Why you should go to the zoo in the winter . . .

. . .but don't forget the camera like we did. The January thaw was not quite as warm as I thought it was when we set off for the zoo. It hovered around 30 degrees and was windy, so it was pretty darn cold. But it was dead empty and the animals were awesome. Fluffy, the largest snake in captivity, perked up as soon as we rounded the corner. The bats were stretching their wings. The water moniter lizard was walking around. The monkeys were playing. The markur goats were jumping all over the place and, best of all, the tiger was pacing right up against the glass and rubbing his face all over it. We were the only ones there. The reptile house and aquarium kept us from freezing and we all enjoyed the muffins I brought and the adults appreciated the thermos of coffee. Brave the cold and go to the zoo!!!