i make things

Minnesota Zoo Adventures: Michelle, Jack and Grace

The Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley, MN was my destination in early May. Which is, in my humble opinion, one of the really good times to head up to see the animals. They are more active because it isn't hot yet so they are more fun to observe.

Anyway, I headed up to the Zoo with my sister and her two kiddos: Michelle, Jack (9) and Grace (7).

First stop, since the Discovery Bay where you can touch sharks and sting rays wasn't open yet, was the Otters.

They are the cutest and most playful animals at the Zoo. They are so much fun to watch.

We happened upon feeding time which is always a treat. Well, a treat for us and treats for them.

I had to laugh how these two were standing the same but using the opposite foot to put on the board. They are more similar than they'd ever admit. Glad I got the chance to catch this moment.

Next we went outside and checked out the bears along the Northern Trail.

Which didn't last long for Grace because she had to go to the bathroom. Pitstop 1.

Jack decided he was going to crawl up on this ledge and then said to me, "Auntie Jen, I got up here but now how do I get down?"

At first I said, "Well, you got yourself up there, now figure out how you are going to get down."

When he gave it a try but was a bit nervous I came over and helped him find his footholds on the rock wall and made myself the official kiddo-rock-climbing-spotter.

Back to the Bears. Jack was having fun being this close to the bear.  I kept saying, "Jack, just think, you'd never be able to get this close to a live bear out in the woods." "Look at the size of his claws! They are huge!"

Itching an itchy spot.

Look at this face? Does it look like the face of a hardcore fighting bear? I don't think so.
 He looks sad...like he's saying, "Seriously people, why must you press your face against the glass and stare at me?" "Ugly humans, go away."

"Raaaaahhhhrrrrrrrr"

Nah, I kid, he's just yawning not growling at anyone...you can't really tell the difference though can you?

What about from this angle? Nope. Still looks like he's one ticked off bear.

Those are some big sharp teeth.

Okay...onward. The buffalo on the grassy range.

These guys are never close enough for me to get close-ups. They are always in the back 40 of their area. You know...now might be a good time to invest in that long range lens for my camera.

These guys are fun. You are so close you could reach out and pet them. I bet they'd gnaw your finger off if you did. The little prairie dog hole-digging menaces.

Asian Wild Horses. Aren't they cool. They look much like the Norwegian Fjords which are a halflinger horse. Very pretty and endangered. In the 1960's they were completed eradicated in the wild. As of 2014, after years of work by people, there are 500 of these beauties in their natural habitats.

Next stop, the Family Farm, which out of all the exhibits is one of the kids' favorites. This I find ironic considering we have family with farm animals that we could see any time we wanted yet the kiddos love checking out the Farm at the Zoo.

They like to feed the goats. Jack kept getting mad at this big white one because he wanted to feed the little goats instead. This guy kept nudging his head over by Jack's hand of food. I told him to go somewhere else and find a pack of smaller goats.

See, this guy's trying to take the food from the little brown goat. What a meanie.

This guy is indoors. Apparently he'd rather eat inside instead of taking food from small kids. Get it, kids? LOL Okay not really that funny. I know. LOL It made me chuckle though.

"Hey Squeak, what's up?"

He was posing for a picture from me with his sister in the back trying to photo bomb. Where do they learn this stuff?

Jack found this hill and decided to roll all the way down. "Jack fell down and broke his crown."

"and Grace came tumbling after." I couldn't help but recite that line of the children's poem.

Grace naturally followed suit.

Honestly, I was worried Grace would hurt herself or break her glasses. I hate to say it but she's a Grade A klutz. Yep, takes after her aunt. She trips over nothing just walking along. She made it about halfway down then decided that wasn't for her. Phew.

 

The Amur Tiger. We found him and he was awake. He even yawned at me once.

Then he got up and walked away.

Any time I go to the zoo this guy is lazying around. He must be bored out of his mind. He doesn't need to hunt for food they just give it to him. I feel sorry for him.

Next stop the Discovery Bay. Jack loves this the most because he can touch the sharks and sting rays.

This made me chuckle because the last time we went to the zoo he wanted nothing to do with them. He wouldn't get near them. He wouldn't stick a fingernail in. This time he was elbows deep.

He had his hand in a lot of the time hoping one would come by .

You can see a couple swimming by. One was actually close enough where he could touch the shark.

Here's a baby shark. They were the most curious and would come right up to the edge out of water. The adults would mostly swim away.

Next to the touch tank is a huge aquarium with tons of different sea life including this turtle.

and this shark! You can see him eating a piece of fish off a stick. Jack and Grace wanted to see the aquarium feeding. It was pretty neat. They feed the fish differently. The little ones they just throw in a bunch of food, the turtles they feed up top and the sharks they put food down with a pole.

