You’ve got to like their upgrades.

I wonder what their story line is in their reality ? @Brian Fitzgerald

Maybe they just like giving people something to talk about. 😊

I believe you are correct, @Donna McClure. There may be some interesting history and tall tales behind it all. The only way to find out is to ask, I suppose.

I think they would like to know how many of us are interested ? A reason to wonder ? @Brian Fitzgerald I like the idea of a note in a jar 😀

Deciding what I should say in the note may take some time. I am partly curious about their motivation and partly reluctant to contact people I do not know. Maybe we share that, and the tableau they assembled is their note in a bottle to a stranger. "Curiouser and curiouser" said Alice... I think I will label the bottle "READ ME".

Once upon a time, I had not encountered any of you folks, but our meeting has since turned out to be OK. 😀 I find it comforting that they have a collection of interestingly artful objects instead of a political campaign sign in front of their house.

There have been many additions, including a garden of gnomes on the opposite side of the driveway from the rooster-wagon.
9 new photos are at soodling.substack.com/p/on-the…

I have not proceeded with the "message in a bottle."

I think that gnome village deserves a message. 😊

I checked out resin garden gnomes on Amazon and they were generally $20 to $50 each. The ones I've seen at regular garden centers are often twice that price. There are between one and two dozen gnomes here. Someone is pretty dedicated to this assemblage of whimsey, but it still is less expensive than a small group of inflatable holiday ornaments or a giant resin skeleton. As it happens, yesterday was the first time I got out of the car and walked around to get some photos from several new angles.
The nature of whatever message I might put in a jar is very much undetermined at this point. Perhaps you have some suggestions. I suppose I could enclose several messages in a jar. A miniature kite with a tail made of several message scrolls on a string might be pretty cool flight of fancy.

I have added nine more images to soodling.substack.com/p/on-the… for a total of 18. There is a black cat sitting between the skeletons, and a fat toad in the back of the wagon with the dogs and little rooster, and more flower pots in the middle of the wagon. Ahead of the big rooster, there is a rose bush and a rose of sharon bush in front of the little shed.

The story is evolving with much interest. Are we enjoying the mystery and keeping it that way I wonder ? @Brian Fitzgerald

I've noticed a fair number of solar-powered LED pathway lights among the pots of flowers and the gnomes. I suppose that lends a romantic touch during the evening. These whimsical mysteries continue to unfurl themselves like the many flowers that blossom and fade from day to day.

That is so touching a comment @Brian Fitzgerald Thank you 😀

Your kind appreciation is duly noted, @Shonie Hutter.

Maybe some of the gnomes were found at garage/yard sales.

They seem quite dedicated to lawn art. Makes me wonder what the inside of their house looks like now.

I just noticed a stack of snails on the right of all the gnomes, next to Paddington Bear.

He looks a bit worried! I wonder what's been going on with the snails ?

You are correct, @Shonie Hutter. I wonder if poor Paddington has had to wash off a lot of snail slime from his fur at some time in the past, or if he has deep fears about the continued survival of his garden (more likely). If I saw snails piling up like that in my garden, I would probably be alarmed.

Oh that's not uncommon in mine so I know how he feels. When it does rai they all appear on my path and out of the pots !

Is that another snail creeping up on Paddington on the right? Red alert

I think the thing just under Paddington's elbow is from a branch that was removed and healed over on the piece of tree trunk. It may also be a disguised speaker that is part of a resin tree-trunk-replica. They have fake rocks kinda like that so people can have tunes in the garden. I had become curious about that myself and will have a closer look sometime.

There is also something red, looks like a snail, by the tree branch.

The red thing does look spiral shaped like a snail shell when I enlarge it enough. I thought it had concentric circles, and I had to use a Digital Color Meter utility to see that it was red rather than brown. I'm partly colorblind. There is something kinda green/tan under the red spiral bit, so it may indeed be another snail trying to outflank Paddington Bear. I had not crossed the driveway during my recent visit. I would have been in direct sight of their big house behind the little old shack if I had done so, and I'm still being timid.

You never know. They may have artillery hidden in there. Be timid.

The place has no signs of being a family compound with DJT flags and such. I think the nearest one of those is more than a mile or two away from this place on a different road. I've wondered if there is a security camera or two somewhere to catch any potential vandals. This place is on a LONG twisty and hilly dirt road and has a large family farm nearby. There is a ginormous corporate dairy farm about 10 or 15 miles away from this place.

Being timid sounds smart @Brian Fitzgerald. I often times can't get a picture because I don't like to go onto someone's property. I will step on the the driveway a bit depending on the layout. Risking my life for a picture is just not for me.

That must be a fascinating place @Katherine Bond. Seems someone or generations might have been collectors. Have you been there?

This place is not far from where NY, Vermont, and Mass. are closest together, and is a pretty long distance from the Lake Michigan region, @Donna McClure.

I’ve been to House on the Rock many times @Donna McClure from when it started as a collection being amassed by an individual and you could just pull in and ask to see what he has, til it got greater and greater and they expanded into a huge building, etc. There is so much to see there. Things from room size music boxes to three story carousels to a small old time town to collections of dolls and weird sea life. It staggers the imagination.

It started with one family and a house that had a tree that grew in the middle of it and the house extended out over a drop off. I have no idea who owns it now. I suspect some company.

The carousel in one picture looked like a beauty. How fascinating the way it started & progressed. It must be very fun to see @Katherine Bond.

Especially since I’m old enough to see it progress from a simple, very interesting house to what it is now @Donna McClure

I have to admit, the dolls freaked me out a bit…”dead eyes, doll’s eyes.”

I don't know if the picture I saw had dolls on the carousel. Wasn't looking that close.

I'd missed mention of House on the Rock earlier. It is amazing.