On a beautiful spring day, Gnomes Dan and Luanne were walking down by the river near the big Oak Tree, when Dan noticed the potential of a large rock filled ravine. "Look, Luanne", he remarked, “that pile of rocks is a natural amphitheater. This could be Gnometown's auditorium. Just think of the entertainment that could be performed here. Everyone would have a great view and the acoustics are strangely perfect."
"It’s even in the shade," Luanne added. Just at that moment, Gnomes Ruth and Shar happened to walk by and Dan pointed out the natural formation and they agreed about the potential. "We've always needed a place like this," exclaimed Ruth. "I think we should get a bunch together and do Handl's Messiah right here," Luanne added. The small group went directly to the Maestro's red rock on the other side of the river. They were excited to tell them of their idea. "Oh, yes! I've been waiting for an opportunity like this," the Maestro said, "but our town celebration, Riverfest, is coming in June and I think we should highlight Gnometown's talent. We will certainly do the Messiah at another time. But let's get started! Where do we start?” "We'd love to become better acquainted with the other gnomes here." Gnome Luanne interjected, "We will case the town thoroughly, looking for talent and encouraging them to perform. "And while we're looking for talent," Dan added, "I will be seeking folk to help make this natural theater better. Making a stage and back drop, cleaning up the weeds and moving a few rocks to accommodate more seating in places." The community became excited about the pile of rocks by the river. Gnomes Dan, Rudy and Harris, with others got busy and quickly it looked like a theater. They decided to call it Riverplace. Luanne organized a program and found a place in the program for all the talent she had found. Gnometown was to have its first big production in the new amphitheater at Riverfest! The production would be called "Gnometown has Talent." They even found judges! The winner would be honored to be the lead unit in the Riverfest parade! The evening of the production had finally arrived. A full house of excited gnomes were gathered at Riverplace. A quiet hush fell on the crowd as Gnomes Al, Dennis, and Dick, drove the honorees in squirrel-drawn walnuts to the new stadium, parading directly to the stage. Gnome Luanne steps out from the first unit, then Gnome Dan from the second unit, and finally the Maestro from the third. Everyone clapped and cheered for a new tradition was born in Gnometown to showcase all the talent. The Maestro had gathered an orchestra of youth and adults who played throughout the whole evening. Many gnomes stepped forward to show their talents. Mary played a piece about a butterfly on the piano, Deb sang beautifully, Ralph played a peppy sone on his trombone, Loren and a few other gnomes played and sang folk songs on the guitar. Vern and some of his students sang and danced, Ruth and Shar did a silly comedy skit, and even Coach Steve got a bunch of gnome boys to do tricks with berryballs. The acts were all polished and entertaining. After the show, the judges strolled off with their papers to discuss who would win. It would take a while to determine the winner. Gnome Del was there to capture these moments on film and Gnome Gladys wrote a fine article for the newspaper. Elder made sweet treats for the whole audience and players to feast on. The judges, Gnomes Phil, Marlene and Bob, stepped forward to announce the winner. "It was very difficult." Gnome Phil said. "There is so much talent in Gnometown, all deserve to be winners. We have decided to award the honor to the ones who recognized what we already had in Gnometown, developed it into a new tradition and created, Riverplace, a new venue to use for many productions. We award the honor to Gnome Luanne and Gnome Dan. Congratulations and thank you for joining us and inspiring us to make our community a special place for gathering and celebrating." The crowd roared their approval with clapping and rose to their feet in cheers! Gnometown, indeed, was a better place to live!
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The Gnometown Tale of Gnome DebWe know that gnomes are magical and all of them have special abilities. This gnome grew up on a farm with a father who prayed daily for a male child to be born, to whom the farm would be handed down, to be tilled, planted and harvested so it would stay in the family. Much is expected of these male gnomes. They should be smart, resilient and hard workers. But, as we know, things don’t all go as expected.
