My New Zoo Review!

Hello,

Back in my day zoos were built to keep the animals in and humans safe.  Now it seems they need to be built to keep humans out and the animals safe.

Cuteness overload!!!!!  Lioness napping on a plane wing.

Last week our friend Barbara, Audra and I finally made it to the Columbus Zoo (Ohio).  I hadn't been there in years and was pleasantly surprised. If you don't live in Franklin County it's a bit of sticker shock at the $20 ticket/$10 parking fee.  However, Seniors get deep discounts and anyone pushing a wheelchair gets in free.  So I am okay with it.  If you go a couple times a year...get a membership. They have lots of special perks, events and free parking.

If you haven't been to this zoo, I can assure you that it is one of the premiere zoos in the US, and most likely the world.  I have been to several, including the highly touted San Diego zoo and this one is right up there.  (The San Diego Zoo puts it's features up on hills, so you are constantly walking up and down them.  Now they may have improved it over the years...)

The same gal pictured at the top.  She could care less she was on display.

Right now we have a baby polar bear named Nora.  She picks her hours of visitation, but generally around 9:30 a.m.  We didn't get to see her, but there were videos and photos of this little cutie.

What impressed me the most about the zoo's layout was that the animals were not "caged" like the old days.  They have large areas to wander and in one section there were many different kinds of animals all roaming around together like you would see in a safari.  It did however, prove difficult for the cougar as they are housed across the way from their prey and all they could do is look through the glass and pace.  Most exhibits as you will see, give you a photo op without fence and glass messing it up.

We only stayed a few hours, so didn't see everything, but I think we saw all the "new" stuff.  Rather than blather on, I am just going to give you a brief pictorial tour:

She seemed to be looking for lunch...

Look!!  A Fishnado!!  Not really, there is an underground viewing spot of the polar bear pool.  But no bears at the time.

There he is getting ready to get in the pool.  But in no hurry, so we moved on.

This guy found a great napping spot!

Well, hoped you enjoyed your little trip.  I hope you all get a chance to visit this zoo.  We are lucky to have it so close.  There is a water park Zoombezi Bay attached, so you can cool off too!

Until next time,
Gale

Gale's Gallery XXIII: My Plush Bear Challenge- Part One

December 29, 2017 Update...

Retrofitted Felt Figures!  

Here is a YouTube tutorial on how to stretch those plush dies!  Several examples below the product list.  There is another post you might like as well:

New Plush Dies



Howdy folks!

As promised, I started a personal challenge to see what all I could do with the Simon Says Stamp (SSS) Plush Bear Die.  I am trying to limit my craft supply spending, (unsuccessfully, LOL!) and want to maximize use of what I get.  Since these dies are nearly $30, this was a good starting place:)  I only have the chicken and bear currently.  (See chicken designs at Gale's Gallery XXII.)

I started this project awhile ago, but have been in the yard since the weather has improved.  Knowing it might be awhile before I get the rest of my  12 "bears, etc." done, I decided to show you the ones I've finished.  The rest will come soon...I hope.  The felt is mostly from Ellen Hutson.

BRUTUS BUCKEYE!!!  

If you live in central Ohio, I don't need to explain.  But, he is the mascot of my alma mater, The Ohio State University.  I diecut the body twice in dark brown fabric and once in read.  I cut off the head of the red (gently), and stacked it on top of the others.  I took the red ears to make the cap, cut out the other little pieces from the scarf piece, put on googlie eyes and stitched his open mouth as he yells OH-!  He is slightly stuffed with batting.  This one can't be given to young folks, but I wasn't planning to give him up anyway!

Next is the panda bear...

Panda Bear

All I did was cut two black bodies and one white.  Decapitated the white piece and layered on top.  All of the hand-stitching was done in backstitch.

There's a mouse in my house!

Mr. Mouse

Okay, I was too lazy to get up and turn the light on, so was sewing in near dark conditions.:)  A couple boo-boos and I think I should have made the whiskers longer.  Oh well, he is still stinkin' cute!  

Here comes the Gingerbread Man!

 

Then the one I call Random Bear....just felt like trying out the blue felt!

It took a little doing because I didn't have flesh colored felt, so I colored it with my Copic marker, but I think this little guy is pretty cute too!

Wouldn't these be cute for a shower?

I have six more designs to come (so far.)  Be sure to come back to see them.  If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comment section below.  Also, does anyone have other ideas of what these can be used for?  I am drowning in Christmas ornaments so need to find another excuse to make more of these!

Until next time,

Gale

The 'Creek Just Gave You Five!

Hello!


Who'd a thunk it?  This month marks the 5th year of this blog about nothing in particular.  I haven't always been able to post consistently, but it's always been fun sharing with you all the random things that find their way here.  Usually blogs have very specific topics and "professions" warn against straying off it as you are supposed to "target" a specific audience.

