Rat Race

Some filler until we get to central Michigan late this afternoon. We took Madeleine to the zoo last Saturday. The St. Louis Zoo might be the best in the country, although San Diego has its fans.

So what did we find? A dinky show in the children's area featuring a mouse walking along a meter of rope, through a little box with an inexplicable dollar sign. A depressed macaw (pardon the anthropomorphization). A loitering sea lion. And Ellie herself, emerging from a fake hollow log, clutching her old, tattered lambie. (Thanks again, Auntie Virginia!)        

Sea Lions Can Play Frisbee

Amazing but true. The trainer in the purple jacket flipped the frisbee to this sea lion, who caught it easily in its mouth.  Then, on command, it flung it into the crowd in the amphitheater. 

It's a performance but the sea lions seem to enjoy it. Feeding time was a little before the show and visitors got a preview.  It's amazing what some creatures will do for a slimy little fish.         

The Best Zoo In America

Is the St. Louis Zoo, according to a recent poll conducted by that esteemed journal, USA Today. Last year it was named the best free attraction in America. It is! A little bump in our real estate taxes keeps the zoo, art museum and history museum free to everyone.

Frankly, we deserve the title. The community has made a huge investment in it since our kids were small and the place is transformed. Our family spent the day there yesterday, mostly for the benefit of you-know-who.

We could not have ordered a better spring day from Amazon. It was almost impossible to choose among all the great shots of Madeleine on the carousel so I may have to edit a bunch more and put them on Flickr. And the children weren't the only good portrait subjects.

The Cardinals' opening day rally is this afternoon. Looks like I'll have enough material for awhile.