Gnome Greetings and Good-byes

In my excellent reference book, it is said gnomes express their greetings and good-byes by rubbing noses. Looks like they have big noses, so must be generations of rubbing those slightly pink noses. You usually see gnome likenesses with big smiles and rosy cheeks. Not much different than Santa Claus I think. We know they’re usually happy and smile all the time. It affects us and the forest animals the same way. These little people are deep thinkers and talk with various body gestures to add to their conversations. They can see other gnomes at a great distance and both know all is just fine.

When you see a gnome figure or a cute little gnome home, you smile without even “gnoming” it. :-) That’s a good thing. Adding a few special gnomes to your garden setting or kitchen window box should bring happiness. It’s a small visual time out!

April is almost here. The garden work is calling me. All is well.

Garden Gnome Home Installation

Shown here is a very well set large gnome home with a flat back up against a large fir tree. This was shipped to our new friend, Glenn, in the midwest. He wanted something different in his garden by a large old tree. He added some gnomes and ground cover and now has an attractive focal point in his yard. Note the fence corner. Well done Glenn and thank you for sending this photo back to Whimsical Woods. Looks great!!

“No place like Gnome!” All looks to be very well at Glenn’s house!

Gnome Mobile

Well, the gnomes made me do it! Why not give our broken state a little extra money for a specialized license plate? All in fun, of course. I now see people pass me and stare at me real hard. I guess they expect to see a little gnome driving. I sure don’t look like one though. I smile and wave back and off they go. We’ll add our website address on the back deck here shortly.

If Oscar winners can have a winner mobile, then our gnomes can have a Gnome Mobile! Sounds fair to me.

So, if you see us out and about, now you’ll know who we are. We often travel down to N. California on other business, so you may see us on Highway 5, 50 or in the San Francisco Bay Area, our old stomping grounds. Again, all in fun.

We haven’t seen the new Disney movie yet, “Gnomeo and Juliet” but maybe soon. Let me “gnome” what you think. :-)

More large gnome home photos coming. One recently purchased and installed by Glenn in the midwest, is very well done. Leprechauns and gnomes?? Well, both love lots of beer, so they probably get along just fine. That’s okay with me. All is well. Gnome Mobile over and out!

March Madness - Spring?

Gnomes in the Garden

The woodland gnomes look forward to the night time temperatures  climbing up to warmer Spring like temperatures. All are looking to say goodbye to winter and the snow! Very early vegetables are starting to pup up through the dirt. In a week or so, a few flowers may bloom. Fresh flower for the gnomes!

Here in the Pacific Northwest, we’re months away from even planting most vegetables. Still too wet and cold, but Spring fever is catching. Gnomes are somewhat dependent on us to plant and grow the vegetables. We accuse the moles of stealing our young plants, but it might just as well be a little gnome plucking a young plant for his family dinner. Plant some big fat radishes or carrots and watch. After a long and cold winter, the gnomes await Spring like we do. They look forward to getting into my garden just like I do. Don’t know if they like rhubarb, but I won’t  miss a few stalks.

I saw some robins, so the worms are starting to move about. I read that gnomes help the robins find the big worms. Must be a little game. Don’t think worms are on gnomes’ favorite food list, but then again, Mac and cheese isn’t either.

March-  in like a lion, out like a lamb. We’ll see. time to get outside and clean up the fallen branches. Spring will come and that’s good news for our little friends in the woods. All is well in our Whimsical Woods.

Gnome Homes - more, more!

Gnome home with skylight

Gnome home from apple stump

Gnome home with hollow core

I have been asked to show more pictures of the various gnome homes that I have made. No two are the same, but the similar likeness is there. These gnome homes are best set into a wooden area surrounded by large and small plants and perhaps other trees. Gnomes like their homes to be a little obscure and blended. Set out by themselves is not in keeping with their written nature. The gnome homes can be as tall or fat as you want, or both. You can get a small one to sit  over your kitchen sink, in a window box if you want. Make yourself a cute little gnome village to look at while doing the dishes.

For maximum affect at night, I would recommend 12 vac low wattage outdoor lighting with a soft spot focused on each home for the best whimsical look.

I am currently building a gnome village for a client with three gnome homes on and around a large old, overgrown cedar stump. I’ll share those pictures here in a month or so. It will be a very special feature to a wooded back yard.

So, more pictures it is. Next to gnome doors, I’ll be offering  whimsical gnome windows. Add a door and some windows to the base of a tree along with a few other forest finds, and you will have tuned your simple tree into an imaginary gnome home. Got to be fun and keep you smiling!

All must be well.

Winter Days Continue - Oh Nuts!

Spring is still a couple months away with long dark nights and short cloudy days. The weather doesn’t seem to bother our Whimsical Woods gnomes however, They continue about their daily chores and activities. Repairing their homes and wood gathering takes up a lot of their time.

There is always time for fun however. I imagine snowball throwing, sledding and hide and seek games. I also imagine gnomes help the animals find food and remind the squirrels where they hid their acorns and my bird seed. With a barn or two nearby, a group of gnomes can haul away a good amount of high priced horse or rabbit food in a single night. At home here, we put out a little tub of various nuts and they disappear very quickly. Gnomes do not seem to like citrus, but put out a strawberry and it is gone in no time! Not sure they eat it all, but like to share with the  small rodents and other creatures of the forest.

They are very responsible and loyal to those who help them. Hopefully, they have learned that from us over the centuries. That is a good thing.

With that, this is nuts! But likely to crack you up! Sorry. All is well.

Gnome Caps

Gnome Caps: Red for males and black for females

Male gnomes wear tall pointed red caps and female gnomes wear tall black caps. Other than the caps and the men's beards, the gnomes look very much alike in features. Females wear darker, camouflage colors than the men, while the male gnomes wear the brighter colors.

So, why the pointed caps? One might guess it is to protect gnomes from falling nuts, pinecones, rain or even airborne animals of prey. We also know, from earlier stories, that the caps help the gnomes locate each other in deep snow and for making tunnels under the snow. 

To a gnome, his/her cap is their identity, a reflection of ones self and presence. What an elder gnome must think when he sees young kids today with their caps on backwards! Gnomes takes very good care of their cap by cleaning it daily. It has to be just right, fit well and stand tall.

Should a stray cat come upon a gnome at night, the hat is sacrificed to the cat allowing a speedy escape. Gnomes receive their caps at a young age. Green for girls and red for the boys. With the soon to be movie release (Disney’s “Gnomeo and Juliet”), I’m sure this Fall you’ll see gnome hats in the stores. Maybe gnome hats will become as popular as the Mickey Mouse ears - who knows?

Maybe someone will make me a tall gnome cap. Maybe too much? All in fun of course. I get the point. :-) All is well.