New Year's Eve and Jeff is having fun. I'm still trying to get the photos of him and us celebrating, they are stuck somehow in my camera.

After Jeff escaped the toy pile, he went outside to meet our greeter gnome!

Then inside to meet a couple of the inside gnomes. They are supposed to be outside but just having made it there yet!! And it was these two rascals who told Jeff it was a night to celebrate!!

After passing on the sparking peach juice to ring in the new year, Jeff found our MO and NC wine stash and well it wasn't very nice!!

Here are the scenes of the aftermath when poor Aka had to put Jeff to bed in his old crate that is too small for Aka!!

Your right Pam! LOL But Aka was up to the challenge. New Year's Day Aka got Jeff up and tried to make him feel better by sharing his smokey chew! I think Jeff would have preferred coffee!!!

no coffee but a nice already broken in smokey chewy!! MMMM

On New Year's Day, Jeff spent some time in my mom's Gnome Garden. The garden is looking a little ragged since I haven't had time to do all the things I want to. It is filled with leaves, we had to "hunt" for some of the smaller gnomes. I also haven't been able to get the gravel and rocks down for the pathways, etc.

So forgive the messy garden but I hope you enjoy Jeff's adventure with his new Gnome Friends!!

We started by going down the new ramp and stopping at the bottom level and looking down at sections of the garden!

First stop was the Gnome Cleaners. The wanted to spruce Jeff up!!

Jeff posed with the guys after his sprucing up!!

Then he checked out two of the gnomes having a good meal and listening to the resident flute player

The gnome garden is made up of gnomes of all sizes!

After speaking to the cooks, he was met and greeted by a committee of wee gnomes.

Next it was off to the wishing well, across the Ozark bridge!

More visiting in the garden!

some rock "climbing" which for Jeff was a single step up!!

then a visit to the "new" old log cabin that is being fixed up!

stopping off to watch a heated board game!

Since the gamers weren't interested in chatting. Jeff headed over to a nearby tree and got a chance to go up in a Gnome Home Tree!!

Tomorrow brings more adventures!!!

WOW!!! Jeff looks like he's right at home with your "gnome family" -- and Aka is so darn sweet with Jeff!  

Yesterday was a stay at home and snuggle down in the covers day! It was in the 20s here. Now remember this is the south and the carolinas!! Today the temp got up to the mid 40s so Mom, Jeff and I took off for a lake adventure. We picked up a friend of mom's and headed to Lake Wacamaw.

Lake Waccamaw is a unique fresh water lake located in Columbus County in North Carolina. The lake is oval in shape and measures roughly 5 miles by 7 miles with an average depth of 7.5 feet. It is the largest of the natural Carolina Bay Lakes with a total surface area of 8,936 acres. The Lake is estimated to be 250,000 years old. Since the lake is naturally occurring, argument can be made that it is the second largest, natural, fresh water lake on this side of the Mississippi River. The lake is fed mainly by Big Creek and the surrounding swamp lands. The organic matter from the decaying vegetation of the swamps makes the water dark. The Lake is full of life. It even contains some species, such as the Waccamaw Silverside , that are native only to Lake Waccamaw.

We went to eat at Dales a family restaurant on the lake. When we first walked in, Jeff checked out the replica of the flounder on the wall! The flash washed him out but the flounder looks good!

Then our food came and Jeff had fun seeing all the fresh seafood until he realized he didn't have a plate! oops.

Another shot of the food!

then we took a walk around the restaurant. January is not the month to see much wildlife, the gators and turtles are pretty much hibernating so the only "gators" Jeff got to see where a couple of concrete ones.

Jeff wanted to know what the grey stuff was hanging from the trees. We found some on the ground and he got introduced to Spanish Moss or as some locals call it, Grandpa's Beard.

We walked further and Jeff got to see some of the famous Cypress Trees wearing their Grandpa Beards!

After walking around the restaurant, we went back in to pay the bill and get Mom and Elise in the car. Jeff was thrilled when he saw the small puppy donation canister and yes, we put some money in it!!

We decided to drive around part of the lake. There is a canal that runs on the other side of the road and feeds into the swamp lands that surround the lake.

Jeff was able to stand on the railing of one of the canal landings. You can see just how dark the water is. I was worried Jeff might fall but he stood very still and was nice and careful!

The cypress trees grow "knees" and often these roots are cut by crafts people to make craft items to sell. I have a painted cypress knee that is painted to look like a Harlequin. I will try and get a pic of Jeff with her.

The sun was beginning to go down when we got back from circling the lake. We decided to stop in the small town and visit the Depot museum. those pics are next.

The Depot museum was lots of fun. Jeff had fun playing on the lifesize caboose!

And then getting to stand on a hollowed out cypress canoe. There is a much older one under glass inside the museum that was found in the lake and raised and preserved.

Inside, there were displays of the turpintine industry that was very busy in the early 1900s, lots of displays of the tools used, etc. My camera memory was full but I was able to get a photo of a replica of a fossilized head of a "giant" gator that was living in and around the lakes during the times of the Dinosaurs.

And I got to show Jeff a tobacco dolly and explained to him that when I was little, I would help work tobacco on our farm and have tied many tobacco dollies! He didn't seem to believe me. Personally, I hated working in tobacco and was thrilled when our farm stopped cash cropping it.

We left Waccamaw, dropped off Ms. Elise and when we got back to the big town of Elizabethtown, we needed gas. Jeff got up on the roof of the car to check out the main drag of town going from 701 toward the other bay lakes. Gas is up and traffic was fierce!!!

Looks like Jeff had such a fun day! I love the pictures at the lake.. and the moss on the trees there. Jeff looks so handsome standing on the caboose!  

Gee... I think I'm kinda missing Jeff!

Karen,
I know what you  mean and Jeff hasn't even left here yet!! He sends his hellos to you and is still talking about the fun he had with you and everyone on his adventures!!

Bladen County and surrounding areas may not be very big in terms of populations but we do have some neat stuff. Of course, I'd be very happy to escort Jeff to Hawaii if ya'll want to buy our tickets!!

We are going to visit The Barking Lot and Aka's vet, they all want to meet the infamous Jeff!!!

Jeff is having the BEST time with you and Aka! 

Man, I wish I was a gnome!