A Great Year & The People We've Met!

As we pause in this break between the holidays and face our third anniversary of this website on Thursday, Sue & I cannot think of a better year than 2005!

It was another year on the move! Beginning with the 3 Winter Boxing Drives early in the year, to our trip to Michigan and the Great Lakes Gathering in June, to our Bermuda cruise in July, to the Flamingo Caper in October and ending with that unforgettable, epic Mystery Gathering in Rhode Island in November. Phew - what a year!

It's unbelievable to think back on where this hobby has taken us. And the wonderful strangers we've met who quickly became friends; whether those friendships are made at gatherings or via email communications. For us, it's the people we meet along the way that makes this journey so terrific. The boxes and places in which they are put are important but without that personal element - a handshake or a hug - this hobby would not have the allure that it does. The complex personalities that make up this game of ours are really the attraction for Sue & I.

Old friends like Deanne & Dave, Jay Drew, Seth, Alafair and TeamGreenDragon, Phyto & Isoceles, Koyote, that wonderful Hog from the left coast, Butterfly, Sadie & Russ, RTRW, Rubuduc and all of our CT friends, MayEve and Uneksia who help me on the Newboxers Talk List, and all of those in between.

Also special to us are the new friendships we made like the girls from the Cape and those in that great state of MI: SpringChick, Old Shoe, Azobox, Doglvrs, Tiptoe & Tonto, Team Rabbit, TJ Mich & family, Leapin' Lizards, Linda Fay, Armadillo Jo and others who put up with our Marco Peperini ringmaster posts weeks prior to our bringing Boch's Circus to their gathering! They all made us feel so welcomed in a strange land.

And developing friendships like the one with Rae Record and Tom Cooch are important as well. Another growing friendship is that with Susan Davis, who with her husband Erik, we regard as the true originators of this game that is so much in our blood. Who better to turn for advice and counsel than Susan as this hobby experiences growing pains? To prepare for the future, you must know the past - both the success and failures that Susan & Erik faced in those exciting and formative years. And how could we forget Poison Ivy and Lady Prisspot - a pair with whom we've collaborated with over the years to mischief-make but finally met in person at the Mystery Gathering. Oh the friendships we've made!

And, of course, without that personal element like yourself, there would be no website! We could post all day long but without readers like you, they would just be words drifting aimlessly in cyberspace. Thanks to each and every one of you that visit this blog, send us a word of encouragement or a suggestion. These communications are vital to this site remaining fresh and new. Please never hesitate to drop us a line. There have been some great ideas that have come from our dedicated readers and friends.

As we face the new year, we see another busy year on the horizon. We are so excited about our trip out west to visit OR - home of the Hog, the desert, the Columbia River gorge and the creative boxers located there. Sue & I are thrilled to spend time with Funhog and to finally meet Mitch Klink, Der Mad Stamper, another boxing pioneer, as well as others too numerous to mention. And we know that traveling west with Deanne & Dave will hold more than a few exciting times and many laughs - Psssshhhhhh!

In mid January, we expect to have our interview with Carol Stearns, Leader of the Pack, ready for posting. Others who have agreed to be interviewed for our series are Susan Davis, Don & Gwen and Daniel Servatius. For those of you who send emails suggesting future interviewees - thanks for your input. Eventually we hope to get to those names you've suggested.

Sue & I look back at the 16th of June in 2002 as a turning point in our lives. Besides Sue hitting a milestone birthday(!) it's the first day we ever letterboxed. We often wonder where we would be had we decided to try another activity! We know our lives would be missing a key element that makes this such a special hobby - those new friends we've made along the way and the wonderful places we've been.

In closing, we'd like to thank all of you who encourage us during the year for our efforts here, those that email us, our friends who have been so supportive and those of you who plant boxes for the letterboxing community to find. Sue & I wish you and yours a Happy New Year filled with peace, health, happiness and the best, most box-filled year yet!

We're heading off for some quiet time on Friday for a week or so and hope to come back renewed, refreshed and ready for some mischief. Sue & I, along with others, have some awfully exciting stuff planned for 2006 so stay tuned! And thanks!

New Feature Added!

We've decided to add a new Chat Room for our readers. You will be taken to a private chat room hosted by Bravenet Services. Only members from this site can enter. Click the button that's located in the right column just above our Poll of the Week.

Until this really catches on, I would imagine it might get lonely there but let's see where it takes us. I may schedule specific subject matters on certain nights like an "Ask Mark" session, or a clue writing night, etc. Let me know via email if you feel specialized chat subject matter would help you and what subjects you'd like to see covered.
Have fun and just come in here and chat!

Wishing You and Yours . . .

