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Pinedale Online > News > December 2017 > Live Noble Ranch Nativity 2017

Arriving at the Ranch. Photo by Terry Allen.
Arriving at the Ranch

The Welcome Fire. Photo by Terry Allen.
The Welcome Fire

Getting the Donkey to Cooperate. Photo by Terry Allen.
Getting the Donkey to Cooperate

The Search for Shelter Begins. Photo by Terry Allen.
The Search for Shelter Begins

Do You Have Room in the Inn?. Photo by Terry Allen.
Do You Have Room in the Inn?

No, I have No Room For You. Photo by Terry Allen.
No, I have No Room For You

Approaching the Stable. Photo by Terry Allen.
Approaching the Stable

Finally a Warm and Comfortable Place to Stay. Photo by Terry Allen.
Finally a Warm and Comfortable Place to Stay
Live Noble Ranch Nativity 2017
by Terry Allen
December 26, 2017

Just like 2000 years ago, no matter which direction you were coming from on Christmas Eve, you’d have been able to see the light shining over the Old Dick Noble Ranch in Cora, Wyoming; and you’d have been able to get to a warm barn by just following that star.

For around 30 years Dick Noble and his family put on a live nativity at their ranch for their family, friends and community and now the Nelsons are continuing the tradition. A few weeks in advance of December 24th, notices are posted around the county inviting folks to spend Christmas Eve with them…and bring a plate of cookies to share, too.

The path for trucks and people is lined with candles in bags, but you’d see the big bonfire anyway and that’s where everyone heads to after they park their horses.

Sam Nelson and his team organize and give instructions to the folks in costume playing the roles of Joseph, Mary, Baby Jesus, the Wise Men and both big and small Shepherds. Doc Sare’ has a donkey with him and educates Mr. and Mrs. Call on donkey handling and riding. He seems real serious and so they lean in to him and listen carefully to the plan. Then comes the Mary Gets on the Donkey part…and the plan changes to Just Get ‘Er Done…Somehow. The donkey thinks I’m a good place to run to get away to, but he must have bad eyesight or something because instead of going around, he kept trying to run right thru me. You’d be surprised how tough a little donkey is…but you'd understand as soon as you saw him dragging a bunch of Wise Men off into the dark with Mary hanging on…because that was the final part of the plan. "If everything goes wrong Mary…just hold on," said Doc. So there she went just like in real life…holding onto trouble with one hand and a baby in the other.

I caught up with them about the time they decided to put in for the night at an Inn, but they got turned away and wrestled the donkey down to the stable with the big star and light shining from it. Inside was beautiful. Fresh hay a foot thick all over the floor, and warm lights made it inviting.

Everyone gathered round and a prayer was said and a couple songs were sung. Then everyone was invited to come forward and meet the Baby Jesus…who really was a very fresh baby because I’d seen the photos on Facebook only about a week before.

I climbed into a pen with three horse-like animals so I could get some good photo angles. One looked like the donkey, another looked like a burro and another looked like a midget horse. The burro kept nudging me and then when I’d fall over he’d take a bite out of my backside. I saw Jim Nelson swatting him away, too, so I think he can back me up. I don’t know how many times I had to retrieve my coat from the throat of that burro.

I was making my rounds in the stable thanking folks for helping me out to make good photos or hold my camera gear when I climbed into a pen. I mentioned to one man and his wife that even though I was not a religious person I really liked coming out to do this story every year and that everyone always treated me like a friend and part of the family. "Well, Terry," the man said. "That’s kind of the whole point of this evening. We’re all brothers and sisters on this earth and the greatest advice man was ever given was to love one another."

Terry Allen: txpartisan@gmail.com
You are all welcome to share these photos among yourselves.
If you want Full Rez photos, you can make a donation to my PayPal camera fund at my email.



Welcomed by Wise Men and Shepherds. Photo by Terry Allen.
Welcomed by Wise Men and Shepherds

Everyone Sings Christmas Songs. Photo by Terry Allen.
Everyone Sings Christmas Songs

Shepherds and their Children. Photo by Terry Allen.
Shepherds and their Children

Burro Looks at Easton. Photo by Terry Allen.
Burro Looks at Easton

Easton Wants to Pet the Burro. Photo by Terry Allen.
Easton Wants to Pet the Burro

Hope Wants to Pet the Burro Too. Photo by Terry Allen.
Hope Wants to Pet the Burro Too

Katie Ann Nelson with the Guests. Photo by Terry Allen.
Katie Ann Nelson with the Guests

A Quiet Moment. Photo by Terry Allen.
A Quiet Moment

Visitors Leaving the Stable. Photo by Terry Allen.
Visitors Leaving the Stable

Back at the Fire to Get Warm. Photo by Terry Allen.
Back at the Fire to Get Warm

Danen and His Buffalo Hat. Photo by Terry Allen.
Danen and His Buffalo Hat

Hope Gets a Brownie Cupcake. Photo by Terry Allen.
Hope Gets a Brownie Cupcake

Building the Fire Higher. Photo by Terry Allen.
Building the Fire Higher

The Elders Looking Cosmic. Photo by Terry Allen.
The Elders Looking Cosmic
Winners of the Photographers Prize (Terry takes a bow).

 The Bacheller Family. Photo by Terry Allen.
The Bacheller Family
I saw those ranch coats and knew I'd be taking a historic B/W photo.

The Call Family without the Costumes. Photo by Terry Allen.
The Call Family without the Costumes

Master of Ceremonies Sam Nelson. Photo by Terry Allen.
Master of Ceremonies Sam Nelson

Sam Nelson and His Smooth Punch Move. Photo by Terry Allen.
Sam Nelson and His Smooth Punch Move
Pinedale Online > News > December 2017 > Live Noble Ranch Nativity 2017

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