Hunted to near extinction, the American Bison, also called the American Buffalo, roamed the grasslands by the millions.  An adult weighs about 1,400  pounds.  Their numbers are so great that the federal government is killing 600 to 900 this winter in Yellowstone national Park to thin their numbers this winter.  Our family encountered this American icon crossing the  road recently in South Dakota, reminding us of the picture we captured, above, on a trip in 2013.  Below is an example of an Evershine pewter bison in our wildlife collection.

This coming weekend we will be showing at the Los Angeles Arboretum in Arcadia, as part of the Monrovia Gem & Mineral Society’s annual show.  If you have never toured the beautiful grounds of the arboretum, this coming weekend anticipates great weather.  Stop by and say hello.