Feng Shui*

So forgive the Asian blending of art form from a different culture, but the art of placement was all over the Japanese Sunken Gardens that we visited a few days ago. I can't tell you the number of times I have driven past its entrance and let my inquisitive thoughts fade en route to my originally planned destination. As luck would have it, my original Martin Luther King Jr. Day plans for a zoo trip was foiled by an overly crowded zoo so I opted for the gardens instead. The gardens are next door neighbors to the zoo and so it really was quiet convenient. Even in winter, the gardens were breathtaking. I even asked Fernando (more then half seriously) if he would like to have a home one day with a backyard like this:



(pardon the bad photos. . .iphones really don't have the best picture quality)
May be on a smaller scale, but I would love myself a little koi pond below a pagoda style back porch and a 60 foot waterfall in my backyard.

We're Back

After a year long hiatus, we have decided to renew our membership to the zoo. On our first visit back I wondered why we waited so long to return. I forgot how wonderful it is to stroll aimlessly around finding animals that look interesting, or just enjoying the ambiance of the jungle like landscape or eat lunch with flamingos. And how could I forget how fun the beach area is for the kids to play in.
With the goats to pet and brush and birds to hold,


life couldn't be any better.

*disclaimer: the goat (or horsey in Talia's vocab) adoration was limited to the children. . . .I was grateful for the washing station fully equipped with soap, running water, and hand sanitizer. Bleach was the only missing ingredient.