The Gnome Unveiled

Well, here he is, our freshly repainted gnome, Mr. Halfrey. We got him 11 years ago at the Lakewood Flea Market in Atlanta, and he’s been repainted twice. In Atlanta he always stood in our backyard in a funny little “gnome’s garden,” a patch of white sand outlined with white-painted river rocks. It contained no plants, but it did contain some very tacky garden decorations, including a weird wooden chicken that rotted with amazing speed. Here in Quincy Halfrey stood for years in a patch of lemon balm and catnip, and his hat became severely pitted from the (infrequent) rain. Since we don’t want him to suffer any more weather-related indignities, he’ll be residing on the screen porch from now on, keeping company with a big red metal pig and two ridiculously cute ceramic bluebirds.