Behind the mask

I don't get a lot of hobby boxes in the mail these days, and when I do, they're usually for Angelo.

Last week, however, I did get a little something for me. It's a resin cast ram skull mask sculpted by Bethany Wurl.

Bethany calls this a fantasy piece, but it's clearly based on one of the horse masks in the Red Dead Redemption II game.

When she debuted the mask at the end of 2023, I thought, "Oh, that's so cool, but I am not a gamer. I do not need it."

In 2024, I attended Anna Miller and Anna Kerns' Jurassic Classic Model Horse Show in Cheyenne, Wyoming. There was a ran skull horse mask in the raffle. I bought a ridiculous amount of tickets in an attempt to win it. I did not.

Since then, this mask has been low-key on my purchasing radar. 

When I saw a friend advertising one for sale, I didn't hesitate.

I have no idea what I'm going to do with this, but it's really cool. Suggestions are definitely welcome.

Where's the mustang?

I'm not asking about this mustang.

I pretty much always know where Sage is.

If she's not wearing a halter and attached to either Karen or me, she's in her stall/run,

note the artful placement of poop on the wall

one of the turnouts...

or the field with her friends.

Her "friends".

Sage is not an ambitious jumper, and she doesn't have opposable thumbs. Her options are limited.

But there is another mustang who lives in Sage's stall.

And his location is ever changing.

Every morning, I get to the barn, feed Sage and look for him.

Usually, he's in the run, often next to a poop pile.

This morning he was halfway to the gate.

I find him, pick him up, inspect for new damage and put him back on the shelf.

I always vary the location.

Top shelf, bottom shelf, run side, stall side.

Where's the mustang?

This is the game we play.

Where's the mustang?

Only the mustang knows!

Got goats?

I certainly do! 

Of course, mine aren't of the real-live, breathing variety.

They are significantly smaller and easier to manage.

Reggie and Regina are the OG Braymere goats.

Reggie is an original finish Breyer Companion Animal Goat #1521. He was produced from 2002 to 2004. Regina is a customized version of the same. I removed her horns and beard, repositioned the lifted legs and painted her with acrylics. I can't remember when did all this, other than a long time ago.

That makes three goats I've painted to date.

Hopefully, the number will increase soon. I still have one more goat on my project shelf.

As for custom/resin goats I did not paint, I have one of those, too.

This tied goat was sculpted, cast and painted by Laura Skillern. He's hard to photograph, so the pictures are hers as well.

Even though he's "just a performance prop," Laura spared no details on this finishwork. Look how cute his little face is!

I am a model horse collector. This is probably enough goats.

Except... Goat Dear and M-a-a-a are mothers.

And kids are lively and full of fun.

Also, I'd really love to have a portrait model of Spike.

How many models does it take to make a collection? Perhaps I am a model goat collector, too.

My animal friends at Maple Hill Farm

I was really hoping someone would comment on the goats' names. 

Since nobody did, I guess a little education is in order.

Goat Dear and M-a-a-a are part of the two dogs, five horses, one pig, some geese, lots of chickens, a few cows, a few goats, several sheep and four special cats whose lives are chronicled in Alice and Martin Provensen's 1974 classic picture book, Our Animal Friends at Maple Hill Farm.

I absolutely loved this book. 

Of course, I did. 

It was filled with animals, and I loved animals.

But beyond that, it was filled with really specific animals.

There were no generalizations here.

Even though the pictures were not realistic at all, I knew these animals existed.

I knew they were real.

I also appreciated how honest this book was in regards to matters of life and death.

Some of the stories made my younger self really sad.

But also, I understood the circle of life.

I knew that if I was every lucky enough to have my own Maple Hill Farm, it would also include a quiet graveyard.

Over the years, my model horse herd has included several Maple Hill inspired names, including Ibn Rafferty, Chaos and Ichabod.

Now I have Goat Dear and M-a-a-a, too.

Once upon a time I dreamed of living with all these animals at Maple Hill Farm. Now, I would be content to have the animals of Maple Hill Farm living on my shelves.

Thank you, Alice and Martin, for sharing all these wonderful animals. Even fifty years on, I still love visiting Maple Hill Farm.