Trolls by Thomas Dambo

If you have been following along with me for this year you will know I have been intrigued by the trolls made by Thomas Dambo and crew from recycled material. I follow along with their adventures around the world on Instagram. So I knew I needed to go on an adventure or two to find the six in the Pacific Northwest. The first one was easy for it was in Portland, Oregon. I ventured there three times this past year and seeing it each time just made me smile.

This is the third time I visited with my "live-in gardener" and grandson. Isn't he cute?

 

 

 Pia the Peacemaker on Bainbridge Island, Washington.

My sister-in-law visited Pia with us and it also delighted her.

 Then there was the Bird King on Vashon Island, Washington found in January of this year.

So my adventure in September to visit my sister-in-law and then the tea festival in Seattle also included a search for the final three trolls in the Seattle area.

This one we found in among the trees in Issaquah, Washington.

It was about a half mile hike to find him.

I loved that part of the search included getting out in nature and enjoying a beautiful day.

And then again walking by the water for another half mile along the water front at Lincoln Park in Seattle, Washington. This walk included walking with a friend and a good little visit.

 

 

You can see, these trolls are not particularly small. Sitting or standing in with the trees they just delighted me.

 

And then finally the sixth one is found right in town. We almost drove right past it, but the GPS said it was here at the Norwegian Center in Seattle, Washington.

All six found. The whimsy and humor of the creator just made me smile.

It was a fun adventure.

It got us out in the world, discovering new surroundings.

It delighted our hearts. 

 

Have you gone on an adventure recently?

What were you searching for?

Did it delight your heart?

 

Sending love,

Marilyn

Troll Scavenger Hunt

 Thomas Dambo is a creative troll builder that I have become intrigued by. 

I knew there was one troll named Ole Boele in Portland. I believe I shared him before. He is located at the Nordia House on the grounds. I saw him before Christmas and recently returned to share the charm with my cousin and his wife. When I was there a woman said "this is my final one to find in the Pacific Northwest". What a fun thing to do I thought. So I went on the website and realized they just give hints where the six are located and you have to figure the location out. I love a scavenger hunt; so I was up for the challenge.

Ole Boele is looking in the roof at a plate of pastries. What a sweet face.

 

Well this week my live-in gardener and I were driving 4 hours north to visit my sister-in-law. I went online to see if there might be a troll near her. I knew there were 5 in the Seattle area. I found one on Bainbridge Island and knew it would be a fun outing to take her along with me. We found Pia the Peacemaker in a park on the island.

You can see the size as I stand in Pia's hand. OK, now I am obsessed to find them all! Ha!

They are made out of recycled material, mostly old pallets.

Then on our way home yesterday we made a side trip to Vashon Island where we found Oskar, the Bird Kind. Beside the bird houses in his crown there were bird house all around the grounds surrounding him. The toenails were seashells.

One pole with birdhouses. Each of the trolls in the three locations I have found had the poles with birdhouses.

I thoroughly feel like a child of wonder when standing in their midst. Each one has made me smile.

Now I have three more to find and in September I will do that. I know where they are and I am coming for them.

If you search online you will find they are in other parts of the country too. A friend in Maine said there was one near her. I have heard there is one in Michigan too. The search is part of the fun and who doesn't need a bit of whimsy in their life. 

 Have a terrific weekend, dear friends!

Sending love, Marilyn

Word Magic

 

‘If you fall in love with the imagination, you understand that it is a free spirit. It will go anywhere, and it can do anything. ‘~Alice Walker 

The word this week is IMAGINATION 

Definition:

the faculty or action of forming new ideas, or images or concepts of external objects not present to the senses.

"she'd never been blessed with a vivid imagination"

 

 

I have always had a bit of a child's whimsy in my thinking. When I see a toadstool I can imagine little people hiding underneath them. When I hear the word "imagination" I often think child-like or whimsy. In a way it seems like it could go along with curiosity too.

A bit of magic also can go along with imagination.

This dream catcher I find to be rather magical and whimsical.

Dream catchers were created by American Indians to hang over the bed and catch dreams during the night. I am wondering if imagination might show up in those dreams?

Sometimes, especially with my morning tea, I love to sit in the quiet of the house and let my mind free float, imagining delightful stories and dreaming up whimsical things. I love mind play, I love going outside and finding whimsy in nature.