Uffda! Their first child is a girl! Uffda! Uffda! Their second child is a girl! Uffda! Uffda! Uffda! Their third child is a girl! Wouldn’t you know it...Uffda… their fourth child is a girl: Gnome Deb. The roots are deep for this gnome, she is directly descended from Gnome Gov. Ted. She would use this inherited grit and her experiences to develop into who she is. Gnome Deb kept her magic hidden, observing all the others around her. She paid attention when her Dad and second sister went to heaven, and her mom and sister went off to nursing school. She was thrilled when they came back to keep all the gnomes in Gnometown healthy. “That’s what good gnomes do in their community…help others.” she thought. “What can I do to be one of the good gnomes?” Off to school she went to get training in the medical field. She explored jobs helping with the animals, and helping them get well. One day she learned of a new field, INSURANCE: protection against “Uffdas”. You know, the things that can go wrong with your health, accidents around your home or when you’re using your car, and when weather devastates your crops growing on the farm. In her shop on the corner of Gnometown main street, she used her psychic abilities to figure out what type of protection could turn the “uffdas” of the other gnomes into hopes and happy returns. Learning from the other gnomes that being helpful was a gnome’s obligation, she began by dropping off specially brewed soup potions to people who needed a boost. The smiles said it all. Everywhere she went she had surprises for the other gnomes, sparkling up their lives with decorated trees, door hearts, pumpkins, Easter eggs, and often a treat by their bedside tables. Gnome Deb was always using her special power of knowing just when someone was dealing with an uffda. She would sing to the little gnomes and they would burst out in song when they saw her. Her singing comforts and inspires people where ever she goes. Proving every day that young lady gnomes can make significant contributions also to the wellbeing of all the gnomes of Gnometwon. In her career of selling “Uffda” protection, she showed the guy gnomes that girl gnomes can do just as well, and won special awards for that. She even traveled to Norway, where her ancestors came from, and told on television about what it is like living in Gnometown. As a female, Gnome Deb has earned her position and it carries on. So, life on the farm continues under another gnome’s name and so does the “Uffda” protection business. Now she spends her time in another community, demonstrating what it is like to be a Gnometown gnome, showing the magic that gnomes have inside them. She proudly wears her heart on her sleeve to show she cares and a bend in her hat to show that she chose to be a part of Gnometown. Uffda! We are so glad she lived in Gnometown! The Gnometown Tale of Gnome LorenIt had been a long time since the gnomes had gathered together at the river. The troll had been living quietly under the bridge, and the long winter was finally over! Gnome Daws started the fire just before dark, which meant it was time to gather! The gnomes of Dawson all sat in a half-moon at the gathering spot to hear Fat tell the tale of Gnome Loren. Young Loren had married Fat’s daughter, Carole, as soon as they finished college. Soon after, the carrier pigeon brought news that Loren would move to Germany to help with the fight against the evil trolls and goblins. Loren, Carole, and their little gnome, Jody, packed their belongings in their knapsacks and flew on the big Eagle over the ocean. While living there, the family welcomed a new little gnome, Jay. Fat then recalled the day the young Femrite family returned and decided to make Gnometown their home. Loren began making cabinets for the gnome homes in Dawson and the tall people miles and miles away, while Carole taught the young gnomes in elementary school. Loren became very involved in his church and enjoyed teaching Sunday School to the young gnomes and taking them on church trips. He helped his friends organize the Gnome Hope Network and served on many boards and councils. He and Carole were so happy they had decided to raise their young gnomes in the same community they grew up in! Loren was a quiet gnome with many thoughts and ideas always filling his head. He loved sitting around the tree stump visiting with friends. They shared new ideas for building homes, preserving their parks, and how to continue to make Gnometown the great little community it is. One day, Loren gathered at the old Oak tree by the river with Doc Phil, Farmer Gerry, and other friends on the gnome council. They had a long discussion and decided they needed a way to help gather the money and acorns from the community and distribute them to the community. Gerry looked at Loren and said, “It’s a lot easier to raise money than to give it away.” How true that was! When Gnometown is in need, the hearts on the gnomes’ sleeves grow! The trouble was getting it where it needed to go. Loren took on the task of helping organize the Gnometown Community Foundation. The foundation helped collect acorns and money and gave it away to gnome projects. Mayor Richard needed money for the new swimming hole, Gnome Vern asked for help with needs at the school and to upgrade to a newer clamshell & stump seats in the Gnome Auditorium, Bob and Marlene filled their Ford Gourds with Meals on Wheels for gnomes in need, and Gnome Eloise used it to fill Gnome Street with flowers. The