Hat Rack: (true story)

 The antlers in the photo above came from a close traveling pardner of our old friend Junior, the buck deer, who had adopted us. (that is another story to be told again another time). I was out sitting at the picnic table and Junior and his buddies came up and so I was talking to them. They would stand about 4-5 feet away while I talked to them. It was late winter or early spring and one of the male deer with Junior was standing there and I told him if he would give me his antlers I would make a hat rack out of them to remember him by. I had no more that said that when he shook his head and one of his antlers fell off right at my feet. I told him I would need two in order to make the hat rack and he walked off a few feet and shook his head again and the second antler came off. I picked them up and the stumps were still bloody. 

I made the hat rack in the photo above from those antlers. Some may claim it was just a coincidence but I will never be convinced as I was there and saw the buck and his eyes and the spontaneity and the resulting action.   

I couldn't leave that behind as it reminds me of that buck who was willing to give his antlers so I could make a hat rack from them.  It is really special to have a group of bucks trust you like that and I would talk to them as long as they would stay and listen.  Sometimes for up to an hour. Junior would come around with his friends several times and very often to be with me. I won't ever forget those times.