When I was a little girl, my mother bought a book called "Gnomes." Apparently it was some sort of publishing joke. People thought it would never sell, and the publisher (Martha Stewart's ex-husband) was ridiculed in snotty circles of people. Well, it ended up being a best seller and became a classic in our house. If you haven't seen it, it's a mock encyclopedia of Gnomes of the World. Woodland Gnomes, Arctic Gnomes, City Gnomes, all here with magical illustrations of their secret world. I would look at the pictures and read the stories of the little men and women in this woodland story book, and I have to admit, I was totally happy when I would do my "research."
Now that I am a big grown up, I have my own gnomes, or tomtes. I don't know if you are aware of this, but gnomes are protectors of your property. They look after the animals on your land and scare away any threatening predators, which where I live is, like, yellow jackets. It is said that every home and farm in Sweden has its own tomte. He is believed to live under the floor boards of the house or in the barn. The tomte looks after and helps the family and their animals. In return, the family puts out food for him. At Christmas, he must have a bowl of rice porridge with a pat of butter on top.Mine just live in the garden.
Some of my gnomes are new. 
Some are older and getting faded. 
Some are dollar store buys, some are fabric store buys, some are from friends. Lots are from my husband who loves to spoil me. Whenever we go out, he will stop and look for gnomes with me. 
Some are with me where you wouldn't expect to see them. When I get bored of trying to keep my kids quiet at church (a futile attempt in any language) I look down and giggle, because I know I'm the only grown woman in my church who has a gnome bag. 
This was by far my most expensive gnome, and he stays in the house all the time. He guards the TV, I guess. When I am out walking in my yard I love seeing these little helpers. It brings me back to being a little girl, lost in a book, totally happy and knowing secrets only book readers learn. Someone once commented that they were too granny-fied for someone like me, that I shouldn't have them out where people would see or they would look tacky. I just smiled. Once you know how great it is to have a tomte, you never go back. So when you are out and about, and you come across that lone garden gnome on the clearance shelf waiting to go to someone's yard, pick him up and take him home. You'll be glad you did.
What secrets have you learned from books? Who are your gnomes?
2 comments:
ok... gnomes are fun and whimsical. kind of make you feel like you have a little fairy land in your back yard. (i loved david the gnome when i was little... does anyone know who he is?)
But i must say, no offense if this is you, but i do NOT understand the statues of dogs or birds or deer in one's yard. you could have a real one of those, so why bother?
Yes, the guy who has the fake doggy puppy on 1700 East makes Maggie so happy because every time we drive by she thinks a real dog is sitting there looking at her. And no I've never heard of David the gnome but google here I come!
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