Zoo | The Beauty Around Us

Posts tagged ‘Zoo’

Grampa Bob and Gramma Linda’s Special Day with Juniper

We picked up Juniper, our almost 5-year-old granddaughter, at “Big Grandma” Chris’s house shortly before 9:00 am on Saturday, April 29, and left en route Erie.

In Erie we spent the day visiting the Erie Zoo, visiting the Tom Ridge Environmental Center, driving around Presque Isle and eating a late lunch at McDonalds.

We arrived at the Erie Zoo around 10:20 am. We lucked out by securing a parking space right in front of the main entrance to the zoo. I suspect our luck had more to do with Saturday’s weather (chilly and rainy) than our early arrival. After showing our membership card and ID at the gate, we were admitted into the zoo. We saw all the animals without getting too wet. We only got a quick glimpse of baby Otis (new orangutan) before mama orangutan covered herself and baby with newspaper and a sheet. A highlight of our Zoo visit was seeing a kangaroo and a baby wallaby and its mama on the walking path, rather than far from us behind the wood rail fence. Juniper rode both the Wildlife Carousel and the train. Bob rode the carousel with Juniper, and I rode the train with her. I put together this slide show to highlight our day at the zoo.

Before leaving the zoo, we purchased two bags of cotton candy, one for Juniper and the other for Harper. We spent approximately 1-1/2 hours at the zoo. We might have been there for a longer time if the playground was still there. The playground was removed recently. A new playground will be installed by late May.

From the zoo we drove to the Tom Ridge Environmental Center (TREC). The TREC, which opened its doors in May/June 2006, is the gateway to Presque Isle State Park. Its entrance is across from Waldameer Park. Bob and I hadn’t been there in a while, and it was Juniper’s first visit. There are more child-related activities there than we remembered. Juniper enjoyed her visit.

As we entered the lobby of the main entrance the first things to catch Juniper’s eyes were three floor-to-ceiling towers. Each tower was filled with carved wooden scenes about Presque Isle. Each scene had movable parts!

Three Towers of Carved Wooden Scenes
about Presque Isle

The next thing that caught Juniper’s eye was a HUGE fish.

The “Memories and Monsters” exhibit has the visitor walking through the middle of a HUGE fish into a small theater area. This exhibit takes you back in time to the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s when things were very different on Presque Isle.

Near the big fish was a hands-on room, especially designed for preschoolers.

Do you wonder what everyone is looking at through the windows?

There is a bird feeding station outside the windows.
The bird feeding station was visited by a turkey the day we were there.

When we left TREC, we drove around Presque Isle.

It was after 1:30 pm by the time we completed our drive around Presque Isle. We stopped at McDonalds, located near Presque Isle, for a late lunch.

As we were leaving McDonalds, I telephoned “Big Grandma” Chris to let her know that we were running behind. We were supposed to pick up Harper at Chris’s house and take both girls to “Little Grandma” Sue’s house, where they would be spending the night. The plan was to pick up Harper and arrive at Sue’s house between 3:00 and 4:00 pm. As we were running behind, that wasn’t going to happen. Chris ended up taking Harper to Sue’s house, and we dropped off Juniper there shortly before 5:00 pm.

What a wonderful day we had with Juniper! We are looking forward to a similar experience with Harper in a few weeks.

Equipment Day at the Zoo

Bob and I took our granddaughters to the Erie Zoo yesterday. We arrived at the zoo around 11:30 am. We used our grandparent membership that I purchased recently for admission to the zoo. Grandparent membership provides free admission to the zoo for two named adults sharing a household and all of their grandchildren under 18.

We didn’t know it at the time we planned this trip that it was Equipment Day at the zoo.

Thanks to Chick-Fil-A,
children received decorative hard hats as they entered the zoo.

There were several big equipment pieces around for kids to sit in,
honk the horn, and get their pictures taken.

In addition to checking out all the heavy equipment and seeing lots of animals at the zoo other activities included: riding the Wildlife Carousel and running through water spraying out of a sunflower.

June said that she really liked riding the polar bear
and wants to ride it next time we go to the zoo.

It was a humid day. The water was very refreshing.

The girls also played in the 3-floor tower play land. June surprised me by coming to me to say she was done playing at play land. She had climbed to the third floor only a few times. I suspect the humidity got to her.

Our visit with the orangutans was a highlight of our zoo trip. The orangutans were somewhat active, moving throughout their enclosure. The girls got to see mama orangutan, papa orangutan and baby orangutan.

I believe that if June could have she would have carried this carving home with her.

Harper and June looking at one of the parent orangutans.

Our last activity was a ride around the zoo on the train.

All aboard!

For the first time we saw a deer and several bighorn sheep, while on the train ride.

What a nice day we had at the zoo with Harper and June!

Erie Zoo Visit

Yesterday was our granddaughters’ Head Start class field trip to the Erie Zoo. Grandma Chris and I accompanied Harper and June to the zoo.

