Garden gnomes have long served as cheerful little guardians of the garden, keeping watch over flowers, vegetables, and whatever mysterious business goes on after the humans have gone inside. Inspired by European folklore, they are often thought of as symbols of good luck and protectors of the garden, although most modern gnomes seem perfectly content to spend their days standing quietly among the plants and looking mildly suspicious of visitors.
This fellow, however, was not doing much guarding when I found him. He was lying face down in the dirt, looking as though either a strong wind had knocked him over or he had simply given up on gardening altogether. After a simple rescue operation he was returned to an upright position, dirt stains and all. With his flower, walking stick, and tiny bug perched on his hat, he is once again standing watch—perhaps a little worse for wear, but ready to resume his important duties as guardian of the garden.