the square so that they could construct a city park with wildlife and a skating pond.
In another week or so, the Epiphany will pass, and the townspeople will once again rearrange their buildings to return to the rigors of mining and the bustle of commerce. But, for now, the Christmastide still lays its peace and good will over the Earth, and the good citizens will keep Christmas' holy season remembering that Bethlehem is just down the hill on a bluff overlooking the White River.
May that same spirit infuse your Christmastide and remain with you throughout the year.