Chris, Harper, June and I arrived at the zoo around 11:15 am. We entered the zoo via the Front Entrance. We walked through the zoo, in as much of a direct path as possible, to the South Entrance. Directly outside of the zoo is a picnic area. The field trip included lunch, which was set up at one of the pavilions. Lunch included hot dogs, carrot sticks, potato chips, chocolate chip cookie, and milk.

Eating lunch

We ate our lunch sitting on the ground, in the sun, with Cale and Destiny and their three children. The oldest of their three children is in Harper’s Head Start class.

We spent the afternoon in the company of Cale and Destiny and their children. Together we climbed mystery mountain, saw the animals, rode the Wildlife Carousel, played in the Children’s Adventure Play Area and rode the train.

Harper runs across swinging bridge at Mystery Mountain.

The girls enjoyed walking on the rocks at the Children’s Adventure Garden.

Harper and June with Grandma Chris on the Wildlife Carousel

The girls with a couple greater-than-life penguins

Children’s Adventure Play Area

The Children’s Adventure Play Area was very crowded. I had never seen so many people in the play area! All five girls had a good time playing inside the multistory play structure.

All five girls

All five girls at Kiboka Outpost

Chris and I had a pleasant day at the zoo, and the five girls had a very good time together.

Our Thanksgiving Vacation – First Two Days

Bob and I married in September 1998. Our first Thanksgiving was spent in Virginia with John (Bob’s brother) and Dorothy. During the next eleven years, we would spend five more Thanksgiving holidays with John and Dorothy. Of the remaining six years we spent three Thanksgiving holidays in New Hampshire with Cynthia (Bob’s sister) and Larry, one Thanksgiving Day at my parents’ home, one Thanksgiving holiday in Niagara Falls, Canada, and one Thanksgiving Day at home. Since 1998 each Thanksgiving Day was spent with family, except in 2008. Bob and I ate Thanksgiving Day dinner that year at TGI Friday’s in Niagara Falls, Canada. This year Bob and I spent the Thanksgiving holiday in SE Pennsylvania. We ate Thanksgiving Day dinner at the Concordville Inn Restaurant in Concordville, PA. I’m getting ahead of myself, though. Let me begin at the start of this year’s Thanksgiving vacation.

This year’s Thanksgiving vacation began on Tuesday, November 23. We got an early start to the day. It was not yet 6:30AM when we departed Warren en route our hotel in Concordville, located in SE Pennsylvania approximately 30 miles outside of Philadelphia. Our first stop was in Clearfield at the Dutch Pantry, where we ate a full breakfast. We made only one other stop, for gas, en route our hotel. We arrived at the Best Western Plus Concordville Hotel at approximately 1:00PM. We stayed at this hotel last year, over Memorial Day weekend, when we visited Longwood Gardens for the first time. The hotel is set back from the road with a pond and trees. The hotel is surrounded by busy highways (Routes 322 and 1); however, when on the hotel grounds it feels like you are in the country. Our hotel room was similar to the room we had last year, but larger. The room we had last year was large too, so this room was especially large! The bathroom was large too. It had a shower AND a jacuzzi. The jacuzzi was not expected; it was a nice bonus! Furnishings included a king-size bed, two night stands, a chair with an Ottoman and a side table, love seat with small coffee table, color TV sitting atop a 3-drawer dresser, a desk and chair, microwave, refrigerator and sink. Our room was located on the fourth floor at the front of the hotel.

This was the view from our hotel room.

The hotel lobby was decorated for Christmas.

The hotel lobby was decorated for Christmas.

We relaxed in our hotel room until approximately 3:15PM, when we left for dinner. We ate dinner at Bertucci’s Italian Restaurant. We each ordered Chicken Parma (breaded chicken filets topped with Pomodoro sauce, fresh basil and melted provolone over spaghetti), served with a side salad and rolls. Bob had one beer; I drank ice tea. The staff kept apologizing for the chaotic state in the restaurant. We didn’t notice anything unusual. Apparently some of the waitresses were sent home early, as it wasn’t busy. Soon after they left, it got busy. Our meals were delicious. We felt that the service was excellent. We felt well looked after! We spent rest of the evening, after dinner, relaxing in our hotel room.

On Wednesday, November 24, we enjoyed a complimentary hot breakfast at our hotel. We each ordered a made-to-order omelet, along with bacon or sausage. A host of other breakfast goodies were available as well. After breakfast we drove to Brandywine Park in Wilmington, Delaware. The park is located less than 20 miles from the Best Western Plus Concordville Hotel. We enjoyed a walk along the Brandywine River, while we waited for the Brandywine Zoo to open.

I like how the sun’s rays show through the branches of the tree and how the sunshine makes the water glisten.

Brandywine Park waterfall

One of several bridges that cross the Brandywine River

Josephine Fountain

There are many, many Japanese cherry trees on the grounds behind this fountain. I would love to return to Brandywine Park in the Spring!

