Spring Zoo Trip

This weekend the temperature spiked into the low 50s, so Sam and I made a trip to the Zoo. We have seen various interesting things at the zoo. Once in deep winter, when we were about the only ones there, we got to play with a bored and lonely sea lion, who chased Sam back and forth across the glass walls of his tank. Another time the wolves howled a soul-chilling cry like nothing out of a Disney movie.

This time we got to see the polar bears being fed. There are two now. You really have no idea how huge they are until they are diving down ten feet from you to pick a fish off the bottom of the tank.

For the first time we also got to see the rhinos, well, doing about anything. During this visit we got to see them locking horns, one slowly and deliberately pushing the other back step by step until he yielded. Susan tells me they are, in fact, brothers.

Our river otter is the oldest in captivity in North America. New within the last year is a younger mate for him. He and his new companion were happily cavorting in and out of the water.

Sam is also shown in a little observation booth sticking out of the ground in the cougar enclosure.

Other than that... let's see. Susan and I stripped wallpaper in what might at some point turn into a nursery. And we all played UNO during nursery duty at church Sunday night. Sam's an UNO fiend these days. Can't get enough of it.

Started reading the Magic Tree House series of books to Sam. A young brother and sister get sent on missions to exotic times and places, which gives the author the excuse to teach about medieval Japan, ancient Arabia, African cloud forests, etc. These are chapter books. I had resisted chapter books, but Sam is enjoying getting something of somewhat greater depth. Right now we are in medieval Japan. This is timely, since at the end of the month some very good friends from Japan will be visiting.

That's about the extent of our news, at present. Hope you are all having a good week!