Yesterday was a sunny, cool day here in Portland, and Grandpa Nelson and I headed off to the Zoo. Being a school day, there were only a few people there, which is my favorite number of people at the Zoo!
The animals were all out and about, though. This North American River Otter was enjoying his new toy. The hanging bucket had toys that the otter wanted, and the raft he needed to use to get them kept floating….
It was a testament to persistance!
These giraffes were in separate enclosures, but still found a way to chat over the wall. I couldn’t hear anything, but they had a nice time, anyway.
What kept catching my eye was the early afternoon light. Through the trees or bouncing off surfaces, it was bright and magical.
Shadows were everywhere! This one is me with some of the decorations for ZooLights that are being installed for the winter.
One the way home, I noticed this sign in the train station for the first time. The train station is WAAAAY deep under the Zoo, and this sign shows why, except in an emergency, you should take the elevator.
Auntie Bridgett worked all day at the SideStreet Gallery today, so Grandpa Nelson and I went to the Portland Zoo, taking the number 15 bus and Red Line train. Of course, we have been to the zoo with Cousins Jasper and Kestrel, but going with just grown ups is a whole different experience. We were like our own island of calm in a sea of chatting, fussing, small people.
Masai Giraffe
It was a perfectly Portland fall day, cool and cloudy but not raining. The animals were mostly up and about and, since I had no children to keep track of, I could really enjoy the critters.
On our way to the giraffes, which are Grandpa Nelson’s favorites, we stopped at the Columbus monkey enclosure. There was quite a crowd watching the new baby, sitting on a branch with his mom and learning to handle branches. His balance was precarious and every time the branch shifted, the crowd gasped. After a few minutes the father came over, and the baby became much less adventurous, seeming to keep Momma between himself and Big Dad.
Baby Colobus monkey keeps an eye on Dad
The giraffes were delightful, walking elegantly around their enclosure, or leaning gracefully down for a drink. Grandpa Nelson says he likes them because they are quiet.
Having no children to keep track of, I got to watch everyone else’s. This was a zoo-going experience, too, watching this species of small human interact. I loved seeing the kids play with Jim Gion’s bronze sculpture group called Lunch Break, especially this little guy trying to be a cub.
Cubs
It was also fun to see older siblings explain things to little brothers and sisters. “See this snake? See how you are red? He can tell you’re not a rock, so he can eat you!” And, on cue, the little brother squeals.
Heat sensing snake
Something I had never seen was an elephant enjoying a swim in the big pool. A keeper was fielding questions and telling us all about elephants, while we watched this giant animal duck and squirt in the water like you do in your bathtub. I imagine it’s about has hard to get him out, too, when it is time!
We noticed that the zoo is already getting ready for Zoo Lights, a wonderful night event held in December where the zoo is open very late and all the trees are lit up, and animals made of neon tubes glow and move. It takes weeks to take the lights down after the holidays, more time to refurbish them, and then another few months to put them all back up. But it is a delightful, if chilly, outing that we will certainly do again this year.
Getting ready for Zoo Lights
By the afternoon we were worn out and got back home for snacks and naps, because we had a date for the evening, as well. Auntie Katie’s book store, Books with Pictures, was sponsoring a showing of the 1984 movie, “Supergirl”, at the Hollywood Theater. I had never seen it, since in 1984 I was up to my eyeballs raising your Daddy David and Auntie Katie.
It was exciting to see Katie in her element, sharing her love of comics with a theater full of people. The movie wasn’t fabulous, but it did feature three strong female characters: Supergirl, Lucy Lane (Lois’s younger sister) and the villain, Selena, played by Faye Dunaway in all her evil glory. We enjoyed the silly camp and headed home, totally worn out.
Auntie Katie presenting SuperGirl
For being retired, I am certainly not bored! As my dad always said, “If you’re not having fun, it’s your own darn fault.”
