Posts
The garden gnomes arrived here from Germany at the end of the seventies or maybe the beginning of the eighties. When we went with the children to visit their German grandmother, a world that I did not know opened up before me. Here everything was still young, simple and modest and Europe was a world of wonderful things.
Ikea, who even thought such a wonderful place existed, there was a ball pool where you could leave the children and I was exposed for the first time to beautiful and simple Scandinavian design. and meatballs. That's where I discovered the garden gnomes. I had never seen these before and they immediately captured my heart. Maybe it was my genetic memory from previous generations who lived there and also knew them. They looked lovely to me. I brought a few of them with me, I think I bought one on every visit, it's been more than forty years and I don't remember anymore. They moved with me from house to house and even lived for several years in the lowest place in the world, near the Dead Sea. For many years I neglected them and was busy with other things, only recently someone who understands some things told me that they are numbered and have some value, but they already look too tired.Although they keep smiling. They have seen a lot in their lives. The cats fought near them, dogs stole them sometimes and I had to look for them in the neighbors' gardens, they heard alarms and saw missiles flying right in front of their eyes but always kept smiling. When I read about the movement to free the garden gnomes in Europe, I was afraid that here too there would be someone who would adopt the idea, but happily it didn't happen. For the purpose of the photo, I put them on an ancient stone that has been here for hundreds of years, among fragrant moss plants and next to plaster mushrooms and some artificial flowers that testify to the terrible taste I have recently developed. Yes, sometimes I plant fake flowers in pots just for the color. The garden gnomes don't care.
A few years ago here, some people would kidnap garden gnomes and hold them hostage until the owner paid money - usually to charity. The other thing the kidnappers would do is take a gnome on a long journey across Britain and send postcards and photos to the owner from various points on the route.
ReplyDeleteI remember reading about it.
DeleteI'm glad you have had your garden gnomes for so many years and have enjoyed them so much. Hope you and your gnomes stay safe, Yael!
ReplyDeleteThank you Ellen. It's quieter here at the moment.
DeleteQuite close to where we used to live there was a new build house that didn't have a garden, just a patch of driveway at the front. They covered the whole area with gnomes of all different shapes, sizes and colours. It was an eye-catching riot!
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you're back safely Jayce.
ReplyDeleteYour garden gnomes have seen a lot since they came to live with you! Thank you for telling us about them. I plant plastic flowers in my garden too; you are not alone in that. LOL. Sara in Southern California
ReplyDeleteI also have a lot of real plants, but sometimes the artificial ones look much more alive.
DeleteYour German garden gnomes are delightful. It sounds like they are collectible and sought after. I have not heard about them prior to your post. The garden gnomes make you want to smile and that is always a good thing.
ReplyDeleteI'm a little sorry I didn't take better care of them.
DeleteI also remember bigger gnomes from decades ago when one sat at the end of the garden bench and another stood next to the steps onto the veranda.
ReplyDeleteCheerful little fellows in your garden.
ReplyDeleteThey are happy most of the time.
DeleteYour having gnomes is like my having collected stuffed animals and dolls
ReplyDeleteSweet things that don't leave are precious in a world that has so many changing circumstances
Mary
Indeed, Mary.
DeleteWhen my youngest son was still small, he was at a total loss about what to buy his mother for Christmas. At a Boot Sale we found a concrete Gnome riding a Pig. His mother hated it, but we still have it in France. It's about 45 years old now, and has lost most of its paint. I absolutely love it.
ReplyDeleteHe is about the age of my garden gnomes. I wonder if this is considered young in garden gnome terms...
ReplyDeleteI have garden gnomes too and they have names. I like gnomes and pottery things in my garden. And I too have used plastic flowers hidden in amongst the pots so I have some colour. Anything in the garden that makes you happy is fine by me.
ReplyDeleteI like your gnome story.
Now I wonder at myself that I didn't give them names.
ReplyDeleteDo you follow River's blog, from Australia? She has recently been reconditioning and repainting some garden gnomes!
ReplyDeleteInteresting, I don't know but I'll look.
ReplyDelete