"It takes a village..."

Dear Diary,

I haven't put up my winter village in at least five years.  It is a daylong+ operation.  For some reason, I decided that I just had to put it up again this year and I am glad I did.  It isn't a normal Christmas village but one that is based on the prints of Currier and Ives, 19th century print makers who depicted rural New England life.  The prints are in the collection of the Museum of New York City and it was the museum that created the village pieces.

I remember 40 years ago getting calendars each year from an insurance company that used the Currier and Ives prints and I fell in love with them.  So when I say the village I knew I had to have it.  I even had a place made in my dining room to house it!  Since it is a winter village, and not a Christmas one, I will keep it up through February so all the work is worth it.

I have included a photo of the Currier and Ives print that was used to create the barn and the farmhouse in my village.  When I went looking to buy my farmhouse in Maine 20 years ago it was this scene that inspired me.  My village house even has the little well and bucket that you see behind the house in the print!  I think my ancestor research makes this village even more special to me.  It is like looking into their lives 150 years ago. I've added an extra photograph of the full village.