A Very Merry Christmas!

And All The Best for 2006!

Sue and I are busy preparing our traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes for our family on Christmas Eve. We hope that you all have the best holiday celebration and that it's surrounded by those you love.

It's Just Overwhelming!

While we're running around like most of you, preparing for the Christmas holiday, Sue & I just had to pause to let you know how much we appreciate all of the holiday cards that stuff our mailbox everyday! At first, we tried responding in kind, but with the latest bevy of Christmas wishes, it looks like we're both running behind and running out of time! Just had to let you know how much we appreciate them. We love seeing your personal stamps as well as some of the beautifully hand-made designs. Looks like quite a few letterboxers are scrapbookers as well! Again - thanks so much!

Ever Take the Trolley in Providence?

A new series of 7 boxes was placed last week in Providence, RI by JulesF & GretchenF. It's design is to take you to their favorite spots in Providence via a trolley ride. The Trolley Series are all urban boxes so stealth is required.

Poison Ivy Does It Again!

Those of you that follow this website know how crazy we are about Poison Ivy (the letterboxer - not the plant!) You'll notice the Poison Ivy's Letterbox Rating System to your right, as well as that series of events we call Lady Prisspott's Dilemma.

Now, the latest Ivy idea is a Pub Crawl, to take place at 5pm in Leesburg, VA on January 14, 2006. Boxes will be located in pubs. There will be designated drivers and cab company phone numbers to encourage responsible and safe crawling. If you are interested in the crawl, check out PI's special crawl page. Sue & I wish it wasn't winter and was a little closer! We are so sorry we'll miss this one! Might have to have one up here in CT in the spring!

A Wicked Surprise!

Yesterday, Sue & I went to see the musical, Wicked, at the Bushnell with the Schmoopies. We totally enjoyed the play and dinner afterwards. Fun to see this totally opposite version of the events that took place in OZ!

Well this morning, I received an email on Atlas Quest from the Pointer Party of Manchester, CT, asking how we enjoyed the play! Seems they recognized us and were sitting 2 rows behind us yesterday at the theatre! Looks like letterboxers also clean up now and then and take to the cultured inside instead of the woods! Even when we try, we're never too far from letterboxing!

All I Can Say Is . . .

There has truly been an amazing response to our interview with Rae Record and the wonderful gift she shared with us all. Our inbox has been crammed with emails & posts from around the country, thanking Rae for this great video. We were very privileged to be able to post it here on our website.

Our site has had over 800 visitors the past two days since the interview premiered. Many of you wrote that you were emotional viewing the video. Some of you wrote that you felt as if you were witnessing a piece of history. We agree with all of these comments. I like what Chunna of the Cape posted to the LbNE talk list:

Log book, $5.
Coors Light, $ 3.50
Moose Head with green hat, $250.
Video Camera, $499.
Video of `Letterboxing North America Convention 1999',

!!PRICELESS!!

Thanks Mark and Rae for sharing that amazing interview and tape!

Chunna

A Wonderful, Magical Gift is Here!

So you read my post? How could you not - I posted to almost every Yahoo talk list there is on letterboxing!!!

This truly amazing gift is now available. When it's ready, click the gift box above to receive this most wonderful, magical gift. I promise you will not be disappointed!

A Special Box for Silver Eagle

Silver Eagle of TX has planted about 90 boxes in his home state of TX as well as others across the country. Today, Gramatrick with help from Barefoot Lucy, planted a box in Silver Eagle's honor entitled "If You Plant Them . . . " after the popular letterboxing saying. This "Yoda of Texas" gets a thank you from the Lone Star boxers for his nurturing and encouraging ways to new boxers and for being a letterboxing pioneer in that state. Congratulations, Silver Eagle!

A New Christmas Card!

We just received Sunshine & Swamp Yankee's Christmas Card via email. This note below accompanied the above picture:

It’s that time again,
A picture to view,
A scene in the background,
A hint or a few.

Hop to it boxers,
Be on your guard,
For time is a wastin’,
To get to the yard.

The cascading water,
Is just H20,
But now read closely,
To learn where to go.

A bridge that is covered,
Is what you must seek,
To find our mystery,
Only here for ten weeks.

Cross over the water,
Turn away from right,
The brook on your left side,
As you keep on your flight.

Cross over the next bridge,
There are no stonewalls,
Now count 40 steps,
On your walk towards the falls.

See a two sister tree?
Only ten steps to the right,
Right next to a ledge,
Both readily in site.

The ledge has a rock hat,
On the side near the tree,
In a crevice between them,
Look and you’ll see.
Our Christmas Card Mystery Letterbox is right there.