 

In my office I have a shelf designated the "shelf of whimsy".

On the shelf are miniature tea sets, a tiny chair, a marble, sea shells, a paper boat, some mice, a dormouse, a hedgehog, fake flowers, a tiny car, and a few very cute rocks. This might sound silly and whimsical, but for me when I look at that shelf my mind floats to silly stories, sad stories and my imagination becomes quite active.
 

Are you fascinated with imagination?

Do you enjoy letting your mind play a bit?

 

Happy Monday, dear friends!

Let's play a bit this week.

A Gift for You - A Flower and A Poem

 

In the Dark of the Moon

In the dark of the moon,

Beware! Have a care! 

Of the ring at the door

And nobody there.

Of the soap hieroglyphics

On a clean pane;

Of hushed, ghostly giggles;

Of steps down a lane.

Beware! Have a care!

Of the small shape in white 

With a pumpkin lantern,

Its features alight.

No use to be looking

Stern, staid and sober--

Better turn goblin

This night in October.

~Kitchen Sonnets by Ethel Romig Fuller 

 

Top picture is taken in my back yard. Definitely fall/autumn has arrived!

My front porch is decorated with pumpkins and chrysanthemums. Just the things that to me say fall/autumn and Halloween. Do you see the tiny pumpkin? It is the only pumpkin that came from my "live-in gardener's" garden.

Enjoy a few giggles today and tonight and celebrate the season of ghosts and goblins.

Whimsy of Florence Avenue

 I was born in Sebastopol, California quite awhile ago. Sebastopol is about 50 miles north of San Francisco. It still feels like my hometown, eventhough we moved from there the summer before I started 6th grade. My grandfather, aunts, uncles, and cousins still lived there; so we would visit often. Florence Avenue always delighted me with it's old houses and gardens. I loved riding my bicycle down this street.

Several years ago when I was visiting I drove down Florence Avenue. It just made me smile to see the creativity in whimsical art in almost every yard.

Some were mailboxes, but others were just there to delight.

Well really even the mailboxes delighted.

I tried to pick a favorite, but it was just about impossible.

I think this waitress juggling so many orders is probably my favorite. I just love her expression and those huge glasses on her nose.

But even this little blue bird with the striped hat made me smile.

I fully intended to post more than my two posts for the week, but as usual time runs away.

I hope they made you smile a bit today.

Go out and find things that make you smile and delight in the day.

If you ever find yourself in Sebastopol travel down Florence Avenue as there are more pieces of art than I am sharing here.

Happy Weekend, dear friends!

Whimsy, a Word Today

 

whim·sy     

noun: whimsy; noun: whimsey

playfully quaint or fanciful behavior or humor.

If you haven't guessed by now, I like having a bit of whimsy in my life. A bit of silliness, the spirit of a child. There are two places in my house where whimsy prevails. One shelf in my office/studio, which I call my Shelf of Whimsy, and this antique doll cradle filled with small animals and Raggedy. My grandson calls them "stuffys".

Just for fun today I decided they needed their own photo shoot; so out they came. Some waited patiently and others had to jump right into the middle of things.

That one rabbit with the soft green bow seems to show up quite a bit.  He was a rather pushy, not timid at all.

There he is again.

The little guy wasn't that thrilled about the whole thing, but I captured him in my camera anyway.

When I worked Raggedy would sit on my desk and observe. She doesn't say much, but I think she takes it all in and has learn many things over the years.

Now there he is again. He was dreaming of adventure and wanted to pose by this outdoor shot.

This little bear was getting ready to leave for school; so stopped for one quick shot and he was off.

And the green bow bunny invited another bunny for tea.

This bunny said he would pose for only one picture because really it wasn't his season. He would much have preferred a long winters nap.

Early in the pandemic I found this tiny kit on Amazon. Rather than doing a puzzle I decided to do this kit. The pieces were so tiny my fingers had a hard time putting it together, but it is on my Shelf of Whimsy now and my grandson likes it the best. He wants to do one together with me. The kit says 14 years or older; so I may wait awhile. But then on the other hand I think we would have great fun making it together.

Do you add a little whimsy in your life from time to time?

I haven't said this for awhile, but I would encourage you to add whimsy, dance, put on that tutu, and sing to your hearts content. There are days we need a bit of whimsy surrounding us and this week is definitely one them.

 

Happy weekend, dear friends!