Earth Day 2013

Mama gnome has not tended her gardenblog as much as she ought to.
Young gnomelets take up her time day and night.
But mother gnome would still like to share with you the gnome family's Earth Day endeavor for this year.
It swelled up her old gnome heart for it allowed her time to spend with one of her favorite earth creatures...trees.
The gnome family spent Earth Day 2013 with some of her favorite humans as well...Treepeople.

(c) friendlygnome.blogspot.com 

On this day, Treepeople, the gnome family, and other humans planted trees and tended to the young treelings that were already there.
The gnome family and their human family team had to prepare the tree root ball by teasing out the roots, smoothing them out and making sure the roots didn't wrap around so when the tree grows, the roots will be growing and spreading out as much as they should.

(c) friendlygnome.blogspot.com

 Mama gnome was giddy for the tree root smelled wonderful. The young tree we planted was a bay tree and this rootball smelled like bay leaves. Mother gnome's nose tingled and she smiled.

Who knew that one of the secrets of planting trees was the use of small feet to stamp down the earth around the spot where the tree was planted to compact the soil around the young tree.

(c)friendlygnome.blogspot.com 

Gnomes and humans had to haul big buckets of water back and forth to water all the newly planted trees plus all the other treelings.

After the planting, mulching, weeding, raking, and watering, the gnome family and humans settled down for a lunch box provided by the Treepeople.
Mama gnome ate a scrumptious veggie sandwich and a refreshing salad and...Mama gnome couldn't believe how big the cookie was! It was bigger than her hand.
Mother gnome assures you she had no trouble making that cookie fit in her mouth and in her stomach eventually.

After all the work was done, the humans left but not the gnome family. Mama gnome had heard from a treepeople person that there was actually a river nearby even though we couldn't see it from where we were. This was enough for the gnome family to explore and find the mystical river.
First we encountered horseshoe prints on the path.

Then we clambered up a hill to this chainlink fence and lo and behold this river made by humans.

Young gnomelets whooped and hollered with joy. Mama gnome and daddy gnome looked at each other and smiled. What a wonderful treat to find this.
Of course young gnomelets were not content to look from far away, the gnome family scrambled and ambled slowly and carefully down to the river's edge and was even more surprised to see these...

Can you spot the ducks in flight?

 Crane and ducks had no trouble getting along.

The river and vegetation merged beautifully along this spot.

Daddy gnome and young gnomelets were happy to spot this foxtail growing so well along the river's edge.
Such a picturesque spot don't you think. Now what would mar this vision?
Mama gnome's bane of her existence, Plastic Bag Monster, had its minions in the river as well.

This is part of what drives Mama gnome and the gnome family to battle several times a year against Plastic Bag Monster and its minions.

This is the young tree, the gnome family helped plant. We will visit her soon to see how she if faring.

Mama gnome hopes you would join the gnome family and become tree guardians as well.
Please make everyday an Earth Day and drive Plastic Bag Monster to eternal oblivion, and go green.

(c) text and all pictures friendlygnome.blogspot.com

Gnomelets Have Taken Over

Mama gnome apologizes for her long absence in her garden.

Young gnomelets have taken over the mother gnome's life.

They take up almost all of Mama gnome's waking and sleeping hour.

Mama gnome would like to share this wonderful video.

Please watch this magical show of starlings in flight.

Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.

The year is coming to an end.

Mama gnome hopes to tend to her garden a lot more often next year.

In the meantime, please tend to our garden planet Earth and go green.

(c)Jenaelha, Friendly Gnome's Blog

Gnomes and Humans Plant Trees for Earth Day 2011

The gnome car faithfully hugged the road on the side of the mountain.

Daddy gnome asked, "Are we going the right way?"

Mama gnome said, "Hmmmm..." She stared out at the window, mesmerized by the rolling dips and gorges.


Daddy gnome said, "Ehemm... Mama gnome? Are we going the right way?"

"What? Oh...let me see..."Mama gnome's stubby finger followed the wriggly lines. "Looks like it." Mama gnome sat up straight. She felt quite at ease with the map.

The wrinkly paper was an old friend.

The computer on the other hand...always played mind games on the old gnome. She didn't trust that whiny gps voice either.

Give me a map any day, Mama gnome always thought.

It was important the gnome family didn't get lost on this special day, Earth Day 2011.

They had a special date with humans, tree loving humans, as it were.

"Trees!" Gnomelets who were quietly sitting in the back of the gnome car burst into sudden movements of waving and pointing at these:


Elder gnomelet said, "They look strange, Mama. They're black and they don't have leaves."

Younger gnomelet said, "No leaves."

Mama gnome said, "I'm afraid so, little ones. There was a fire here last year. That's why we're here. Somebody's got to do something about it."

Soon, this came into view:


By the by, the gnome family, made it to the campsite.

Mama gnome kept her fingers crossed. Time and time again, she'd been disappointed by the smallish number of humans she'd seen at events like: Coastal Cleanup Day and 350.org's International Day of Climate Action.

The gnome family were greeted by this wondrous being.


Of course Mama gnome and young gnomelets proceeded to hug it tremendously.

Mama gnome's trepidation disappeared.

There were more humans here than Mama gnome had seen at previous ecoevents.

She beamed at the tall human lady with the sign up sheet.

The gnome family were given strict instructions to wear a hard hat at all times even during breaks.

Daddy gnome deftly adjusted the hard hats for the young ones and soon the gnome's pointy hats were squashed underneath the yellow roundish hats.