foundation helped fund the many Gnometown events and so much more! When Gnomemaker Doug moved away, Gnome Areta needed to find someone new to help preserve the history of Gnometown. Alta, Ruth, and Sharilyn would share stories, but they would need an artistic gnome who was patient enough to make the gnome statues. But not just any statues - these would be at least 10 apples high!! That’s 10 times larger than the average gnome! Everyone knew Loren was the gnome for the job. They all tipped their hats to the right to vote yes for the new gnomemaker!! If you take a stroll through Gnome Park, you’ll see these mischievous and helpful gnomes, with a bend in their hats and their hearts on their sleeves, created with love by Gnome Loren. The Gnometown Tale of The TrollBack in the old country, banished to a deep cave by the ocean, lived a grouchy old troll named Coviduis P. Evilson the 19th. He came from a long line of evil trolls. Even his mother must have thought he was ugly because the P stands for Putrid. Because of his misdeeds, the gnomes there had banned him to live in a dark cave with only bats and spiders for company. But as the gnomes walked by he overheard them talking about the Gnometown gnomes. He was annoyed to learn how they wore a heart on their sleeves because they cared for everyone by helping them ad how they loved Gnometown. All the gnomes were so happy to be there. "How disgusting!" Covidius muttered to his cave friends. "I have a mind to go there and mess that up. The gnomes here don't want me around anyway. Why should those Dawson gnomes be so happy?" So he planned a trip with the goose going west. While the troll was arranging for travel, a young gnome was listening and learned of his intentions and ran to tell the others. "We don't want the Gnometown gnomes to be surprised by that troublemaker," said the supreme leader of the Old Country gnomes. "We will send a message by carrier pigeon so they will have advanced warning." Carrier pigeons are fast and the Gnometown gnomes had time to devise a plan. They divided themselves into groups: one to protect the industry, one to defend the hospital, another to protect the school, and another to watch the businesses. They were ready for that mean spirited Covidius. Soon arriving to carry out his devious plots, he decided to sneak into the hospital first to steal their surgical tools and medications. But, alas, Doc Bill, Doc Phil, and Doc Ralph had barricaded the doors. He shook the doors hard but there was no way he could enter. “Rats” he muttered, only to look back and see the EMTs chasing him down in the ambulance. “I’m out of here.” he exclaimed. So Covidius, this awful troll, retreated to the garbage dump hoping to find something good to eat. Trolls like garbage. “I’m not giving up, I’ll go to the school and scare those yucky young gnomes,” he said to himself defiantly. Off he goes to the school, armed with smelly garbage to throw at the children. He arrives at the school yard and is pleasantly surprised. “They aren’t expecting me to be here, they must be having a party. Look at them carrying those floating colorful balls... it must be a new game. Ha, Ha, I’ll give them a pleasant surprise, how would they like to wear some rotten fruit and smelly vegetables!” The very second his foot touched the playground grass, he was startled to hear hundreds of loud bangs, loud enough to scare this mischievous troll and send him running in fear. The Gnometown children and teachers laughed, they knew they had scared Covidius with the helium balloons. “You haven’t seen the last of me yet,” he shouted, “I’ve got other plans to spoil your Gnometown. You’ll see.” So back to the dump to prepare for his next attack. The plan he conjured up was malicious! He was determined to do harm. But Daws, the leader of the gnomes, along with Mayor Al and Mayor Dick were prepared to meet any situation. Covidius waited to execute his evil plan until it got dark when all the gnomes were sleeping. He began to set all the dumpsters in back of each business on fire. But the business owners were on watch, and they called the fire department and the police. Quickly the fires were put out and all the business owners chased Covidius into a police trap. He was caught. The Gnometown council reconvened immediately to put the troll on trial. The town lawyer and judge, Governor Ted, presented the evidence and this bad troll was convicted. The good judge sentenced him to permanently live under the old, unused and rickety bridge south of town. He was forbidden to enter the town and must go into the river and rid the water of zebra mussels. When he was hungry, they all agreed that he should eat them. All the gnomes, young and old, of Gnometown, were warned not to go near there. Soon the river was free of zebra mussels and the fish were abundant. Gnomes Ruby and Dennis lived in a dugout under a large oak tree near Gnometown. Nearby was a ravine where Gnometown folk dumped their disposables and unwanted items. Dennis loved to rummage around there as he cleared the