A busy weekend

We created a busy weekend for ourselves.....and we loved every minute of it.  On Saturday, we took Cal to the Tanganyika Wildlife Park.  It was amazing!  Cal got to feed a giraffe, a rhino, Koi fish, ducks, a lemur, and some goats.  Sometimes I'm cynical of zoos because I feel sad for the animals that have to live in their tiny, artificial environments.  I know, I know....I have a downer's perspective, huh?!?  Anyway, the facility has nice big exhibits for the animals so these emotions were pushed to the back of my mind.

He was pretty excited about these BIG pumpkins at the entrance.

We could pet the giraffe after feeding him.  His hair....fur???.....hair felt like horse's hair to me.  He got tired of us pretty quickly and started swinging his head, as though he were trying to shoo us away, when he realized we were out of grub to give him.

 

 

  

While waiting to feed the lemurs, Cal fed some Koi fish.  They were battling the ducks for food and most often the Koi won.

 

Once we got into the lemur exhibit, we were told that we can't grab or pet them so I was focused on keeping Cal's hands in his lap. It was at that point that a lemur jumped on my arm and I screeched like a scared little girl.....but I didn't grab it.  Cal got one pet in before the handler told him to stop.  Whoopsie.

 

Cal fed him a raisin.  That silly little lemur sat on his lap for several minutes afterwards in hopes of getting another one. 

 

These funny little creatures sat down like they were in chairs.  Adorable!

 Next we made our way to the rhino exhibit where Cal and I threw pellets into ol' Henry's giant, slimy mouth.  We even got to pet him after we were done.

By far, my favorite part of the zoo was the kangaroo/tortoise exhibit.  We could pet them all we wanted and they were the sweetest little things!  The kangaroos were so soft and their fur felt like a kitten's.  We gave this mama some good pets while her joey slept in her pouch.  Look at his legs poking out!

 

Cal really likes turtles and he was extremely excited about the tortoises! 

 

The next day, we took Cal to Cross Timbers Lake.  Mitch has been wanting to explore the countryside and had heard that this lake had nice walking trails.  Off we went! 

 

Cal fell asleep with his hand in the Cheeto bowl.

They each had to use a walking stick while we perused the shoreline for shells.

These shells, all twelve of them, are now located in a bowl in our garage.  Cal likes to get them out and count them, crush them, and count them again.  Cheap entertainment. 

These so called "walking trails" were not on the clearest of paths as I had hoped.  (Yes, I'm admitting that I prefer a cleaner trail.....one with less chances of ticks falling off of low tree limbs, snakes hiding under piles of leaves and/or fallen logs, spiders building giant webs for you to walk through, etc.  I'll be a self proclaimed sissy in this area.) Anyway, we had a nice cruise through the woods and Cal loved pointing out everything he saw and heard. 

At one point, I found a box turtle!   Cal was pretty darn excited, as you might have guessed!

Mitch promised me Cal that we could get ice cream on the way back.  I wasn't the only one excited! 

 

That night we gave Cal a bath and then he wanted to "go shopping".  I love a good shopping partner, but would prefer one that is clothed.  I love that cute little rump!