(WBIR-Knoxville) East Tennessee is known for bears, elk, deer -- but moose?
Sara Pinnell didn't think so either, until she received a special delivery Monday.
"We have a moose. A 'real moose.,'" she said, before a 9-foot tall wooden sculpture arrived at her doorstep. This is made from hundreds of branches and twigs, all woven together on a metal frame.
Coming from New Hampshire, seeing a moose is the East Tennessee equivalent of seeing a bear.
"We were always, my siblings and I, looking out the window to find a moose -- to capture a glimpse of one of these giant creatures," PInnell added.
That's when she asked for the services of Kelly Brown.
"Could you do a moose? I was like 'I never done a moose, like before, but I bet I could," the artist said in front of the moose, affectionately known as "Brownie."
"Sara named him 'Brownie,' and I think it's a pretty appropriate name," Brown added.
After six weeks of work, truckloads of wood, thousands of ties, Brownie did not disappoint.
"It's a beautiful animal. I think it's a beautiful shape -- the antlers are beautiful," Brown said. "Since Tennessee doesn't have moose, it was a unique opportunity to create one."
Now the moose sits in front of the Pinnells, as they'll be the talk of the neighborhood for some time.
"I don't know people will think about having a moose in our front yard or in the neighborhood, but we're really excited about it." Sara smiled.
