Great Danes....

You know ME I am a bull dog ~ terrier ~ mastiff kind of girl with a LOVE for all creatures, but big is GooD...

Well yesterday I got to go with a good friend to pick out the 5 day old love of her life that she has been waiting over 15 years for... I helped find the breeder and she was lucky enough to get a pup from the sire & dam that I thought were so empressive. He (HENRY) is going to be "HUGE" like his father, not to say his mother is small by any means, but he is going to be drop down gorgeous! The breeding attitude of the parents is impeccable! I am so excited for her! The whole ordeal gave me puppyitis!!!

I am realizing this is a genetic mutation with ME!!! LOL I have a thing with well bread four legged creatures!! I can't wait to have this little/big creature in front of my lens!!!

I will contain myself, but this is going to be one beautiful mass of a a dog, stunning really. Oh what fun!!! Puppy breath oh MY!!

May I introduce (Henry) 5 days old and just beautiful!!! ( I can't wait to see what color his eyes will be!!! blue, black or both!!! fun,fun,fun...

I am so excited for her I can hardly stand it! She is just like an expectant mother seeing her child for the first time! She has waited so long :) fun stuff... (yes I know I am excited!! LoL)

This is his sire D"

This is his dam B"

1st and 2nd Amendment...

Monday I was asked not to wear my hoodie to work after wearing it to work since November. I offended one of our supervisors. She felt it was not appropriate with what is going on in this country. It made her cry. 

What made her cry is that I told her it was my 1st and 2nd amendment right to wear this shirt. That I do indeed love guns & coffee. That me wearing a shirt that says I love guns is no different than wearing a shirt stating I love cars or bow & arrows. The shirt doesn't tell someone to get a gun or anything about my political views. It just plain says I love guns & coffee. 

I kept my mouth shut when I was told not wear it to work again by my director. I didn't push the subject but my hair raised on the back of my neck because my 1st amendment rights were abused. Everything in my body wants to be vocal to push the limit, to cause the need for a dress code but I am not going there as these are small minded humans. The same people that are allowing our rights to be removed and would be a lost cause and only cause conflict between people I have to live with eight hours a day, five days a week. 

I allowed them to bully me into submission. Not to say I won't be wearing my 1st amendment rights on a shirt that has no weapons on it. I won't be knocked down and rights stripped from me without standing for what I believe is right and constitutional. If I had more money I would be shopping right now for every day apparel that got my opinion across.

A matter of fact I just emailed the company above asking if they have a decal big enough for the hood of my truck that sits in front of my directors window. The most they could do is ask me to park on the road off the premises. I really feel the need to go their....

The thing that gets me the most gratitude is saying good morning and smiling as I was by the person that won't talk to me. This makes my day as she created her own misery. If she thinks she got my goat she did, but I'm not letting her know I am brewing about it. I am a better person than her and karma is a booger and I believe in it. What you sow you will reap. So I am sowing a civil mind with a smile...

I have to go in early tomorrow morning to help cover routes and work in dispatch. It is gonna be a non stop day. I sort of look forward to it :) My desk is busy, but I like the fast pace of dispatch once in awhile. It is fun to get in the groove...

I am going to be 50 in a month and the groove isn't as easy as it used to be. Funny how nothing runs through you as smooth as it used too. I try to keep my mind busy because I can sure see that if you don't use it your going to loose it. My body is already in that mode as I sure don't bend like I used too. It is funny when I turned 40 Steve and I had this talk while quad riding that we had ten more years of good riding, the kind of riding you don't have to worry about getting hurt. It was true.... Now I have to think about how my body is going to handle it or not handle it before making the decision on whether to go or not. That ten year statement was so true...

Well I am off to bed to get up at 4:30 am bright & early before the rooster wakes up!

Have a great day, Shann

Love is Key...

I have been busy as of lately with a new project that fell into my hands. I am making key rings for a wedding in June. They are brass, copper and silver plated tags with an old fashion key attached. They will be the keepsake for the guest at the wedding. I am stamping 200 of these little darlings :)  I am up to number 45 so I have a ways to go...

