A Large Garden Gnome

Many people, like myself, are fascinated with the adorable little statues known as garden gnomes.  I was first enchanted by them after watching the sweet and charming movie Amelie. A garden gnome or lawn gnome is a figurine of a small humanoid creature, usually wearing a pointy hat, produced for the purpose of ornamentation and protection from evil sorcery, typically of gardens or on lawns.

Garden gnomes are readily available at all kinds of home and gardening shops and these adorable figurines range drastically in prices.  These figurines originate in 19th century Germany, where they became known as Gartenzwerg (literally “garden dwarf”).  Whatever they are called, they add a lovely addition to any garden.

Although these garden figures are quite adorable, they are often the target of pranks! The act of taking the gnome and returning it to the wild is known collectively as “gnoming”.  No gnoming for me, just enjoying these adorable statues.

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Door Prizes include:

• Tickets to California Musical Theatre: Frost/Nixon
• Gift Certificate to Cabo’s Mexican Restaurant
• Two  Tickets to Fleetwood Mac Concert & Dinner for Two
• Two  Tickets to Fight Night at the Red Lion
• Gift Certificate to Café Ettore
• Gift Certificate to Brew It Up

Plus, lots of great vendors. For more information, click here.

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Whether you live where it rains or where it pours, there’s a great, easy way you can conserve water for garden use.

Where I live (Calif.) that’s a very big deal, as we Californians head into a third consecutive drought year.

Rain “harvesting” isn’t a new concept, but let’s just say this oldie is a goodie.

It’s as simple as setting up a simple capture system to redirect rainwater off the roof to a barrel.

Collecting Water - photo by Prem Anand

Whether you use a wine barrel to collect rainfall from your rooftop or recycle waste water from household sinks, bathtubs, showers and washing machines, you’re doing your water bill and the planet good.

If all this sounds like too much work, there’s always a very easy way to save–turn off the sprinklers during the winter, sunless it’s really dry and windy, in which case run them every so often. Get to know your sprinkler system and learn how to turn it off.

According to local experts in my hometown, Sacramento residents devote 60 percent of residential water use to their outdoor irrigation, and of that, 40 to 60 percent is wasted, as most homeowners over water by 200 to 300 percent.”

You can buy rain barrels here. Or buy a whole rain water collection system here. Or, take a baby step and turn off your sprinklers in the winter time.

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The Recycled Glass Hummingbird Feeder (pictured above) is eco-friendly and attracts hungry hummingbirds in country and urban gardens alike. The 100% recycled glass has been mouth blown by artisans, and each feeder is one of a kind. Dimensions: 40.0″Dia. x 6.0″W x 6.0″D x 8.0″H. Get yours here.

The Uccello Birdhouse (above) was handcrafted on a potter’s wheel in Italy, and features a unique gourd shape. Dimensions: 4.0″ Dia x 11.0″H. Buy it here.

This Water Wiggler silently ripples the water in a birdbath, which prevents mosquitoes from laying eggs and eliminates stagnant water.
Place wiggler in the center of any birdbath and it will operate 24 hours a day, up to 2 months. Two D batteries required; batteries not included. Dimensions 6.5″W x 6.5″H. Buy it here.

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