Land Line Now Host Mark Reddig, right, talks with OOIDA Executive Vice President Todd Spencer about claims of a driver shortage in the trucking industry. In the foreground, you can see the screen of the computer recording system. (photo by Barry Spillman)

Most of the decorative metal cages that typically hold public trash cans in Washington, DC, (such as the ones shown above, near the U.S. Capitol Building) were placed on their sides today. The trash cans were also removed. Officials indicated the move was a security precaution taken in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombing Monday. (photo by Ryan Bowley)

By popular demand!

I apologize as the photos are not the best quality – I need to get a real photographer to the house next year so we can really capture these. But meanwhile, here’s a sampling:

The “forest of trees” is one of my favorites – and I found a nice way to do them this year. Pretty much my favorite version of this ever.

My old nativity set. Always a big draw.

Believe it or not, these are “bubble lights” made out of wire, screen and lights. The yellow lights even flash up and down like bubbles.

 “Forest of trees” from a different angle.

I like the alternating candles and toy soldiers.

 A gift from friends, and technically, my third nativity scene (No. 2 later).

“Choir of Snowmen” – an idea I stole, but a darn good one. Love the way this turned out.

 Found these Victorian carolers at a flea market – something different than my usual

Nativity No. 2 – Charlie Morasch and his wife gave this to me … I really like it.

 You can’t tell from the still photo, but the triangle of lights is flashing rapidly, like starlight twinkling down on the nativity. Well, that’s how I intended it to look.

The house and garage from the northwest. More than 5,000 lights on the structures alone, 20,000 on the whole setup.

 Wider view from the northwest.

View from the southwest, what you’d see as you turned up the block. My photos, and the less than stellar camera I’m using, do not do it justice.

 I restrung lights on four wire deer, and this entire sleight. Works pretty well, if I do say so myself.

I like it that the leg lamp looks out over the whole scene.

 Two snowmen. The one on the right was a gift from my sister.

Closeup of the center of the nativity scene. Baby Jesus looks cold!

 New additions – penguins to go with the bear.

The Santa Collection. Eight so far. You can’t see them so well because they are covered with snow.

Fragile! Must be Italian!

Marion Case of OOIDA’s Membership Department brought down this significant stack of papers, each representing a trucker who donated to Truckers for Troops. Those were on top of the more than 300 donors registered earlier today.

Five piles of membership cards represent the 391 truckers who had already called OOIDA to take part in the 2012 Truckers for Troops Telethon – before our show even went on the air. Emily Tuturino of the Membership Department was prepping them to mail while more calls came in.

Reed Black reported today on this billboard, put up by a union representing truck inspectors in British Columbia in an attempt to push the province to hire more inspectors.

Chris Samples of Fancy Farm, KY, stopped in to headquarters to do some quick business, but ran into Mark Reddig on the way back to his truck … unfortunately, Mark had a new hat. You can see here that Chris is thrilled about that …

OOIDA member Fredrick Waldhoff of Teutopolis, IL, and Life Memeber Ira Parizek of Rowley, IA, stopped in recently for a visit to OOIDA Headquarters.

OOIDA member Michael Nejedlo of Green Bay, WI, stops to have his picture taken during a recent tour of OOIDA Headquarters. Mike, who’s had his authority for two years, hauls dry vans and some flat bed loads. He’s a regular listener of Land Line Now.

OOIDA member James Dickinson of Bethlehem, NH, poses with Land Line Now Host Mark Reddig during a recent visit to OOIDA Headquarters.