Bling and spring.

New houseplants, and the gnome gets a friend. I bought five small house plants today. I had no houseplants, since I have been moving around a bit over the past three or four years. So nice to have some extra life in the apartment. I had a neat plant bestowed on me once, while I was living in Massachusetts. My neighbor was an old lady who kept to herself (but always said "hello" to me). One day, she was gone, and there were people moving her things out. She had one plant left -- having gotten rid of the majority of them -- and her family put it on my balcony with my flowerpots when they left her apartment forever. I named the plant Anne Dahl, after the old lady whose fate I never learned. I took Anne Dahl with me to Baltimore before I moved out here to Southern Illinois. Unfortunately, it was so hot on moving day that the poor little plant died in the moving truck. Sad. My new plants will make nice places for my gnomes to hide! The green gnome is named Bling, so called because the flower he is holding looks like it is made of jewels. My mother sent him to me a few weeks ago. Bling's more colorful new friend came home with me this past weekend. His name is David, since he looks like the legendary David the Gnome. I am sure that he will be joined by more Davids, since all garden gnomes seem to be painted like David the Gnome. So, he is more specifically called Industrious David because of the full basket of apples on his back. He is no loafing gnome. I think Industrious David will be good company for Bling. I have not wanted to put Bling outside yet or to leave him alone for two long, for fear of making him lonely. I am hoping that, not only will David be a good friend and playmate, but perhaps his work ethic will rub off onto Bling. Maybe the two gnomes will become prodigiously industrious and clean my apartment while I am working in my office at the university. Maybe they will help research my dissertation when the time comes! Maybe I need to get another gnome.