Chelsea and I took the dogs on a three mile walk last night. We walked with the pit bull group I belong too. Boone was sounding like a locomotive by the end of the walk. I was feeling a little guilty as I haven't been walking him and he sounded like we were killing him huffing & puffing! It didn't help any that he gets so excited when he see's other dogs! He was amusing to say the least. My hips were telling me that I need to walk him more often so I guess that is what we will be doing evenings. He was up with me this morning thinking I was going to take him again! Silly guy must must like being tortured!!! LoL

I finished my last project yesterday. So far it is my very favorite so I know they won't like it because it makes the most sense! It is beautiful though and would solve quite a few issues. I figure I will have a couple more easy days before they ask me for something else and I move on to the next proposal :) So is my life...

I am rambling so I guess this is all for today!

Have a great day, Shann @}----

96 1/2 isn't easy...

Grandma is 96 1/2 years old this month. It isn't easy being this age when you are the youngest of ten children. All of the people she grew up with and were close to are gone. Age is a blessing and a curse at the same time....

She is normally in a wonderful mood, though a feisty one. She has been in a home for 8 years now. When she left my home she thought she would be gone in 2 weeks. Life has shown her different. She took really good care of herself and it is proving along with genetics to be long life...

This last year dementia has shown it's ugly head. It has been kind to her in that she remembers good times. She calls to remind me to close the gate because she forgot while feeding the chickens. She remembers friends from the past and good times with sisters.

Last night that changed and she was so very sad. She called over and over again letting me know that she had lost her favorite sister Minnie, Minnie's husband Ted and her sister Bell. All three at once... She was worried about her mother no one had said how her mother was. She was so sad and in her words shookin up. Every time she called I just kept letting her know how sorry I was and that I loved her. 

I hope she finally got some sleep and peace... I prayed last night that she would pass and be with those dear to her heart so she could smile, laugh & love again... She is so ready to go 

Life is beautiful, but it surely is not an easy venture. I find it amusing in how life plays out. None of us know how are end is going play out. Some are here a short time, some live to be a ripe old age. All I do know is we are born heading towards deaths end and we are all going in that direction no map needed. 

I also find life amazing if only for short how a single life will touch many lives. The human spirit is so very strong and lives through so many, touching souls it isn't even aware of. It's hard to put into words but I find life beautiful...

Happy Day Everyone... Shann

Craft Room Clean Up 2013

I have been busy this morning cleaning up and organizing my craft room. That black cabinet was a mess and kinda embarrassing. I would go to look for something knowing I had it or a couple of it and couldn't find one of it... It was time to clean!! I am getting ready to get rid of the industrial sewing machine, gonna make room for a small work space for my computer and sewing machine with drawers for more organization...

Now that I have made it this far I have to find where to put all of this stuff, the odds and ends that I can't part with. I create things out of recycled stuff so parting with it is like parting with ideas... There is an oak table under that stuff!!! By this afternoon I will be able to see it, but for now I am going to go get some more clear tubs so that I can part it out into spaces that I can see and know where it is so I can put it to use...

I like having all my stuff where I can find it so that my creativity doesn't get overwhelmed my the angst of not being able to find what my minds eye is looking to create with.

Life is Good in my little space of the world :)

I am going to get my hair done this afternoon, so I am going to feel good inside and out.

Happy Day Everyone :)  -----{@

Spring 2013

I haven't posted in awhile so thought it was about time to do so...

