The ZOO

 At the tail end of September, the same day as the Bug Fair, we packed up the kids again and drove for an hour to visit a newly discovered gem, T&D's Cats of the World.  It's an animal refuge and it was a BLAST.

 

Caption Contest!  Do amuse me.

Yes, it is sucking its thumb.

Photo-less note for posterity: Jarett saw a monkey with a flaming red behind.  He very LOUDLY (several times) referred to him as "Red Buns".

 

Little known fact: my mom was once bitten by an emu.

  Wolves

 Turn up your speakers!!!  This was really cool.

It wasn't hard to figure out why no one wanted these guys at the zoo they came from.

Not the most impressive roar I've ever heard.  Sounds more like hairball issues, or maybe a Mingledorff clearing their throat.  But still.

Another caption contest opportunity here!

I LOVE tigers.

 I'm telling ya, the way to get the most out of animals at a zoo is to go when it's not hot, and to take very young kids with you.  Everywhere we went, the big cats would follow Miles and Jarett with their eyes, showing great interest in what looked like an easy meal.  Made this mama nervous.

  The lionesses were no different.  Here they are stalking their would-be prey.

 Me: "Jarett, don't get too close.  Geese like to bite sometimes."

{an unheeded warning, a camera click, and a few seconds later}

Jarett: "AAAAAAHHH!!!!!"

That dadvern thing stretched its head out and bit my baby's lip.  If there hadn't been people near us I'd have tied a knot in its neck.