When I was a little boy I found a book on a dusty shelf in my Grandparent's home on Lake Champlain with the wildly inappropriate title "Two Little Savages" (1911, Ernest Thompson Seton). It was one of my favorite books as a boy. The book followed the adventures of two little boys who go and live in the woods as Indians. One especially memorable chapter was entitled "The Deer Hunt," wherein the boys make a crude deer out of straw, burlap and sticks. They took turns hiding it and leaving "sign" so the other boys could play at stalking and shooting it. The story inspired Sarah and I to put on a deer hunt for Bowden's upcoming birthday. The biggest challenge was actually making the deer.
I made the frame out of chicken wire, which I found laying around in the maintenance yard.
After I formed the various parts...body, legs, neck, head and snout, and wired them together, Sarah helped me apply paper mache
It took a couple of days to paper mache the deer and let it dry, but when it was all done it actually looked kind of like a deer!
Then I spray painted it. The first coat looked like it had rolled around in chocolate sauce. So we bought a more dull paint for the second coat, but it didn't end up looking much better.
After reviewing a picture in one of our field guides, I added white to the belly, rump, neck, eyes, snout, and the inside of the legs.
Sarah painted on it's eyes and snout.
...and voila! after Sarah added ears and a tail, we had a finished deer.
It's a little funny looking, but I am really pleased with how it turned out. I can't wait to see all of those "little savages" let him have it. We bought cheap plastic bows with plunger tipped arrows at target, and the best part is we'll fill it's insides with goody bags so after the hunt we can gut the deer and distribute the bounty to everyone who participated in felling the stag. I hope none of the four year olds find gutting a deer traumatic. That is my only concern.
This is where the goodies go.
I hope baby Jack is here before the party, although a new baby brother wouldn't be a bad birthday gift for Bowden.
10 comments:
Wow...I'm very impressed.
Okay, this post has excited me and the girls to no end. Millie and Annie have forced me to explain every stage of the deer's evolution, and all three of us think stuffing it with candy is the most brilliant thing ever.
I think it looks awesome! You and Sarah have got to be the coolest parents EVER (bar none, and all that).
One last thing, before I gush my way into comments oblivion-- I have and love the book Little Savages, as well as his book Wild Animals At Home [which includes such thrilling titles as "An Exemplary Little Beast, My Friend the Coyote,"The Villain in Velvet- The Marten," "Friendliness of the Skunk," (which is immediately followed by "We Share the Shanty with the Skunks"), and "The Valient, Harmless Badger"]. My mom gave them to me as a gift when I was in high school after I saw them on her shelf and was immediately taken with them.
I hope God someday gives us a son, but if He doesn't, our three girls are gonna enjoy them whether they like it or not!
I, too, am impressed! Bowden will certainly LOVE this!
Let Sarah know that I'm ALSO impressed that she was doing all this while so close to her due date...I remember wanting NOTHING to do except rest & have the baby!
Excellent job!
Wow, that's amazing!
Thanks guys!!!
Abigail- sarah and I found a beautiful set of Seton's books at a bookstore in Burlington, VT. They were really old and contained "Two Little Savages," the book you mentioned as well as three or four others. They are really fun books. We bought them of course. I share your enthusiasm for his stuff.
I too am just so very impressed - what a memory maker - love the story behind it and agree what a lucky young man Bowden is - but the question is - what are you going to do next year? I too am impressed seeing Sarah down doing that painting as uncomfortable and tired as I know she is. Jack just knew that painting had to be done. I did read the post just to find out if I was a great aunt again.
it IS too bad that all the shots of me involve my backside, which will not be hidden by my pants or shirts. my belly pushes my pants low in the front and back, and pulls my biggest shirts tight in the front, so that no matter what, i resemble a plumber. maybe my hub-sand will take pictures of me from the neck up...or from the front.
WOWzers. I LOVE this so much, and to think I almost found it! That would have been tragic for me. Not only is it an impressive deer (very realistic, AND artistic) but it does reaffirm the sense that you are some of the coolest parents ever. Bowden, Lucy, Jack and all the ones to join your family in future will bask in love and creativity. Wish we were there to gut the deer with you! In stead, we'll wait for the blog-roll to live it vicariously.
Too fun.
This is soooooo great! That definitelly is quite the deer. And the research that went into it!
The goodie idea is great too. It's like a New Englander's pinata.
If Jack had been there, you know what he would have said.
"Dat him booty."
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