Zoo

With temperatures at a manageable level, lazy white clouds drifting across the sky, and a week of hard work and great patience (preparing for the book sale), today just had to be a zoo day. The other bit of impetus was that Calvin finished reading Mr. Popper's Penguins and thought that it might be nice to see some real penguins. He asked very nicely about planning a trip to Antarctica, and I suggested the zoo. He was amazed! He'd had no idea there were penguins at our zoo. All these zoo trips and we hadn't taken him in the penguinarium since he was a baby. For shame.

The zoo was willing to oblige, and even treated us to penguin feeding time just as we got there. We spent about a half hour in the penguinarium, actually (after a while the fish smell is no longer noticeable. Really), and observed all kinds of behaviors.

The cinereous vulture was mighty friendly. I'm probably the only person in the world who finds them cute. Did you know International Vulture Awareness Day is just around the corner? Don't forget to love your vulture on September 3!

The tigers and bears were asleep, the lions were on vacation (they're getting a new house!)

The elephants have been gone from our zoo for years, except for this cutie pie, and if you think this makes me want to get him an elephant friend, you're right.

Fungus, fungus everywhere

In the primate area the drills were being bashful and the chimps were attempting Rodin.

And the butterfly house was our last stop, as usual.

For more info:

The Detroit Zoo