I now have about five major statues out of doors, although you'll only get to see four of them on this page. The Piping Boy will be followed by Neptune and Julio, in that order. Then we'll go inside and say hello to Tex. Maybe that anatomically excellent individual will get into some gear for us!
The Piping Boy was my first statue, and he will respond to "Pipe" as a nickname. When Mark redesigned my first pond (it had been so shallow that it froze to the bottom, much to the dismay of the fish inhabiting it) I made sure there was room for my Verdigris cast lead friend. Both of these photos were made at his new Shorecrest Road home, but before he got his own island. His plumbing is more cunningly conceled now, too! I'm thinking you'll recognize my outfit. |
 |
|
 |
Note to Harold: Please get a better photo of this thing!
Note back from Harold: The little guy is hard to get to these days! Look in the Sweat Garden Page, especially Page Two!)
The little Dive statue is plumbed with recirculated pond water, so it comes by its patina naturally! Think of an old copper diving helmet, large rope and an anchor, and you just about have it. A friend contributed it for my Garden when Leather Oaks, the Rural Location was "under develpment". The water feature in front is appropriately called Diver's Deep, being a pseudo-natural grotto along the Rubber Creek. |
|
| In the far Northeast reaches of the LeatherOaks Garden is Neptune's Knoll. This natural feature is presided over by none other than King Neptune. He occasionally holds court with a certain leatherman! One of the earliest surviving photos from that distant period has me in my Western Leathers! |
 |
|
 |
Just a few months later than the last photograph, and it's night. And, wouldn't you expect that I'd be in black leather? I think it's those cod front pants I designed: Neptune really liked them as I remember, or at least he was prudent enouogh not to complain. His crown was the rim from a frequently re-closed paint can. Long believed lost after Hurricane Georges, it recently came to light (in three pieces) during some construction in the area. Restoration is currently being undertaken! |
|
| Zipping forward eight or nine years in time. Neptune is looking very well for all of his years. The season before this photo was taken, Neptune had a near miss: A tree fell over him, being only stopped two feet above his head by the wild grape vines suspended between trees! Thankful for his being spared, I planned a reflecting pool for him, finally using the plumbing for the serpent he had so long been trying to tame. Another quadruple threat photo, with harness, chain mail jock, earthy leather and deep green rubber boots. |
 |
|
 |
No, this photo was not made in my garden, but half a world away in Okinawa. Buddha seemed so happy and approachable, and not at all taken aback by being approached by a Top Rider! The little garden adjoined our Hotel. |
|
| Guarding my front porch for some time has been this iron warrior from the old school. A friend told me I should name him Julio, because of his size similarity to Tex (you'll meet Tex later) and his Green Card immigrant status from Mexico! Unfortunately, my earliest photos of Julio suffer from a lack of clarity due to film camera problems I was encountering back then. Julio has been a big supporter of my bulge beautification campaign, as you can readily tell by his defensive posture! Poor chap, his weight is not commensurate with his stature, and he tends to take a fall with more than the slightest breeze. We try to overlook his decided list to the left! |
 |
|
 |
I wonder what this really would have been like, to kneel at the foot of man-occupied suit of armor? In my case the intent is purely playful, but I can imagine more human interaction, too. It appears there are two rather unusual items in use here. The hat is heavy molded latex, while the boots are equestrian leather.
| Be sure to visit Page Two, for more of Julio, . . . and . . . TEX! |
 |
|
|
|
|