The zoo opened at 10:00 AM. Brandywine Zoo dates from 1905; it is Delaware’s only zoo. The zoo is small, and admission was only $4.00 each. According to its website, the zoo is home to 150 animals. It is a nice zoo; however, I did not find it conducive to taking photographs. Each animal was housed in a cage. I find it difficult to photograph an animal through bars and exclude the bars in the photograph!

Our Thanksgiving Vacation - First Two Days

(click on image to enlarge)
Top row (l-r): Andean Condor, Swift Fox, Serval
Middle row: Pygmy Goat, Llamas, Rhea
Bottom row: Capybara, Wood Duck, Bobcat

Soon after leaving Brandywine Zoo four helicopters appeared in the sky above us.

CBS-3 Philadelphia Helicopter

At first we didn’t know what was going on. We soon learned that a tractor-trailer had overturned on Interstate 95, spilling its load of gravel on the roadway. Not wanting to be involved in a traffic snarl, we decided to explore more of Brandywine Park.

The Sugar Bowl

The Sugar Bowl, so named because of its lid-shaped domed roof, was originally constructed in 1902. It once stood as the entrance to the Brandywine Zoo. The Sugar Bowl is being reconstructed.

Vietnam War Memorial

We are thankful that when we left Wilmington that we had no traffic problems. We ate a late lunch at McKenzie Brew House in Concordville, PA. Bob enjoyed a couple brews, while we dined on McKenzie wedges and a wood oven pepperoni pizza.

a McKenzie Wedge

Wood Oven Pepperoni Pizza

We returned to our hotel after lunch. We spent rest of day in our hotel, relaxing. We didn’t have to go out for dinner, as we had leftover Chicken Parma from Tuesday’s dinner in the refrigerator.

In my next blog post, I’ll write about how we spent Thanksgiving Day.

Wild Woods Animal Park

On Sunday (September 19th) Bob and I visited Wild Woods Animal Park in nearby Clarendon (Cherry Grove), PA. We visited the animal park with Bob’s daughter, Stacey; Stacey’s boyfriend, Mike; Mike’s parents; and Stacey’s mother and stepfather. According to its website, Wild Woods Animal Park “is a biological park (infancy stages) nestled in a haven of natural woodlands that is dedicated to the continuing survival of wild species through education”. All of the animals in the park appear to be well taken care of and loved by John and Pam Pape.

John and Pam took us on a private tour of the animal park. At each animal enclosure the animals were fed, and John and Pam provided information on each animal. What I liked most about this animal park was the interaction between wild animals and John and Pam.

One of Three Black Bears

Porcupine

Gray Wolf

John Pape and Raccoons

Two Skunks

An Aadvark

Pam Pape with Bobcat

John Pape with Priscilla, a white Siberian/Bengal Cross Tiger
Priscilla was born in early August, this year.

John Pape and Priscilla

Wild Woods Animal Park is home to the annual Seneca Native American Festival. The fifth annual festival was held this year during Labor Day weekend. Bob and I have not yet attended this festival; however, we definitely hope to attend the festival sometime.

If you live in the Warren, PA area or if you ever find yourself in this area, a visit to Wild Woods Animal Park is a must. You will not be disappointed!

Labor Day Weekend – Day at Zoo

Cleveland Zoo Entrance

Bob and I spent Labor Day weekend in Cleveland, Ohio. On Sunday, September 5, we visited the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. We enjoyed our visit immensely. Please click here to view the pictures that I took, while at the zoo.

You can be sure that we will make a return visit to this zoo. There’s much that we saw but still more to see!

Weekend in Pittsburgh – Visit to Zoo, Day 2

This past Saturday, March 27, Bob and I visited the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium with my brother, Jim, and some members of his family. Bob and I arrived at the zoo around 9:50 AM. Jim, Judy, Kaleb and Anna arrived about an hour later. Jim and Judy’s son, Jared, joined us about 30 minutes later.

Jim and Judy with their grandchildren, Kaleb and Anna at entrance to zoo

I am so happy that Jim and Judy brought Kaleb and Anna to the zoo. It was great spending time with them and seeing the zoo through their eyes. By the way, did you know every animal in the zoo is called “doggie”? That’s how Anna referred to each animal that we saw. Both Kaleb and Anna behaved well at the zoo. There were two things about the zoo, however, that Anna did not like — the escalator and a glass cleaner inside the aquarium.

You have to ride an elevator or go up this big escalator to get to the main zoo area.

Judy, Jim, Kaleb and Anna on escalator
Anna did not like riding the escalator. She cried the whole way up to the zoo.

Large floor to ceiling aquarium

Inside one of the large floor to ceiling aquariums was this person who was cleaning the glass. This person frightened Anna when he waved at her. Anna cried and wouldn’t stop until we left the aquarium. I was carrying Anna as we left the aquarium. She kept looking behind her as we walked. I wonder if Anna was making sure that scuba-clad person wasn’t following her?

We had a great time at the zoo and hope to visit again someday.