ok, i admit it, i’ve a fondness for some of natures more ghoulish creatures. i have a small (but growing) collection of the wierd and wonderful and i am so pleased to add this one to my collection. yes, it is the piranha, how cool is this? he measures about 6 inches and has some fierce teeth. although they are native only to the amazon they have been found in places in the united states, even as far north as the potomac river. never swim in water if you can’t see the bottom. 

i started my collection after seeing a travelling art show called treasures from the hermitage. along with some incredible art they had a turn of the century curio room. it was considered chic to collect creatures, shells, natural oddities that were brought back as the new world was discovered. what is now common place to us in this shrinking global village was a source of awe and amazement in europe. i am making my own curio room, it’s important to look at some things and think just how amazing they truly are. seriously, who would believe in flying fish? and why would fish have wings? or fish that eat meat? or spiders that eat birds? (i have one, he’s called boris). nature is a marvel.