Mechanical Koalas for Everyone!

Always an avid reader, Harvey was thrilled to complete The Stars Down Under by long-time friend Sandra McDonald.

In fact, elephants often consult me.*

Harvey was disappointed by the elephants at the National Zoo, who seemed uninterested in his thoughts on politics. This one was more to his liking.

*Excerpted from "I have a memory like an elephant. In fact, elephants often consult me."- Noel Coward

Here, Sir, the People NOM

Harvey was actually in DC to attend a graduation at Georgetown. He much preferred this chocolate replica of the Capital building to the real thing.

So, Mr. Frog, I See the Tables Are Turned

Disapproving frog...disapproves.

Perhaps he read the earlier entry wherein Harvey mentioned a certain French delicacy?

The Cricket's Wicket

After completing his tour of Washington, Harvey settled into his hosts' back garden. Here, he discusses the upcoming elections with a lucky cricket.

Zhongguo Cheng*

Just around the corner from where Harvey stayed in DC is the world's longest single-span Chinese arch, marking the entrance to Chinatown. He would dearly love to some day see The Great Wall.

*The Chinese characters visible over Harvey's shoulder translate to the above, which means "Chinese City" in English.

For Score and Seven Gnomes Ago...

While it's true that Harvey appreciates all that presidents like Washington and Lincoln have done for our great nation, he does wonder why Herbert Hoover lacks a monument.

Plants for the Planet!

It's a well-known fact that gnomes are born with a green thumb. Here, Harvey takes a moment out of his tour of the US Botanic Gardens Conservatory to tend a small plant in need of cheering up.

Here, sir, the people govern.*

Congress was no longer in session by the time Harvey made it to the Capital Building, so he settled for writing a letter to his senator suggesting that the gas tax be repealed as part of the economic stimulus package.

*the above quote is by Alexander Hamilton and is carved into the stone of the Cox Corridors in the capital complex. Harvey believes that every American should know the origins of our country's political system.

Seamus does Big Bear

This past weekend, Seamus was pleased to have the opportunity to get back to nature in Big Bear Lake, CA. This also allowed him to knock off one of the destinations on the list he and Harvey had put together of places to go.

This stump reminded Seamus of a tragic event in his past. In case you haven't noticed, Seamus always insists on being photographed from the left, due to a large burn scar on the right side of his head. He was out walking in the woods when he noticed a fire in a hollow tree. He could hear shouts coming from within so he rushed in and saved the local elves, who appeared to have set up a bake shop of some type for cookies in the tree. Sadly, he did not escape unharmed although rumor has it that the elves have set up shop in yet another hollow tree and are still baking away.

Seamus feels very much at home perched on an outcropping of bark on this Jeffrey pine.

Seamus partakes of a lovely apple as a mid-afternoon snack.

When he said he was up for a game of badminton, this wasn't quite what Seamus had in mind...

Seamus was most excited to be able to go horseback riding on this adventure. Although the horse was quite gentle, Seamus did have some difficulty in remaining mounted.

While riding, Seamus encountered more of the local wildlife, this time in the form of a moose. He was able to approach quite close, due to the rapport most gnomes have with all forms of wildlife.

Seamus quite enjoyed being in the outdoors and having a chance to reconnect with his gnomish roots.


Seamus got in a bit of rock climbing during the trip. He actually encountered a lizard sunning on these rocks but it eluded being photographed.

Here, Seamus checks out the tracks that beetles have made in a fallen log. They look like little miniature roadways.