Ode to Preston

I recently realized that I have a deep and abiding love for all things dead...dried up plants, skulls, skeletons, anatomy books, skins, furs, animal heads, tomb stones. To illustrate my point I'll give you a list of just a few of the dead things in my living room.

- deer skull
- two raccoon skulls and one bird skull
- one human skeleton poster
- painting of cow skull done by friend
- fox head pelt dyed hot pink

and my personal favorite my new antelope head and butler, Preston!





My sister in law gave him to me. She shot him when she was 14 and when her and my brother moved into their house she didn't really want to put him up. So I got him. Let me tell you, much easier then having to go out in the cold and wet some morning and having to wait from one of these little suckers. They don't really taste all that good so I couldn't really justify shooting one to eat.

I know that some people view it as tacky and offensive to hang deer heads, but I've always been fascinated by them. My dentist used to have at least a dozen of them hanging in his waiting room - most of them from his safari's. Having that many does seem like excess and a little creepy, but I think one or two well placed specimens is fun and rustic.

But people do some really great things with heads, like:



But my personal favorite is the creativity and innovation of Rachel Denny and her sweater animal heads.



They are so gorgeous! I would really like to make one - definitely need to perfect my knitting skills.

Now, back to Preston. He is a truly great butler - He's right by my front door and scares away intruders that are over 6 ft (because they would be eye to eye) and he also has a chair beneath him that is used for gathering all my winter accessories and mail. He's a cutie - that's all I have to say. Though I don't really like touching him because he's a little bristly. I think I might dress him up for xmas - wait for the pics!