Giraffes in the House

Probably everyone who knows me would say that hedgehogs are my favorite animal. And they would be right. But it's slightly less known that giraffes are my second favorite animal.

Elph's Circus Giraffe Plush

I've been collecting giraffes for a while, as well as lots of other zoo and circus things. When it came time to decorate my son's room, it was easy to decide on zoo and circus as the theme. Sometime I'll post about his room, but here are the giraffes he now has for himself (ok, one or two are on extended loan from me, ha ha).

Gyffy the Giraffe. He's an inflatable Rody riding toy.

Sophie the Giraffe, a natural rubber squeak toy.

Red Giraffe Metal Wall Hook

German Giraffe in a French Hot Air Balloon. He's a little vintage flocked Wagner Kunstlerschutz. 

Love Circus Imagery, Hate the Circus

Part of my Rement Circus Set

Why do I love the imagery of the circus but not the actual circus?

When I went to see Ringling Bros. as a kid, I remember it made me really sad to see all the animals having to live and work as traveling performers. I suppose I felt bad for the people, too, but as with movies (dying animals on film are always worse for me than dying people, let's not analyze that too much), the animals got to me more.

And don't even get me started on clowns. Like many other children whose parents weren't paying attention as they watched HBO in the other room, clowns were ruined for me by "Poltergeist." I used to build a wall of stuffed animals on each side of my twin bed to protect me from the evil clown beneath.

But strangely I have become über enamored with the visuals of the circus. Even clowns.

Here's a few pics I've taken when out and about.

I LOVE the little clown in the bottom left with the harlequin pattern!

To be continued...