Redemption and addition

...I feel redeemed in my initial reaction to several players at SLICE.

Per T3I, several of the players that did impress me have been given a PTO:
'Feisty Fergi' (Simon Ferguson), 'The Scrapper' Jean-Michel Daoust (yes he was, even though several of 'you all' nixed him!), Chad Rau ( rhymes with wow ;-) and I do like guys named Chad-vide my fave bass bariton Chad Karl of Macbeth fame ;-) ], natch Gregg Johnson (2 goals!!!),

Matthew (MATT! ;-)Fornataro,

Dylan (does he sing too?) Hunter

ADD the following: Andrew Hilbert WILL skate in Houston, as will 'The Streak', Nathan Smith. For pix go to my previous blogs.

Boosterclub's 'Feed the Office" went well. Boisterous young guys and gals gobbled up the food lovingly prepared by the Club's members and hauled to the office.

Just a reminder" Flapjack Fundraiser for Fight for the Cure of Breastcancer..on Saturday, October 3 from 8 -10 AM at Applebee's for just $ 7.00 pp all you can eat pancakes, sausage, juice and coffee!

DEJA VU...is that the future? Und etwas auf Deutsch.

Following TWEETS (finally a use for it, IMO-however, IF I had my druthers, I prefer Joe O'Donnells' play by play vivid commentary) about the away game in Austin..
Aeros won, again, as at SLICE on Saturday, by playing 3 periods without a decisive goal, to run to overtime and then to a Shoot Out, which they did win 3-2 over the Stars. "Feisty Fergie" looks more and more "Love"like. Daoust helped Rau to a goal. As I mentioned in the post after the Slice game, the team played well and cohesively, which T3I and the Aeros Tweets mentioned as well. We may have a winner..albeit with OT and SO??? ;-) Per T3I the coaches may have a dilemma on hand, the guys trying out did mostly better than the guys on contract. "Dubie" in goal worth his $$, seems like! So, what will happen to Barry Brust and Anton Khudobin?

"SOFT SPOT" Matthieu Beaudoin was not on the roster that night! So, we'll not know if and when he will score against the new Aeros! a favorite photo of MB as an Aeros.
Just read that 'home boy' ;-), Michael Grabner, the youngster from Villach, Austria who scored for the Moose last year, is back with the Moose as he did not make the cut with Vancouver. Aeros will need to watch out for him, he can, and did, score! Michael Grabner von Villach, Kaernten, der letzte Saison gross gegen die Aeros Goals erzielte, ist wieder bei der AHL'Manitoba Moose' gelandet, da er anscheinend den Trainern des Vancouver NHL Clubs nicht so richtig imponierte. Aeros sollen aufpassen, denn er kann und konnte goalen!

Rumors...or facts?

Gillies, Weller and Hilbert just may end up in Houston!

Gillies fans can rejoice....

Colton Gillies
Craig Weller

Khudobin in goal with Andy Hilbert.

Genomes and epigenomes...

Now researchers have discovered that not genomes alone are responsible for US. That a twin can have the same genomes, but what makes that genome 'GO' depends on the epigenomes attached to it and if from papa or mama, the close care of baby by mama, as well as the influence of one's environment!
Explanations in a nut shell. So now I now why I am pre disposed to certain diseases - it's all to be blamed on Gramma's experiences while in her Mama's womb. But fascinating nevertheless.
Or one COULD Blame it on the Bossa Nova- Eydie Gorme and Los Panchos LOL!

But, seriously it IS a totally engrossing subject.
Moms listen up, tend to your babies!

The excerpt below emphasizes differences found indentical twins.
"But a whole new level of explanation has been opened up by a genetic survey showing that identical twins, as they grow older, differ increasingly in what is known as their epigenome. The term refers to natural chemical modifications that occur in a person's genome shortly after conception and that act on a gene like a gas pedal or a brake, marking it for higher or lower activity"
Want to know more...google it for real details.

Aeros vs. Rampage Nr. 1. 9/26

Playing before a capacity crowd of over 400 at SLICE the new Aeros managed to win 3-2 in a shootout. It was a hard won victory.

Dubie 'duped' Rampage and blocked all shots in the only overtime and shoot out. At 30 he seemed fit and daring, coming far out of the crease. He did allow a shot in the third period by Jay Henderson which tied the game 2-2 to force an overtime, followed by the shootout.