It's a beautiful day. It is suppose to be around 70 degrees around here. Spring has sprung for sure in my neck of the woods. Our fish our out, warmed up and ready to eat and so is the turtle. The mocking birds are out mocking and I have grown to love the darn loud mouth :)

I am trying to skip the mode of spring fever that has me out in the yard planting flowers and wasting $ on new plants as our yard has gone to the dogs. I am leaning towards natural native plants and grasses as Bella's urine kills all and I mean all grass. Our yard has more shade than ever with the Redwood reaching for the sky, so ferns and maples are in order too. I am actually thinking about paths through the yard since that is what we have now. Why fight the nature of the dogs as they aren't going anywhere and I have to just atone myself to there way around the yard. I am sure I can turn it into beauty without spending and without a war of fur and mind... We will see :)

Steve and I have been married 29 years, and with that wondrous mile stone our washer died on the same day!! This is how our whole being together has gone. Why should it change now!! Life is about overcoming and we are quite good at it or so I think...

I am in this amazing time in life. For some unknown reason I am the most creative thinking I have ever been. I am floating from one medium to the next but finding such joy in the outcomes of my creative thinking. I am bouncing from metal, paper, paint, cloth, and altered junk... I have realized now that there is not enough time in my life to finish or start all that is in my mind. Though I am going to give it hell until the end creating all that I can.

I am going to paint my living room in the next couple of days, creating a gallery for all my photography. I am excited to see what I can do and have vision in showing off what I see through my lens. So that is on my agenda for the rest of the week...

I need to get back into walking and working off my winter cave weight... That too is on the agenda, though harder to accomplish than the rest on my list and I have NO idea why it is that way... My life time battle :/

Work is work... Proposals and the final trek of the school year. I am staying busy and I like that, just hate waiting for the upity ups to make up their minds as to the direction we will be taking. So is life and I don't see it changing any time soon or possibly ever... I am not complaining it is a job and I am thankful for it and thankful for the position I am in.

Happy Day,
Shann

Dirty Rotten Masked Bandit....

3:08 am this morning Boone stared the "woof~wooooof~wooooof~WOOF! So I drug myself out of bed and went to go find out what the issue was, looked in the driveway and nothing. So I headed to the front of the house and as I was looking out the blinds onto the porch a little face popped up in front of mine!!! I was looking eye to eye with a little what looked like yearling 30 lb raccoon. It didn't even phase him one bit that we looked eye to eye with each other, he just kept on trying to get to the cat food. He was to darn cute :) The dogs couldn't figure out why I wasn't chasing him off. Finally the little bugger figured out how to knock the handle down so he could open the lid and I had to open the door and shoo him off.

Now I know that when the dogs want out around this time every night that it is a coon, not an opossum or rat that they scenting out.

I went back to bed and couldn't sleep, so by 4:15 I got up and made blueberry muffins which really made the house smell good. I think Steve probably thought it was Saturday! The amusing thing is that the dogs went back to bed and never even got up when I got out of the shower or to say goodbye! My dogs have the life I tell you....

I am freaking tired now that I have had lunch and now I get to go into dispatch this afternoon by myself! fun stuff :) My director gave me a project and the last line read "Challenge is Opportunity" I think I should have this put on a shirt or written across my forehead... What a day!!!

Last night I went by grandmas because I got a couple of calls in which she was stating that she was on her back and her bed was broken and no one would put her up... I went over and she was in a good mood but indeed on her back. (poor thing was out flat) anyway I figured out the bed was the issue not the electrical like the nurse thought. Some people have absolutely no trouble shooting ability. They were going to put her in another room for the night in a bed that worked, but her and I decided it would be best to have her phone and since it was late she could handle being flat for the night. I hated to leave her she was in such a good mood and wanted to converse.

This morning I called the home and they said they would get back with me and of course they didn't so I called back and made sure that they did what was needed. The lady tried to tell me my grandmother did not have her own phone and that her bed was fixed on Sunday. I was about ready to reach into the phone and grab her neck by the end of the call. I have a feeling she will remember me next time I call. I was very nice, but when she basically called me a liar and tried to pawn me off a second time I had to get a little stern and let her know that I could be over there in approx 7 minutes to show her what she needed to take care of... When we were done and she told me what I needed to know I told her thank you and that was exactly what I needed to hear. I also explained that next time she might want to put me on hold and find out the facts before telling me I was wrong and that she would call me back. I gave her a quick course on PR and let her know that in this economy and the sort of people she is communicating with that spending just a few minutes can make a difference on how long she may hold a job and how her future evaluations may go. I said it with a smile and ended by saying thank you and have a great rest of the week... :)

I am sure this is a sign of maturity as in "old age", but hey I feel better when I am done with trying to fix things and young people need guidance in today's world and who better than I to give it! LoL I dropped by Grandmas this afternoon and her bed is indeed fixed. She was tired so I left her to rest...