The monkeys are always a riot. Today they were exceptionally interesting because a bunch of them just had little babies who are the most playful.

They fight, swing around the branches, pester their mothers, climb all over one another. I could sit there for hours just watching them and their antics.

It fascinates me, most likely because they are so similar to humans and some of their antics feels like watching my nieces and nephews playing together.

Look at this little fresh one. New as it gets. So incredibly cute.

That was it. We decided that was enough for the day. There are many more exhibits but the kids were done so it was time to go home.

My sister has a Zoo membership so we can go back anytime for free.

This guy is a stinker.

He loves making faces and doing funny things. "Would this be funny Auntie Jen?" is a common question Jack asks.

He's getting so big and looking so much older. I can barely remember him as a baby anymore. It pulls at my heart strings.

Have a wonderful day!

 

Dead Pheasant

I ran over a pheasant the other day because it just ran out in front of me. It was a hen in case you were wondering.
I didn't think anything of it because it was little and usually when you run over something little or hit a bird it just lays dead in the road or flies off into the ditch. Little did I realize that this one got jammed right underneath the license plate in the space between the bottom of the bumper and the radiator.(See the black hole thin line under the license plate. That's where it got jammed) I didn't even see it.  Isn't that hilarious! Good thing the IT guy at work did because it could have been in there until I started smelling a dead rotting bloating bird. Yuck! So I grabbed a plastic bag, grabbed it by the leg and threw it into a bag and put it in the dumpster. I just thought this story was funny because shit like this just doesn't happen everyday.

SCFF 2011 Day 3 Part 1-6

 

1| Tristan's Jr. Champion Dog Project

2| Tristan's Jr. Champion Photography

3| Tara's Clothes You Buy Outfit. I totally love this. It's too cute!

4| Tristan's Clothes You Buy Outfit

5| A Peacock feather from Tristan's project.

6| Tara's Tetanus project

7 & 8| Tristan's Star Wars Project. He got a purple on this as well. I knew this was his right away when I saw it. I thought it was cool and I looked at the name and sure enough it was Tristan. Shelly said he was super excited about taking this project. I guess sometime after I took this picture some of the legos were stolen and they had to put his project in a case. How sad is that?

 

1| A mixture of vegetables that a 4-Her took. I just love fresh veggies.

2| Organic apples. Don't they look tasty?

3| Corn on the cob with melted butter and some salt. It doesn't get much better than that.

4| Jayde's favorite. A donut burger which is basically a Krispy Kreme cut in half to make a sandwich drizzled with glaze.

5 & 6| A fine art project. From far away it looks like the U.S. Flag but look up close and it's made out of bottle caps.

7| Daniel's Fish 'n Chips. Oh yeah! did I mention they have homemade tartar sauce? If you want fish you get it here. Anyplace else you'll just be disappointed.

8| Black Forest Cupcake. psst. it has cherries in the middle, buttercream frosting and a real pitted cherry on top plus a chocolate drizzle.

1| the Human Torch! This man lights himself on fire, naturally he's wearing a flame retardant suit and jumps 30 feet or more into a pool of water. Crazy isn't it?

2-4| Divers from the Human Torch Show.

5| The Gooseman...he just walks his geese up and down the fairgrounds chatting with people as he goes. Today his geese were wearing race car ensembles. They walked ahead of him and even knew to stop when he stopped to answer people's questions.

6| me and Jayde on the Ferris Wheel

7| Some of the Gooseman's walkers

8 & 9| View of the fair from the Ferris Wheel: all of the rides and the race track and this isn't even half of the fair. You can't see all the barns or the other project buildings from these pictures or even the 4-seasons.

 
1| Went through the Hog barns a/k/a the Swine barns to see the piggies. They are usually just laying there sleeping/resting/daydreaming? I think this one is giving me the evil eye.

2| They were being judged so here is a 4-Her leading her hog back to it's pen.

3| Let sleeping hogs lie, that's my motto

4| Miniature Donkey...not as cute as Sofie though (that's Jamie's animal)

5| Little calfie...that's what Dad says

6| The whole calfie

7| Cute little Alpacas...they make some very nice wool for socks.

8| Kangaroo. Looks cute doesn't it? I think so.

9| a big beefer

10| A strange, eye-balling, llama looking at me. Kind of creepy. If this llama were a human I'd call him the creeper nieghbor who always seems to be outside when you're outside or you come home.

