We spent a delightful couple of days this weekend enjoying animals as a family. Maggie's class took a field trip to Louisville zoo today, and we all went along. It was a cool, overcast day - perfect for wandering around with a bunch of kindergardeners. It was our first time to this zoo, and they pack a lot into a small space - which brought out the ambivalence I (Sean) feel about zoos. I love being able to see animals I would probably never ever get to see otherwise, but recognize that most are crammed into a concrete and steel structure that surely cannot feel like home, even to those that were born there. Still, the animals today were very lively - giraffes see-sawing around their enclosure, penguins diving and swimming, a very friendly orangutan and a siberian tiger that roared as we approached - a quite terrifying sound when you're not expecting it, the deep bass rumble at the end reverberating around in our chests. Maggie and Seth had a big time with their friends, and we enjoyed leisurely conversation with other parents.
On Saturday, a truly glorious spring day, we went to the Bluegrass Sheepdog trials and watched dog and owner work together on a lush, green canvas of rolling hills. It's felt like a huge gift to have two full days of outdoor time together, and seeing the beauty of creation expressed in so many ways filled us deeply.
Hopefully this brief entry signals a return to updating our blog a little more often - watch this space!
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about us
- The Gladdings in Lexington
- Sean, bald Englishman. Rebecca, beautiful Illinoian. Maggie & Seth, native Texans.
2 comments:
I get your point about zoos - in one of my science classes I taught back 20 some odd years ago, there was a unit I created on zoos for my science/technology/science course. The late 80s and early 90s saw an effort to try and recreate habitats along with figure out best population for each area. It marked a huge transition from how captive animals had been treated previously - but still a little haunting to realize the loss that it caused the animal (and often their native habitat) to let them be enjoyed by us in recreational parks.
Glad you all had a good time - both days watching/enjoying other members of our animal kingdom!
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