Wildlife Wall Decor

With spring in the air, some people are pleased to have the warm weather here. But others are more than a little upset. After all, warm weather means blooming flowers, and blooming flowers means the potential for high amounts of pollen in the air. If you’re an allergy sufferer, this can make it a rough time of year. Allergies can also extend to animals, and if you know you hack and sneeze and get hives every time a cat crosses your path, it’s very unlikely that you’re going to know the joys of pet ownership.

But you don’t have to be totally without pets in your life just because you’re an allergy sufferer. If you’re a pet lover who finds yourself without a pet, look into wildlife wall art. This way, you can be surrounded with images of animals without having to suffer any of the negative side effects of being around actual animals. These pieces of wall art will also be a great accent to any home office or guest bedroom. They are also surprisingly versatile, so no matter what kind of existing décor you have in your home, they’re sure to add to the look of the house.

Hunt better, fish smarter, and master the outdoors is the theme of an article in Field & Stream magazine, May 2008, pages 61-72.  The author, T. Edward Nickens, presents 50 ideas to develop your skills for camping, hunting, and fishing. 

Nickens mentions three that are my favorites: how to make waterproof matches, sharpen an axe in the field, or start a fire with binoculars.  Hunting and fishing techniques are addressed in this article to help anyone become a more successful outdoorsman.  This article could save your life or the life of a friend or someone you love.  Clever is good, but safe is better.

Change . . . is evolutional motion.  Good or bad, it happens . . . all over the world.  An example is the devastation that fire creates in forested areas.  Yellowstone National Forest, located in northwest Wyoming and parts of Montana and Idaho, is our oldest national park.  Thousands of acres were burned twice in the 20th Century.  Yet, over the years . . . repeatedly, new growth of shrubs, wild-flowers, trees and even wildlife restored nature’s beauty better than what it was before. 

Among the many changes that took place are weather-related: Wind, rain, ice, and snow packs scarred the surface of the earth, as rolling rocks and mud slides occurred during extreme storms and seasonal changes.

Read “Winter Wonder” in Hiways magazine, December 2008, pages 34-39.  The story and photos are by Donna Ikenberry.  I personally have seen Yellowstone before, after the fire, and many years following the fire.  Change is amazing!

Having a summer cabin is one of the best investments that any family can make. After all, property is always sure to rise in value. Even if the market is terrible, things are only going to plateau or dip slightly, but there will certainly be an upswing again. This ensures that the value of your property rises over time, but it will also prove cost effective in the short run. After all, having a place to stay for a week or two on vacations will save you the money you would have had to spend on a hotel or condo. This can really add up over the years.

And while not many people think they have the extra income to purchase a separate cabin, consider buying it with multiple people in your family or circle of friends. This way, the asking price will be cut in half, quarters, or even more. This might still be a strain for many, but if possible, it would make a great source of retirement income. Or, you could pass it along to your children as part of their inheritance. If it does become more a family fixture than an investment, don’t forget to go all out with the decorating. This includes welcome yard signs and all the rustic pieces that you feel wouldn’t go in your everyday home.

Now . . . I know why I don’t catch the big fish!  I’m not playing their favorite on-the-water tunes.  You read right!  I’m checking out an article in the Outdoor Life magazine, April 2009, pages 46-53 titled “Fish Like a Guide.”  I see a phrase that mentions playing certain songs that encourage the fish to bite . . . according to Bob McNally, the author of the article.  Could it be that the music is designed to soothe the wild beast in the fishermen, so that they might provide their spouse with a special trophy wildlife wall decor? 

Bob lists 13 top guides who share their best secrets for catching walleyes, bass, trout, and catfish, and music is one of them.  You will have to read the piece to judge for yourself.  I’m not convinced.  The music has some logic.  The choice of what to play, however, might bring down a shower of bullets from the other fishermen in the area.  Holy Boat! . .  Buying the fish at the market might be a whole lot cheaper! . . . And safer!

The Good Sam Club’s Highways magazine has provided us an informative article for travelers interested in Alaska’s Dalton Highway, from Fairbanks North to Prudhoe Bay.  Also included in the Highways Magazine, March, 2009, pageS 25-33 is a storyline of the Parks Hiway that travels East of Mt. McKinley.  The magazine shows beautiful scenes to inspire any outdoor wall art projects, of the mountains and wildlife gracing central Alaska.  It also provides us with 10 TIPS while touring the Denali National Park by tour bus.