 
This set of pictures is everyone that I ran into during Wednesday evening that I knew and stopped to talk to. There were a handful of people that I ended up not taking their pictures though so this is only a handful of the people I talked too. LOL

1| Traci in the Horse barns.

2| Drache loitering in the Horse barns. He doesn't like it when I take his picture but I snuck this one in anyways. ha ha

3| The Albers: Brian, his Mom, Beth, Evalyn, and Brayden just getting started down by the horse barns near the campers

4| Amanda. Chatted with her, Myas and Jimmy at the 4-H Grill about her wedding pictures.

5| Michelle and Pita Sandwich down by the smoothie stand. Jack and Guy were somewhere else. LOL

6| Max, Brian and Maddie (Jayd'es cousins and uncle) Saw them by the Greek Gyro stand on the west end of the 4-Seasons.

7| Linda and Louie, our racin' buddies

8| Alan from softball. He's being a dork. LOL

9| An even bigger dork is this man...Gary Wandry. I like to pick on him...A LOT! ha ha

10| Angi and Nicki from softball. She doesn't like her picture taken either.

11| Kimmie and Thomas over by the Fine Arts building

12| little fat Korby eating...so unfortunately I couldn't pick him up and hold him and kiss him

13| Kelly playing bingo? Wait, wasn't she feeding her kid?

14| Me and Jacob the little pig-et.

15| Mom and Dad bingo-ing...I think they were supposed to be babysitting

16| Me and Jimmy, the photography pests. LOL nerds? annoyances? something like that.

 
1| red flower...a gladiola I believe

2| Sunglasses on Sunflowers...I jsut thought this was clever

3| This was beautiful and smelled so good. How can you walk past an orchid and not smell it?

4| a very colorful arrangement

5| a very full zinnia.

6| this is a hawaiian hut arrangement. this was the coolest. #3 is the top part of it photographed from the bottom

7| arrangment with some cards...you know I can't pass this up

8| an arrangement with a huge metal ant. kind of cool

9| purple gladiola. so pretty. Auntie Sheila would love this

 

SCFF 2011 Day 2 Parts 3-7

1| I picked up Jack and Gracie (my nephew and niece) from daycare at 3 p.m. so I could go and get their wrist bands before the big crowds.

2&3| We didn’t even have to wait for the wrist bands. There was nobody in line. The kids, of course, wanted to ride right away but I told them rides didn’t start until 5 p.m.

4| Cherry Hawaiian Icee (psst…I get one of them each day)

5| jack was mad at me because I didn’t get him his own icee. He said, “Auntie Jen, that’s not how it’s done.” To which I said, “Jack, I’m not buying you your own, you can share with Gracie and I.” So needless to say he was mad.

6| Gracie and I shared the icee.

7| I kept telling him if he stopped crying and acted like a big boy he could come and eat some but instead he sat beneath the picnic table and cried.

8| Finally he came around after he realized I was ignoring his tantrum but then he got mad at Gracie because, “Your hair always gets in the icee.” I was LMAO!

9| Then they both decided they wanted a piece of pizza, both Pepperoni which surprised me. I thought Jack would want Sausage.

10| Next stop real Lemonade stand. I got them each their own because they are camels and will drink the whole thing.

11| My Combo pizza. Tasty. With mushrooms and parmesan cheese

12| Jack and Gracie being good drinking their lemonade.

13| Fresh squeezed lemonades, “Just like Grandma used to make.” Says the lady who worked there.

14| Jack eating cookie dough on a stick

15| Cookie dough on a stick, it was new last year and one of my favorite things.

16| Gracie eating some cookie dough too.

 
1| A pen of three bunnies that Gracie liked and said, “Auntie Jen, take a picture of those.”

2| Tara’s tags for her champion 4-H rabbit.

3| Tara’s Florida White Champion Rabbit

4| Just a cute bunny. All white except for the nose and ears.

5| The theme of the SCFF this year

6| A rooster. He looks a big menacing

7| Gracie kept trying to stick her finger in the cage even though I told her not to. I should have let her get bit then maybe she would have figured it out.

8| I explained to the kids that this rabbit on the left was cleaning himself. He licks his paws then rubs them on his face.

9| Jack looking at the rows of bunnies, ducks, chickens, and other fowl in the Poultry Building

1| Jack and Gracie waiting, ahem, patiently, ahem, for the rides to start. They were the first in line for the Carousel which is what Gracie wanted to go on first. Jack just fell in line, which was surprising.

2| Gracie picked this huge horse to ride. She asked that I stand next to her and hold on to her but really I just stood next to her and let her ride by herself.

3| Jack picked this little guy for his horse. He didn’t look as excited as Gracie.

