Working Backwards...Peonies and A Walk at the Lake

Okay, I'll admit it, it's really on the cusp of June 7th...11:49pm on June 6th to be exact and I'm cheating.  The past 8 weeks of our lives has flown by and there's so much fun to share!  So while this post is dated in May to represent the correct sequence of events...my secret is out.  And since we're due to move in a week, don't be surprised if I don't finish this last month until next month!

My peonies were especially beautiful this year.  These plants are yielding the kinds of flowers that would make my mom transplant these suckers to a new house.  But I'm not gonna do that.  Instead I cut off practically every flower, and I had three weeks worth of giant bouquets.  Every morning I would walk into the living room and breathe in their fragrance...amazing! 

One day I convinced Mitchell to take a walk over at the lake that he was not so eager to do.  It lasted about 20 minutes but it was a nice break and there were pretty flowers...

 

the geese were just hatching their babies and we got to meet some of the new families...

More fun from May to follow...

You asked for it...

Okay Mitchell, don't be angry with me when you're a budding teenager and look back on this post...you did this yourself, I'm just here to tell about it.  I've tried (and I honestly have to say that I think you did a pretty good job yourself) of keeping the private parts private...but when I leave you with shorts on to grab my camera and return to find this, well...like I always say, if you're not afraid to show it, then others shouldn't be afraid to look!! 

And oh, these feet...these feet I have rubbed, these feet I have loved...

those perfect little feet.

I love you my little man-my dream come true. 

That may embarrass you more than the nakedness...and that's just fine.

My lovely sunset...oh how I will miss you...

Last Visit to the Columbus Zoo...with Nema

We were blessed to have a visit with Nema just 2 weeks before we moved.  The three of us took a trek to the zoo for one last time before leaving Ohio...and oh was it great!!  Not only did Mitchell basically get an up close and personal showing at the zoo's Animals Encounters Village, but we also got to visit the new Polar Frontier which was phenomenal...the polar bears were in full show and it was literally, almost breathtaking.  To have a polar bear swimming just 5 or so feet above our heads and catching fish with it's claws was just something I knew I wouldn't see many other places in the world, that is, unless I decided to go deep water incognito in the north pole.  Which by the way, I've postponed since this exhibit came about...no need really.

Of course any good family visit starts off with a bucket of goldfish crackers, bourbon slushies, and hang out time on the deck...

My two loves...

Here we go at the zoo...this is Warren the Flamingo.  Very sexy.

Then we moved onto black snakes from our Ohio region (I've seen one or two of these around the hood)

I think this tortoise's name was Louise.  And if that wasn't her name then it should be...because it's a perfect name for a tortoise.  She was found on Route 161 just east of Columbus.  God Bless her...

Captivated by the show...

Oh good God not another goat...

Okay here we go......pacing, pacing, pacing..........

Almost ready.....

target in sight...heeeerrrrree, fishy, fishy........

Ready, GO!!!

I can honestly say that I've never had a polar bear on top of me before now...but it was fantastic!

They had an amazing polar bear playground outside the exhibit complete with huge plastic/rubber/foam ice chunks!  Mitchell could have played there the whole day!

My favorite...the flying foxes!!!

and my annual picture of Mitchell atop the brass elephant...what am I going to do next year without this???

"YOU GOTTA BE SILLY, GOOSE"

That's what my little man always says to me these days...he picked it up from me.  This goose was our lunch buddy...actually, it was a lunch thief.  It stole everything right out of our hands!  But she (he?) is kinda cute.

The train ride...always a fave of Bubba's.

Thank you Nema...for making our last visit to the Columbus Zoo such a special one!  We love you!