Kindred Spirit Mailbox and Then Some

 

As happens now and then dad's making me do a post that's got nothing to do with me, and it's a mixed-topic one, so bear with me. 

A few weekends ago mom and dad put their explorer pants on and drove down to Sunset Beach, pretty much the southernmost stretch of their favorite landscape before hitting South Carolina.  While doing some online research previously, mom discovered the Kindred Spirit mailbox, an actual mailbox standing in the dunes on Bird Island, about a mile and a half from the Sunset Beach Pier. 

There's a wonderful write-up in Our State magazine from a few years ago where you can read about this little treasure in greater detail, but the condensed version is that this mailbox was placed here decades ago for people to jot down their innermost thoughts, secrets, longings or what have you. 

Mom carrying a voluntary trash pick-up basket

There are journals, pens and pencils inside the mailbox, and a couple of comfy benches to sit and reflect on whatever one wishes to record.

Old Lefty scribbling his deepest thoughts

What they didn't know anything about was a nature trail that wound through the brush and dunes behind the mailbox, where they were delighted with a healthy walk a bit away from the surf, allowing them to get in just a little more exercise and sand-filled shoes. 

The sights and sounds in this little part of the world are a true joy and well worth the drive from anywhere.

During this same weekend they returned for another visit to Brunswick Town and Fort Anderson over in Winnabow, where you'll find some fascinating colonial and Civil War historical markers, foundations and information on the banks of the Cape Fear River just below Wilmington.  Dad's posted photos and stuff from this site once or twice over the years.  On the way to Brunswick Town there are several bodies of water where you're almost always sure to spot some fascinating wildlife, and this trip was no different.  They'd pulled off the side of the road to look out over Orton Pond, and mom- who got to the bank of the pond first- whispered frantically for dad to hurry to her side, where they saw this gator lazily bobbing in the current. 

Yes, dad was a little too close, and mom kept yelling at him to back up.  

You're probably thinking "what do pickles have to do with any of this?"  Well, I told you it was going to be a mixed-topic post, and for whatever reason, dad felt the need to add this.  This is mom's latest batch of pickles, and by now there is, sadly, only one partial jar left.  So, yeah, there you have it.  Sand-filled shoes, innermost musings in a mailbox, awesome up-close wildlife and, of course, pickles. Can it get much more random?