Backyard Whimsy

backyard whimsy Magical and Mystical Close to Home

by: kArin MeLberg sChwier

Maybe it was the itchy feeling from quarantine or imaginations run amok during self-isolation, but many Saskatoon residents found creative outlets for their pent-up energy during the pandemic. For some, the fruits of their labours have cheered up countless neighbours, staycation destination seekers, and sometimes the media, all looking for a little comic relief and innocent wonder during unsettling times. Saskatoon HOME visited a few of these local points of interest.

so a squirrel walks into a bar…

Rather than letting a pandemic drive him to drink, retired mechanical engineer Dave Hunchak built himself a saloon. A while back, he built a cute bar with stools–bird feeder size—and was amused when squirrels bellied up for peanuts and a peanut butter chaser. Someone suggested it would be fun to see a fullblown watering hole.

Scaled the same as Barbie doll accessories— 1/6th scale—the saloon is dollhouse-like and Dave’s woodworking skills came in handy. His son’s 3D printer was enlisted to create the miniatures for the One Star Saloon.

“The 3D printer was great for doing the intricate bits and pieces and odd shaped parts that would be hard to fabricate,” says Dave. He created bottles and cups, brackets for the footrail at the bar, swinging doors, wagon wheels and nicetouch pinecone finials on the stairway posts and railings. Family members scoured magazines for tiny logos to paste on the bottles;

there’s even a Lysol bottle as a sardonic nod to former President Trump.

It’s one thing to have a saloon open for business during a global pandemic. But what if customers don’t come? Dave didn’t worry long. He soon had plenty of well-behaved regulars. Some, though, throw bottles and peanut shells on the floor, overturn chairs and climb on the piano. There

Photo Credit: Karin Melberg Schwier Photo Credit: Dave Hunchak

Photo Credit: Karin Melberg Schwier

were even one or two who’d crawl up the stairs to the second storey of ill repute, enticed by a come-hither lady squirrel portrait, painted by Dave’s daughter.

“Squirrels are territorial, so there have been a few brawls,” says Dave, who shot many adorable photos. “The bar fights were always so fast, I never got a chance to capture those.”

“It’s been fun trying to get squirrels into realistic positions,” says Dave. A little dab of peanut butter inside a beer mug will have Stumpy—a regular with a short tail—and his bar mates holding mugs in their hands like real cowboys blowing the head of a brew after a dusty day on the trail.

“I enjoy making models so when COVID hit, it seemed like a good project,” says Dave. It captured the attention of media outlets from as far away as Calgary. Each tried to outdo the others with nut-related adjectives and puns. “The media attention was surprising, but it is the kind of light-hearted story people really like when things look bleak.”

There are no plans to open a Two Star Saloon. Social distancing makes the profit margin go squirrely.

saskatoon's First hobbits in City Park

It’s not often that hobbits go on adventures. The epic tales of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins are legendary because they are unusual. According to J.R.R. Tolkien, hobbits normally are a “plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner!”

Perhaps hobbits heard there were toques in Canada and mistakenly believed long-lost relatives lived here. Whatever the impetus, wanderlust in the Took side of the family led two hobbits—Lily and Raven—to set hairy-toed feet on a Shire path leading all the way to Saskatoon. To City Park, to be exact. To a dirt mound they turned into a comfortable hole in the ground with a bright blue door.

The hobbit hole appeared in the front yard of the Harder family. Scott Harder, a chiropractor, along with Ann Marie and son Nathan, were working on a landscaping project. They removed the old grass, put in some stone-lined swales to move rainwater, and added larger rocks for interest. One morning, Ann Marie said, “I think that looks like a hobbit hole.” It was true; hobbits had laid claim to a pile of leftover dirt by the east fence and now the drain had a bridge across it and a path leading to a tiny mailbox. The hobbits acquired hobbit-sized garden tools. The sod roof is suitable for gardening and they have claimed the other side of the sidewalk for pumpkins and squash.

The Tooks are very shy and

Photo Credits: Karin Melberg Schwier

Photo Credits: Karin Melberg Schwier

mind their own business. The Harders and the Tooks co-exist peacefully on the property; the Harders moved to the house on Ninth Avenue North 24 years ago. They raised son Nathan, now 23, a U of S BFA theatre design student, who is also finishing a second degree in modern languages. Daughter Avery, 27, an electrical engineering student, is also working on a computer science degree.

