Cow's Skull with Deer and Elk Antler

One of my earliest memories is my grandparents homestead in Hartsel Colorado near Lake George. It was built brick by brick and log by log with the help of my father. At the time wild bison still roamed the secure area with wild deer and elk. Notorious for collecting horns and skulls my grandfather put together a massive collection of pieces that littered the countryside. What fascinated me as a very young child was the worn surfaces, and bleached color. It wasn't the trash we knew from the city! What I understood from him was such bones represented the wests enduring beauty, the strength and fortitude it took to build their lives there and the rugged American spirit. One of my earliest memories is of my grandparents' property in Hartsel, Colorado, near Lake George. It was built brick by brick and log by log with the help of my father. At the time, wild bison still roamed the isolated area along with wild deer and elk. Famous for collecting horns and skulls, my grandfather amassed a huge collection of pieces that were scattered all over the countryside. What fascinated me when I was very young was the worn surfaces and the bleached colors. It wasn't the kind of rubbish we knew in the city! What I understood from him was that these bones represented the enduring beauty of the West, the strength and courage it took to build a life there, and the robust spirit of Americans.