Summers of a Citabria

For quite a few summers my family often flew in old blue, the Citabria. Dad up front, mom in mid seat and me in the baggage, because I was more than small and light enough.
Our favorite thing was to go visit our friends place just to the south of town which he had a dirt strip, and room to taxi right up to house area close to the pool.
Now this family was very different in my eye, but knowing them now, gads I had no idea just how different this guy was. But to an 8 year old airport brat this house was fascinating.
Dennis is a taxidermist, more than a crackshot when shooting, a pilot, and serious warped sense of humor. So there were all kinds of animals he had shot and done up in various poses and setting. Bobcats, birds, deer and my particular favorite the bears. Personally the bears both fascinate and scared me. He had them standing in their full height, but kind of looking downward at you, mouth snarling, and somehow he made those eyes seem real.
But this man was a zoo of live animals too. One never knew what kind of animals he would have in the back yard. A pair of White deer and a fawn too. The one lone buffalo which in reality was scary enough. He had a pretty good fence and such, but basically if it was enraged and charged none of it would stop it. This probably where I learned just how captivating it could be looking into an animals eyes and humbling when you realize you could be prey.
My favorite pets was the timber wolves. Had a male and female, first litter we actually received one of pups, which so outgrew our poor German shepherd in the first 6 months. Was fascinating to watch the male wolf act so much like a loyal dog with Dennis, more or less jumping up to greet him, the wolf was 200lbs and stood taller than him on it's hind legs.
One can imagine why I might get excited to be told get my swimsuit on and here hold the towels, loading up the Citabria and were headed for our friends. still wonder what fascinating things I would find there today. My love of airplanes was not for the planes themselves but the adventure it took me too.