Well, call me a rule breaker, but I'd rather "please all of the people some of the time, then some of the people all of the time" knowing not every post will be of interest to everyone.  I am a generalist and I don't claim to be an expert in everything.  I just tell you what I know (or at least what I think I know...) the best I can.  There are more than a hundred posts of various topics "in the can" if the current one doesn't excite you.

And...it's free!  I have avoided advertising, because frankly, I don't want it cluttering up my site.  So this is a labor of love that I hope to continue for years to come.  If you enjoy this, I would greatly appreciate you telling your friends to stop by.

If you have just started coming to the 'Creek, the top 10 posts are on the right side of the screen, but that doesn't necessarily reflect my favorites because the earlier posts weren't as widely seen.  Many of those posts were essays and articles written throughout my life.  Most are light reading and humor based.  I hope you will check these out as well as the index by topic and enjoy!

Some of my favs not on the top ten list are linked below (in no particular order):

A Hunting We Will Go!  Dog Writer's of America nomination by the Am. Kennel Club
On Your Mark...Get Set...Oh No!  My High School Track Team Adventure
Does Anyone Know Of A Shady Park Bench With WI-FI?
The Crash Test Dummy Trilogy - Part Two (The port-o-let one!)
"Harley and Me" The Story Of A Girl And Her Hog
Out Of The Mouths of Babes...
Oh Wacky Day!  The Good, The Bad and The Sad--Rest In Peace Corn Row Tucker
Some Things Just Aren't Funny I: Puppy Mills  Two time national award winner - Writer's Digest Magazine, Dog Writer's of America finalist
There's No Business Like (Dog) Show Business
Darby Creek Down
Ask A Stupid Question...

I would love to know which ones are your favorites!  Please leave a comment below:)

As always, thanks for stopping by!

Until next time, have a safe and fun Memorial Day Weekend!

Gale

Rural King Review: Everything From Soup To (Lug) Nuts!

Hello!

When we get a new store around here, it's pretty exciting.  Unfortunately, we are still waiting for more mainstream stores like Target or Kohls and frankly, any restaurant that isn't selling pizza or fast food!

Kayaks of many colors, except purple ... Audra has been admiring the "lilac kayak" at Dunham's Sporting Goods for years!

I stopped briefly at the new Rural King up the road and originally wasn't all that impressed.  Then, I stopped again to get some photos for this post and looked around some more.  Still not going to be a place I frequent, but I'm sure others will.  You have to remember farmers have very little time in the growing season, so they prefer a one-stop shop!

If you are looking for camo undies, this is the place!

If you need a windmill, here you go!

 If you need to buy your shotgun and your sarsaparilla (boy do I love saying sarsaparilla...) or your weed killer and windmill at the same time, this is the place.  They have some hard-to-find camo bras/panties (pardon the pun) as well as pink and blue kayaks, sarsaparilla, camo four-wheelers (so when you get stuck in the woods and go get help, you can't find it again...and much more.

The grocery department is labeled as "consumables."  Sounds yummy, doesn't it?  Sarsaparilla (can't get enough of that word!)  They have the basic bags of old-fashioned candy that you find at Tractor Supply.  Does anyone really eat Circus Peanuts???  I'd heard this place was a TSC on steroids and that's kinda accurate.  But, I think of it more like a redneck Cabellas.  The prices are better, but even with the deer heads on the wall, it's not the same:)  But in their defense, we aren't the kind of area that Cabellas will ever put a store...(and they don't carry sarsaparilla like Rural King does!)

Just a part of the pop section!

However, Rural King has an amazing pop aisle with all kinds of brands I'd never heard of--boy farmers and country folks sure love their cane sugar!  I noticed there is a brand called Ski--remember the song "Let's all go down to Dumas Walker 's and get a slaw burger, fries and a bottle of Ski"...?  I thought he meant whiskey.   Nope.  Just another high sugar drink. (Like sarsaparilla!) Remember Radar on M*A*S*H?  He loved grape Nehi's.  They've got them!  

As for the store itself-

It's an old Kmart building that got zero fixin' up.  It is very dark, cluttered, same brands as TSC, and the layout is kind of thrown together looking.  The garden center is really unorganized, so you have to look through annuals, perennials, veggies, etc throughout.  The plants were also frumpy and common. The staff is still learning I suppose, but the second time I was there they at least greeted me.

But at least there's the free coffee and popcorn!  I didn't have any, but it is available to all! I plan to stop by and buy me some sarsaparilla to try.  I think it's supposed to be like root beer.

I am working on several posts, so come back soon ya'll!

Gale