Mr. Potato Head Down; Looking Forward to Next Offering

The Wendler brothers of Edgemere are quite the talented duo.

And lucky for the rest of us, they are creative exhibitionists who share their artistic efforts with the world — or at least the North Point peninsula.

For ten years or more, brothers Scott and David Wendler have been building over-the-top holiday displays in the North Point Road yard that separates their houses. These scenes usually pop up as Halloween approaches, and then in true transformer fashion, morph to celebrate a series of holidays through Valentine’s Day — and sometimes later.

I’ve lost track of all their creations, but some are definitely more memorable than others. Back when Martha Stewart was in trouble for her insider stock trading, the guys incorporated a “Camp Cupcake” theme into the display in a nod to the cushy, while-collar penal institution the domestic goddess was calling home at the time.

When the community was up in arms fighting off a liquified natural gas plant proposed for the Sparrows Point area, the brothers built a huge crab pot in their yard. The pot was “powered” by gas that fed into the vessel by way of yellow PVC pipes labeled LNG. The display culminated in a scene of swapped roles, with human body parts hanging out of the pot while a huge crab in an apron supervised the steaming.

More recently, Dave and Scott have had a huge wooden Pez Dispenser overlooking North Point Road. Built to last, the Mr. Potato Head dispenser has greeted community members for more than a year and a half. 

In true Mr. Potato Head fashion, body parts were added and props were put in the character’s hands to mark holidays, including Halloween, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, Valentine’s Day and Memorial Day.

The huge spud held a turkey leg at Thanksgiving, a lighted penguin at Christmas and a champagne glass at New Year’s. The eyes and mouth changed and sunglasses were added on occasion.

I’m slightly biased (in part because of a collection of hundreds of Pez dispensers) but I got a special kick of the monster candy dispenser replica.

Dave Wendler said that, because the dispenser was built so durably, it would enjoy more than the usual time in the yard. Most displays are built to last just a short period of time.

This past fall, the Wendlers built an Area 51 trailer park, complete with community residents visible through the windows of their homes, and a lighted UFO that flew overhead. I missed it, but Dave Wendler told me one of the scenes depicted an abduction by aliens.

One year, in a nod to the unofficial kickoff to summer known as Memorial Day, the brothers put a car in the yard. In Beverly Hillbillies fashion, the top of the car was loaded with every item of beach paraphernalia you can think of—lawn furniture, beach toys, coolers, you name it.

The Pez dispenser is now retired, though part of the Area 51 scene still graces the roadside.

I was sad to see Mr. Potato Head come down, but I look forward to the brothers’ next creation.

And on behalf of the community, I thank them for sharing. No matter how bad a day might be progressing, I always smile as I pass their yard.