Part IV - Lokis!

Once past the Max trauma, Alex relaxed enough to explore the rest of the center. In a big learning room, we saw a baby snapping turtle, tadpoles and a watershed pollution model. Alex loved the model since it had cars and a tractor with it - to show how auto pollution runs into the water. I picked up some arts and crafts ideas that would be fun to try, such as pressing flat leaves, grasses and branches between two clear contact paper cut-outs.

I had to work to get Alex away from the cars to see the animals in the front room. (That means, carry him away crying.) When I could finally get him to notice the cages, he ran to the one containing ferrets. He calls all ferrets 'lokis', after the ferret he remembers from home. He loved shrieking and laughing with them and so did this one sable ferret who was awake for it all. The other animals weren't too thrilled with the loud noises, so I warned Alex about that. That made him take notice of them all.

He wanted to know the name of every animal - both species name and personal name. He wanted to know what they were doing. He wanted to know why they were there. He found a corn snake really fascinating, since he'd never seen a real snake before.

Eventually, I'd told Alex that it was time for us to go. The Center was going to close soon and we had a long way home. He wasn't happy about that and it required carrying out.

But we did get to walk down the long front road and see a deer in the woods to the side. She was calm enough to stand there even after hearing us. I picked Alex up to see her. He says he did. I hope so.

Now it was time to take that long trip home. We're in Rye now - eek!

Thursday, April 29