Signs of the Times, and Signs Just For Fun

On Election Day tomorrow, as you walk into your polling station, you’ll no doubt walk past an array of signs held by smiling individuals—likely some even your neighbors– who are eager to take every last minute for purposes of persuasion.

Here’s to the power of the democratic system – with opinions clashing like so many cymbals all around us — and may it work fairly in all corners of our land throughout the day, with all voices heard and perhaps even some measure of harmony resulting.

In that the whole season has presented us with an abundance of a particular kind of sign, the ones with just a single candidate’s name on them (as if by just seeing the name we’ll believe in him or her by some kind of absorption) I thought I’d use this space to offer up a collection of very different kinds of signs— ones that have amused me over the past several years.

My goal for tomorrow will be making a seriously good start at a new job. So today, I prefer to Keep It Light.

Let’s get started, with the most recent sighting first. Last week, while driving between visits at one former hometown to another (Storrs CT to Amherst MA) I came upon this beauty at the end of someone’s driveway.

 

 

Now I can imagine a “Drive Thru Wedding” and have heard that some couples go for one. But experiencing an entire marriage while staying in your car? Now that’s a new trick.

Seeing this reminded me of another sign on the general topic of matrimony that I’d glimpsed several years ago, approaching Killington, VT.

 

So HERE is where she can be found! Does she offer tutorials?

Gift stores often present those wooden blocks with clever sayings on them, many about gender roles that now seem a bit outdated (we hope) like this one:

 

When it comes to signs referring to some aspect of religious life, there sure are plenty; that we have a choice of so many different faith traditions is wonderful and rich. What interests me is how wide the topic can be, so wide that sometimes you’re not sure if the sign really has anything to do with religion or is just tapping into our consciousness about it.

This one, clearly from an actual church, presents what must be a theme of this particular faith. I sure could wonder for a long time about the meaning of the firmly stated directive here.. Obey what and whom exactly?

 

Here’s a bumper sticker in a very different tone, advocating some compassion to be shown for a Higher Power.

 

This one, seen in a hair salon, is purely just for fun. Or wait, could it actually be that some people believe it?

 

I spotted an odd kind of restriction plastered on a restaurant window in New York City once, but knowing the many well-documented characteristics of Amish culture, I’d say the spirit of it seems way off.

 

Here’s one, on a New Hampshire lake shore, espousing a belief that goes against all recent nutritional data.

 

Up in Maine a few years ago, I could hardly believe there exists a company bearing this name, but maybe they do a really spectacular job.

 

Among my favorite signs are the ones that just make you go, “Huh?”

This one, for instance, has me imagining someone trying to go through two different doorways at the same time.

 

Or this one…which seems to be offering a gift, until you look at the last line.

 

 

Some signs bear a more ominous message, a kind of “words to the wise” warning. This one brings just a hint of trouble ahead.

 

This one, again on one of those pieces of wood you’d have to pay for, is downright pessimistic.

 

Let’s hope we don’t feel this way Wednesday morning, after all the votes have come in.

Then, thank goodness, there are the signs that simply just bring us cheer, either because they convey an upbeat message or just have such a light touch about their own world that they make the rest of us smile, too. Here are my entries for this category:

For anyone who has ever tried to farm or knows just how demanding it is…

 

For anyone who really really really loves to knit, or has some other passion that makes life worth living, or who just lives in New Hampshire… even if it doesn’t fully make sense..

 

Finally, ending with one of the most positive store windows I’ve saved, I offer a message worth remembering whatever we’re having for lunch…having nothing whatsoever to do with Election Day or any other Something Capitalized Day. Bread, in fact, is optional.