Noreau's shot on goal was deflected by Duncan Milroy (A) for 1-0 Aeros. Ryan Lannon and Shawn Weller fought and served 5 Penalty minutes. Rampage evened the score to 1-1 by Colin Long/Matt Watkins' gaol past Khudobin. But Gregg Johnson scored for Aeros to make it 2-1. Aeros. And Chad Rau finshed the Rampage off with the winning goal in the shoot out-Aeros 3-2.

The Rampage (esp. Fritz, the biggest skater on the ice) seem to have had it in for a former team member, Simon Ferguson. To my, admittedly inexperienced eyes, "Feisty" Ferguson appears ready to inherit the mantle of Love /Kassian?

And 'small Daoust', "Scrappper" Jean Michael (?) or shouldn't that be Jean Michel...reminded me a bit of the way Locke skated, he was fast, at times skating UNDER the arms of the opponents BUT took a completely uncalled for penalty in overtime. Despite this power play, Aeros defense held the Rampage to 2-2 which led into the shootout.

The guys skated fast and furious and showed some cohesion as a team.

The autograph session was 'manned': by #44 Justin Falk, #15 Brian Kaufman, #11 J.P.Testwuide, # 39 Brandon Buck and #29 Carson McMillan. #28 Brandon Rogers was all smiles as he chatted with adoring fans and signed as well. And I heard that Clayton Stoner had been slated to be there as well, but I neither saw at the table nor among the fans.

Cloaks and Clowns..

at Opera in the Heights. Seen Emerald cast on Thursday, 9/24, Ruby cast on Friday, 9/25. These are strictly my impressions as long time opera lover .. Opera IS an subjective art, and each person's 'ear' will hear something different in a voice. Anyone not familiar with the stories of these 2 short operas, I refer to any opera sites.

Looking at my notes for the respective evening:

Emerald:

• Chad Karl (bass-bariton) as Michele in Tabarro (first half of the night) seemed a bit hesitant at first, later warmed up vocally and delivered a credible performance. However, as Tonio/Taddeo in I Pagliacci (second half), he sang with more authority. This role seems more suited to his voice. He portrayed the 'handicapped' Tonio quite plausibly (BTW:For me he was the definite MACBETH last year!)
• Kirsten Hoiseth (Soprano) at times seemed to have to reach for her notes as Giorgetta in Tabarro, but did better as Nedda in Pagliacci.
• Jonathan Hodel -debut (Lyrical tenor) , too, had to force his voice over the orchestra as Luigi in Tabarro, but reached a high point in Canio's aria Vesti la Giubba (Pagliacci) when he put a real sob into his voice at the very end of that aria! Amazing.

Ruby Cast:

• As Michele Baritone Douglin Murray Schmidt brought a quality to that role that impressed, his prologue in Pag was well sung and acted, but his clowning around as Tonio seemed a bit over the top, vocally he has a rich sound.
• Tenor Scott Six (debut), an impressively tall and husky man, was quite outstanding as both Luigi and Canio. Although his voice was clear and strong, it lacked just that emotional sob at the end which Hodel managed so touchingly.
• Cretan Soprano Crystallia Spilianaki, had the power to sing and act both roles very well. But in the last minutes of Pagliacci her tone sounded a bit strident.

In the comprimario roles:

• Mezzo Nancy Markeloff was well cast as the scrounger Frugola. Markeloff, a frequent OH! singer is an audience favorite.
• Korean Yoonsang Lee (bass baritone) as Silvio in Pagliacci impressed with his flexible, warm sound. He has sung at The OH! before, and his singing and presentation have improved over the time.
• Tenor George Williams (Tinca/Beppe) appeared in multiple roles. He acquitted himself best as Arlecchino (Beppe)...a lyrical solo well suited to his slender sound.
• Bass Matt Maschek was a sturdyTalpa and also filled in at chorus.
• Young Tenor Rawley (and tall, too)... at 16 promises to fill future roles ably. He soloed as "song seller" in Tabarro and joined the chorus later.

Overall the chorus ladies and men presented a full and clean sound throughout.

Costumes were 1910's, set against a painted backdrop of Notre Dame/Paris for Tabarro, Aetna spewing fumes in Sicily for Pagliacci. It always amazes what OH! does on such a 'postage size stage'.

Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Weibel played well, albeit at times somewhat slowly! The strings and flutes sounded quite lovely.

Defintely worth a visit : Other performances October 1, 2, 3.

In the midst of life...

another of my contemporaries has left this life. Memorial Mass this afternoon. It will surely be crowded, Otmar Kolber, Hon. Consul General of Austria, was well known in the community.

