Today’s guest post comes from Clyde in Mankato.

As I have explained before, for my wife Christmas is a six-month season. She often buys gifts in the summer, stores them away, and then rediscovers them, usually under our bed, often after Christmas.  Last week she found two objects of clouded origin and unknown purpose.

Her initial recollection of when and where she purchased the objects led me down the wrong path in trying to discover what they are. So I put the photo up on Facebook and asked for explanations, encouraging the submission of smart-ass answers. My son re-posted in his Facebook page, from where, as I expected, came the answer. He has many professionally-creative Facebook friends of wide background and interests.

One of the answers, from one of my friends, was in Japanese. I do not know if Kazuki was right or not. Maybe. My two favorite smart-ass answers were 1) a Zanfir flute/pipe and 2) this link from one of my son’s friends.

This evening I will explain what they are. I bet during the day someone will correctly identify them. They are, by the way, nifty little devices. If you know the answer, you know the answer.

What mysterious objects have you run across in your life?