That was... Weird...

[JDub]

Or it could be something bad cunningly designed as a fairy house, bwaaa ... not saying that's likely, but it is a little concerning that JDub's dog had such a negative reaction (unless it was picking up vibes from JDub and JDub's spidey sense was off, so two separate "if"s).

I've only seen fairy houses that were small, made out of twigs, and meant to blend in -- but if you guys have really seen things in this category that look like this, fair enough.

I'd guess not geocaching, since those things are supposed to be harder to find.

Though you never can tell what individual humans will do.

Only reason I came upon it is due to flooding, I was getting higher on the ridge instead of my usual path along the creek. Normally I don't get that far up and it would be completely hidden to me. It's definitely hard to find...

 

[Morgana]

Way down in the bottomland
A big black crow is laughin'
No one ever goes down there
Wonder what has happened

 

[JDub]

Way down in the bottomland
A big black crow is laughin'
No one ever goes down there
Wonder what has happened

Oh DON'T you Start now...

 

[maki2]

Dogs would definetly find ugly little Christmas elves at their eye level a startling sight. Even babies cry when they see the "jolly elf".

 

[scaredycat72]

It's just art. People leave decorated rocks and things for others to find. It's suppose to be cute and sweet.

What are y'all thinking makes it weird?

 

[MortimerEbinesr]

It's not done yet, but when the landlord cut down three pine trees at the end of my driveway, I had him leave about five feet of stump left. I put three different type roofs on them, & made a suspension bridge between two of them. Still to be done are carving out doorways, windows & built out terraces for a garden gnome community. A similar mail box would be a nice addition.
But yes the location away from civilization is a little strange.
Remember the kidnapped gnome who was taken around the world and pictures were sent to the owner of the gnome? Don't know what platform it was on, but it went virile years ago. Some people have strange ways of staying sane in an insane world.

 

[vanbrat]

I am going with the idea it is something like geo cache stuff, but the weird vibe you felt maybe something to show ranger or law folks who know the area better, may be an area with drug or ? activities going on. If nothing else, they can be informed about it and keep an eye on the area. If nothing serious it is something to add to your storytime around the campfire.

 

[MortimerEbinesr]

Old guy at the top of the hill has wildlife cameras all over, 32 at last count. He's regularly caught bears, cougars, coyotes, bobcats, racoons, & deer. ( If you haven't seen a deer all day where we live, you're in town at Walmart) Anyway, I'll bet there was a wildlife camera pointed at said mailbox, & you were on it.

 

[JDub]

It's just art. People leave decorated rocks and things for others to find. It's suppose to be cute and sweet.

What are y'all thinking makes it weird?

If it were closer to any place people actually go there, you'd have a good shot of being right. Not here though. You'd just have to be there. Not the mailbox so much, just that really bad vibe in that little chunk of woods... Disapeared once I was over the ridge.

Cheers!

 

[Morgana]

So how exactly did the dog respond?

 

[JDub]

So how exactly did the dog respond?

Total refusal to get within 20 ft, whining, very nervous chop licking, tail between his leg. Ears pricking up as if he's hearing something. Intent staring at a point on the tree itself. It was creepy...

 

[Morgana]

And this is unusual behavior for the dog, right?
It does sound creepy to me.
And if it's still bugging you two days later, that's something too.

I know; that ^^ and $5 will get you a latte. No brilliant ideas on what you should do about it.

Maybe, if you can think of a way to translate this into something concrete enough that you can tell a cop about it without getting asked to take a breathalyzer, it might be worth reaching out. Just do your best cop-speak. They're better equipped than you to decide if it needs following up. If it's nothing, they've taken a half hour out of their day and they would have had to spend that time somewhere.

?

 

[Calaverasgrande]

my bet is on Geocache.
That hobby has gotten pretty convoluted on the last 20 years.
Might be a whole back story to that mailbox being painted that way. Maybe you have to find it to get the wizard key to unlock the box hidden in a tree 15 miles away.

 

[WanderingRose]

The dogs reaction was odd, but this item was completely out of place and at eye level to him, so who knows what triggered his senses.

