Busy Tuesday

53º now at 8:15 am Wednesday with predicted high of 75º here in La Feria, TX

Photo at Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas.  L to R - Toni Frith, Lynn Miles, Deanne Messer, John Beaupre, Phyllis Miles, Marion Finken, Ardel Finken, Patty Steckelberg, Claire Beaupre, Kathy Connelly, Bill Connelly, Mike Banken, Maryjo Banken, Dick Messer, Lillian Witt, Cissy Knudsen, Jerry Witt, Bob Knudsen, Susie Martin & Bill Martin.

Drove over by the Messer's and  then they followed us the 33 or so miles to Brownsville and the Gladys Porter Zoo.  We didn't ride together since I knew I would have to leave before the end of the Zoo presentation to drive the 60 miles back northwest to McAllen, TX to be at a 2:00 PM Men of A-Chord Barbershop Chorus practice.  Phyllis was in charge of the 20 of us from Kenwood on this tour.

First thing we had orange juice and coffee with Pan Dulce
(Sweet Bread/Rolls)

This is the group gathering for the photo taken by Zoo official
at the top of this blog.

I have forgotten the guide's name, but he was very, very knowledgeable about everything
to do with the zoo and all the animals in it -- including their history, treatments of injured animals,
the interchange between the Zoos in the US, and about everything. 

We are near the perimeter fence, behind buildings where animals
are worked with.

Our pass

Feeding celery to a tortoise 

Feeding celery to a tortoise - they recommended not holding on
to the celery when you had less than half the stalk in your hand.

Patty feeding celery to a tortoise

Don't remember the ages, but seems like one was over 80 years old.

Spent some time with Kangaroos and were given a lot of
interesting facts about them by a lady.

They lady explaining the kangaroos while they were being
fed Lead Tree branches.  A group of Kangaroos is called a Mob

I ham holding branch at left and Phyllis at right.  The little guys would
hold onto the branch with their front paws and keep quite a grip, in case you
were going to pull it away from them.

There were 7 adult giraffes and one young one.

Phyllis feeding a giraffe  Huisache
 (pronounced Wee-sochee) leaves 

Patty feeding a giraffe

The young giraffe is in the right-center of this photo.

Some of these photos are out of sequence, but show some more of what we saw.

In the "gallery" above the kangaroos

Looking down on the kangaroos

Some of our group as we were coming out of the tortoise pen
(Tortoises are land based and turtles are water animals)

More of the group listening about tortoises

One of two different types of  Flamingos they have in the zoo.

I took many photos and we heard a lot of interesting history and explanation of the animals that have been on the nearly extinct list for a long time.  Fortunately they did not have a test when we were done.

At noon we were treated to a nice lunch.

After lunch our guide presented talk on several animals.

I left about 12:40 and drove the 60 miles, stopping at our house on the way, and made it to my Barbershop Chorus practice by 2 pm in McAllen.  Phyllis & Patty rode back to Kenwood with Dick & Deanne Messer.

Patty is getting used to the 3-wheel bike I picked up last week and seems to be enjoying it.

GROANER’S CORNER:((  Mrs. Applebee, the 6th grade teacher, posed the following problem to one of her classes: "A wealthy man dies and leaves ten million dollars. One-fifth is to go to his wife, one-fifth is to go to his son, one-sixth to his butler, and the rest to charity. Now, what does each get?" After a very long silence in the classroom, Little Johnny raised his hand.
The teacher called on Little Johnny for his  answer.  With complete sincerity In his voice, Little Johnny answered, "A lawyer!"
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The bridegroom, who was in a horribly nervous condition, appealed to the clergyman in a loud whisper, at the close of the ceremony:  "Is it kisstomary to cuss the bride?"  The clergyman replied: "Not yet, but soon."
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On a rural road a state trooper pulled this farmer over and said: "Sir, do you realize your wife fell out of the truck several miles back?"   To which the farmer replied: "Thank God, I thought I had gone deaf!"
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I should confess that these "Groaner's Corner articles are copied from an interesting blog I follow written by a Canadian that winters in Arizona The Bayfield Bunch. Click here to his site

Later, Lynn