A visit to the ZOO

For some time now we had been talking about visiting the Zoo and decided, as Lori's birthday was on Sept 19, we would make a day of it and go to Assiniboine Park and do the Zoo, English Garden and the Leo Mol garden.   The 19th turned out to be a bit on the windy side and instead decided to go to a movie and dinner with friends.  The next day turned out to be as perfect a fall day as you could wish for.  No wind, sunny skies with temps around 20 degrees.  Perfect for a walkabout.  
It had been many years since I last went to Assiniboine park although Lori had been there on a few field trips with her school.  There have been numerous improvements to the Park in the past few years and I was interested to see some of the new displays.  
We were not disappointed. 




The Australian Walkabout exhibit consisted of a number of Kangaroos although the only activity we observed is what you see in these pictures.  They too were enjoying the sunny warm day.  


There were also a couple of Emus' however they were a bit shy and I didn't get any good pics.













The butterfly house was well past its prime due to the lateness of the season.  There were only a few mature butterflies left and the remaining chrysalis, which are shipped in from different parts of the world, are not expected to unfold into butterflies.  

Owl Butterfly

No butterflies in this pic.  Simply a beautiful flower

The Dinosaur exhibit is at the Zoo until the end of October.  There are motion sensors placed next to the animal so when you approach they will move and roar.  I wonder how close these replicas are to the actual dinosaur that roamed the earth so many  million years ago. 

This is an excellent exhibit to take the kids and grandkids to.

Now back to real animals.

I'm sure he was looking right at me

These guys are so big.  Glad there was a big fence between us. 

This guy was cleaning the seal swimming pool.  The 2 girls were quite intrigued.  Wonder if he ever gets in the Polar Bear pool by mistake.  Would only happen once.

I used to be able to eat anything.  Now this is how I feel after too many carbs. 

He looks so happy.  I'm sure he is smiling at me. 

Bear butt.  Even his junk is covered in fur.  

Size 18, EEE

These 2 spent the whole time we were there play fighting in the water.  Very entertaining

This guy was in the tropical house.  Looks like he's having one of those bad hair days. 

Does't look happy.  Kind of scowles like Trump except this guy has better hair, feathers actually.  Come to think of it, Trump has more of a pouty look.   

Shooting through the fence enclosure makes it difficult getting a good shot. Not a feather out of place. 

This is the Duck pond.  Sure have cleaned this up since the last time I was here.  The Qualico restaurant next door is where we had lunch.  Great meal. 

English Garden.  Still lots of colour, especially considering its Sept 20.  Have to get back next year in peak season. 

English Garden

Leo Mol Garden

Leo Mol Garden.  Sculpture of Moses in an idyllic setting

Leo Mol Garden.  Lady, just behind the sculpture, found a very peaceful place to read her book

Leo Mol Garden

No one designed this.  Just a tree with bark peeled away exposing the wood beneath.

Leo Mol Garden.  Lilly pads in pond.  Interesting reflections and colours

Leo Mol Garden.  Lilly pads in pond.  Perhaps my favourite.  Looks like a big butterfly in the centre.  Actually is part of the plant. 

Thats it.  Sorry for all the pics.  Kind of got carried away.  We definitely will have to get back next year, perhaps a few times to take in the different seasons.  Really impressed with the improvements made to the Park.  The new animal enclosures are much bigger and more humane.  Nice to see.  

Our plans are to be in Winnipeg till Oct 8th.  Going to winterize the trailer and head up to Swan River for 10 days or so to visit with Lori's mom.  Then back here for a couple days and hook up and head south about the 20th of October.  

Later. 

A walk along Duffs Ditch and Manyfest

Been awhile since I have done any updates but its cold, windy and raining in sheets so lots of time today for blogging.  At last report we were finishing up our Clear Lake trip and since then we have settled in at Town & Country RV Park which is situated in the shadows of Tinkertown and Fun Mountain Water Slides.  Our trailer will stay here until we head south for the winter on October 20. 

Other than a week in early September visiting with Lori’s mother we have been puttering around Winnipeg and tracking construction progress on our house.  Its interesting driving by every week to see what they have accomplished.  As of Sept 23 the drywall is up and they will be mudding and taping next week.  The stone front is done and the final coat of stucco was pretty much finished on Friday afternoon.  We had a tour last week and found a few issues which will be fixed next week.  We couldn't get over how small the interior looks.  Almost seems like we lost a few hundred sq feet but we have been in other homes at  the drywall stage and once all the finishings are in its amazing how much bigger the rooms look.  We are waiting for the final word but looks like we will be taking possession in early April and they will be using the house in the Spring Parade which will be kind of weird as hundreds of people will see our house before us.  After living in a 300 sq ft trailer for 8 months I'm sure the house at 1400 sq ft will seem huge.  

Our unit consists of the garage, front door and the next 2 windows.  The last set of windows on the right is for the next unit.

A few weeks back we attended Manyfest.  A street festival adjacent to the Manitoba Legislature.  This is our first time attending and it was a pleasant way to spend the afternoon.  Lots of entertainment, a farmers market and more food trucks than I could count.  

Manitoba Legislature

Thats Lori standing next to the Pillar.  Had to do a bit of cropping so that she was visible.  Lori wanted to use the washrooms which entailed going through a metal detector, having her purse searched, providing personal ID info and getting a pass card so she could get past the front lobby of the Legislature.  I waited at the front door. 

Those pillars are big

Food trucks lined up and down Memorial Blvd. 

After a month in the trailer it was time Charli had a bath.  Petvalu has some self-serve wash bays which work quite well and are only $11. and they supply everything. 

We have been walking Charli around the campground however that has become a bit tedious and the drive to Birdshill Park is a bit of a hike.  We found the closest access point to the Duff Roblin Parkway Trail and have been going there for some of our walks.  While the scenery is pretty boring it does allow us to let Charli run. 

The trail runs for 44 KM from Lockport to the floodway gates south of Wpg.  

Campers Special was a bit before my time

Some local artists have tried to pretty up the landscape

We have a rail line running about 1/2 mile from our campground and it is pretty much nonstop trains day and night.  Amazing how quickly we have got used to the noise and train whistles.  Good thing cause there is a rail line running right through Oakbank and less than 1/2 mile from our new house. 

Found this huge mushroom growing out of an old tree stump.  Will be interesting to see how big it gets before the first frost.  Can you believe it.  Sept 25 and we haven't had frost yet.    

 

Thats it for now.  Next stop the Zoo.  

Later.