When Taxidermy is Tasteful

We aren't big fans of taxidermy. Dead, stuffed animals are not our thing. But sometimes, but rarely, we find that it works. This is our baby bear, killed accidentally by a car. He stands watch, looking out a window that can be seen as you approach the front door of the house. Which is amusing for guests and other visitors. Tasteful taxidermy happens by chance; it is never sought out. We happened to inherit this bear for the winter season last year, when the main lodge was closed, and he stayed with us all summer, and now into the fall. Many great camps, including Penwood, have deer feet that are used as coat or hat hangers. We can understand that. But not this: we had a brush with the worst kind of taxidermy when we were looking at newly constructed homes in the area to get ideas for our not-yet-started home. One of the homes was built by a local hunter and included more taxidermy than you see at a North Country taxidermy store -- including, very unfortunately, a fetal deer curled up on the staircase ledge. Yes: taxidermy of the unborn. Don't go there. We got the hell out of that place, and fast.

Blackie, Our Baby Black Bear

Black bears are a part of life in the Adirondacks. We just don't want them in our garage eating packages of Hostess "donuts" left around by the caretaker. This little guy visited us briefly and scared the hell out of my little brother Rob. On another day, the bear and his mother visited Penwood, took a bag from McDonald's from a tractor and ate french fries while watching the workmen build our house. Still, I like them far better than the deer, which love to eat our plants, and are beginning to push me over the brink. My father had the grand idea of putting a salt lick out on an old tree stump to feed the deer. Now they think they own Penwood and have been tearing through the plant life like crazy. We'll take a baby Black bear over deer any day.