land to make a large garden and often found old and historic items. One day he brought home an old waffle iron used on a wood stove that was heart-shaped, probably an old wedding gift. Ruby loved it and proclaimed enthusiastically, “It’s old, it’s precious, it must be saved!” So, Dennis went to the barn and made a wooden box, painted “SAVE” on it and lovingly placed the old, precious antique in the bottom. While rummaging through an old trunk one day, Ruby found six old yellowed letters which were written by her soldier grandfather to his girl back home while he was off fighting in WW1. “Oh, Dennis, look…they’re old, they’re precious, they must be saved.” Dennis brought them to the barn, wrapped them in cloth and carefully put them in a box marked “SAVE”. While Dennis was cleaning out in the field one day, out of the dirt came a large metal piece. As he dug further, he uncovered an old horse drawn plow, which wasn’t needed anymore in Gnometown. He thought to himself, “It’s old, it’s precious, it must be saved.” He took it down to the river, washed the dirt off, brought it to the barn and placed it carefully next to the box marked “SAVE”. Soon the barn was bulging full of old and precious items that needed to be saved. Then one day, Dennis learned that Gnometown was going to tear down the old bank. He was discussing that with his friends and pressed, “No, that building has history. It’s old, it’s precious. It needs to be saved!” “Too much money,” they scoffed. “Too far gone!” said the town folk. Dennis walked home with a heavy heart, feeling bad about the bank building. When he told Ruby about it, she instantly agreed. “It’s old, it’s precious, and it must be saved! Why don’t we do it? You have carpentry skills, and we’ll get others to help with the project.” And so it was, he purchased the old bank, fixed the roof, fixed the walls and windows, and it was beautiful again. One day Gnomes Rudy and Charlie approached Dennis and asked him if the bank building could be used for a Gnometown museum. Gnometown needed a place for the folk to show their old and precious items that they no longer needed. “Grand idea!”, exclaimed Dennis, “I have saved a lot of old and precious things in our barn, I can put them in the new museum for all to see. So all the folk of Gnometown were happy. They began to look for things that were old, things that were precious, and things that needed to be saved. Happy to have a place to put them for everyone in Gnometown to enjoy. Gnome Charlie loved playing Berryball, the game Coach Ruzich invented. But Charlie took it to a new level, creating plays and strategies in the game, to make it more interesting and competitive. He and his friends became a team, in work and play. When he became an adult gnome he coached the young gnomes and developed competitions with the other towns. Spring brought a rainy season this year and the rivers were very high. A large group of gnomes living on the island in the river were stranded and in danger, and the water was rising. The water was very swift because the snow was melting, filling up the many creeks which flowed into the river. It was a dangerous situation, these gnomes had to be evacuated from their homes soon. A quick meeting was called by Gnome Daws at the mound just to the north of the big oak tree down by the river. “We’ve got to help them, NOW,” said gnome Al. “What can we do? They can’t just get in their walnut shells and float over, the river will sweep them away. We need help.” “My boy, Charlie, has a bunch of friends he plays berryball with, they are many and they are strong because they work on the land. They are farmers,” said Gnome Rudy. “I’ll see if they can come.” Charlie and his farmer friends came right away because they cared deeply about the gnometown community. They quickly surveyed the situation, developed a strategy, collected the things they needed and went right to work. The gnomes on the other side were frightened but trusted the caring gnomes who were trying to save them and followed their instructions to a tee. The farmer gnomes tied a strong cord to a rock and threw it across the river to the stranded gnomes. They caught it, got into their walnut shells, hung on tight and were pulled quickly to the other side to safety. The farmer gnomes had been playing berryball and were accurate shooters. In no time at all, they were rescued and safe on the shore and taken care of by the gnometown rescuers. “Good job!” said Gnome Daws. “You are quite a team. If there is anything we can do for you, let me know.” “Well,” Gnome Charlie replied, “the youth in our community need more things to do and we have invented a game. We certainly could use a space to set it up. We are using last year’s big crop of cucumbers, you can only eat so many gherkins. We cut them in slices, dried them and they glide like a hawk when thrown. We thought we could set it up like a golf game.” “Good idea!” said Gov Ted. “I’ve got some land down by the river, it floods some years, but it will be perfect for that. It’s yours!” “Thank you for what you did,” added gnome Areta to Charlie and his friends. “You saved a lot of lives today because you care. Now, I know this is silly, but I wish you could think of some way to use up some of the tons of pickles we put up last year. We’ll never be able to eat them all.” “Areta,” answered Charlie, looking at his farmer friends with a wink, “I think we can help with that problem, too. I have an idea of how we can use them. Come on boys, we’ve got projects to work on.” Virgil Thompson
