Harvest Time

Harvest time for the gnomes

Gnomes in the garden

There is a touch of Fall here in Whimsical Woods. The days are getting shorter and the sound of migrating Canadian Geese are often heard above. To our little gnome friends’ delight, now is the time to fill their root cellars for the winter. We have a plentiful supply of potatoes, onions, beets, carrots, garlic, apples and beans. All are favored by the gnomes. As soon as the rain comes, the forest floor will be covered with large fresh mushrooms. As the gnomes don’t eat meat, they look to high protein garden foods and certain types of plants. Put out a little peanut butter a night and look what happens to it. That, along with suet, have got to be a big hit with those night hunters. They do not overlook bee honey either, which is a big treat for them. They use it in their cooking and for making a very popular fermented beverage. It stores very well for those long winter months.

Busy harvest times these days in Whimsical Woods garden. Winter is coming. Some say we are still waiting for summer, but that’s how it can be here in the Pacific Northwest. All is well in our woods.

Big Red Hat

Mary modeling our new gnome hat

We have a new red felt gnome hat! It was  made for me by Ellen and modeled very well by Mary who is the owner of a big gnome home. Needless to say, we have a lot of fun in our booth and have taken a number of pictures with our booth visitors. I’ll pass on a few more with, permission of course.

The Christmas holidays are fast approaching. Here at Whimsical Woods, we’re already busy making new bird houses and a new style of the popular suet feeders. Look for these to be added to our website, http://www.whimsicalwoods.net soon.

Speaking of winter, I’m often asked if the gnome homes and log bird houses take the winter weather. Here’s proof. Compliments of Mary and Bob. Add a little red hat and a big red Christmas bow and you are all decorated for the holidays. This picture could become a Gnome Christmas card!

The Sequim Open Aire Market will continue into December with reduced hours of 10 am to 2 pm every Saturday on Cedar Street in downtown Sequim. Come on down! Support our local artisans and enjoy the great food and produce. Be sure to stop by our booth and say hello.

All is well in Whimsical Woods. Keep smiling!

Nautical Gnome Home

Nautical Gnome Home

I have not read of gnomes making small boats for their travels. They much prefer to hitch a smoother ride on the back of large migrating birds. Having traveled hundreds of years ago to England, chances are they snuck onto a large sailing ship rather than try it alone. I don’t know if gnomes eat fish, but can imagine them smashing clams and mussels for a tasty meal. No doubt they live near the water’s edge and use those natural resources to construct their Nautical Gnome Homes.

This picture, from Karen, is a nautical style gnome home custom made for her local beach house location. I used sea glass, shells, driftwood and even made a gnome surf board! Where have you ever seen a gnome surf board? Look out O’Neill’s. Now, a gnome in a bathing suit holding a surf board would be something! Maybe I’ll make one and combine it with a gnome. Hang-ten little one.

Thank you Karen for sending us the photo. If you find a little pointed red hat sticking out of the sand, please let me know. :-)

All in fun and all is well. Surf’s up!

Gnomes + Hops = Beer!

A Gnome checking his Hops

Gnomes like beer!

Here is a family tradition that is handed down from generation to generation. It goes way back to 1200 A.D.  and the fine art and enjoyment of making beer. We know gnomes are from Scandinavia and central Europe where beer is like water. The yeast secrets are held within their clans and guarded. Add some fresh hops, barley, wheat, etc. and you have the makings of fine beer. Buried under an old tree stump you can imagine a little brewery turning out little wooden kegs of dark beer. Like wine, storage underground works just fine.

Any chance of celebration, out comes the little kegs to be shared and admired. Lots of friendly family competition I imagine.

Now, when our gnomes can’t tap into some leftover human beer, that’s a bonus! Given their size, it doesn’t take much to get them “happy.” Good times ahead at the next Berry Ball Game.

Hops are easy to grow here in Western Washington and make a tall climbing decorative cover for a garden arbor like grapes do. Combine the two and it is happy time for all.

With that, I’ll “hop” out of here. All is well.

Gnome, Where Are You?

A camouflaged Gnome!

At about 6 inches fully grown, an adult gnome is well camouflaged by the clothes they wear and by hiding in the natural surroundings. Most gnomes sleep all day and only come out at night when humans are not likely to see them. If they are out in daylight, I’d think they would try to blend in the best they can. A garden full of red flowers seems to be a perfect cover. Be it a hanging basket full of big red begonias, or a canopy of bright nasturtiums, you might just get lucky and spot one.

You seldom see historical figures of female gnomes in the stories. They almost never venture that far from their forest home like the men do. Their clothing colors are natural green and dark brown, which camouflages them very well.

Seen or not, many have sensed their presence, or so I’ve been told. Like when you feel someone is watching you, but you can’t tell for sure. They sit for hours watching us. Must be like a human TV show to them. Can’t say we don’t sit ourselves down and watch others! Now, that’s entertainment! See you all later as they say. All is well.

“Pan-da-Gnome-ium”

Okay, that’s a stretch, but I couldn’t pass it up. These gnomes found themselves standing in some vintage pans that I found in our woods. They act like wind chimes (or wind clunkers, bur a better name)  when we have strong winds.

These little people don’t pass up a new opportunity to investigate and have fun. Hanging not far from the ripening blackberries, could be a good resting spot for a snack or shelter from the sun or rain.

Gnomes do have excellent blacksmithing and pottery skills to make their own bowls and pots. Ceramics, glassblowing, metalworking, carpentry and cloth making are but a few of their many talents. When you live to be 400 years old, there is a lot of time to perfect these skills! A few old rusty bowls is nothing more than something to play or hide in. All in fun. Have you ever sat in the spinning tea cups at Disneyland? See, there you go! All is well.