It's art! Mostly.

Tax. The word inspires sweaty brows, twisted stomachs, and general panic in most folks I know. But you put a fancy little suffix on it, and it brings a whole new sort of frenzy ... yeah, I'm talkin'bout taxidermy. Dried, stuffed medals of honor on display.

I can't lie, I personally (and sadly) don't have any such trophies to call my own. Maybe someday. But I do know many, many, ... many people who have them adorning their walls. And I have to think that the addictive quality of having things taxidermied must be similar to getting a tattoo. Once you get your first tattoo, all you can think about is your NEXT tattoo, right? Well, taxidermy must be similar, because most times when you're in a house and you see one beast, fowl or fish glued to a board, there is a great possibility you'll see more.

And honestly, most times, I do believe that good taxidermy is truly an art. I don't know all that has to go into it, but I know the artist has to have the ability and talent to paint, has to have an eye for form, and has to have some creativity to do it well. (TRUE STATEMENT: There IS such a thing as BAD taxidermy. Don't worry, you know it when you see it.)

But today, through an ENTIRELY unrelated search, I stumbled upon this site. If anyone is looking for a one-of-a-kind Valentine's Day gift for their sweetheart, be sure to check out the muskrat feet earrings. Good or bad, this girl has definitely found a niche.

A weird one.