Und wieder ist einer meiner Zeitgenossen von uns gegangen. Es ist wirklich ein Zeichen, man lebt nicht ewig.

Daher, nehme ich mir Zeit Sachen zu machen, lesen, schreiben usw. welche MIR Spass machen, und and're Leut' koennen mir den Buckel 'obarutschen'.......

oder noch staerker ...

Und so mach' ich heute Schluss.. morgen kommen beide Besetzungen an der OH unter die Feder ;-). Tomorrow my take on BOTH casts at the OH!

La Comedia e' finita...

It is gratifying....

....some few are reading my blog.
YOU are true friends


Now be brave, sign in and comment!
Having spent my wad of humor for today, back to being serious.....

Talking about serious: did you know that an ex football player has become an opera singer?
Keith Miller, then playing for Colorado.
Miller, distinguished opera singer now.

Make-overs ARE possible!

Have I got some ideas for you....

After listening to the NEW AEROS promo guys, ideas just poured out ....

cleaned up for family consumption, of course :-). :-)

Just trying to help them out with making THE AEROS better known in the community and in the media! ;-)

AEROS IDEA TANK BLITZES!!!!

First question every fan should be asked:
"Have you hugged your Aeros today?"

Aeros inspired new board games:

"Puckgammon"; "Goalie-opoly"; "Luck of the Drop"; "Puck Poker", "Blackpuck"; "Stickball";" Sticks and Pucks"; "Icecheckers"...

Aeros new lines in community involvement:

In the kitchen with an Aeros; Pucker up for charity; Sharpen your skates for charity;

Saving Sticks for charity; Dine with an Aeros tonight; Playing for icetime with an Aeros; Fun on Ice with an Aeros; Take an Aeros home with you; Aeros Ice Ballet; Aeros Beefcake Calendar Sale for charity;.......

Non-Hockey Moms' admonitions:

"Stand straight or you'll be a goalie";

"Clean your room NOW or I'll PIM you"

The definite Biography of an Aeros, and other books or plays:

"The Puck and I"

"An Aeros to die for"

"How to net a goalie?"

"Affairs among the pipes"

"Love is in the air"---naw, scratch that one..he is in Peoria.

"Born to skate"

"Zorro of the Aeros"

"Wild Aeros Country"

"The Day of the Aeros"

"Flight of an Aeros"

"Aeros Edge"

"Waiting for an Aeros"

Living dangerously:

"Dare to cross into the crease!"; "Ice Out"; " Skating on thin ice";

"Life on the Edge"; "Don't skate on me"; "Stick'em up or else"; "Aeros storm of the century";

Aeros at the Circus:

]" Skaters Pyramid"; "Cramming as many guys into the net"; "Flying Goalies"

"Catch a flying puck"; "Juggling pucks and sticks"; "Trained Skaters"; "The Goalie tamers"

Aeros sideline activites and sponsorships:

The Aeros Ice chorus,

Aeros Swimming Trunk Night (per loud requests from the female audience)

The Puckbunny Hop,

Ice Soiree,

Blog for the Aeros -earn college credits,

Students for Aeros,

Edu-skate an Aeros,

Aeros songs:

"Skate me to the moon"

"Skating round the Mulberry Bush"

"Tie a green ribbon around the old icehockey stick"

"I could've skated all night"

"Lonely skaters"

"Skate 'n Sticks around the clock"

"Love me tender, love me Wild"

"Say it with skates"

"Dreaming of Pucks and Goalies"

One liners:

"Skate hard, Play Hard"

"My puck or yours?"

"Feeling like a million pucks today"

"Wanna skate like an Aeros?"

"Go green - wear an Aeros jersey!"

"Have you written your Aeros blog yet?"

"Pucks 'r'us"

And the last one:

Proclaim one day a year: "Be My Aeros Day"

Ah, well you get the idea...

Guys, feel free to adopt any of these.

My readers will know where you cribbed them from.... :-D ;-D

Aeros team roster shaping up..

Per Russo' s Rants:

BTW, Really enjoy his blog..he does seem to be earnest and well informed as possible-thanks to him I need not spend too much time searching for kinds of articles on The Wild in all blogospheres and papers .