4| Gracie rode behind some little girl and not Jack on the 4-wheel cars

5| Jack was having fun on the cars. Look at his face.

6| The train they both love to ride on. Gracie rides in the cars and Jack likes to ride in the back.

7| Gracie and Jack on the Speedway cars. The cars whip around the corners and they just love it.

8| The fun house. Jack went on this about 3-4 times. Gracie wouldn’t go alone so Guy went with her.

 

1| Jimmy’s lightning picture that I thought should have won Grand Champion but only got a red.

2| Jimmy’s Lightning shots - blue

3| Jimmy’s Fireworks – white

4| Jimmy’s Firework snapshots – white

5| My pictures of Shelby Bucher riding games – white

6| My picture of Tara riding Diesel doing Jump Figure Eight – red

7| My Halloween mini book in Scrapbooking – white

8| My Soccer scrapbooking pages – red

9| Kim smelling the fresh cut hay…my favorite thing to do too

10| Dad’s zucchini – blue

11| Dad’s pickles (technically cucumbers until you had pickling) – white

12| Mom’s snowman made out of two pumpkins – red and grand champion

13| Mom’s scrapbooking of her new grandbabies – white

 

1| Hope butter in Culinary…they have a whole category specifically using Hope Butter.

2| A cool cake using the fair’s theme.

3| Courtney Hartle’s quilt.

4| Some decorations in the Flower building. Thought it was pretty cool.  A nice mix of old school and metal.

5| Metal corn. Sweet!

6| Dahlia. Beautiful

7| I won $5 at bingo!

8| A neat looking plant/flower…not sure. LOL but it’s cool

9| Jayde’s neighbor Scottie goofing around

10| Stella and Steely, the mascots.

 

SCFF 2011 Day 2 Part 2

1| El Sol Burrito...the only burrito to eat at the fair. Sorry to all those Grace's lovers but this burrito is better. Sorry, but it is.

2| John Deere tractor line-up (just for my Dad)

3| Strawberry smoothie. I mean, The Strawberry Smoothie. OMG it's soooo good! Yes, I focus a lot on food, but hey, I like food and part of the fair attraction is the food. duh. :)

4| 3 kids in the FFA barn. They've always got the cutest little animals.

5| Tristan's duckies (my cousin whom I affectionately call goober)

6| Camel from the camel rides. Don't you think they have lovely eyes?

7| Marc (my cousin's boyfriend) eating breakfast. Notice the two plates? Yep, he's got a breakfast burrito and biscuits and gravy. He's a good eater LMAO. He ate it all too. Wonder where he puts it? Wish I could eat like that.

8| SCFF billowing sign on top of the Horse barn. It was a nice cool but sunny breezy day. Perfect for the fair, in my mind. I'm sure some would disagree

9| Uncle Tim and Goober (see #5)

10| Aubrey on the saddle. Traci is starting her already.

11| Traci holding Aubrey on the real horse, Calvin. She didn't cry and didn't look scared. That's a good start.

12| Traci ratting out Trina's hair (Traci's friend and lives a couple miles from my house).

13| Marc feeding aubrey some food. He's a natural at it. This picture makes me smile.

SCFF 2011 Day 2 Part 1

1| Marc-y-pooh resting in the chair...he was tired. He took the day off to watch Traci

2| Traci and Calvin in Halter. So sharp looking, if you ask me and you could say I'm biased because she is my cousin and I love her or you could say I'm right because I know what I'm talking about or you could just say I'm full of crap. I think I'll go with the first two choices. LOL

3| Traci sticking her tongue out at me, well, because she can and she probably got sick of smiling at me and my camera. LOL

4| Traci cleaning Calvin up for his big spotlight in Halter

5| Traci riding the western saddle in the barn because everyone else who came to watch her had stolen her chair...so she just made her own chair to sit on. I love that!

6| Traci and Calvin waiting in the wings...well in the ring for their chance. Ahem...he's handsome and she's so cute. :)

7| Lining up

8| Keeping an eye out for the judge.

9| Traci and Trina, side by side.

SCFF 2011 Day 1 Part 3

1| Traci and Trina getting their stalls ready for the Open Horse Show.

2| Calvin's stall, that's Traci's horse. Trina made the nameplate out of foam board and painted it blue with polka dots. I made the pictures for the picture frame and Trina and Traci put up the decorations.

3| Gracie working her way to petting the sheep.

4| Tristan, his mohawk and his bunny getting judged.

5| Tristan and his bunny

6| Jamie, her toy bunny (which is really Aubrey's) and Tara with her real bunny.

