San Diego Zoo Safari Park

I promised great pictures but didn’t do a post yesterday. Well here’s why.

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We went to the zoo, and it was too hot for most mammals.San-Diego-Safari-Zoo-14

We should have been sleeping too.

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But we were on safari.San-Diego-Safari-Zoo-11

The heat didn’t bother the birds. The flamingos were struttin’ their stuff.

Video: http://youtu.be/I7AsucOvTDc

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So was the East African crowned crane.

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and the bustard.

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This gigantic African bird seemed to be stretching out to rest.San-Diego-Safari-Zoo-6

The Abyssinian ground hornbill had no trouble.San-Diego-Safari-Zoo-7

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The vulture was in his element.

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These endangered beauties (Okapi) were keeping each other company and not moving much.

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Okapi

The graceful Southern Gerenuk was looking lovely in the sun.

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Southern-Gerenuk

And the giraffes were enjoying themselves.

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The rhinoceroses knew how to cope.

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Then the tiger started to wake up.

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He gave us the idea to go home and have watermelon mojitos!

Bananas

My favorite word today is banana.

Did you know that Americans eat 27 pounds of bananas per person every year? And you can see why. The banana comes in its own bio-degradable package.

It’s one of the fruits they say is safe to eat when traveling because you can peel it.

Banana tops

Here’s my favorite new fact I learned when I was looking up information about bananas:

Thanks to its oil, rubbing the inside of a banana peel on a mosquito bite (or other bug bite) or on poison ivy will help keep it from itching and getting inflamed.

from Fun Banana Facts http://thebananapolice.com/fun-facts/

A banana can be sliced into cereal.

It tastes awesome.

It is just a fun word to say. Banana.

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Freesia leaves and a sparrow

I didn’t have a good composition, so I decided to crop this to the leaves. It’s a bit blurred, but the sunlight is so nice. I thought this was the best part of the picture.

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This little fellow visited me. He was a fast hopper, but I managed to capture him through the window. They see me move when I go for the camera.

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He’s a bit blurred too, but I’m glad I captured him in a photo. I’m trying to learn the names of the birds in my yard. Birding is really hard. I figure the more pictures I get, the more I can figure out what’s what.

I’m so lucky to have an office with windows looking out on a yard. Wildlife comes to me.

Have a great Saturday, or Sunday!

Spring Equinox and setting your intention

I’m told the spring equinox is tomorrow. It certainly looks like spring around here. More and more flowers are coming into bloom. (Today’s pictures are best viewed in full size. If you click on each picture, it will display in a new tab in full size.)

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A friend said that tomorrow is an especially powerful day, so we should get very clear about our intention and write it down. You can do it today. Then you’ll be ready. I have written down my intention.

May today’s door lead you to your most beautiful tomorrow.

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On needing new photos and eating meat

I’m going to the coast today, first time I’ve felt like going somewhere or doing something since I left Tahoe last week.

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I’ve been so tired, and I had a sore hand. I think the fatigue was a combination of allergies (and anti-histamines) and needing a little red meat. I had some grass-fed bison last night and did immediately feel better. This has happened to me before. I am an “occasionarian,” which is a tongue-in-cheek description of my dietary habits. I think veganism is awesome, but I am not a perfect person. Far from it! Anyway, I do eat animal protein four times a week–so seldom that I can afford to buy the compassionately raised (and slaughtered, I hope) version, or wild salmon or dolphin-safe tuna. I have been forgetting to eat some red meat sometimes though. I don’t know why my body needs it, but as one goes along in life, one does learn what works for one’s body. That was a lot of “ones!” Sorry about that! As blog reader SquawPeak said yesterday, wheat and grains don’t work for her. We all need protein, carbs and fat, and veggies and fruit, but we are also all a little different.

I do think we can make a difference by simply eating less meat, and as it turns out, this is a strong trend in the USA. People are simply cutting back on the meat.

As for dairy, my solution is to guy organic milk and cage-free eggs. A vegan will think this is pretty lame, and I agree, but again, I have to do what works for me, and I do believe that an effort, no matter how small, can make a huge difference. I do see things changing as people come to terms with the situation and seek ways to improve their diet, which is not really that easy.

Time for a plug for my newsletter. Each month I include an original recipe, always vegetarian. Sometimes it’s a cookie recipe or something else decadent, sometimes something vegetarian. We’ve learned to make a lot of stuff using beans, lentils, tofu, or eggs as the protein basis for dinner. If you are interested in getting the newsletter, you can leave a comment below or click on the link in the left frame of this blog. That will lead you to the sign-up form.

My husband just called me for breakfast…he made his amazing breakfast frittata. That recipe will also be in my newsletter eventually, so please sign up! Meantime, I’m off to eat breakfast, then get some overdue writing done, then go have some fun at the coast and hopefully take some new photos.

Have a happy Tuesday, or Wednesday, as the case may be.

Nicci