When I placed a cheerful garden gnome on my front lawn, I never imagined it would start a feud with my cranky neighbor Harold. He claimed gnomes brought bad luck and warned me to get rid of it. I didn’t. The next morning, his yard was filled with smoking “cleansing lanterns,” their fumes drifting straight into my house. I retaliated with an army of twelve gnomes, including one styled like Elvis. The battle lines were drawn.

Soon, the HOA got involved—Harold had filed a complaint. A stern inspector cited me for everything from wind chimes to trim color. Feeling defeated, I moved the gnomes to the backyard.