7| A florida white rabbit

8| The big bad wagon full of bunnies.

9| Tara showing her florida white

10| Gracie checking out the sheep.

SCFF 2010 - Day 7

Just thought I'd post some pics of last year's fair....just to get your mouth watering for this fair...if you're into that sort of things. Fairs, that is. LOL

LtoR,TtoB: 1. Old Man "aka lady" driving the mini stagecoach. This one was my favorite. 2. Close up of the dog catcher's catch 3. The dual rings of the draft wedded pair 4. Stagecoach passenger 5. old fashioned couple of ladies driving with a pony 6. The dog catcher and his set up 7. one of my other favorites just because the hilarity of the dress-up and comparison. Old lady hat on a huge draft horse with blow up rainbow thingy...with wife-beater wearing hairy man LOL 8. the wedded pair 9. the mini stagecoach! hey buddy you gonna use that shotgun?

1. Jayde yapping on the phone 2. Auntie Sheila looking a big crazy with those red-tinted glasses under the tent taking a rest break. 3.Kimmie and one of her favorite foods...a strawberry smoothie. 4. Tristan coping a drink of Kimmie's smoothie. 5. The cutest couple at the fair. Ryan Prestegard and Crystal Pfieffer 6. Nick looking surly at the Draft show...he's helping the Pittman's. 7. Tara looking a bit crazy...it's been a long week. 8. Crystal giving me the business LOL. 8. Kim coping a feel of Thomas's tush. 9. Tristan the little runt.

1. Unicorn hitch. All of the feet are up at the same time. Precision. 2. Another view fromthe backside. Pittman's Percherons have a sign hanging on their Stall door. It's very simple but perfect. 3. Herb won grand champion for halter. He's a beauty. 4. Marc driving the team with Emma, his sister, helping out. 5. Marc and one of his horses. 6. Emma. 7. Nick helping out. They even gave him a shirt. 8. Marc and Emma driving the team. Their wagon is so pretty and simple.

Village of Yesteryear: 1. Old hats 2. Jayde sitting in the back of the old school house. I think he would have gotten beat with a stick. 3. Butter was 15 cents a pound...now it's like $5 a pound for Hope butter. 4. An old horse show...they still do it the same way. LOL That hasn't changed. 5. Owatonna map 6. Old John Deere tractor (Dad is probably drooling looking at this.) 7. Old soap...never heard of this. 8. Eggs in an old carton 9. A sketch of the old schoolhouse that's in the schoolhouse LOL 10. Arithmatic books 11. The old church where my Grandpa was baptized. Old Saco Church 12. Some old cannisters in the Grocery store. I think they are sweet. I remember my Grandmother used to have some. Ahhh nostalgia.

The Demolition Derby! It was sweet this year! 1. A knocked over car. 2. Bump 3. Bam 4. A sweet heavy machine that just picked them up and hauled 'em out. Pretty slick 5. FIRE!!! There were a bunch of fires! Sweet! 6. CRASH! 7. Backed up into the side. 8. Firefighters putting out the flames! 9. Boom

Tucker is Dead

Someone ran over my Dog today. Well, technically he isn't really "my" dog he is Chris's but I claim him because he lives at the same house I do.

Someone at like 4 a.m. ran him over. Mom heard it that's how I know. They didn't stop, leave a note or anything...in fact I think they did it on purpose. I think they swerved to purposely hit my dog because he was chasing their car. I know this because his back-end was caved in...telling me that if he runs along side them...which is normal, they could jerk their bumper quickly to the right and hit him...Why would someone do this? Because a mutt farm dog was chasing their car for a 1/4 mile or 1/2 mile at most? Because they were drunk or high? Because they are assholes!

That was not the thing I wanted to wake up to this morning. I have to go outside and get him off the road. He was heavy too because he was a big dog and stiff as a board.

I'm so pissed off. Seriously, who hits a dog? Please don't say that he chased cars and deserved to get hit or it could happen. Please. He has been chasing cars for years and never does he run out in front of one. He always runs close to the ditch besdies them. I know this because I've seen it and you can see the dog tracks.

Here's what I want to say to this person...who killed my dog! "You are a piece of S*&T. I hope you can't sleep at night although if you kill innocent dogs you probably don't give a crap and sleep like a baby anyways. You are a jerk, an f'in pile of dog sh*T." I want to add some more expletives but I just can't right now. I'm ticked.

SCFF Day 6 Part 1

Day 6 at the fair was spent mostly down at the Horse Arena watching and helping with the Draft Show. I announced for the first couple of classes then helped out in the announcers booth for awhile.

Nick and Emma showing 2-horse draft wagon.