The Garden Gnome

Okay, so today, the kids & I ventured out into the front yard. (I can't even call it a garden, because we barely have grass.) I kept glancing over to the big ivy covered pine, hoping to catch another glimpse of the garden gnome.

I finally did see it & I was ready with the camera.

We played for a bit & then went back indoors. I had to get back into the kitchen, as I'm in the middle of prepping mashed potatoes for a big dinner. I've done about half of the potatoes, and have about 20 pounds left to peel, dice, cook, mash & season. You can imagine my shock when I reached over to the potato basket & saw this:

My only guess is that it followed the kids or was captured by one of them.
Upon close inspection, I realize that this must be an infant. You see, it has sprout eyes.

Unlike the root vegetable potato, which grows eyes as it ages, Garden Gnomes have the eyes when they are young. This is to aid in their camouflage, as they have a tendency to wander off & be spotted by muggles. The eyes & stumpy legs make them look like a random potato lost in the yard/brush/shrubbery.

I left the back door open for a bit & when I looked out the window, I saw him vanish as he reached the edge of my yard. I guess he found his way back home!