IT WAS MISSION ACCOMPLISHED WHEN GEMLIFE PACIFIC PARADISE’S ART CLASS CO-ORDINATOR AND CREATOR OF ARTY GEMS, JUDE HALL, LED THE GROUP ON A TOP-SECRET OPERATION TO SURPRISE EVERY RESIDENT IN THE COMMUNITY.
Sometime before Christmas 2022, the group met in the library after dark. With house numbers allotted and a supply of pet rocks at the ready, they stealthily placed the handmade gifts in the front gardens of every villa in the resort, much to the delight of residents.
It took the group two six-hour intervals to painstakingly paint unique designs on enough rocks to be able to make every Pacific Paradise homeowner smile.
The mystery of where the rocks came from caused quite a stir, and while the Arty Gems did not officially ’fess up until after Boxing Day, they had no other choice when one poor resident, Nola Droop, reported her ‘pet’ had been kidnapped by a certain grandchild.
Jude came to the rescue with a replacement and
Deidre Beath, the local poet, solved the mystery.
Dee wrote –
There was an art fairy named Jude
“A stolen rock?” she said “how rude”
Nola, don’t pine
A special design
Just for you, at your door, soon ensued
To which Nola replied –
I’m so sorry to cause such a fuss
Although now there’s no need to discuss
For a treasure I found
Fairy Jude’s been around
Spreading joy to all of us
With the mystery solved, and the spirit of giving shared by all, one resident, Jillian Rickertt, summed it up perfectly.
“Wow, these beautiful rocks are bringing out the best in all of us.”