Happy belated New Year. I couldn't put up my highly anticipated annual New Year's Day Memorable Mailbox post because we were without internet. It was 2020 - nothing that happened last year was normal anyway, so, better late than never. The following is an award presentation of the exciting mailboxes I have driven past in 2020 whilst ignoring quarantine. There is nothing illegal about taking the longest route to the grocery store. I have always been a rebel at heart.
The first award is for "the most creative use of material that happens to be on hand." Bill spied this one first. He stopped the car in the middle of the road, looked at me, and said, "Don't you see it?" Expecting a huge buck with a massive rack to be hidden in the woods, it took me a while to notice the mailbox. The owners cut a hole in a tree trunk and shoved the mailbox in!
The first runner-up was either originally a stone mailbox that had been smashed by a car hence the abundance of reflectors across the front and side or the owner plopped the box on a stone wall and cemented it down. What a mess. Even though they tried to hide the unsightly trash can behind it, this piece of art doesn't work. The whole thing was an eyesore not to mention the mailman had to jump a ditch to reach it.
As for third place in this category, there is a fine line between being creative or just plain lazy.
The next category is, "What is that thing, where did they find it, and what possessed them to make it into a mailbox?"
This one wins the award for the most threatening mailbox. It orders all by-passers to:
SLOW DOWN!
THIS NEIGHBORHOOD IS NOT A RACE TRACK!
It worked - we slowed down to gawk at the sign.
This mailbox is awarded the "most lonely." The street address was #1 but nowhere was there a #2 or any other mailboxes.
There also wasn't a driveway, a house, car tracks into the woods nor powerlines. We drove up and down the road looking but found nothing.
This is an example of excellent craftsmanship and beautiful artwork that was made by an artist with talent. The owners were brave to leave the bear sitting beside the road where any thief with the address of 2820 could snatch it. It is impressive.
These are the honorable mentions.
The best was saved for last and placed in every category. "What is it?" Does anyone know what this is or what it used to do? "Creative use of materials close at hand." It must have been stored in the barn for decades and the owner was tired of stumbling over it so it was rolled out to the street.
The workmanship was impressive. It was built to last forever and appears to be able to do that. It even placed in the "lonely" category because there can't possibly be another mailbox like this in the world. Without being threatened, we slowed down, parked, got out, circled it repeatedly, and took multiple pictures. Obviously, we gawked.
The winner of the best, most memorable mailbox I drove past in 2020 is this thing...whatever it is.
Here's wishing everyone a dull and boring 2021! Doubt it will happen but here's wishing anyway.
UPDATE
Reader Rose identified the unknown mailbox as an antique manure spreader! Creative people can think of ideas no one else ever would. I suppose that is why they are creative.
Previous year's mailbox awards.
Well, that just beats all! hahaha! I liked the green one in the group of odds...with those gears are whatever! And the little house and turkey mailboxes are cute. I wouldn't want to be a mailman there though. Too much trouble to try to USE these! Glad you shared. I think....that just beats all! Oh I said that already!!!
ReplyDeleteDustin tried to figure out what all those gears were used for on the green one but finally gave up. What made those people go to the trouble to weld them on the the mailbox? It had to be quite a bit of hard work. Creative people are unpredictable...which, I suppose is what makes them interesting.
DeleteThat was fun! Some creative folks in your neck of the woods! I may be missing them, but I really don't think there are anywhere near that many around here. Thanks for sharing them.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if it is the people in my area or what is going on. This is the third year of me doing this and you would think I had seen all of them but noooo! We haven't traveled far (due to Bill's health problems) so they have all be around here. I didn't think there would be enough to share this year but we actually went out on drives down side roads to get out of the house and found more. Will there be enough for next year's post? who knows?
DeleteYes, these are awesome--all of them. The first one reminds me of the Green Bay Packers, so I really like that one and the one with flowers, and the slow down sign. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteHow imaginative these houseowners are ! Everyone of them has their special taste. I have never seen
ReplyDeletesuch mailboxes here.
I like best that inconspicuous small dark mailbox where there seems to be no house, that´s what
makes it so mysterious and magical. I would be curious to know more. Maybe there are some forest inhabitants. Maybe even Snow White and the seven dwarfs.
Christel
Now your imagination is running wild!
DeleteI have no idea how to get back to where we were when we discovered this mailbox. It was a time when we passed a street and I told Bill to turn and see what we could find. If we ever see it again, I am going to peep in the box and see if there is any mail. If it is addressed to Snow White, I will let you know. If it is addressed to Big Foot, we will leave quickly.
I could not pick a favorite if I had to....I don't think there are that many creative mailboxes around here, either. Though there are a few.
ReplyDeleteI am thinking the one you wonder what it was might be the frame of a manure spreader. That is the first thing that crossed my mind when I seen it. Look https://fineartamerica.com/featured/antique-horse-drawn-mccormick-deering-all-steel-4a-manure-spreader-kathleen-bishop.html
or just google manure spreader and look at images.
Rose, you are right! I have been searching for manure spreaders on the internet and that is what it is minus a few parts. You win the prize! I wish I could give you a million dollars but instead, you win my appreciation.
DeleteThanks