Pictured is the gnome house built along Route 60 in the town of Gerry. Submitted photo

GERRY — For Heather and James Mower, gnome is where the heart is.

The Gerry couple has transformed an aging Maple tree at their Route 60 property that seemed ready to fall down into a 10-plus-foot tall home complete with a roof, door, lighting and — of course — several gnomes. The creation already has become a favorite to passersby and residents of an assisted living facility across the street.

The project began in earnest about two months ago. “It was a huge old Maple tree, pretty much our only tree, and it kept creaking,” Heather Mower said. “I told my husband we should have someone look at it because branches keep falling down.”

Most of the aging tree was cut down in the spring, leaving about a fourth remaining. Mower said it would have cost an additional $1,200 to have the rest of the tree removed, so the decision was made to have a little fun.

“I said, ‘Why don’t we turn it into a gnome house?'” said Mower, whose husband does some construction as a side job while she has long enjoyed crafting. “We thought $1,200 to cut it down was a lot of money so let’s just see what we come up with. If it doesn’t look good we can always just take it down.”

The creation took about a month to complete. The Mowers added lighting under the roof and in the form of lanterns around the door.

It didn’t take long for the gnome house to receive attention. Mower said residents of the Bergquist Memorial assisted living facility across the street have enjoyed looking at the colorful display standing at an estimated 10 feet tall and easily visible due to its location near the road.

Mower said several people have also stopped to take pictures. She plans to make additional gnomes to coincide with the holidays.