Tuesday, February 9

Amazing Taxidermy at Cabela's in Lacey, WA - Part 2

Please see below my Caveat from Part one, about my feelings about these animals and appreciating them despite their being dead.

The extremely high quality of these taxidermy pieces is evident in the action mounts - they have some cougars there that are amazing!! Here's a closeup below of one zeroing in on a deer. I wish the light in the store was just a bit better suited to photography!!

BELOW: This more simple Cougar taxidermy piece is just standing normally, still very impressive in it's natural attentive grace and balance. It really looks ready to walk away in person.

BELOW: This amazing piece features a beautiful Bobcat leaping for a winter-clad Ptarmigan bird. Amazing!! We are surrounded by Bobcat here where I live, but chances of seeing what one really looks like in detail like this are slim to none.

BELOW: And now for something completely different... A Cape Buffalo from Africa! I wish my little camera could convey the intense majesty and gravity of this piece... it's really a jaw-dropping thing to behold. I like that the ears are tattered like they would be were this gorgeous animal still alive. You can see it in Cabela's upstairs on the way to the rest of the African animal pieces.

PS: If you like Cape Buffalo, check out this painting by Kathleen Senzell of Santa Rosa, CA. Amazing!

BELOW: A Bald Eagle. This is a very simple piece, perched upright, no wings outstretched or anything, but you would not believe it's awesome beauty in person.


The excellent quality and variety of taxidermy in this Cabela's store is just amazing to me. I hope you enjoy these pictures and I hope that the beauty and majesty of these animals shows through.

Please note that I am damn sad that all these animals are dead - but it's a done deal now, and I am grateful for the chance to appreciate them at close range, plus I'm not the one that shot them.

Sunday, February 7

Amazing Taxidermy at Cabela's in Lacey, WA - Part 1

The excellent quality and variety of taxidermy in this Cabela's store is just amazing to me. I hope you enjoy these pictures and I hope that the beauty and majesty of these animals shows through.

Please note that I am damn sad that all these animals are dead - but it's a done deal now, and I am grateful for the chance to appreciate them at close range, plus I'm not the one that shot them. I'm just sayin'...

OK, now, please take a look at the amazing animals.

ABOVE: This awesome bobcat is poised behind a counter upstairs in the ammo dep't. If you stop by, be sure and check this one out in person. Pictures cannot convey!

BELOW: The center of the store features this huge mountain of animals. I am so blown away by all the animals!!!
BELOW: This beautiful bighorn group crowns the "mountain".

BELOW: Creatures large and small are represented. I love this guy, in mid-chomp!

BELOW: Upstairs near the restaurant is the African diorama, it's amazing. This babboon is having a standoff with a leopard that my camera could not capture in the low light.

I have been fascinated by taxidermy since I was a little kid and got to see some big pieces up close at a lodge in June Lake, CA.

Friday, February 5

Mt. Ranier and Hood Canal, Sunrise




I wish pictures could convey how touchably close the mountain seemed that morning. Usually we can't see it at all on this walk, due to clouds typically, so it was a real surprise.

Friday, January 22

Rainbow Morning

This stunning sight greeted us first thing in the morning in the family room, looking west. A HUGE rainstorm followed quickly. Meanwhile, at the front of the house, here was the celestial view looking east at the same sunrise:

Aaaahhh. What a way to get started on a new day!

Tuesday, January 19

Discoveries in the mid-winter garden!

Wow, Daffodils are coming!! I spied these emerging shoots in-between rainstorms.

What a cheery sight!! There is hope!!

Found some diamonds too - dangling from the tips of my Pieris buds.

The raspberry color of these little buds is just delightful! I'm a big fan of these plants now.