Thursday, April 16, 2015

Saint Francis Without His Head

Did you notice the statue in this photo of the front Rose Border from my post earlier this week?




It is one of my very favorite things in the garden ... a little unexpected bit of perverse whimsy.




It belonged to the prior owners of our house, and it may have even belonged to the owners before them, too.  They told me that they would get rid of it before they moved out, because it was broken.  (St. Francis's head was laying on the ground beside him at the time.)  I scooped it up right then and there, and I told them that I loved it exactly the way it was ... broken head, chippy paint, and all.

At first, I put the head onto his little bird-feeder dish so it wouldn't get lost before I could repair it.  It kinda grew on me like this, though, and I decided to leave it.  Now, I can't imagine him any other way.

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edited on 4/17/15 to add:  A kind reader left the following message on the Hartwood Roses Facebook page a little while ago.  "Your headless statue - what a hoot.  I think he's St. Fiacre, patron saint of the garden.  He's carrying a basket.  No animals are on him, as would be for St. Francis Gail."  

He's right ... carrying a basket ... no animals ... Saint Fiacre it is!  I'm really glad to know this, because I have been keeping an eye out for a St. Fiacre statue for a while now ... haven't seen one that I like yet.  Who would have thought that I already had one that I love so much.  

19 comments:

  1. I must be a bit warped because I love it too!!! He hasn't really lost his head, it's just otherwise occupied. :) What is St. Francis patron saint of ???

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    1. Animals!
      I love him too and think he's whimsical and has a sense of humor. Garden ornament is always best with a story, right?

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    2. Everything is best with a good story, Stephen, dear! Otherwise, why have it. :)

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  2. Ha ha ha ha ha! This is why we're friends :D

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    1. I know!! I have honestly considered cementing his head onto the basket so he will always be this way (and so his head doesn't accidentally get lost.)

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  3. Ha! I couldn't make that out in the first photo, THAT'S AWESOME, I love what you've done with it!

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    1. You probably didn't see the statue because you were blinded by the glaring lack of weeds in that photo when I first showed it.

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  4. I also like it this way: it's part of its history.

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    1. Exactly! Patina, and chipped paint, and a bit of an accidental beheading ... tells a story of the trials that this saint has been through in the garden.

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  5. I love it, too, which is why I can’t bring myself to put his head back where it (technically) belongs. Most garden visitors don’t notice him, being wowed by the roses and all. Those who do usually laugh and laugh … which makes me happy.

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  6. I thought that perhaps he's been naughty and you keep a strict garden :-)
    Amalia
    xo

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    1. Funny, funny! I am rather strict, but beheading is a bit extreme even for me. 

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  7. OK, when the close up photo showed his head in his hand, I knew he was perfect just as he is. Are we all a bit crazy?
    hugs!

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    1. Of course we are, Linda ... that's why I like you so much!

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  8. Have his head, no body. I collect garden heads......subsidiary focal point, the collection !

    Garden & Be Well, XOT

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  9. We must be kindred spirits because I think he is perfect, too. I mean, don't we all loose our head on occasion? lol

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  10. See? God has a way of providing for us even when it's something, seemingly, so small.

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