Saturday, October 1, 2011

so much to see and zoo

zThe family was ready to go. 8:30am on a Saturday. To the zoo we headed and began to second guess the decision as we drove the 25 minute commute in a cold drizzle. But as Charlie started to nod off in the car we decided to persevere. If nothing else the boys were done bickering and Chad and I had a few minutes of peace. Yet, it was the best decision we made that day. We arrived to a hint of sunshine, front row parking and a morning of very few people and plenty of animals. It was like a private viewing of the zoo. I've never seen such activity from the elephants, polar bears, or giraffes. They were clearly enjoying the colder temps, damp air and lack of screaming children not quieted by their exhausted parents.

BUT, for the first time in all the years I've been to the zoo, I wasn't as interested in the animals as I was in the botanical gardens. Oh, right, hence the name Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens. Within the acknowledgement of the latter portion of its formal identification was an entirely different perspective for me. I was in awe. I stopped snapping photos of the kids because the plants became seemingly more photogenic. Well, at least they stayed in one place long enough for the shutter to open and close. The hibiscus were in full bloom. Mine aren't. It must be magic. The elephant ear plants were endless. I wonder what it takes to make those survive because I think they'd fit in nicely amongst my knockout roses. *Google alert. The cannas and begonias and all the other names I've forgotten. Unbelievable. Just the right colors. Just the right fill. And it all seemed so easy. I don't remember a time watching someone water or prune. How do they do it? It's become my own personal mission to find out.









So momma gets to wonder and gawk and eventually educate myself about what makes this place so incredible and the kids get some extra quality time at the zoo. Thank god we're members and can now go anytime.  I'll need to drag Omama along because she'll be able to give me the knowledge I crave about these plants. And if she doesn't know, Oma will. Last resort will always be Google.

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