Ed’s Western Decor

Shah and Sarah were two Rottweiler puppies when their owners brought them home to their country ranch in northwest Idaho.  I was remodeling and painting the house, over a period of 12 months and $60,000 worth of improvements.  I became the adopted dog sitter and friend while the professors taught at Washington State University.  During that year, on my break periods, I played with both Shah and Sarah, treated them with love, and all the while teaching them obedience skills and discipline.

Every time I arrived at their home, Shah and Sarah met me with great excitement and anticipation for more of my affection and attention. 

You will have a hard time convincing me that Rottweiler dogs are mean.  I believe they could be, however, if treated badly.  I hope this breed of dog wil be added to someone’s pet decor.

How many people have 3-D wall art?  Not many!  There are animal and nature scenes available in 3-D that will make you feel like you are in that quiet cabin the woods you dream of.

Set your home apart with some three-dimensional pieces that will make the rustic décor of your home pop with energy.

Maybe you’re thinking, “I want some rustic wall art, but I don’t have any more wall space!”  Why not hang a piece of over-the-door metal wall décor?  This is an available wall space that is often overlooked in many households.

Pine cones, horses, a thunderstorm, Southwestern pottery…there are so many rustic motifs available for over-the-door wall art to bring the spirit of the West to your home.

While most people decorate their homes with items they purchase at big box retailers or Swedish furniture shops.  I’m a huge fan of Americana and instead of cold, stoic home accents, I decided to go with rustic wall decor.

Thanks to the internet, I found some great resources and I’m able to have a dignified and classic look to my home without having to succumb to the overhyped commercial retailers.

One of my fondest western images was during the summer of 1951. An Old Timer living at Discovery Bay, Washington, told me, “If you go down to the railroad trestle when the tide comes in, you can catch all the Sea Perch you can carry in a ‘gunny sack.’ ” He told me the fish feed on small sand crabs on the beach and to load my fish hook firmly into the side of the crab, and then cast my line close to the edge of the bank.

My dad was working as a heavy duty mechanic on the road construction crew. They paved the highway from Discovery Bay to Neah Bay, located on the south shore of Puget Sound. At the age of eleven, I went fishing between the hours of 3:00 to 4:00 AM, and provided food for the families of the road crew. With fishing gear and burlap sack in hand, and my dog Queenie at my side, I got up before breakfast and went to work catching Sea Perch.

The rule was, my dad said, “You catch ‘em, you clean ‘em.” I did it, too! As I went from cabin to camper, I presented my catch and was paid for my services. The rewards were much more than money. I learned that salt water sea perch are mammals and do not lay eggs to hatch, a magnificent discovery in nature. There is joy in the giving of ourselves for the needs of family and others, and there are many great rewards for working hard: respect, discipline, obedience, and love for my parents.

They don’t call it Discovery Bay for nothing!

In the June 2008 issue of the Field & Stream magazine, page 12, there are three photos of individuals holding their catches of large mouth bass.  The first is a 13 1/2-pound bass caught in Lake Casitas in Southern California.  The second is a 14-pound, 5-ounce bass, a record catch out of Tyler State Park in Northeast Texas.  And the third is a 10 pounder caught in North Carolina.  Here are some of my observations that I find interesting and entertaining:

The first two photos are both big, burly guys, most likely experienced fishermen, displaying their record catch.  The third is a woman “fisherperson.”  (It’s politically incorrect to call her a fisherman or a fisherwoman!)  I find it interesting how the larger bass, caught by the bigger guys, appears small; and the smaller bass, held by the smaller woman, appears larger and longer then those caught by the BIG GUYS? And she is just a beginner! 

To make it more convincing, the photo of the woman is also smaller than the pictures of the big catch.  With this information, I conclude that to convince individuals observing a trophy catch of a large mouth bass, it is best to have the fish mounted or photographed in the proper environment that best produces the desired effects for displaying your wildlife wall art.  Another special effect is to place the trophy catch on a small wall, and the effect will appear larger. Get it?