Wednesday, August 3, 2011

[Mostly] Wordless Wednesday 8/3/11

Hello, and welcome to Wordless Wednesday! Before I post today's photo, I wanted to let you know that I'm the guest poster over at Arlee Bird's Tossing it Out today. Hop on over to read about how I got involved in the original A to Z Challenge and how the Visitor's Follow-up Challenge came about. Leave a comment if you like and make friendly-like!

The following photo is a cute little meerkat from the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, who appeared to be standing guard over his buddies, who were passed out in a big ol' snuggly pile under a log.


Isn't he the cutest? I believe he was talking some major smack to me, though. Had he walked, it would have been with a swagger. I don't know if he was being punished by exclusion or if he truly was on guard. He stood there the entire time at parade rest.

This photo was taken at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, here in Colorado Springs. It sits up on Cheyenne Mountain. Bet you've never walked around a hillier zoo! A day at this place is a fantastic workout. It was originally opened by Spencer and Julie Penrose, two people who were responsible for creating much of the city. The first animals there actually came from Spencer Penrose's own private pet stock, as he had a fondness for collecting animals on his numerous travels and keeping them in his resort hotel, the Broadmoor. When a monkey attacked a child and other complaints came in, he had to find a new home for the boa constrictor in the furnace room, the monkey and the elephant golf caddy who helped out on the Broadmoor golf course (not kidding), along with any other critters he came up with over time. He built a tiny little train going up the mountain from the Broadmoor so he could escort his guests up to view his animals. Don't you wish you had that kind of expendable income?

Have you ever been to an unusual zoo? Have you been to the Broadmoor or Cheyenne Mountain Zoo?

9 comments:

Julia Phillips Smith said...

When I was a kid, my animal allergies made zoo visits a total no-no. I recall one very distressing class trip to a farm that resulted in me hanging out by myself in a stairwell when the chickens activated my asthma. Good times.

But I'm better with animals, two series of allergy shots and forty years later. The two zoos I've visited have been the Detroit Zoo and the Toronto Zoo, so far.

Mark said...

Lol, very cute. My wife loves these creatures!

Carol Kilgore said...

He's so cute! I can't imagine having that much money. Like Penrose, I mean. Not the meerkat. He's the cute one. This is all out of sync. I'm going.

Samantha VĂ©rant said...

That photo is great. He's so cute! I kind of want to play with him, but I think he'd bite! Sorry I can't participate in the A-Z re-visit, but if the links are left up, I'll slowly (but surely) make my way around!

RHYTHM AND RHYME said...

A wonderful photo. he is a real cutie.

Yvonne,

Julie Flanders said...

I love the photo! So funny that he had "swagger," what a cutie. :)

Heading over to Tossing It Out now!

Beth Kemp said...

Meerkats really do project arrogance, don't they! Here in the UK Midlands, my local zoo (Twycross) specialises in primates (as well as having the usual zoo animals) and has a big collection of bonobos. They are fascinating creatures and such fun to watch, as are the orang utans and the gorillas.

Wanda said...

He does have a bit of smirk on his face. I hadn't had the opportunity to visit Broadmoor or the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.

Shannon Lawrence said...

Julia, my brother had the same problem as a kid and ended up starting the allergy shots pretty young. Now he can go to the zoo and be just fine.

Mark, they can be fun to watch, for sure!

Carol, haha, yes I'd love to have a portion of that money! Just a nibble.

Samantha, they do look a bit snuggly, but I've heard from someone who watches Meerkat Manor that they can be vicious. I decided I'd rather not find out about that part.

Yvonne, thank you. He is, isn't he?

Julie, he was quite the determined little fellow, all stoic.

Beth, one of my favorite parts of the zoo is the Ape House. I love to watch the larger primates interact. We've got a big male silverback gorilla who can be a real kick.

Wanda, he does, doesn't he? Funny little guy. I've lived here since I was 12 and I don't believe I've ever been into the Broadmoor, just a satellite building during a fundraiser. Some day.