an East Texas Fair and a wee little gnome....

met for the first time tonight!  I'd suspected she'd hitched a ride when reaching for a lipstick I came up empty-handed.   You know how most of our purses have a side pocket inside we stuff full?  And you know how frustrating it is when you reach to grab your goodie and it's empty?  Well, ladies I'm here to tell you this is a favorite traveling perch for gnomes and fairies.  Gnomes & fairies who kick out the goodies to make room to stretch as they hitch a ride!  Uhhhh, I quite accidentally came unto this bit of info lately (for sure another story).

I didn't spot her though, until I stood transfixed by the ferris wheel.  The seat LOOKED empty with no heads sticking up, but the entire thing was rocking to & fro in the opposite direction of the swings.  Okay, here I must admit, I still wasn't paying close attention until the sparkler came into view.  Speechless, I edged closer thinking NO WAY, BUT wAY!!!!!!  She skillfully leaped to the edge of the fastened door and with one last huge wave of her fading-fast sparkler jumped to the ground.   She strutted past me with nary a glance.  Now here is where my mouth fell wide open!  On her back, visible because of her Junk Gypsy tank top (Now how did she get that from one of my favorite junksters?) was a HUGE PINK hEART tAToo!  

I hastened to catch up as she trotted into a pavilion.  PIGS, pigs, pigs, here and there and everywhere!  BUT, no Mossy!   I dashed into another pavilion to find COWS, cows, cows, here and there and everywhere!  BUT, no Mossy.  It twas then when I heard quite the commotion.  A commotion creating a stampede from the petting corral.  Parents snatched up children running pell-mell out the gate.  Why even the obvious gatekeeper had jumped the fence and fled the pen.   Dodging the masses, I found my little culprit on the back of a small black & white goat.   She scowled even harder as she clutched two fists of hair.  The goat was in full bucking-bull mode and quite intent on ridding his back of its rider.  Mossy let go!!!!  I yelled over the commotion!  Never, she screeched, this little sucker took a bite of my hair!  Dirt, flew in about every direction it could, as the billy goat spun ever faster!  "Mossy, don't use that word," I admonished as I pondered the scene before me.  This was quite the mess how on earth could it end? No sooner the thought than end it did.  That little billy goat just lowered his head,  providing the way for Rodeo Mossy to exit.  She regally climbed between its ears and off his nose.  She turned shaking her finger at billy and then cut her eyes to me.  Exaggerating a stretch and a yawn ,she announced it was time to go home.  Rolling my eyes, I'd had enough.  But wait, just as I opened my mouth to inquire of a  pink heart tatoo ........poof !  Geepers!  So I stamped my foot in frustration and asked of its origin just the same right outloud.  The billy goat turned and mumbled one word.......fake.  WHAT?  Did a goat just answer? Well, yes, it appeared he had.   For he followed it up with a swish of his tail and a wink of his eye, again!

a WiNk of wHimsEy: a picture's worth a thousand words......

a WiNk of wHimsEy: a picture's worth a thousand words......: "so here's Mossy! Of course, this is my attempt to draw that you might see the saucey little imp. Believe me when I say it does not do ..."

a picture's worth a thousand words......

so here's Mossy! Of course, this is my attempt to draw that you might see the saucey little imp.   Believe me when I say it does not do her justice, but does catch a bit of the "attitude"! 

Bon Appetit!

Okay, I admit it.......I like to play dress up!  Below is evidence of my latest as Julia Childs.  Yes, it's for promoting a great event, but it was MY idea to don the garb.   In my preparations for the costume, Halloween came up yet again.  "Now what happens on Halloween?"  questions an impatient Mossy.  "They give away caNDY?  I'll dress up, too!   Guess what I'm going to be?  Guess what I'm  going to be?"  As she chanted on and on, I couldn't help but think of the obvious.........why not.......a gnome?  Unfortunately (for me), I uttered these words out loud.  One moment my polish remover had been on the end table and the next, well, let's just say I have a pair of jeans for painting in.  "I do declare, Mossy that if I can get my hands on you.........." You can see who's turn it was to chant on and on now.  After a bit of ranting, I suddenly realized I was quite alone.  Freaky.  Where was she?  This was one of those moments, like when a toddler gets quiet that you KNOW somethings going down.  These somethings are rarely good.

Mossy?
MOssy?
MOSsy?
MOSSy?
MOSSY?

I froze as I rounded the bar, my Julia Childs' pillbox hat was moving!   It seemed to float an inch or so off the floor and was heading straight to me!  It had to be her, right?  Gulp! And then I heard her.."Su-Surprise!" and with a grunt and a heave Mossy threw the hat off to the side.  Oh, Glory be!  It was an outfit that perfectly duplicated mine until you got to the feet.  Julia Childs stood below and in front of me, a gnome that is, dressed like Julia Childs.  She had on the classic pumps, but unfortunately the hose she wore were hot pink fishnets!  I slapped my hand over my mouth, just in time.  I feared what piece of clothing I would lose next, if this laugh escaped.