Chelsea is over here making chicken enchiladas. She is making some new fangled recipe that looks really good and rich :) It is sure to be good. I love watching her cook :)

I survived dispatch with a smile. I had two people come by and say how nice it was to hear my lone voice this afternoon. Ha! I was told my voice was calming and I do believe this was the first time I have ever been told this!

I just saw on the news some idiot is trying to get our 2nd amendment rights taken away by being a killer in Portland... I feel for the people that have lost loved ones or who were hurt. It is so sad but every time I hear this kind of thing I know we are getting closer to loosing our rights because of crazy people that take other peoples lives. I just wish their was some concealed weapon person in the crowd that could have taken the idiot out before he hurt the people. It is very sad...

Well I am off to watch some tv with my husband...

Have a great night, Shann

Where do the days go???? Honestly...

Where do the days go?

Honestly the days are flying by. I can't hardly believe that it is December and the end of the year again! In another couple of weeks we will be halfway through the school year... 

I have been busy at work this week as we are short office staff and for some unknown reason short of driving staff. I have been doing my work and then working dispatch most days in the afternoon. I am so rusty at dispatch that is funny! I literally don't recognize voices so it takes longer for me to put a voice to a bus, which means it takes me twice as long to do the work. Thankfully people have patience with me while I am in there. It is sorta embarrassing as I use to be really good at it.

I got all of my out of town Christmas packages bought and sent off to Alaska & Ohio. This feels really good as they are actually going to arrive before Christmas. It's like a little Christmas miracle!!

Our Christmas trees are slowly coming together. Chelsea put hers in it's stand on Sunday and decorated it in white lights with a spiral of red chili peppers wrapping around it. Her tree is a western cowboy & indian theme with red, gold, brown and dusty blue bulbs plus her western collection, it is about as cute as it gets. Steve put my tree in the stand on Monday and I put the lights on it on Tuesday night. I finally got all of the ornaments on it last night and I have to say it just beautiful! I love Christmas trees :) 

Steve sold another one of his fish last night. The lady absolutely loved and was thrilled to get it. She bought it for her husband and will mount it on their waterfall of their pool. 

Well that is all the news here. I am sure there is more, but I have to get to work...

Happy Day and HighHo, Shann

I'm sitting here thinking...

I'm sitting here thinking while it rains outside on this beautiful December 1st morning. My house is quiet and my pups are waiting patiently for their breakfast.

Do you ever sit and think what I can do for others? I do...

I have been lucky to be able to give unexpectedly to someone in need. I like to buy a stranger coffee 9r lunch once in awhile when I have the spare change or I see they are in need. I help at work for those that are barely making it from one month to the other, not always with money but with encouragement.

I feel gratitude everyday for the two pups I have. How lucky I am that Bella was taken to the local shelter and allowed to be adopted. How the giving hearts of the Chako Rescue group rescued my Boone Boy and helped him when surely because of his size he would have had a tough time in the shelter let alone his sweet soul being damaged by being in such a place. He never had to endure that space because someone cared to make a difference.

I am thinking it is time in my life to give back and foster (not keep) pups once in awhile to make a life better, to give them a chance to be taken care of and loved. I want to give to one in need to give back because I know how lucky my two pups are in this life...

Life is so very short not to give back if you are lucky enough to feel blessed in this life. The wonderful thing about getting older is that you realize you don't want so much or really need as much as you thought when you were younger. My life isn't easy by any means, nor is it I don't want... I just realize that my needs are met and feel the gratitude to give back so others even if for just minutes feel that they are blessed too.