"Pouliot may be injured. Danny Irmen, Matt Kassian, Nathan Smith, Andy Hilbert and Robbie Earl appear to be still on the line up North. Should one of the regular players be sidelined, Irmen might be the one to stick. Cody Almond, who had been slightly injured earlier, is back and slated to be sent to Aeros. Young Marco Scandella had the best Defense recently and may stay! The 'Great Scott', Jaime Sifers, Shane Hnidy are in competition. Who will it be, who'll stay on the team for sure? Cuma was sent back to junior. No need for waivers for Kalus, Falk and Khudobin". Of these 3, we already know Kalus, Khudobin will be here in Houston.

Off to check out the 'talent' at the practice this AM.
Who will be KING (the fans' favorite) this season?



Hope to be able to take a few photos as well, (no way of knowing how THAT'll turn out...my 'point&shoot' does offer a 'sports' setting, but......big BUT and big HOW).

And a little plug for my friends at THE TAILGUNNERS

A flapjack fund raiser for the Aeros Charities (Susan B. Komen Fight against Breastcancer): Breakfast at Applebees' on Saturday 9/26 8-10 AM.

Just $ 7.00 per person.

Dimples ;-)? Well back from Slice...and here are a few of the shots.. as I said you should not expect too much...LOL

BTW not too many fans there watching -2 additional Boosterclubbers and CatTrick plus one other. Then we had to leave, so some may have come after 11 AM.

Did recognize: BB(33) with his red wavy pads, Khudobin (30),Noreau (26), maybe Madsen(21), maybe Falk (44)...others unknown or could not remember. So there were 3 goalies present. 2 Tall guys (BB and AK) and a shorter version in white legpads... Jaeger?
And how attentive they were:Nr. 25 and Nr. 36 helmets were present-alas, alack- with very different faces under them ;-).

More players assigned to Aeros-Opera in the Heights Dress,

Additional Wild Players Assigned to Houston:

RW Jon 
Disalvatore

G Wade Dubielewicz
 (Dubie)

D Justin Falk (nickname: basket of puppies)

RW Petr Kalus (will he stay or run for Europe again?)

G Anton Khudobin (nickname Dimples-will he again celebrate his 24th here?)

RW Duncan Milroy

Going to the Pre-Season game is looking better and better!

Opera/Heights: saw the 1. dress rehearsal of IL TABARRO (The Cloak) on Monday night .

First impressions:

Pictured are Kirsten Hoiseth and Chad Karl of Emerald cast

Overpowering music, singers really had to put everything they got into their arias.

Huge passions unleashed by love, betrayal, love sporned, revenge and death. The main male character THIS time NOT a tenor :-)

Staging seemed a bit static, but chorus members will sing from the balcony

and from the aisles as well, providing some movement and 'direct' contact with audience.

After all, THE OH! is known as "Opera in your face!"

Or "Reach out and touch a singer!" LOL

Not proud of the pix...the little point 'n shoot is not really made for longshots in dim lighting!

Go see the two one act operas.

Performances are: Emerald Cast 9/24, 26 and 10/2,

Ruby Cast 10/25, Oct 1 and 3.

However, at least 3 cast and/or production members like icehockey..one is partial to The NY Rangers ! Some will return to THE OH! later and will be able to take in a game or 2 as our guests.Let's hope Aeros will do us proud !

What's in the news lately?

1.Want to eat with (WITH, I say) Sarah Palin? It'll cost you $ 60,000 smackers! I wonder what eating WITH one or two or three Bush would cost? Won't do it, but I can wonder, can't I? Hey, you can eat with me just for the price of salad or soup. Indeed, eating with me..very economical!

2.Texas' carbon footprint is the biggest in the USA, even relative to economic output, per a recent article in the WSJ. But you knew THAT. EVERYTHING is bigger in Texas ;-).

3.So, 'roving' is making a come back...pack up your troubles and head on up the Appalachian trail, working for food on the way, as several 'hobo' singles and couples are doing right now. Hopping the trains, hiking the way, doing what's needed.

The Hobo Blues...

Seems reminiscent of the 30's? Building more Hoover Dams to give workers public employment, and since it's for their own good, whatever it'll cost, it won't be a TAX!

4. Massachusetts's health options an example to follow? Sure, if going bankrupt is the goal.

Follow the leader

5.No more troops to Afghanistan? Deja vu? No more troops to Iraq was the campaign slogan just awhile ago. CHANGE, isn't it?

Plus ca change, plus ca meme chose!

Alles schon mal da gewesen!

Same old, same old!

Human nature - forget the BAD.

