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Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Stealing gnome


The first yard gnomes were created in Germany in the mid-1800s. British tourists began bringing them home and decorating their yards with them because the legend is that gnomes like to do yard work at night. One site I visited pointed out that gnome sales in Germany dropped sharply during both World War I and World War II.

I wonder why.

Regardless, as one might expect, I am drawn to gnomes in the same way I am drawn to pink flamingos and pinwheel daisies. Tess makes me keep my gnome in the back yard where the neighbors can't see it. It's just as well. It has become fashionable for people to steal yard gnomes and photograph them in odd places and at nicer vacation spots than most of us can afford.

So it dawned on me, why not put a yard gnome up at Dizgraceland and encourage any of you to steal it and place it on your site and encourage others to steal it from you. If you choose to take part in this experiment, please let me know, and provide a link back to Dizgraceland so I can keep track of where the gnome is traveling.

If you are computer graphic impaired, all you have to do to copy an image off a site is right click the image with your mouse and scroll down to the "save image as" command. Then save to your desktop and load it up on your own site.

Remember, a gnome is where your heart is. Share mine.

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great idea Tim. I will steal ya later.

by the way, I think the gnome/vacation thing started with "Amelie", a french movie. Great flic!

Hayden said...

umm.... I'd like to do this and do know how to nab the pic, but am too computer illiterate to have figured out how to do links.....

Time said...

Thanks Shandi, I haven't seen Amelie, but it keeps coming up on my Netflix recommendations. I guess I'll have to get it.

Hayden, You are yanking my chain about links, aren't you? I've seen them on your blog before.

Whitesnake said...

Okey dokey, I pinched the little bugga. By Christ he's a feisty bloke.
Now..........when do I let him lose?

Hayden said...

oh, wait, I do know how to do links inside the post. I thought you meant the links on the sidebar, but that's probably just because I've been brooding about that.

whew.... now that we got that clarified, I'll pinch your gnome!

Time said...

Whitesnake, my Aussie friend, release the gnome on you blog at your leisure and be sure to encourage your readers to steal the little bugger, too. Thanks!

Lights, Nice touch!

Hayden, Thanks for playing along. We could all be famous once the gnome spreads.

JP (mom) said...

Stolen! The gnome had a fun visit to JanePoe: Nevermore!

Time said...

JP,
Glad he found a good home!

Anonymous said...

Well, I have no blog site, so I can't lift your gnome, but I am enjoying clicking on the other sites to see where he's going....

Kat Campbell said...

Stolen from you, through Hayden and now touring the fringe of Appalachia with a dreadfully smug look on his face.

Time said...

Thanks Kat, I'm sure the gnome will be happy in his Appalachia home!

morningstar said...

well i found your gnome on Dances with Leaves and have stolen it.. but i have hidden it away...... good luck finding it Tim.. if you do.. you may have it back.. just leave me a comment so i know it was you.. k???

(i do love a good game.. this is a bit like capture the flag.. blog style no?? )

morningstar (owned by Warren)

Time said...

Morningstar! A Gnome hunt! Let the games begin.

Alex Pendragon said...

grumblemumbledammit.......

Time said...

I'm fine, THE Michael, thanks for asking.

Anonymous said...

DONE!!!

R. said...

Uncle Tim's Gnarly Gnome Clone is now in the links section of my blog.

Time said...

R. At least it is still in the family.

Anonymous said...

The deed is done.

Time said...

Mickey, Gnome wasn't built in a day. Thanks for taking him under you wing for a spiritual journey.

Paris Parfait, Merci! Now that the gnome has seen Paris maybe you can put him on a train to Rome.

Giggles said...

Okay dude has a virus and landed on my doorstep....says he came from Paris via your place....he's really demanding and annoying....keeps bugging me about B.C. bud....I almost kicked him to the curb.....
His grumpiness is rubbing off on me! This is not the best time of the month for him to be visiting....if you know what I mean!

Peace and giggles

Anonymous said...

I saw the gnome and just stole him ... which was a real detour from going to Rome ... But isn't he omnipresent?

Time said...

Giggles, figures the gnome would be asking about BC bud. He always looked stoned to me anyway :) Thanks for showing him around Vancouver. It's one of my favorite cities.

Kimba, Maybe the gnome will leave his heart in San Franciso. Thanks for stealing him.

Footpad said...

To me, when someone says "garden gnome," I think first of Amelie and then of Wallace and Gromit.

I chose the former for my shout-out. Cheers!

My link came by way of that lovely poet, Jane Poe.

Time said...

Footpad, Thanks for stealing and enhancing the gnome. Since you are in Seattle, you technically brought him home again.