"Your her"  I cried instead.  " By George (or rather Julia), you've done it!  Mossy beamed with pride and began to strut for all to see (this would be me).  My last glimpse of the wee Julia for the day was a memorable one for sure!  She had slipped outside and stood on the porch railing.  Below her as if she were holding court, six doves listened quite intently.  What was she saying?  I thought as I cracked open a window.  Yes, there it was again.  In a lilting screech she did her best with none other than Julia's greeting,  Bon Appetit! And to you, Bon Jour!!!!!

a WiNk of wHimsEy: Jeremiah was a bullfrog, was...

a WiNk of wHimsEy: Jeremiah was a bullfrog, was...: "a good friend of mine....... These were the screechy words of song I began to hear above the clanking of dishes. Is there (might I ask) an..."

Jeremiah was a bullfrog, was...

a good friend of mine.......  These were the screechy words of song I began to hear above the clanking of dishes.  Is there (might I ask) anything remotely more boring than emptying a dishwasher?  Well, not anymore for me this morn.  Creeping down the hall I began to hear splashing accompanying the song.   Peeking around the corner there she was!  Mossy bathing in my frog fountain!!! Water was tossed every direction as she flitted from level to level in a.........OH NO!  Can you guess, YES, that's it ....A YELLOW POLKA-DOT BIKINI!  Wow what a sight to behold......let's just say Special K would NOT be featuring this model for their commercials (either before or after shots).  HeHeHe, Mossy was so absorbed in her play, she had yet to notice me watching (or so she wanted me to think).  Seriously, who knows how a gnome thinks.  It was then I noticed her shoes.  Want to guess again?  Sorry, you couldn't.  Dorthy's red slippers.  Well, she knew I watching now, for I had to sit down I was laughing so hard.  "Fiddle dee dee" was her only acknowledgement, as she grew even louder in song and play. 

I watched for awhile as her play was contagious.  Then I began to hear it again, woRK, reSPONSIBILITIES, and choRES calling.  Wait, I noticed as I turned to leave.....  a small wee pumpkin on Mossy's moss.  As you would guess the obvious, Mossy adores moss.  ALL moss, mood moss, reindeer moss, sphagum moss, etc. etc.  For the wee one, I try to keep several containers with strictly moss as an occupant scattered about the house.  One of these is above the fountain.  This one filled with mood moss.  in particular, is a favorite for an afternoon nap, but never have I seen anything on it, but Mossy. 

FINALLY, YOU CAN SEE IT, TOO!!!!!!!  I snap picture after picture of the wee little gnome but never does her image appear, but her PUMPKIN DOES!  Hope you enjoy it.........tickles me pink or orange in this case. 

 And so, humming, I load the dishwasher......Jeremiah was a bullfrog, was a

balance........

don't we all seek it ceaselessly?  A visual of Mossy balancing on an egg a few blogs back comes quickly to mind.  If Mossy had lost her balance she would have plunged into a rather icky mess (also created one for ME to clean up).  And don't we find ourselves in an "icky mess" when we over or even under commit to the wrong or even right thing?  I can seriously say from experience MISERY rules the day.  It's as if a two year old picks up a crayon and begins to color every surface in the house and the coloring book.  In other words,  EVERYTHING is colored by imbalance, whether it's the culprit or not. 

Funny thing is that while I ponder "balance" I am laying on my back on the living room floor.  Above me the ceiling fan turns slowly around.  Unconsciously at first, the wobble of the fan goes unnoticed until a small flip-flop clad foot dangling off one side comes into focus.  Good gracious, MOSSY!!!!!!  A tiny chuckle followed, but there was no change in the dangling.   I'm not sure how long we had both hung out in those positions, she above and me below, when suddenly, Mossy peeked over the edge of the fan and the spitball landed on my cheek.  SPLAT! UGH!  Leaping to my feet the chase was on!  She squealed in delight as she dashed out the back door.   Rushing into Pandora I skidded to a stop (or tried to) to the very edge of the pond  andddddddd OOPS!  Let's just say Princess and Flash (two of our Koi) had to move over.   Mossy tried not to laugh (she really did).  She calmly swung to and fro in the wreath watching with widened eyes.  Seriously, who would have known that my fall decorating would have produced a swing for the wee one?  But it was just too much for me,  first I started with giggles then huge yelps of laughter.   There I sat in about 28" deep water wiping away both tears and pond water from my eyes.   Princess, Flash, Fish, Suzy, Jake, and Cora  (Koi, Shebunkins, & Comet Goldfish) circled me in the pond.   And to think, this all began with......what? .....really?........BALANCE?