fairy tales come true when you keep a well maintained lawn.

we have a semi-dead tree in the front lawn. haven't had the time to cut it down. and i'm glad. it intrigues me. it has a fairy-tale hole at the bottom which i have photographed many times. i have always assumed it houses a land of honey-bears and leprechauns.

a long cold winter followed by a relentlessly rainy spring has caused serious lawn neglect on our part. after coffee one morning, i looked out the window and noticed the tree was gone. knee-high grass was threatening to overtake our yard, our home, and possibly the entire town of belgrade. after several mowings and a few weed-wackings, the grass has been contained, the town has been saved, and my curious tree is visible once more.

my husband was the first to spot them. inside the tree, under the grass clippings. two crusty old gnomes. why hadn't i noticed them before? i've had my arms up to my elboes inside that tree and i've never seen nothing but an endless black hole. though, i suppose gnomes hibernate during the winter. i'm glad they emerged. always wanted a garden gnome. now i have two, for the time being at least.


then on sunday, we were winding down from hosting mother's day at our house when jason said, "hey, come here.. by the tree. you gotta see this." another gnome? a pot of gold? no, a big fat black rat snake basking in the sun. the paparazzi arrived and the snake fled to the safety of the tree. the same tree my hands were all up in previously.



ok, so a snake is not a honey-bear and a garden gnome is not a leprechaun. but they are close. and they are magical. and i will keep the lawn trimmed and my hands in my pockets.