While they admit they have never actually seen the Tooks, the Harders can tell when they’re home most evenings. A tiny 10-lumen solar cell on the chimney powers a glow inside visible through the window. The Tooks do a lot of reading by lamplight, especially tales like There and Back Again and any one of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. They are very proud of Nathan and Avery for getting a U of S education. Bookish pursuits are very important to hobbits.

Interest in the Tooks really took off when the media seized on them as a happy diversion during the pandemic. Scott reports that “it went from having a few people stop to take photos and pose in front of the hobbit house, to hundreds.” Some drive by slowly, others park to get a closer look. One favourite was a big, burly biker type who stopped, looked around furtively, crossed the road and took a quick photo. “Kind of a closet hobbit fan.”

Children often drop off letters and notes, elaborate pictures, and well wishes. By late January 2021, the Tooks had received nearly 200 letters, cards, and pieces of art. Many pose pointed questions (the hobbits much appreciate self-addressed reply envelopes with stamps) and some come from as far away as Calgary. Some children write in Dwarvish or Elvish runes that need to be deciphered before a response can be sent. The Tooks answer each with a polite handwritten response, and often include a floor plan of their home and drawings of themselves. They don’t have modern technology like cameras. The Harders mail replies or leave them in the mailbox for children to retrieve. There are dozens of penpals now.

Though familiar with Tolkien’s stories, the Harders were never big fans of hobbit stories. But they have enjoyed seeing so many happy people stop, hoping for even a glimpse of a real live hobbit. The Tooks received many visits over the holidays, and miniature gifts—including extremely small cookies, tiny Christmas cards, and festive chocolates—were left.

Ann Marie says having hobbits move into their garden is a wonderful thing. “You are in for a lot of fun if you're lucky enough to have it happen to you.”

birdhouses on the brain

Deborah Grenier isn’t so much a bird watcher as she is a birdhouse watcher. On the Grenier acreage about six miles west of Saskatoon, her collection of birdhouses is taking over her flowerbeds.

“I saw the idea in a magazine years ago,” she says. “Most are decorative. I come across them in various places. They just stumble into my path.”

Her collection first filled a perennial flowerbed and it’s creeping into others. “I’ve tried to contain the collection but I just can’t!”

With each addition, husband Don sinks a post and screws the house down for stability. “I check they’re at the right height. I just love the colour and interest they add year round.”

Over the years, Deborah has replaced a few and now pays closer attention to durability. Saskatchewan weather can be harsh in any season.

So far, she hasn’t had any tenants move in. “We get birds who like to perch, but we haven’t had problems with the farm cats. They usually hang out at the barn.” So far, her collection hasn’t spread that far. Yet.

Photo Credit: Deborah Grenier

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Fairies, Dragons and bears, oh My!

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People have to be careful where they step on Beth Rudolph’s property. Woodland animals began showing up 20 years ago, starting with a Mother’s Day gift from daughter Jessica. Because the house is on Brown Crescent, there’s also a Charlie Brown display for Christmas. And four years ago, fairies began showing up.

“About then I met Brian,” says Beth. A soulmate who shares a love of fairies and dragons, it was a match made in heaven. “Both of us were very excited to start a fairy garden.” They spent many weekends at home and garden stores looking for fairies, dragons, tiny houses and accessories.

“We wanted the fairies on a grass-like surface but didn’t want to constantly move them to mow. We decided on using a longer bladed turf,” Beth explains. “It was Brian’s idea to place a sheet of blue corrugated plastic cardboard under the turf

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so that we could cut out the river and pond.”

The yard is Beth and Brian’s summer hobby and it shows. Dragons began appearing on top of the recycle shed. Now a dinosaur fights off gnomes in the back flowerbed. Colour changing solar lights lets the couple enjoy the yard in the evenings from the deck or hot tub.

“Last year, Brian and I were married,” Beth says. “We had a fairy-anddragon-themed wedding, complete with a six-foot air blown two-headed dragon who also makes an appearance at Halloween. Each spring, Beth and Brian look forward to setting up for visitors.

“We are happy to show our yard to anyone who shares the same love of fairies, dragons and other small creatures of the forest.”

Karin Melberg Schwier

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