Summer 2010 Highlights - Part 2

The end of the break continues....

What summer would be complete without a visit to the zoo where you can even ride the hippos (bet you can't do that at your zoo),

and comparisons to bears are inevitable.

One of the major highlights of the summer was a week long visit with Nan and Uncle Ted in Newport, OR. Now the sun may have refused to shine on the beach for more than five minutes at a stretch but we persevered through the rocky shoals (sandy beaches) in search of quarry.

When reality grew stale we headed
to the Newport Aquarium to tussle with star fish.

Is that the sun,
why yes...quick everybody outside and get on your whale.

Much tasty food was had by all.

Dessert please.
(Please ignore hand of papa that is making a move to "clean" the cone which looks in danger of dripping. Thanks mom for the tip).

Followed by a walk home in the arms of your uncle.

Summer number three draws to a close.

A wild slug lair

Recently, Jim joined us for a few days from the frigid east. Portland was happy to oblige with soggy weather which made for perfect slug hunting weather.

Pre-Slug Hunting Photo

Slug hunting begins.

Found! A wild slug lair.

Unfortunately the slug lair turned out to be empty (perhaps because it had been searched 5,678 times in the past week) so we headed to the zoo for larger fare.

We found some big bears (in the background that is).

And some little bears.

A Right Leg Gone Wrong

As many of you may have heard, Sylvia has a little accident on a slide last week and broke her right leg. According to the orthopedic specialist who set the bone the fracture was minor and should heal with no long term effects. She has already adapting to her cast (temporary pink seen below) and is teetering around the living room, eating messy meals and hugging Rex.

Our goal over the next four weeks is to keep the cast from getting too funky and stinky. That goes for the kid too, as baths are out for a while. With marathon training out for a bit we've moved to more resrtained activities, including coloring. Sylvia finds the crayons intriguing both as means to an artistic end and as snacks.

The zoo is also in bounds.

See lions are big.

 

Things to do in the summer-Part 2

Harass goats.

Drive International tractors.

Drive International tractors with your mom.

Get new shoes.

Sit in your orange chair and look introspective
as you hold your favorite seashell..

Drinking with the Lorikeets

The Portland Zoo again beckoned us with wild animals and sunshine. Sylvia, growing more interactive by the day, was fascinated by the giraffe snacking from a very high trough.

She seemed less enthusiastic about getting her picture taken.

Samudra (small) and her mom have a snack.

And so does Sylvia.

(Is it wrong to eat bunny shaped crackers at the zoo?).

The local Lorikeets got in on the action too, slurping up $1 cups of sweet fluid.

This lorikeet tucked into his juice like an eight year old on oreos.

Birds feet are always a surprise to me: smooth, dry, and warm like an old wallet.

Oregon Hippos

As the days grow warmer, the sun begins to draw the animals of the Northwest from their cozy lairs to explore the wider world. Lanes once quiet now throng with Portlanders (java in hand), noodles (boogers in hand) and, of course, the Oregon hippo.

Stars of PBS on a nearly weekly basis, the hippo is actually quite beautiful in person. They are rotund but not ungainly. More bear-like than pig. Sylvia appeared entranced but she may have been ogling the glass screen for licking potential.

Did I mention it was sunny.

In the bird house.


(Any rumor that suggests that immediately following
this picture a certain father figure was pooped on
by a emerald Bolivian flycatcher is false
and shall be greeted with the good natured disdain that such lies deserve.
Lies, lies I say. It never happened).
yuck.