I talked to my grandma last night for almost an hour, it was like a grandma marathon! She doesn't normally talk for long, she doesn't want to keep you. I know funny isn't it... You call her and she doesn't want to keep you! Anyways she has been bed ridden for around 6 years now and ya know what she is thankful for memories. Don't get me wrong she complains, but for the most part she is grateful for living with us for 7 years and grateful for the life she has liven. She amazes me because I don't know that I would be so gracious at 96 years old! She is ready to leave life and move on. When she does I will miss her laugh! We laughed last night :)

If I am so lucky enough to live to be 96 years old, I want to be grateful for life, for good memories of a life lived, grateful that I gave back because I was lucky enough too and memories of a non selfish life with a smile...

Happy Day Everyone,
Shann

Redwood Tree...

This is what is left of one of our was tall redwoods in our backyard. It stands a little shorter today as it lost 33 feet of the top of the tree. It had two tops, one broke off in June during a summer wind storm and yesterday the second top came down in "our" yard. It was 33 ft long and had a base radius of 12 inches.

I am glad that it came down before today's big storm. The piece that came down in June went in the neighbors yard and smashed their gutter. This piece would have done some real major damage. Now we don't have to worry about it the rest of the winter and really for about five years or so. The tree still stands about 40 feet. We have 37 of them on our small property and I love them, they are so majestic...

It's raining cats & dogs here today. They say we will get three inches by tonight. I wish I was at home today. I love being home in the weather, love watching the wind whip through the trees and watching the rain pour down. It would be a perfect day to bake ginger snaps!

I hope everyone is staying dry.. Happy Friday :)

Shann

I looked all over for this photo last night, it is one of my very favorite. I remember it like it was last weekend. The photo shows what I was trying to put in writing in the last post, the relaxed love in this shot says it all... I feel beyond blessed today to have been the lucky little girl to share in this life. 

Looking at this brings happy tears and a heavy warm heart. Not just for a life that has been lived and leaving, but for memories that were so sweet, life that is past... Life is so fast, so short and so surreal sometimes. 

We really are here for such a short time, but for that short time we touch so many.... True Story

Shann 

The year was 1980..

This picture was taken in 1980 (Steve was 18 and I was 17) it demonstrates why Steve and I are so compatible. You see we loved spending time together and we still do.  Nothing could keep us apart  back then and for the most part nothing has changed much other than our age. We still love shooting and spending time together. How Lucky are We... :)

I love seeing how young we were and I love seeing how skinny I was. I think I looked darn good in my overalls and Adidas green three stripe shoes :) I think Steve looked like my own Kelso!!

We would spend almost every weekend during the summer camping, motorcycle riding or shooting.   Steve would pick me, my motorcycle and guns up after school and we would literally head to the hills...

Life was so carefree. Those were the days...

Happy Day, Shann :)

My heart is heavy...

My Uncle Baker is leaving this world tonight or sometime soon. My heart is heavy (really heavy) with love for him and the life he lived. Full of memories and gratitude for all that we shared.

It is sort of funny, he is really my fathers 1st cousin, but he has always been Uncle Baker to me and always will no matter how many times I am told he is a 2nd cousin. Nope he is Uncle to me...

My father used to have to take care of me when I was very young, so I spent a lot of time in the truck with the two most important men in my life. They didn't give me a whole lot of slack and I was brought everywhere. I am still blown away at the men they were to have me with them all of the time. I am amazed that I came out unscathed, but also amazed that two men could enjoy life and have me in the midst of it too...

Tonight I am thinking about the man I looked up to all my life. He was a huge part of who I am today. He had love for me like a father, when I was a little girl he would sing to me while I was on his lap in front of the fire pit "shenandoah" he sang that song to me in such a loving way that I thought it was written just for me. If I think hard enough I can hear his voice.  I was a little girl that grew up watching him change rice boxes in the fields, riding in the back of the pickup, trudging around with the men as they worked. I took it for granite how lucky I was, it was a childhood that I loved. I loved the mud, the dust, the smells, the adventure; there was lot's of adventure.

