This wasn't on my thankful list, but it does get an honorable mention for making me, my mom, and my sisters crack up on the way to Eureka. Poor Babe.
KLAMATH — Snow couldn't stop Babe the Blue Ox, but apparently, Paul Bunyan's fabled bovine companion is no match for Del Norte's rains.
According to folklore, Bunyan found a freezing Babe in a snowdrift when he was just a young ox, which is where the creature's color comes from. But though Bunyan was able to nurse Babe back to health, he could do nothing to save his sidekick's 35-foot tall replica at the Trees of Mystery attraction, located just north of Klamath.
Tuesday evening, Babe's head fell off, landing snout first on the concrete below, crumbling much of the stucco on his nose and breaking a tip off of one of his horns. According to Trees of Mystery Manager Jeff LaForest, the reason the head snapped off is because water was seeping through an opening to the interior of the statue, compromising the wood inside.
"His head was held on with wooden beams and, obviously, they got rotten enough that they broke," LaForest said with a chuckle. "We did not expect it."
On Wednesday, the hole where Babe's head used to be was covered with blue tarps and a green wreath, perplexing many of the tourists who were taking pictures of the statues.
"It's kind of sad isn't it," LaForest said while surveying the damage to Babe, which, with Paul Bunyan, is an iconic figure in Del Norte County due to its giant size, its location off U.S. Hwy. 101 and its (ahem) anatomical enhancements.
"It actually looks worse than it really is," La Forest said of the damage. He plans to fix the damage himself, using chicken wire and a hard, stucco-like plaster to mend Babe's head.
And he said he will attach steel beams inside to ensure it doesn't fall again. The plan is to have the statue completed by the first week of January.
But that does not mean Babe will be headless until then. Trees of Mystery employee John Wilson will attach a newer, fluffier noggin to the statue in time for the Trees of Mystery's annual Christmas light show that starts tonight.
"Babe's head will be back on," Wilson said, "to make it complete."
Wilson plans on placing the head of a stuffed Babe on the statue as a placeholder in time for the light show. Unfortunately, it will only be a little larger than his fist. But as Wilson said, it's important to have everything ready for the visitors to enjoy over the holiday season.
"We have to get it all cleaned up" in time for the lighting of the Christmas lights, Wilson said. "The show has got to go on."
Sunday, November 25, 2007
A Bit of Thanks
In true Thanksgiving fashion, I have spent the holiday thinking about things in my life I am thankful for. In true Toni fashion it took the entire weekend. I put a lot a time just into picking what shoes I’m gonna wear so a heartfelt list is bound to take a couple extra days! So here it is:
1. My wonderful friend who skips outta class early to drive an hour and a half to pick me up just so I can steal the covers for a night.
2. Hottie interns who write adorable stories on my laptop so I can find them a day later and crack up.
3. Avocado scramble. No explanation necessary.
4. Hometown football games.
5. Eating apple pie for breakfast, lunch and dinner the day after Thanksgiving.
6. Shoving a chunk of warm brownie in my mouth while listening to Brian start a round of “discussion” questions a la Yosemite Hiking Trip.
7. The release of Hairspray and same day viewing with the same girlie I listened to the soundtrack 25 times to on the trip home to LA.
8. Waking up to biscuits and gravy, eggs and bacon cause my dad can’t sleep past five am.
9. My sisters. And the crap we put my parents and the little bro through.
10. Seeing the five “floats” that composed the Christmas Light Parade and knowing that five years ago my crown-topped head was on one of those.
11. Catching up with old friends.
12. Having my mom buy me a coffee every morning because she needs a caffeine fix just as badly as I do.
13. Elf. The greatest movie.
14. The fact that I can now officially start singing Christmas Carols without looking mentally ill.
And the real number one……being done with grad school in three weeks (which also includes Jenn and I's Farewell to Boston Tour)!!!!!!
1. My wonderful friend who skips outta class early to drive an hour and a half to pick me up just so I can steal the covers for a night.
2. Hottie interns who write adorable stories on my laptop so I can find them a day later and crack up.
3. Avocado scramble. No explanation necessary.
4. Hometown football games.
5. Eating apple pie for breakfast, lunch and dinner the day after Thanksgiving.
6. Shoving a chunk of warm brownie in my mouth while listening to Brian start a round of “discussion” questions a la Yosemite Hiking Trip.
7. The release of Hairspray and same day viewing with the same girlie I listened to the soundtrack 25 times to on the trip home to LA.
8. Waking up to biscuits and gravy, eggs and bacon cause my dad can’t sleep past five am.
9. My sisters. And the crap we put my parents and the little bro through.
10. Seeing the five “floats” that composed the Christmas Light Parade and knowing that five years ago my crown-topped head was on one of those.
11. Catching up with old friends.
12. Having my mom buy me a coffee every morning because she needs a caffeine fix just as badly as I do.
13. Elf. The greatest movie.
14. The fact that I can now officially start singing Christmas Carols without looking mentally ill.
And the real number one……being done with grad school in three weeks (which also includes Jenn and I's Farewell to Boston Tour)!!!!!!
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