It’s Poetry Friday!
And we are hosted this weekend by
Tabatha at The Opposite of Indifference
–defender of all things BRAVE!
Join us for some poetry refreshment!
I love the surprise of a funny sign. They are perfect non-sequiturs for my vacations. My husband and I spent the past three weeks on the east coast (Maine and Virginia) –cycling and eating LOTS of lobster and ice cream! Here are a few signs that found their way into my camera:
I mean…Donuts made with POTATOES? Yes, please! And no, my husband did not sit in the chair. And, you’ll understand the hilarity of the Oreo sign if you take five minutes and watch just about THE FUNNIEST comic bit I’ve ever seen here. (Trust me! It’s totally worth your time!)
But…in the spirit of needing other things to smile about, this may be the sweetest pick-me-up from the last three weeks. You’ve heard of Little Free Libraries? How cool is this:
All photos and poem ©2025 Patricia J. Franz
free little art gallery
Patricia Franz writes picture books and poetry. She believes children, dogs, and sourdough have a lot to teach us about life, joy, and wonder. She has raised two boys, four dogs, and holds a master’s degree in Theology with a focus on children’s spirituality. Patricia, her husband, her Bernese Mountain dog, Bonny, and her sourdough starter split their time between the Arizona desert and the Sierra Nevada mountains. 
Haha! Craig! Happy Birthday! (Oreos with wood chips, ouch!) Thanks for the laugh. I LOVE the little free art gallery. So awesome!
I love a good sign. We have one at a restaurant near us that’s become a bit of local legend because of how confidently non-sensical it is. It proudly declares: “Don’t Say. Just Cool.” Nobody knows what it’s supposed to mean, and it’s been there for years now. It’s become somewhat of an inside joke between my husband and I, if one of us is getting stressed, the other will say “Oh, honey. Don’t say. Just cool!” We all need a laugh these days! 😉
Oh my word, I love Brennan Lee as a CEO. That’s one of my favorite sketches. (Now with real wood!)
I love the concept of joy finding you — and it leaving you signs all over your vacation. (Buy 2 Drinks! Pay for BOTH of them!) I’m so glad you’re smiling, and thanks for sharing that infectious joy with us.
Lobster and ice cream, now we’re talking! What a lovely collection of signage, and YES to LFAG. #artisforeveryone ! xo
STOP MAKING NEW OREOS. 😀 Love that.
And I love your ode to the free little art gallery — what a stupendous idea! My daughter once went to a lake in our town and painted a few postcards and left them around for people to find. I loved that so much.
Tee hee….I like Oreo Classic! I’m so glad you had a good trip. The signs pic are fantastic!
Hilarious Oreo video! I love all of these bits of your travels in Maine. Maine is one of my favorite places! We always eat lots of lobster and a few years ago my youngest ordered whatever blueberry dessert was on the menu at every restaurant and then we had to compare them from day to day. So fun!
Such a fun post, Patricia! Love the signs, the video, and especially your poem. What a joy to come across a little free art gallery!
I adore the “free little art gallery” concept and your poem about it. My heart truly feels a bit lighter for them both. Thank you for this post and sharing your poem. I love the signs too!
What fun signs you found. And your poem about the FLAG gives me joy.
From the Home of the Tardiest PF Comments Ever-
Patricia! We just finally finished planning our Maine jaunt yesterday–but that doesn’t mean you can’t recommend something special. We have a FLAG in our neighborhood, and I didnt’ understand until now that it’s not a “Little Free Art Gallery” because LFAG is not a word. I think I’ll print out poetry postcards to take with us and sprinkle about, a little salve for me and those who find them…
And thanks for the Oreo laughs!
Patricia, it’s good for me to have a good laugh over Oreos. I think while we are traveling to the Atlantic Ocean shores in Cape May and Long Island, I will check out signage and see if I can find any funny ones. Your poem holds a sweet thought: a plein air gallery/of artistry, salve/for my despair. I am sorry for sending this response so late.