You have pictures of it, JDub, so I would take those in to the appropriate law enforcement entity, show them to them and inform as to location.

If it is something dangerous, you have done the responsible thing by bringing it to law enforcement’s attention.

 

[JeepLiving]

Technically, a mailbox is considered Federal property. More accurately, the Postal Service has exclusive rights to use the box. This is why people need a different receptical for the newspaper. This being the case, you should send a report to the Postmaster. They will dispatch a crack team of Postal Inspectors to investigate, as is their Duty.

Just consider the consequences. Your actions could result in the arrest of some innocent gnome or faerie for misuse of government property. Do you really want that on your conscience?

 

[Walt]

My local Horticultural Society has a Demonstration Garden that features a similarly decorated tree stump - with a faerie door and a small bench for the Woodland Wonders to sit and rest.
We also have other out-of-place things - free neighborhood "libraries" are often decorated and some feature elaborate designs. The local "Take-what-you-need Leave-what-you-can" pantries generally have far less decoration and design, but are often painted a bright color.
Then there are the "719 Rocks!" folks that decorate rocks and leave them all over out region - just to bring a smile and invite you to participate by placing the found treasure in a new location.

The odds of this being placed in the woods by a banjo-playing terrorist clown sniper are actually quite low.

And, if it freaked you out, your dog will not go near it. Though the dog's reactions ARE suspicious. Maybe rotting body parts inside? Or the Brotherhood of Patriot Gnomes has a cache of weapons there? Or someone left old fruitcake for the gnomes? Or the dog sensed the Evil Magic that had entrapped the gnome and his dog. Or maybe it washed down the stream during a BIG flood and has just been sitting there ever since.

 

[scaredycat72]

If it were closer to any place people actually go there, you'd have a good shot of being right. Not here though. You'd just have to be there. Not the mailbox so much, just that really bad vibe in that little chunk of woods... Disapeared once I was over the ridge.

Cheers!

If you like to walk in that area, and the person who placed the mailbox likes to walk in that area, then that area might get more traffic than you think.

That being said, different people pick up different energies. The area felt off to you so you bailed. You followed your instincts, there was no harm, no foul, it all worked out.

 

[JDub]

My local Horticultural Society has a Demonstration Garden that features a similarly decorated tree stump - with a faerie door and a small bench for the Woodland Wonders to sit and rest.
We also have other out-of-place things - free neighborhood "libraries" are often decorated and some feature elaborate designs. The local "Take-what-you-need Leave-what-you-can" pantries generally have far less decoration and design, but are often painted a bright color.
Then there are the "719 Rocks!" folks that decorate rocks and leave them all over out region - just to bring a smile and invite you to participate by placing the found treasure in a new location.

The odds of this being placed in the woods by a banjo-playing terrorist clown sniper are actually quite low.

And, if it freaked you out, your dog will not go near it. Though the dog's reactions ARE suspicious. Maybe rotting body parts inside? Or the Brotherhood of Patriot Gnomes has a cache of weapons there? Or someone left old fruitcake for the gnomes? Or the dog sensed the Evil Magic that had entrapped the gnome and his dog. Or maybe it washed down the stream during a BIG flood and has just been sitting there ever since.

Could be the VERY old grave on top of the ridge too. Yeah, there's an old homestead up there.. When the .Gov bought all this riverside land back in the 30's to build the lock and dam, there were several families living here that had to move. Some had been there from the original settler days...

Learned that from my friend Amelia at Church. She's 93 and has been here her whole life. Went back out to take a look. Yep, it's there like she said. Quarried from our abundant limestone but badly eroded. Looks like someone outlined the inscription in paint. Probably the CoE rangers.

 

[JDub]

If you like to walk in that area, and the person who placed the mailbox likes to walk in that area, then that area might get more traffic than you think.

That being said, different people pick up different energies. The area felt off to you so you bailed. You followed your instincts, there was no harm, no foul, it all worked out.

Could be! There's some odd stuff deep in those woods...

 

[NomadCat]

It doesn’t *look* threatening…. But, I’ve learned the hard way: if the vibe is wrong, walk away.