There were lots of long beards in Gnometown. Young Virgil had gone to school to be a barber and set up a shop down by the river, complete with a red, white and blue barber pole. He grew up poor but had learned to work hard, save for what you want, take care of the things you own and be happy for what you have. Every day he would get up early, milk the cow, pick eggs, feed the animals, and help in the garden before he set off for work. One morning, while cleaning up after his last customer, he muttered, “I am so tired. If only I had enough money to retire I could volunteer to help Gnometown folks with their chores, run errands, or just visit the lonely. At that moment, Gov Ted walked in. He needed a haircut and beard trim. He had overheard Virg’s lament and when he left, he thanked him and gave him a bag of gold coins. There were enough coins for Virg to retire. He quickly found the CLOSED sign, put it in the window, and started for home. About halfway home he noticed an old woman, struggling to pick vegetables in her very weedy garden. It was a very hot day, but Virg walked quickly by, pretending not to notice her. He walked a ways and looked back. He turned around, set down his bag of coins and started helping the old woman. A robber who noticed Virg set down the bag of coins, grabbed it and ran off. Saddened, he turned right around and went back to the shop and put the OPEN sign in the window. Later, Gov Ted happened to walk by and was surprised to see Virg back in the shop. Virg looked so very sad as he spilled his tale of woe to Gov Ted. Gov felt such compassion for his hard luck, that he reached in his pocket and pulled out a diamond and gave it to Virg. Although he had never seen a diamond before, he knew its value. He thanked Gov Ted and put the CLOSED sign in the window and started for home. On his way home, he noticed the old woman had fallen in the garden and spilled all her vegetables on the ground. He looked away thinking he had to get home and hide the gem. His wife wasn’t there when he got home, so he put the diamond in the pot over the fire and laid town to dream about what he would do with his new wealth. In the meantime, his wife came home, grabbed the pot over the fire and went to the river to get water for supper. She dipped the pot in the stream and the diamond fell out. Not knowing about the diamond, she filled her pot with water and headed back home. Virg woke from his nap just as his wife was coming in the door with the pot of water. As she put the pot on the fire he ran over to check for his diamond, only to see that the gem was gone. So back he went to the shop, put the OPEN sign in the window and waited for the next customer. Gov Ted was out for his usual walk and noticed the OPEN sign in the window. “I thought you wanted to retire?” the Gov said. Virg told him what happened. Once again, he had pity on him and reached into his pocket and took out one coin, probably only enough for a tin of coffee. Virg thanked him, looked at the clock and noticed it was time to go home, so he put the CLOSED sign in the window and started for home. Just as he started on his way, he saw Gnome Elder netting a walleye from the river. It was such a nice walleye, Virg offered the coin to Elder in return for the fish. He put the fish in his lunch pail with a bit of water. The large fish was flopping around in that small pail so much that it coughed up the diamond. “There it is!” There it is!” Virg yelled loudly. The robber was hiding in the bushes and thought he had been caught and would be arrested. He scrambled out of the bushes, pushed the bag of coins at Virg and ran off. Stunned, he dumped the fish back in the river and hurried towards home. On his way, he noticed the old lady on the ground in her garden, slowly picking up her spilled vegetables. This time, he was so grateful he had recovered his treasure, he stopped to help the old woman pick up her vegetables and gave her some of his gold coins. The next day, he went back to his barber ship and put a NEW sign in the window. FOR SALE – Now Virg could retire all due to his good fortune. He vowed he would volunteer to help any Gnometown folks who were lonely or needed help; and he DID! But after a few weeks, Virg had too much time on his hands. There must be something else he could do, he thought. At the local coffee shop, he heard the Gnometown Bank needed someone to to help the Gnometown area with their insurance needs. Virg thought; “I think I can do that.” So for the next 20 years, he served Gnometown area with their insurance