Undaunted by the rain showers we had today, Brian and David went exploring in the woods. They do this from time to time, on the 600 acres wilderness that is part of Bondi, checking out possible new ski or snowshoe trails, scoping out the wildlife (this is how they found the wolf den, for example) and generally just beating about the bush.
They almost always find something of interest to drag home with them. Brian, in particular, has a knack of bringing back "cool stuff" from all of his excursions, be they in the woods or to the local dump. It is a topic his wife prefers not be deeply explored...
When he pulled up outside my door and tooted the truck horn to get my attention, I didn't know what to expect. And I certainly didn't expect what the boys had found. The truck was decked out like a Texas Red-neck special.
This is the skull of an 8 point buck, who evidently got on the wrong side of the local wolf pack this winter.
If you can get past the "eeeeww!" factor, it's really quite fascinating. The enormous eye sockets, nasal bones, upper jaw teeth, antler attachments and even the ear canals are easily identified. It's not that common to find bones, and especially antlers -- being rich in calcium, they disappear very quickly into the tummies of porcupines, mice and other scavengers that know the importance of strong bones. This specimen is pretty impressive, and an interesting reminder of how Nature cycles, and re-cycles. It's also a reminder that even on a drizzly day, a walk in the woods is worth taking.
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