Es ist wieder einmal Zeit...

um ein paar Gedanken auf Deutsch Luft zu geben ;-)!
Naechsten Donnerstag/Freitag faengt die hiesige Opernsaison mit IL TABARRO/Puccini und I PAGLIACCI/Leoncavallo an der OH! (Oper in der Heights) an. Beide Tage sind als Premiere anzusehen, da die OH! zwei Besaetzungen (der Hauptrollen, die Comprimariorollen sind beide Abende mit denselben Saengern besetzt)... heute gibt es ein Potluck, wo die OH! operngilde den Kuenstlern ein Buffet Abendessen spendiert...Photo folgt (nicht in Kostuemen)!



vlnr: Fuller, Chorusleiter, zwei Chorusmitglieder, Maestro Weibel (Weiss Hemd), Tenor Williams, Crystallia Spilianaki (Kreta) Soprano, Assist. MusicDirektor Chapman(in Rot) und Direktor Carter-Sanderson.

Und am Samstag gibt es, endlich, das erste Eishockey zwischen AEROS (Houston) und dem "Urfeind"( tee hee) RAMPAGE (San Antonio). Ab heuer wird es zwei Feinde geben, Rampage und die neuen Texas Stars aus Austin, von denen unser 'Freund' Mathieu Beaudoin angestellt wurde, da die "Neuen Aeros/Wild" ihn nicht als bedeutend sah und ihm daher kein Angebot machte In Kuerze, die dunkel gedruckten Namen sind die Spieler, die nach Houston zurueckkehren. Brust, 26, Madsen, 22 (Daenemark), Noreau, 22 and Testwuide, 24. Neu sind: Buck, 21, DiSalvatore, 28, Fraser, 23, Kaufman, 25, McMillan, 21, Zingoni, 28.

Versuche mit der neuen Digital Kamera gehen so halbwegs gut aus. Habe etliche Photos von der New Mexico Reise in frueheren Blogs eingeschlossen. Ebenso das neueste Werk unseres Kuenstlerfreundes in Kanada.. er versuchte seine Hand mit Stein skultpturen, witzelte aber, das "war zu anstrengend, und er zoege Pinsel und Palette dem Hammer vor"

Ein Oel von ErwinErwin's ganzes Oevre kann bei

http://www.rummelart.ca/

eingesehen werden.

GANZ Neu, latest news: D Ryan Lannon, D Brandon Rogers and D Clayton Stoner will be in Houston, werden in Houston spielen.

Und mehr, and in other news:

Houston Aeros General Manager Jim Mill announced today the American Hockey League (AHL) team will begin training camp Monday, September 21 at Sugar Land Sports and Ice Center (SLICE). Training wird am Montag nachmittage beginnen.

Players will report to Houston Sunday and perform physicals before hitting the ice for the first practice Monday afternoon. Hurra, die BUAM san da, muessen mal tests unternehmen und wredn am Montag Nachmittag ihre erste Praxis abhalten.

The team will then practice Tuesday-Friday from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM. Dann werden sie taeglich zwischen halb 10 und halb 1 bis Freitag auf dem Eis sein.
.

It's here..Hockey is finally here..

Tonight the Wild line up for the pre-season game against the Blue Jackets.
Familiar faces skate tonigh-enjoy looking at them... ;-)

Minnesota Wild

Forwards
Erik Belanger, Derek Boogaard, Pierre-Marc Bouchard
Kyle Brodziak, Cal Clutterbuck, Colton Gillies
Andy Hilbert,
Danny Irmen,
Petr Kalus
Antti Miettinen,
Benoit Pouliot
James Sheppard

Defense
Brent Burns, Ryan Lannon
Brandon Rogers, Jaime Sifers
Clayton Stoner


Marek Zidlicky

Goalies
Niklas Backstrom
Josh Harding

Just a quickie...

Almost - the final rounds of T3I photos by Fred Trask competition..hurry and go vote for the best photo, which or course, may be THE one of your favorite, too, if you are lucky. Choosing the best, sometimes, is really hard to do..