needs. With his hair graying and running out of pencils and erasers, he turned in his broken down typewriter to the Gnometown banker. He was happy to get back to the things important to him. In cold weather, he could haul meals to the shut-ins and elderly. In nice weather, he could water their flowers; in the fall, he could give away his delicious apple; and when time and weather allowed, he could spend time with his friends, Gnome Phil and Gnome Del. They could sit at the rivers edge, rod in hand; just watching their bobbers go up and down in the water. They had lots of stories to tell about the early days in Gnometown. Dr. Ralph Gerbig Gnometown was growing. The word was spreading all over the area that this community was the best place to live, and work and play. Many of the gnomes worked on farms, planting, cultivating and harvesting corn and soy beans. Some worked with the animals, feeding, cleaning and keeping them healthy. There were many gnomes who found jobs squeezing the oil out of soy beans, pouring it into gopher drawn barrels which were floated on the river to far places. There were gnomes stirring vats of milk and making good cheese to eat. The gnomes who worked at the gnome hospital were busy patching up farm injuries, taking care of sick gnomes, keeping the others healthy and helping to bring forth tiny gnome babies. The Council of Gnomes met regularly under the large oak tree down by the river. It was a warm August night when they met to discuss the Gnome business. Daws stood up and reviewed with everyone how well Gnometown was doing. “Gnometown is the envy of all the towns around. Our gnomes are busy working and playing. I just can’t think of anything we could change to make it better.” Daws stated proudly. Doc Phil raised his hand to signal his wish to speak. “I would like to address an issue tonight,” he said, moving to the front by the fire. “Because our gnomes are so busy, accidents happen, illnesses befall us, we have aging gnomes and babies, we have a lot of babies. The staff at the gnome hospital are overworked. We need another doctor to be able to care for our gnomes, and I’d like to take some time off to go fishing with Doc Bill and Elder.” “Thank you for bringing this to our attention, I had no idea,” Daws stated, as he turned to the crowd. “Does anyone here have any ideas?” Gnome Rudy stood up with concern and said, “I am going to Minneapolis to check on a new industry which wants to come here, I will go to the big school there and try to find a doctor.” “Thank you, Gnome Rudy, take gnomes Gerry and Joe with you and find the best there is, “announced Daws, “and report back to me when you get back.” So all that took place and several weeks later, as the the gnomes were working in the fields, they were startled by a “Whoosh, whoosh, ”looked up from their tasks to see a large, brightly colored ball in the sky with a walnut shell floating under it. Someone was in it and waving a friendly greeting at them. They all ran to see it as it crashed to the ground in the clearing by the river. After the dust settled, a tall slender man and his wife crawled out of the nut shell and dusted themselves off. “Don’t worry, we’re not hurt. Tell me, am I in Gnometown?” he asked. “Yes, this is Gnometown. Welcome,” stated Gnome Kay. “And tell us who you are and why you are here?” “I’m Doc Ralph and this is my wife, Sue,” he answered as he grabbed his satchel from the walnut shell, “I have heard this is a good place to live and that I can help the gnomes here stay healthy.” The gnomes that had witnessed this spectacle, clapped and yelled for joy and some ran to tell the others. “Do you make music here?” Doc asked expectantly, “ I like to play my sliding horn.” Gnome Maestro John stepped out of the crowd to shake his hand. “Welcome, Doc Ralph, you will find the gnomes here love to make music with brass, wood, ivories and voices. Come, join us. Music comes from the heart and we have big hearts here. “ “Welcome, Doc Ralph,” added Doc Phil, reaching out to shake his hand with his fishing pole in the other, “Thank you for lightening my patient load at the hospital. I would like to introduce you to Gnomes Elder and Doc Bill, my fishing buddies, we were just about to catch some big ones. We’ll stop by for late rounds and fry up some of our catch.” Norm Olson It was a beautiful summer Sunday and all the gnomes were gathering down by the river under the large oak tree for church. Ole and his family were among them as they were every Sunday, arriving just in time to hear the choir singing, “Holy, Holy, Holy”. They found a comfortable place in the shade and listened to the “Rev” preach a fine sermon. After the service, they thanked the preacher and visited with friends before they started for home, looking forward to tuna casserole, green jello and ice cream for Sunday dinner. Of course, after such a fine meal a nap was in order to prepare himself for the next work week. Ole, like many of the boys in Gnometown, worked in the fields and helped the farmers plant, cultivate and harvest