When I was 24 years old and had my daughter I met him in a rice field just like this to introduce her to him. It was fitting to see him hold my curly haired daughter in such a place. His hands were so large cradling my little girl and I think he made some kind of comment on whether I was going to keep her with a smirk and twinkle in his eyes. 

I remember him just like this photo... I loved this guy with all my heart and new if I ever needed anything he would be there for me. His voice was soothing to me and I always looked forward to hearing it and I always felt loved in his presence.

When my parents were getting divorced he always made it clear he was there for me. He would ask if I was okay in subtle ways letting me know it was okay. 

He let me intrude on his life like I was there all the time without missing a beat. I always felt welcome and loved, he was a warm hearted man that said it like it was. I loved that about him. I loved that he could cuss and you didn't even notice and that he could be stern with you and then the next minute call you honey.

I loved sleeping on the sofa in the morning hearing him get up to go check water and hearing him clear his throat and then trying not to wake me as the back door squeaked open, then closed behind him.

I have so many memories, so many memories that turn into even more memories. I don't know how to even put them on paper. I realized at an early age that I was such a lucky little girl to have him in my life and relished in it. All I know is at age forty nine these memories are full of gratitude and love and these are just a few: 

• I was thrown in the rice field just like the one above when I was 4 years old after filling his cowboy boots up with water I immediately got thrown in the water and my teddy bear was thrown in with me (my dad told me to do it and I paid the price) I can still remember it!
• I used to have kicking contest with him with my first pair of roughy cowboy boots. What a man to allow a little girl to kick him in the shins!
• I learned to spit real far.
• I got to play with large wild snow geese while the men duck hunted (this I am sure was to keep my jabbering three year old mouth shut so they could hunt) then I got to carry or drag it along after I was told "hand it to me", after that the goose didn't bite me anymore!
• At an early age I thought my freckles were because I stood to close to the back end of a cow! 
• Uncle Leroy nurtured my love of animals, he gave me my first St.Bernard (my mother was really happy about that; not!) and sent it home with me in the back of a VW bug. I loved that dog...
• I learned chew was disgusting with him. 
• I also learned that the only licorice in life was "black" licorice.
• I learned my love of guns being with these men. At an early age I had a BB gun and shot at critters right next to them, then graduated to a 4/10. 
• I saw my first horror movie in his presence "Willard". I don't know how old I was but it made killing rats a whole lot easier!
• I learned to hold on to the tire on the side of the truck, as I rode in the back of the truck on the tool box. I used to love going so fast, but knew to hold on because when the wheels hit the dirt if I didn't hold on I was going to slide all the way across the box...
• I learned how to work a shovel...
• The rice levy's in the back of his truck is where I learned that you can drive as fast backwards as you can forwards! and it meant to hold on tighter because when the breaks were stomped on you could be flung off the tool box full speed!
• I heard many a time if you didn't sit still you were going to get your testicles cut off! Meaning someone was moving the jeep or truck around when the men were trying to aim! 

• I do believe that a large portion of my work ethic was learned on the ranch with him and my dad and I know my love of working early in the morning is.

 

I am a girl that realized from a very young age in life that last is as important as firsts. I tend so savior experences, especially when I feel how special a moment or time is. I have had a lot of moments like this in his presence.

The last time I got to visit with Uncle Leroy was as usual like not missing a beat and as usual I sensed the last time and will relish that visit and hug for a lifetime....

Shann

Head Cold Sunday...

I have had a head cold since Thursday night. I am about sick of my eyes feeling like they are going to bulge out of my head. After being locked in the house all weekend I went with Chelsea to Roseville shopping. I felt pretty good most of the afternoon and then now I feel all clogged up again. 