Wanderlust...

reading and hearing about lives of aspiring (to NHL) hockey players - I cannot but compare them to the wandering apprentices of OLD.. young workers toting their satchels and wandering from country to country within Europe to gain experience before settling down and work as Master Masons, Millers, Plumbers.
Hockey Players, too, seem to be on the road a lot...year in and year out.
Never much longer then on a one-year contract,. never knowing if or when they'll be traded off or sent down to the minors (AHL or ECHL, CHL..etc.) from month to month...modern day NOMADS. So many of those youngsters start right out of highschool. Some are smart and get at the least a 2-4 year college degree, to build on IF or When they fail to achieve the NHL status they so crave, they'll play through pains and injuries..just so they'll move up to the major league teams!
Here is THE song for them:Das Wandern by Franz Schubert song by Jonas Kaufmann


And now to more art..
Erwin Rummel sent these photos of his newest creation...
lovers of the female form will enjoy this beauty (an 'ur' female) called
"Downtown Girl washing hair"-final sanding and smoothing.

The finished piece

So now we know...

Any errors on this post are mine, since it was posted BEFORE I read the Aeros official email:

Here are some of the NEW players assigned to Aeros Camp and some stats from 08/09 season : Getting to know YOU

Carson McMillan Stats: 21 yrs, Games 68, Goals 31, Asst. 41, Pts 72, PIM 93 -reg, Season, Play off: Games 18, Goals 3, Asst. 8, Pts 11, PIM 18

Jamie Fraser Stats: 25 yrs, Games 66, Goals 7, Asst. 14, Pts 21, PIM 30

Jon Di Salvatore Stats: 28 yrs, Games 76, Goals 20, Asst. 33, Pts 53, PIM 32

Brian Kaufman Stats: 25 yrs, Games 44, Goals 10, Asst. 12, Pts. 22, PIM 12

Pete Zingoni Stats:8 yrs, Games 43, Goals 7, Asst. 7, pts 14, PIM 22

Brandon Buck, below Stats: 21 yrs, Games 70, Goals 27, Asst.40, Pts. 64, PIM 30

Plus some of old familiar faces of: Barry Brust, Morten Madsen, Maxime Noreau and Testwuide.

The following players were assigned to their junior club: LW Kristopher Foucault - Calgary, WHL, G Matt Hackett - Plymouth, OHL, C Tyler Johnson – Spokane, WHL, G Darcy Kuemper - Red Deer, WHL

No word yet on: Robbie Earl and Clayton Stoner

"Our" Danny Irmen first had to cede Nr. 14 to Havlat, now also the Nr. 17 to Sykora and will wear Nr. 40.

Others will, no doubt, be added as the Wild weed out; and the NEW Aeros add in players at their camp this coming weekend.

Final series .....

My favorite: "Shooting for Rain". After a surfeit of sculptures we took the tramway up to Sandia Crest...with the longest section of suspension and ONLY one supporting stanchion... incredible. "Flights" take off only if the wind is below a certain strength...one might be stranded up there, no hotel but a restaurant open for lunch and dinner. The view towards the west is magnificent on a clear day!

Later, taking off to west for Acoma Pueblo whose 'SkyCity"is still inhabited, by Acoma Indians for religious purposes.

Rock formations, breathtaking scenery. Pueblo Home on top of Mesa

Ladder to kivas, symbolizing ascent to the clouds.

The "Large" cistern, only type of water supply with the only tree (cottonwood) on the Mesa.Looking towards a 'holy' mesa, previously inhabited. During a snow storm the, mostly, women and children in that pre-historic village faced death by starvation, since the 'rock hewn' staircase, the only access to the top, was destroyed. They jumped to their death or so tells the lore. The Mesa is no longer inhabited but revered as a 'holy' place.

The church, Indians still practice both,

indigenous and catholic religions.

On the way back to Albuquerque, we outdrove the thunderstorm brewing in the south with sheets of rain visible for miles...

Trip pix Nr. 2..

On the way South to Albuquerque we stopped at the Allen Houser sculpture garden and foundry...OMG... the setting, the sculptures. It is so amazing how everything looks so clear and clean in the desert air, a light breeze made it bearable to stroll among 80 plus free standing traditional and modern sculptures by Houser, as well as his 2 sons who carried on the tradition.
Getting the scoop on how these pieces are made is astonishing... it takes so long and depends so much on just the right chemicals for creating the kind of patina the sculpture wants.

Buffalo Hunter

Three Bowlegged Cowboys greet the visitors at the parking area.

Exuberant mustangs

distant mountains as perfect backdrop

This one makes me think that the Indian Chief is holding in his hands his soul as a humble offering to the sky gods . You think this is fanciful, perhaps, but what the high desert air can do to one's mind is truly

astonishing! modern sculpture - perhaps "Contemplation"?

Form in motion? Couple of seals on a beach?
.And befitting a Los Toros Aficionada.... El Toro Americano- in a stylized form