We Are Deep In the Heart of Texas

Nomadic seasons of farming adventures with nature thrown in to include; a pinch of family, snippets of friends, counting our blessings, paying IT forward, home school, and the spicy things I decide to rant about.















Showing posts with label San Antonio Zoo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label San Antonio Zoo. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Celebrating 100! With A Zoo Day

Zephyr has been working overtime to learn his sight words. Each morning, we read his primary books and practice using flash cards to reinforce sounding out words.

Well his dad told him, we will go to the Zoo once you hit a 100.

 GUESS WHAT! Last Friday Zephyr made the cut off; I love the dangling carrot to ensure he works towards a educational goal that is meaningful to all of us.
San Antonio does not advocate texting and driving. Awesome!
We got a kick out of this billboard.
It was already shaping up to be a hot day. Zephyr tested the temps first. 
Dad got a boo boo! First Aid was called to clean up this scrap by a stub that was not removed from too close to the sidewalk. 
This kind employee gave him a cold soda while we were waiting. Nice people at the zoo. Then of course we always head to the reptile house; seems our boys love reptiles. (I wonder from who they got that glitch in their personality.)
Green Mamba, we could watch this fiesty snake all day. 

 Cobra
These Geckos were as long as my hand; about 6 inches.
Felt sorry for this bullsnake in with the western diamondback rattler. But for the average lay person to see a bullsnake next to a diamondback is a good thing.  For lots of peeps will kill a snake thinking it is venomous. We don't practice the killing of snakes just because they are venomous.

 Do you see the flamingo in the middle - take note of it standing/sleeping on its knees?
Did I tell you that is was hot? Already in the 90s with high humidity by noon.  
 I was thinking of Melodie (Laughing Duck Farm's avatar here.)
We got a kick out of this jungle fowl cock, following Saenz's every move.  
 Have you ever seen one of these Vulturine Guinea Fowl?  This was our first time.
 The San Antonio Zoo has several American Bald Eagles because they were wounded and lost a wing due to somebody shooting them.  This stately and curious bird is part of a breeding program.  Very sad way for such a beautiful bird to live out its life instead of in the sky.
 The boys and I got a kick out of looking the different types of bird's eggs and nests.  Amazing the variety that birds possess.

 Zephyr in the petting zoo.

 Our boys inside the lory exhibit.  These are some noisey little critters who eat nectar and soft fruits -- and they do bite / try to remove shiny objects like hair clips.
 Just before Zephyr and I went into the Butterfly Garden.  This is where Zephyr and I could spend many hours if not for Dad and Saenz waiting for us. LOL

(Our own painted lady catepillars are just entering the pupa stage.  We will post updates for ya'll tomorrow.)
 
Now this Atlas Moth, was our special find this trip.  These moths get really large with the females having up to a 12 inch wing span.  If you look closely, each wing tip has a 'image' of a snake -- to ward off predators.  Also we learned these beautiful creatures only live a few weeks, do not eat, and have no mouth parts.  Did you know farmers consider some butterfly (catepillar stage) species a pest that cause crop damage?  Who knew but, know we understand why only certain butterfly catepillars are for sale for educational purposes.

Overall, our trip was a wonderful day! Thank you Dad for taking a day off to spend learning new things with us.  So we are off to enjoy a second day with Dad home. Whoop! Talk to ya'll tomorrow.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

63 The Number On Our Thermostat This Morning

HOLEY MOLEY BATMAN,  I guess we had no clue the weather was supposed to dip down as it was going to..........brrrrrrrrrr!  We have been uber busy with hubby being home for the Veteran's Day weekend.
(Can you see his hands on the steering wheel?)
Hubby had to complete an annual check up and this year he went to Otto Kaiser in Kennedy; that took more than half of Friday.  So Lisa, stayed home with the boys and they played video games and cleaned up the house which was a wonder gift.  Thank You Missy!

On Saturday, we took a road trip to the San Antonio Zoo.  Hubby wanted to see for himself how the zoo has been almost totally refurbished.  In the last two decades, the zoo was basically an eye sore compared to other zoos we have taken the family to visit.  NOT ANYMORE!
The zoo now has a Komodo dragon exhibit which is large.  The lighting makes him appear red in color but, he is not. 
 The juvenile was quiet interested in following my movements around his enclosure. Can you feel his intelligence?
Here it looks like he wants a kiss goodbye! LOL
Do you see the butterfly's probiscus?  I think it is really cool to watch this amazing creatures.  The zoo has a butterfly house which, you do have to pay an additional $1.50 to enter per person but, so worth it in my opinion.  Zephyr adores them as much as I do this time Lisa went in with us.  I will be getting the boys a butterfly growing kit as a science project.


So far, Zephyr is able to identifly swallowtails, bamboo, and now Blue Morpho (above).   
These two were drinking from the same flower.
We found this little green anole sharing the butterfly house. 
 (At least, I think it was an anole)
The fellow is a TOMISTOMA or a false gharial and comes from Malaysia, Indonesia.  The exhibit sign says this creature was born in captivity which is a major advance for a zoo.  KUDOS!
Now, I have no idea what species this lizard is.  Do ya'll know?  The exhibit was crowded with teenagers and I took this picture over their heads.  Then I beat feet out because they were so loud. Poor guy looks like he is sucking heat from the vent though or is also trying to get away from the noise. 

There is a Discovery Center for small children to play and explore.  It is nice and has many activities for children five and under.  As Zephyr was fishing; Lisa and I watched this Alligator Gar follow us because we were sitting on the floor in front of his tank.  I think the gar is hungry; I wonder if they would prefer tartar sauce and lemon? :O)
The Discovery center has a prairie dog exhibit childen can crawl through and be close to these little diggers.  
RED RIVER HOGS Sunning themselves.

This wart hog boar was quiet the protestor, I am guessing he wanted to share the tunnel.  His tusk grinding sounded like a motor boat engine.
This is the Landlord or Lunch tunnel exhibit leading to the answer for yesterdays question.  NAME THIS SURFACE.
You were looking at Hippo Hiney through glass and close up!

Saturday, November 13, 2010

NAME THIS SURFACE IF YOU DARE :O)

I will be back to see how your educated guesses go! LOL
We have been busy since, hubby has been off since Veterans Day.  I will add more pictures tomorrow of our adventures.

Friday, October 29, 2010

San Antonio Zoo -- Wonderful Day














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This weekend, we are taking the boys to some surrounding area fall festivals. YEAH!  We love being outside in the fall.
THANKS SOBRINA and family; we had a great time.