their crops. On his way to work that day, he began to notice the ugliness of the debris scattered about the ditches and in the parks. On his way home from the fields, he decided to pick up the garbage that people had thoughtlessly thrown about. He took it home, reused what he could but decided to dig a hole and burn up the trash that was useless. He noticed how each house had a big pile of rubbish behind their homes and devised a plan. At the next Gnome meeting of the town Council, Ole told them he wished to start a business to beautify Gnometown. He would hitch his squirrel to his wagon and load up all the garbage and process it and they could grow flowers and vegetables in the spots where all the trash collected. The Council was delighted and told him they would pay him to do this because it would beautify the town and keep the rodents away. So Ole started his new business collecting all the gnome garbage and cleaning up Gnometown. As he was going about his new business venture, he quietly saw other needs that the gnomes had. If someone needed a piano moved, Ole, tough and strong, did it for him. If a gnome moved from one tree to another, Ole was there to help pack up their belongings and help him move. His business grew. He needed to mechanize, so he contact Gnome Bob and bought a truck to make his work easier and faster. Do you know how many acorns he could get on that truck? The answer is lots and when he needed to unload it didn’t take a shovel, he just lifted the truck box in the air and they tumbled out so easily. Gnometown was looking so much cleaner because of this new business. One day, the preacher stopped him as he was working and thanked him for all he was doing. “How did you ever get the idea to pick up everybody’s garbage?” he asked Ole. “Well, Rev, “he answered. “Last summer when I came to church, they were singing “Ole, Ole, Ole,’ so I figured that I had better listen good. Then you said we should go out and do something for our neighbors, so I took it to heart and started helping out. I figured it must be God speaking to me and I had better listen.” Bob and Marlene Lee School was about to start for the small gnomes in Dawson and Gnome Ruzich, who invented the game of berryball, expressed concern that there wasn’t any teacher to teach the small ones the game when they were younger and to learn how to keep their bodies strong and healthy. Superintendent Bob knew of a group of gnomes in the Cobber clan, way up north, who might be able to help. He summoned the great white goose, flew up north, and visited with the Cobber gnomes, finding the perfect young gnome to fill the position. That is how gnome Marlene came to Dawson. She jumped in with enthusiasm, teaching berryball, exercises, and many other new games, which all the small ones enjoyed. On the other side of town, a young lad was learning from his Dad Gnome Art, how to make and fix “Gords,” a means of transportation which his Dad had invented because it was made from a hollow gourd with wheels and a motor. He also invented a machine made out of a green bean can which helped in the field, which they called “John’s Deer.” They had a lot of business, every gnome wanted one to make their work faster and easier. Life was good in Dawson, the school was teaching the boys and girls all the things they needed to learn, they were all happy and healthy. The businesses were providing goods and services that the countryside needed and gnomes were efficiently helping the farmers with their crops and the hospital was helping the injured and sick to recover. One evening, under the big oak tree down by the river, the Gnome Council was meeting with only a few items on their agenda when the leader of the gnomes, Daws, turned to the group. “Fellow gnomes,” he said quietly, “things are going well here in Gnometown. I can’t help but think that a big reason for this is our school and the great teachers we have. They are preparing the small ones so well for business, for farming, and for parenting. They are learning and developing skills in medicine, music, math, history, English, geography, and games, which keep them well rounded, informed, useful, and healthy. I propose that we honor all teachers, Gnomes Bob, Steve, John, Areta, T.O., Vern, Dick, and Marlene for their excellence by bringing them a shiny red apple.” “Good idea,” resounds from Gov. Ted, “I’ll get gnomes Al and Bob to pick some apples south of the river and bring them up to school tomorrow.” The next day gnomes Al and Bob picked the nicest red apples from high on the tree, polished them with the silk of a nearby spider web, and brought them up to the school. Al went one way, Bob went the other, and surprised each teacher, much to their delight, with a big red apple. Bob had one left and walked into the big assembly and put it on Marlene’s desk. Their eyes met and that was it. The magic happened and it is said by someone who witnessed it, little hearts, like bubbles, floated in the air at that first glance. |
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