well, that's a gratifying and rare show of integrity. Of course, profiting from your relative's misdeeds must be awkward. I don't envy him any of it.

Just returned from a Maritimes Cruise--GORGEOUS!
I would say if you are planning on letterboxing in the Maritimes, my experience was that most active boxes were set a distance out from the Ports. Boxes placed within 1/2 mile to a mile from port were typically missing or in such tourist heavy locations, I did not feel confident attempting.

I had limited walking ability and no individual transportation on this trip. If you do not have such restrictions, I think you will find some intriguing boxes. The couple I was able to get were well worth it!

In 2015, there were a couple on Mount Royal, but they were planted by Shorty (who was visiting from Illinois).

Best,

LB

I have seen it at Dollar Tree

Congrats to Lovebirds-NC for getting box of the week! It's a great box and the honor is much deserved. I really miss finding their boxes...

Planning a trip to NE Ohio in a couple weeks and organizing clues for potential boxes. As I read through the clues, I am double checking comments to see if boxes might need maintenance or for other useful info (earwig warnings, for example)

I have come across a couple of comments that kind of detract from the fun for me--what I would consider spoilers. I know not everyone shares my opinion, but I did get to wondering what types of comments others might consider spoilers. I'm sure I have been guilty at various times so am trying to improve

The examples I've come across recently are:
Providing the answer to a puzzle in the comments
Commenting on what the stamped image is specifically

We had a paper-craft store in my small town with an amazing amount of patterned and textured paper, along with every color of cardstock you could imagine. Sadly, she closed up shop, and now the nearest in-person options are 45 minutes away - Michaels and Hobby Lobby. I really like seeing it in person and being able to buy just a few sheets at a time, so that's my first choice over online shopping.

I’m much the same way. I like being able to physically hold what I’m going to buy before I get it. The big box shops can be alright sometimes but their selection has been really bad in my area lately and I’m not particularly motivated to drive close to an hour for a shot at having the same thing happen haha. I miss my local shops a lot.

I would definitely consider those two examples spoilers. And even so much as just a hint would potentially ruin the experience for me. IMO the owner should have deleted those comments.

Definite spoilers.

We've participated in a couple of that host's 'coin' LTC trackers.

Congrats to Lovebirds-NC on getting box of the week! It's a great carve and plant and definitely a worthy pick. I miss finding your boxes...

What do you use to sharpen your Lino cutters/gouges - specially #1, which is the one that I use most of the time?

I would definitely consider those spoilers, but I do appreciate a comment about changes in landmarks in the clue, such as a tree being down, a trail being rerouted, signs missing, etc.

Speedball #1? That little thing can be difficult to keep sharp. What I have used is a honing strop made by Lee Valley https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/tools/sharpening/75189-flexcut-carvers-strop

But now I just don't have the time or patience, so I find it easier to just buy a 12 pack of the cutters, which might be hard to find depending on where you live. https://www.dickblick.com/items/speedball-linoleum-cutter-pkg-of-12-no-1-small-v/

Amazon sells a box of #1 cutters

Do you have the link? I looked but I didn't find it. Just the complete set, which I don't need. I prefer just the #1. Thanks!

Thanks! Will check the link

I love the Maritimes also. My husband's ancestors came from Marshalltown, just outside of Digby, Nova Scotia.

"Thanks for the bonus box"......spoiler.

Oh gosh yes. I almost never delete comments, but that spoiler is almost always deleted. Bonus boxes are usually supposed to be a surprise! Because this is hopefully something fun for the finder to experience.

Agree! I enjoyed finding their letterboxes while I lived in NC.

I found out about the two men arrested soon after the assassination. Even though one article was from a few days ago, I just found it today. I don't know who or even if the news actually reported they were suspects, but I said "persons of interest" because that is what I heard from some report.

One was arrested because he crossed the crime tape and entered the closed area. He ran when he was challenged. "The man was booked into the Utah County Jail and faces charges of felony obstruction and trespassing."

The second was a 71 year old man who claimed to be the shooter so that the actual shooter could escape. "[...] images of a man being led away in handcuffs sparked instant confusion, with many believing that a shooting suspect had already been taken into custody. [...] It wasn't until about an hour after the shooting that officials said the man, identified as George Zinn, 71, had been arrested for Obstruction of Justice, but was not implicated in the actual shooting. [...] Zinn approached an officer and yelled, 'I shot him now shoot me.'"

I figured that people following this thread would want to know.

Jabber is making me nostalgic for the good ole' days when postal boxing was prolific. Just about went extinct other than a few annual ones. I personally hate the micro postal movement but totally understand it from a cost and convenience standpoint. My biggest difficulty is cutting down the thickness and of course carving shallower than normal.

There are a few annuals still going such as the Springbok Puzzle ring I have hosted for many years but did not create. Mailing is once a month, so it is a yearlong experience with 11-12 new puzzles to solve. These can go in a flat rate priority padded envelope for around $11 which is still cheaper than buying a new puzzle every month. Pieces go in a large baggie and just a single sheet of paper with the image. The back of the completed puzzle serves as the logbook. When I retire it is likely this annual tradition may need to pass to a younger boxer. I also continue to run a USPS commemorative postage stamp each year since 2009. This is now a micro and there are still spots open for 2025 stamps if you want to join.

Some other interesting postal rings were musical and books. For the musical one you burned a CD (yeah obsolete technology) of songs related to a topic. My favorite CD was one with songs including cowbells. A takeoff of the SNL skit of Blue Oyster Cult's Don't Fear the Reaper with Will Ferrell and Christopher Walken called "More Cowbell". The book one was a monthly mailing throughout the year. It involved mailing a paperback with a stamp image related to the book.

There is also a hybrid yearly one called Box of the Month. Unique in that it is a postal and a traditional rolled into one experience. It is a postal ring, but the stamp is planted as a traditional for three weeks at each stop before heading back into the mail. The traditional box is the same location with a series of 12 stamps that cycle through being activated and retired as they are received and mailed on. Since this requires a monthly visit in hot and cold weather, I typically make this a driveby. I have been in and out of this one in both Martinsburg and Culloden. I rejoined for 2026 since they were looking to fill out this one. Looks like there is a spot for one more person.

Kirbert lol

I need a little help and am sorry if this has been asked before, but with AQ being here 20+ years give or take it’s bound to happen!
So I use wintergreen on pink with a toner b&w printer. But it seems to take forever for the image to be ready to carve, and if I do too soon the image will smudge under the gouge. Any suggestions, tips, or tricks? I know some have used a staz-on inkpad to seal images, but remember that being used with pencil transfers and not too sure chemical on chemical before cured is gonna help me in the right direction!

I'm one of the staz-on over wintergreen transfer people, and it works fine. I use the staz-on a few minutes after I transfer the image, stamp off the excess, and can start carving within an hour or so. Haven't had any smearing with this method.

I did a search for "speedball #1" on ebay several years ago and bought a 20-pack. Maybe I'm used to dull blades, but I can carve dozens of stamps from each blade and even when I was at my most active I'd get months out of each one. Now I'm not sure I've changed the blade in almost two years.

Yes we have. Always fun too.

I know that I've made a few of my ltcs that were "true" to size, however, if you took them out of the sleeve, you might discover that they unfolded into a larger multi sided card. Usually with more stamps. Some of my cards had pices that slid out with more stamps. Even some of my coins had more than meet the eye.