Shiny Otters & Little Butterfly-Murdering Hands

We weathered the spring rains to spend some much needed time at the zoo on Sunday. We hit the indoor places: the Butterfly Garden, the River Otter exhibit, Amphibiville, and the ever smelly Penguinarium.

This is the first time I really noticed Brooke getting into the animals, which made it a very fun trip. She loved running around and looking at everything, and of course making a fishy pucker-mouth when she saw the fish swimming. She got a little overzealous a few times, once grabbing a very beautiful and expensive-looking butterfly (it had to be "put down" I think) and later trying to swim in the fountain. But it was all in the name of exploration and learning.

"What do you mean I can't swim in there, Daddy?"

Once again the otters foiled every attempt on my part to get a good picture of them. They are so fast, and shiny and unpredictable that it's downright impossible to get a focus lock on them as they play and frolic in the water. How incredibly rude.

But they are always entertaining, and even more so this time: we walked in on a sort of domestic disturbance among the mated pair. It seems the lady of the house likes to nap in the daytime, as most otters do. But the gentleman was very frisky and wanted to play. He kept trying to awaken his good lady as she slept inside her hollow log, and eventually she became angered and snarled at him. Now, this male, being typical of all males in his aversion to taking hints, kept at it and kept getting pwned by his good lady as we watched in extreme amusement.

A chilly reception

"Get out, and STAY out!"