Couple More Field Trips

So... to fill up some more of our week... last Friday we went down to the Portland region... there we met up with some friends to see the Dinosaur show at the Southworth Planetarium. I must first say that there was a lot of information... it was especially neat to see the "stars" before the show started. However, I must also say that I was disappointed... it was a "family show" yet I would certainly say it was geared for older children than mine.. though Gabi did just fine. The others made it through most of the way before complaining, but they were not really paying attention. The show was done as a slide show and lecture.

We had planned to stay and also watch the Black Hole show, but given the way everyone was reacting, we decided to leave that behind. We had a nice little picnic... though with a couple kids who just wouldn't listen, so even that got cut a little short... then off to a much more exciting place.....

THE MAINE WILDLIFE PARK

We really enjoyed ourselves here and certainly plan on returning! We spent three hours there, but only left because it was dinner time... so away we went.

The park is a rehab place for wild animals. Some of them will never be able to return to their natural environment - I expect those are the ones we ended up seeing. But it was fun to walk around the zoo-like setting and see the various birds, fish, and animals.

Jeremy decided, by the Bald Eagle, that he needed to get a drink and was certain there was a water fountain behind that cage...so, under the fence and around to the back he went.... when he was retrieved, he was promptly put into one of those harness leash things. This was something we'd talked about prior to going in - so he knew the consequence and it wasn't fair to have everyone miss out if he was being disobedient (and a danger to himself), so this was what we'd agreed upon.

Well, he didn't like that much at all... but when he finally settled down, we talked about it and made a deal... he had to be able to get along calmly through three more animals (we'd already been through 7 since putting him in it) and then he could try again. It worked, and we didn't have another problem with him through the park.

Gabi would have liked to take the time to draw all the animals, but she only got through a couple before the other kids wouldn't be patient any more. I told her another time when there was another adult with us that we'd try drawing them again. Fortunately she was a good sport about the whole thing.

Anyway, it was a wonderful way to cap our field trip week... and a great way to spend some time outdoors.