Stamp in, then rehide it,
And please take some care.
So others behind you,
Maybe not just a few,
Can also read our message,
HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU

The logbook is the same one from last year. Just go in a few pages and find the start for this year’s mystery. This is a new stamp and new location. May you all have a wonderful holiday season. The plan is to pull this box on Valentine’s Day.

Happy Boxing!!

Sunshine, Swamp Yankee, the ToadDog, and Boo

New Troll on the Block!

There's a new troll on the talklists. We're not going to recognize the name of this letterboxer since this would only give him legitimacy. Suffice it to say that moderators and owners of all the talklists on all of the letterboxing lists are aware of his presence and will ban him if he keeps it up.

We implore you to ignore him. No matter how inflamed his posts are; let the thread die. If you answer back, you'll only give him the attention that he craves. If he, or any other troll, posts outrageous remarks and no one answers, he'll lose interest and move on to another hobby.

But - rest assured - there's another one behind him; ready to take over the spotlight. If we ignore them; they will go away. There are too many good people in this hobby to let one of these trolls occupy too much of our time! Let's keep it positive gang - this is a fun thing, remember?

Now get out there & box!!!

Goodies are Ready!

Our Box of the Week is Mab, The Fairy Queen by SweetPea. The box is located in CT but is a mystery that you'll have to solve. Good Luck!

Our Poll of the Week is one suggested by one of our readers. It allows you to share the number of years that you've been letterboxing. With each passing day, we notice newbies coming into the fold as this hobby grows by leaps and bound. Please vote now!

A New Holiday Idea!

Leave it to that Cape Cod letterboxing bunch, especially Archimedes Screw, the only Cape Cod boxer we didn't meet at the RI Mystery Gathering. The Screw has planted a new box entitled "Oh Letterbox Tree," for all of those boxers in the holiday spirit. Click on our version of the letterboxing tree above to be taken to the clues for this series of 4 boxes located in South Yarmouth, MA.
Tis the season to be planting!


Update: It seems that you shouldn't be running off these clues until the day you go to get them as new additions will be appearing. As of today (12/4/05) Chunna has seen fit to add a little something under the tree for you. Keep checking these clues for more letterboxing magic!

A Lot of Letterboxing Love!

Some of the participants in the restoration of Leader of the Pack's CT boxes. Carolyn Stearns is on the extreme right.


I know that CT takes its hits now and then. We do have the largest amount of boxes of any state in the country. And we do find them quite easily - although we don't trip over them as others have said in the talk lists over the years!

Another thing that CT has is a bunch of caring letterboxers. Pinetree had an idea at the beginning of the summer and once she wrote to me about it, I offered to help in any way I could. The idea was to help Carolyn Stearns, Mother Moo or Leader of the Pack, repair and replace her 100 plus boxes. Carolyn is a true letterboxing pioneer and virtually began the bevy of boxes planted in the Mansfield area. CT's proliferation of boxes are a result of 2 people: Carolyn Stearns and our buddy, Jay Drew. Some of Carolyn's letterboxes date back to 2001, which make them a part of CT and this country's boxing history and all the more reason why an effort to repair and replace them was such a worthy investment of time.

A group of boxers from CT began recarving, reconditioning, replanting and reclueing every single letterbox ever placed by Carolyn. Recently, the group met for a mini gathering to celebrate their accomplishment and thank Carolyn for playing such a huge part in letterboxing. A photo from that mini gathering is above. We wish to thank each and every one of them, especially Pinetree and Chuck Straub, for this hurculean effort. My inbox would be inundated every weekend with new clue updates that I would make on letterboxing.org for Carolyn's boxes. My part was the easiest of all - thanks to those of you who hunted every box, scrutinized the clues for changes in terrain or landmarks, recarved broken or missing stamps, restored old logbooks, or dried out and replaced cracked boxes. Your efforts are appreciated!

Finally, this effort is now complete and these boxing gems are now available for your hunting pleasure. Remember that they were very early boxes and some of the clue techniques and hiding locations were those with no precedent! Historical references, appreciation for nature and local lore abound in Carolyn's clues. We hope you will all cherish these little bits of letterboxing history for what they are. And that you appreciate this wonderful placer, and those that took her boxes under their wings to make them available to generations of boxers to come.

Job well done, gang. It was a privilege to play a small part in this wonderful, caring effort!

Hop Over to This Box!

A new mystery box has appeared on the "What's New" list of the LBNA. It's called Leaping Frog and is located somewhere in Hartford, CT. The placer appears to be someone new named Pawca. Whether this box was placed by a newbie or another in disguise, we have a pretty good idea where this box is located and will try to get there soon! Click the frog to be taken to the clues and watch out for warts!