Mama gnome kept a firm grip on younger gnomelet's hand and Daddy gnome took older gnomelet's hand.

The trek was quite daunting...slippery slopes covered with ash, rocky dips, and over streams.

Mama gnome's small heart pounded, fearful for the quite short young gnomelets' legs.

But they did her proud. The young gnomelets marched on without a single complaint.

At times, the gnome family over took humans who had to stop and rest.

Along the way they saw:

Charred remains of a burnt tree...


A bleak mountaintop that looks like a desert...



Sad muses of trees...


More burnt trees on a rocky slope...



Mama gnome didn't know what they were before but now they looked like giant burnt pineapples.



After over an hour of hiking on rough terrain, a tree loving human gave instructions on how to plant the saplings to give the young trees the best chances of survival.

The kindly human instructor said, the trees had a survival rate of 75%.


The humans and the gnome family went to work.

Here was Mama gnome's secret weapon...

Older gnomelet aka super ecowarrior.

She scoffs at the face of ecoenemies...and deals them a terrible blow with her tiny hands.




After what seemed like hours of work,the gnomes were tired and thirsty.

Other humans had left already. But the gnomes stayed and carried out what they set out to do. They finished planting the young trees on the bleak mountain.

Afterward they faced an even more daunting task, the hike back.

The gnome family climbed up steep inclines, held on to rocky crevices, and found footing on ash covered ground.

With faces covered with soot and ash, and bones and muscles weary, the gnomes encountered a gentle creature who bade them go on.



Finally, they spotted the campsite.


When the gnome family reached the campsite, the Forest Ranger and the leader of tree humans applauded the young gnomelets. The youngest participants for the tree planting event made the biggest impression.

Elder gnomelet said, "Mama, my cheeks are red."

Mama gnome said, "You did good, my love. You did good."

It was close to three in the afternoon and the gnomes were famished having missed lunch.

The young gnomelets cheered when they discovered...a giant cookie in their lunch boxes.

Mama gnome was very impressed with the lunch box made from recycled paper.

NO PLASTIC OR STYROFOAM in sight. And she was grateful for the vegetarian sandwich.



After their meal, the young gnomelets made wishes at the stream, throwing pine cones into the water.

Mama gnome made her own wish...a not so secret wish for more trees.

Mama gnome wishes all humans would help make Earth Day everyday, make her wish come true and go green...

(c) all photos and text by Jenaelha, Friendly Gnome's Blog

Trees for Earth Day 2011

This Saturday, April 23, the gnome family will travel to a forest that was ravaged by fire last year.

The gnome family will meet up with humans to help plant trees in honor of Earth Day 2011.

Please celebrate Earth Day 2011 by doing one single act of green.

Together, humans and gnomes can contribute to a billion acts of green for planet earth.


video from: thechriscarsonshow

Please visit Earth Day Network's A Billion Acts of Green

Make each day earth day and go green.

(c) Jenaelha, Friendly Gnome's Blog

Bird's eye view of Decorah Eagles

Mama gnome and young gnomelets waited with bated breath and finally the third egg hatched on April 6, 2011.

We've watched the proud parent bald eagles feed, nurture, and care for their precious babies.

But please see for yourselves. Here is the live video feed of the beautiful eagle family in Iowa:



Live TV by Ustream

Stop, drop and swim at warp speed

Mama gnome is not a party animal.

Usually when Mama gnome hears the word "party" in a word association game, the following words will pop up:
mingle, converse, painful and slow death...

So when Daddy gnome sprang the following words to Mama gnome, "BBQ and Pool Party,"
Mama gnome's brain exploded with:
mingle, converse, bathing suit, exposed, painful and slow drowning death.

But gnomelets shouted, "Yehey! Swim!"

So the gnome family drove in the gnome car to a land not too far.

Mama gnome distracted herself by gazing at the desert landscape.

She imagined how it would feel if she ran straight into a Joshua tree.

Would that be a really painful and slow death?

She'd probably still have to go to the BBQ pool party even when pierced with thousands of cactus needles.

So Mama gnome sat back down in the passenger seat.

Much to Mama gnome's surprise, the host and hostess of the party were very gentle and welcoming humans.

Hostess human and Mama gnome forged immediate bond especially after Mama gnome discovered Hostess human was a Trekkie like herself.

And so a mini Star Trek convention ensued minus the costumes.

Mama gnome has been a devoted Trekkie for many years.

Take Exhibits 1 and 2






And Exhibits 3 and 4




Mama gnome and Hostess human discussed extensively the latest Star Trek movie and agreed on major points:

Warning: Spoiler Alert! Stop if you haven't seen the movie yet. Come back after you've seen it to see if you concur with:


"That movie was so cool!"

"First time older Spock said 'live long and prosper' was major crying scene."

"Dude, they kept the sound track! Awesome!"

"But you-know-who's-mother didn't die in the original series."

"Conclusion: Movie was set in alternate universe"

"Conclusively conclusion: MORE STAR TREK MOVIES COMING OUT! WOO-HOOO!"



Gnomelets enjoyed the party as evidenced by not wanting to come out of the pool and staying there forever.

So Daddy and Mama gnome had to accompany gnomelets into the pool three times!

Mama gnome considered maybe gnomelets were either baby fishies or sea turtles.
But dropped that idea quickly after youngest gnomelet jumped on Mama gnome's back only as a gnomelet could.

After the party, the gnome family went home and Mama gnome smiled looking at the beautiful desert landscape.

The sun was setting.

Joshua trees unscathed.

And in the words of a wise Vulcan I admire, "Live long and prosper."