Chelsea and I got most of our shopping done and that was nice. We found a few sweet little outfits for Samantha's baby girl. Chelsea has known Sam since she was three. I can't believe how fast these girls have grown up. Sam now lives in England, so we won't see her little Maggie any time soon but on Facebook. She is a darling little thing though :)

Now if we can get it all sent off we will be doing really well. That is what I have Chelsea for she keeps me in line and on schedule. I really love her for this :) I love shopping with her, she is such a bargain shopper.

I get to go to work in the morning. It will be the beginning of the four week count down. Funny how I count my life away. Nine days sure flew by......

Well, I am off to bed. I hope everyone had a great weekend and has a great week, Shann

2.69 a Gallon!!

Now this is something to be thankful for... Today I paid 2.69 a gallon for mid grade!! I had a dollar off a gallon gas at Raleys and drove 10 miles to get it! Chelsea says she hasn't seen me this excited is some time. I have a 24 gallon tank and only paid 60.77 to fill up today!!

I have been laid out with a head cold since Thanksgiving evening and decided I needed to move around today so Jerry had been asking to go to Target for a couple of days and I said what the heck. I went and got gas first which put me in a happy mood headache and all. We had a nice day and he got everything he needed (3 two button shirts, 1 sweatshirt, some coffee for his machine, and a hard case cover like ours for his iPhone) He was fun to spend the day with and boy did he smell good! That is a person with a stuffed head saying that so you can imagine how much cologne he had on!

The rest of my day has been on the sofa trying to wish this cold away somewhere else other than this house hold.

I hope everyone is having a great weekend. I hope to be back in just order soon.

Shann

My Morning at the Zoo...

This our little gem, the Sacramento Zoo. It is small in comparison to a lot of zoos set on only 14 acres and home to about 400 animals. The zoo was built in 1927 by the City of Sacramento and was named Sacramento William Land Zoo as it is nestled in William Land Park.

The entrance looks very much the same as when I was a child, with Fairy Tale Town right across the street. I love this little zoo and look forward to wandering around it every time I get a chance. It has an amazing volunteer group of docents that educate visitors and give the history of the animals it houses and the zoo it's self. I always enjoy a chat with one of them when I visit...

This is our female lion, she is a little on the grumpy side. They would like to breed her so they brought this handsome fella in from another zoo. She doesn't like him, he "LOVES" her... They are hoping she changes her mind, but I have to tell ya by what I see she is never going to change her mind. Can you see the wrinkles in this girls forehead? He just plain annoys her...

Can a lion get more handsome than this boy... His main is getting darker and darker and he is just plain a majestic boy. You should hear this guy roar, it is one of the greatest sounds...

She is pretty...

ROAR.... Right after this he ran and tackled the grumpy gal! That could be why she thinks he's so annoying....

We are lucky to have Orangutan at our zoo. They are my most favorite :) This gal is the mother of the other Orang you will see. The Orangutans are so soulful and beautiful in nature. When I sit and watch these animals I can only imagine what it must be like in the wild of nature for them. Apes have always been an amazingly beautiful animal to me...

This is our goofy 9 year old boy. He is a mamas boy and very manipulative. The keepers hide food around the enclosure and he lets his mother find it, have a taste and then begs for it until she gives it to him. He is a lot like a 3 or 4 year old human in maturity and about as adorable as he gets.

The strength of this boy is amazing! He can hang by just his toes and stretch out in the most amusing yoga poses. And his love for his mother is beautiful... (oh those eyes, no wonder she can't say no)

I love this girl...

Zebra hide, isn't it amazing! Look at that pattern! Just beautiful...

 

Yes I have a thing for flamingo, partly because of the vibrant color and mostly because they just stand there and let me take as many pictures as I want!

My second favorite at the zoo are our giraffes. We two types of giraffes, this boy is a Masai which is darker and doesn't have the same vibrant auburn spots as the Reticulated, his are much more brown in color. He is our youngest giraffe and he was licking his lips yesterday like he was just given honey. 

Below is one of our Red River Hogs, we have 4 of them and they remind me of Pumba on the Lion King. They have fancy long ears and rolly polly bodes. They are fun to watch and snort just like any pig...

Happy Day Everyone, Shann