Bison, Tumbled

Since the annexation, Eichtens sits in the very western edge of Shafer now. They still carry the Center City address, though, and the planned conversion of fields into commercial/light industrial area is waiting on the recession to end in all ways and jobs production to start up again. Meanwhile, it's still the restaurant/ store and field of bison that you see as you drive past on Hwy. 8.

On a commercial note, I love shopping there for bison, elk, and other meats, and some of the varieties of Gouda made in their own cheese house. I can also recommend their breakfast, since Steve and I had a lovely one there sitting at a table for two right next to the fireplace a while back.

Since before I moved into the area, they've had a bison statue sitting out by the road to help advertise the place. Some days it's the only one you see, since the live ones are way back and on the other side of the rise. Most of the time, however, it's the real ones that are worth watching, especially as the babies arrive and start to grow. They're easy to spot, light reddish brown instead of the adult black-brown coat. But the statue occasionally provides its own entertainment.

First, I figure he's a Scandinavian bison. He's got startlingly light blue eyes. This alone provides cause for reflection.

Nearly every winter there'll be a light snow, leaving white across his back for a few days. Then you'll get a day or two of just-above-freezing temperatures, giving a brief thaw and a solid refreeze. During that time, the snow, and all the dirt collected in it, will form a yellow icicle hanging from the lowest spot under his belly - yes, his - to the ground. It never happens when I'm able to stop for a picture, but my inner child delights in it. Every time.

A couple weeks ago we had a day of heavy winds and super low pressure. The meteorologists tried to come up with all sorts of names for the low pressure area, since it was likened to a land hurricane. Never mind them. I was amused by the results of the wind. It was strong enough to tumble this several-hundred-pound bison statue from standing to laying down about 25 feet away from its original site. It lay there several days, until finally it was stood up again. I noted that they didn't bother to move it back to its original spot but left it standing over where it had lain. Luckily, it had not been visibly damaged.