Wildlife Wall Decor

Thirty-five years ago, during a cool summer evening, I was lying on a blanket, under a live oak tree in the Umtanum Mountain Range North of Yakima, in central Washington State.  I fell asleep while waiting for the sunset to appear.  I was lost somewhere in a peaceful dream, when a noise awoke me . . . The sound of two bull Elk were sparring, working their horns together. I was completly surrounded by a large herd of Elk drifting toward their night cover.   The scene included calves playing,  young bulls challenging each other’s strength, and cows grazing on the meadow. 

The scene I will never forget, however, was the majestic king of the herd, the BIG DADDY of them all, standing with his antlers high above his body, with the multi colors of crimson reflected in the clouds in the background.  Standing proudly, he became a masterpiece of silhouette art, filtered among the hues of soft pinks and pastel blues painted in the clouds of the western heavens.  A vision of heavenly grandeur!

The kind of welcome a  person has on their front porch many times demonstrates who lives in the house.  Welcome signs can communicate information about the type of person living there . . . their character, their hobbies, interests, or even the number of inhabitants.

The theme of the sign can be Western, Southwestern, or nautical in flavor.  It could make a political, social, religious, or military statement.  The color and design alone is an individual’s preference, and the variations are in the millions. 

Regardless of the theme varieties, the main purpose of a welcome sign is to give your guests a comfortable feeling that they are invited to your home.

With constantly rising fuel prices, here’s GOOD NEWS for consumers of gas and diesel off-road vehicles.

In the June 2008, Texas Fish and Game magazine, the author mentions that a tax relief is available for sportsmen operating equipment off the road.  The GOOD NEWS is Texas offers a fuel tax refund of 20 cents per gallon for use not on public roads!  The State tax form 06-106 of the Texas Claim for Refund of Gas and Diesel Fuel Taxes is available online.  For details and information, go to the Texas State Comptroller website: www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/taxforms/98-661.pdf, or contact the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, PO Box 13528, Capitol Station, Austin, Texas, 78711-3528, phone 1-800-252-5555.

You must document all purchases of fuel and list all land vehicles, motorboats, aircraft, and both moving and stationary equipment in use for hunting, fishing and mowing . . . That’s GOOD NEWS!

My memories at Grandma’s home as a child are filled with visions of her love and hospitality. Every room in her house expressed her character and personal commitment to family and friends. One of the focal points that every grandparents’ home should have is the coffee table.

An etched glass table set in front of the sofa expresses many lasting messages, such as the style, color, and/or the type of items placed on it. Grandma placed newspapers and magazines on the coffee table that sent messages of news, politics, and current events. She made room for the Bible, sending a message of hope, faith, love, rewards for right choices, and the consequences of making wrong choices.

Grandma’s coffee table sent a message of encouragement, respect, honor and commitment of what’s important to the family and to others . . . A timeless message cherished and endeared.

With constantly rising fuel prices, here’s GOOD NEWS for consumers of gas and diesel off-road vehicles. In the June 2008, Texas Fish and Game magazine, the author mentions that a tax relief is available for sportsmen operating equipment off the road. The GOOD NEWS is Texas offers a fuel tax refund of 20 cents per gallon for use not on public roads! The State tax form 06-106 of the Texas Claim for Refund of Gas and Diesel Fuel Taxes is available online.

For details and information, go to the Texas State Comptroller website: www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/taxforms/98-661.pdf , or contact the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, PO Box 13528, Capitol Station Austin, Texas, 78711-3528, phone 1-800-252-5555.You must document all purchases of fuel and list all land vehicles, motorboats, aircraft, and both moving and stationary equipment in use for hunting, fishing and mowing. . . . That’s GOOD NEWS!

The fires in California (2008) remind me of a poem called, Dressed in Black. The destruction, though devastating to our wildlife images, landscape, and wildlife, is all part of nature’s restoration. Here is the poem: . . .

DRESSED IN BLACK

He claims no respect for human life or feathered creatures in the tree.

No building stands . . . constructed by man, before this raging contender.

Within moments, what took a lifetime, man-made dwellings simply surrender.

Who can stand before such painful days when he destroys and shatters dreams,

Leaving despair and filling the air with frustration and helpless screams?

What once blossomed in tranquility, clothed in splendor, nothing would lack . . .

All brilliant colors of the rainbow now lay totally Dressed in Black.

Devastation of God’s creation, who could possibly be so cruel?

Is this like the place we all call hell and . . . is this the one that will rule?

How can so much power in less than an hour consume everything that lives and breathes?

He takes! . . . to fulfill his selfish, fierce, desire! Yet, is never satisfied . . . for his name is Fire!

Ed Provancha . . . October 5, 1996

Published in: The Heart of My Poetry. Available on Amazon.com