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So this is a special place in Seattle.
I think a lot of people come here and they're kind of amazed
that there's this little wooded area and a bridge.
During Covid, walking through Grocery Outlet,
We came upon this about two foot gnome red hat.
He was very basic.
He wasn't sparkly. He's your normal kind of guy.
So it's such became the idea that this man should have a home
and that it should be with us here in the ravine.
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The gnomes kept increasing.
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People started leaving gnomes at my house.
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They would put gnomes out.
I would just come across.
There's this guy up here.
He looks out.
So this little guy, somebody made him.
So they put together a little piece of wood and they glued him on there.
It's absolutely precious.
And they hang in the trees in different spots.
That might surprise you.
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A lot of people will ask you how many gnomes are there.
And honestly, I can't answer it at one point.
I know people were counting over 100.
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And so it's become really a neighborhood community kind of endeavor.
I guess in some ways.
I try to be the caretaker.
But our whole community really does that.
And they might get covered up or they fall over.
And so I tried to actually give them a new comfortable spot.
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It's been really fun.
I've met people from actually all over the country.
And what I've learned
is that people that gets to new cities, some of them like to find unusual things.
- Yeah.
- And there's a couple on that hillside over there, over here.
- And a couple of years ago, somebody told me, did you know
that Valley of the Gnomes is on Google Maps now?
And I said, I had no idea.
- I found out about it yesterday.
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I was trying to plan my
walking route for the day, and I saw that this is right by the beach.
So I decided to walk over and check it out.
- Oh yeah. That's good.
- Seems like folks here appreciate it and are adding to it,
which I think is even cooler.
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I think it's a really great idea to, you know, incorporate
a bit of magic into these more public spaces.
- Oh, there's one on the railing.
It's like a little treasure hunt.
- Curiosity is really important.
And, these gnomes make you curious.
You see one, and then you want to find another one.
And then there's some larger ones
down below.
And then they're all up and down the sides of the of the bridge here.
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- It's really cool.
Beautiful. It's very fun.
I never knew this place existed.
- There's this cute little couple here.
- Something so happy and wholesome,
you know, like it's a great getaway from everything.
- There's just the whimsy of it. We need that.
We need some sparkle. We need some fun in our lives.
And so this provides that.
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- It's great to have something.
So, like, anyone in the city could come and stop by and take it in
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- that little secret place
that people can come and be delighted.
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- I think it's so important to make sure
that shared spaces are inviting and welcoming.
It's great to have something so, like anyone in the city
could come and stop by and take it in.
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- What a fun activity to come here.
Count gnomes have a moment in the day that's not filled with anything
but just being in the moment.
- Oh, yeah. - And that's really important for our health.
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There's this little guy.
He's got an umbrella under the tree.
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Here's another one
hanging on the branch.
He kind of blends in.
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- Oh, look at the one in the tree.
- He's small, so he's a little bit hard to see.
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Every neighborhood needs Valley of the Gnomes.
So I hope that will happen.
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