BY THE WAY: MA AND PA SANTA CLAUS LIGHT UP 621

When you're greeted at the front door by a dog named Toto and the front yard looks like something or somewhere over the rainbow, the journalistic antenna goes up.

If stories could be measured in lotteries, I just hit the jackpot.

It wasn't exactly the land of Oz. Rather, it seemed like Bob and Dottie Ramsey were the closest thing to Ma and Pa Santa Claus that I had ever seen.

Having just driven past a lamp post that said North Pole and a barn illuminated with the sign "Santa's workshop", I knew this was going to be a holiday adventure.

This endearing couple, who reside in a pastoral setting off of Cape Girardeau County Road 621, figured out that they didn't need to shop for expensive gifts when they already had what they wanted: A passion for creativity.

It started out with Dottie asking Bob to fashion a snowman out of iron rods. She would draw the figure, and he would mold the rod into the finished product. They would both adorn the figure with lights. The rest was left to their imaginations.

Three years later, they have produced a series of figures and ornaments that would make Disney Inc. proud to include in one of its theme parks.

The story really began to seem incredible when Bob invited me to his workshop, however. Here is this man, wearing a blue stocking cap, his face wreathed in a beard that would look just right around Christmas, showing me the plans on his work bench.

I'm thinking this is really a modern day Santa Claus with his wife, he about the right size for his part and she emerging resplendent in her elfin artistry.

"This building was supposed to be for the motor home, but that got booted out when we started getting involved in the Christmas figures and ornaments," Dottie said.

It takes Bob a day or two to turn Dottie's drawings into life-size figures. Then they add to their already impressive collection. "I don't even want to begin thinking about how many ornaments are out there," Bob said. "We counted 15,000 lights last year, and I'm sure it's up to 20,000 this year."

They begin putting up the ornaments and figures two weeks before Thanksgiving. "By the time most of it is up, we'll get cars driving by and stopping 45 seconds apart," Bob said. "Sometimes the cars are backed up 10 and 12 deep. It probably doesn't do any good to the people who work at Procter and Gamble, but at least they have something to look at while they wait."

The reward for all their labor comes when people just stop and stare. "If it makes someone happy, then we're pleased," Dottie said. One anonymous letter nearly brought them to the verge of tears.

"It was from someone who stopped by and wanted to tell us how much they enjoyed the lights," Dottie said. "The letter was addressed to "The home with Jesus in lights."

After a slight pause, Dottie added, "How can you ask for any more?"

I was tempted to ask Bob if he really was Santa Claus. "Come on back," Bob said as I was leaving. "Just honk to let me know you're here."

I didn't have to ask.

~Bill Heitland is a staff writer for the Southeast Missourian.