This is only my ninth year as a mom, but it was by far the best Mother’s Day and one that will be hard to top. We spent the weekend in San Diego with two full days at the San Diego Zoo – and by full days I mean from open to close.
Aside from the special Garden Fest tweet-up, Dylan being selected as a volunteer and having a toucan land on his arm (proud Mom moment)
and about 20 other memorable moments, feeding the giraffes had to top the list.
I mean really, how many moms can say they got to feed giraffes with their child on Mother’s Day?
I wouldn’t say that I have the greenest thumb, but it’s at least a shade of green and I’m willing to keep trying. I love getting my hands dirty and feeling the earth when I’m planting. I have always had house plants, but living in an apartment doesn’t make it easy to attempt the garden of my dreams. It must be some type of container garden.
Luckily my son has had good luck with plants and currently has a nice windowsill garden growing. His lima beans were one of three that actually grew out of the entire third grade class and his basil is doing quite well.
The little seedling that he brought home from school is also growing quickly. He told me that it is a Golden Trumpet tree – I guess only time will tell.
This weekend we are heading down to San Diego to attend the Garden Festival at the San Diego Zoo in hopes to learn a few gardening tricks and venture outside of the windowsill. Maybe design a little balcony garden.
Oh, and of course we are going to see the animals too!
Do you have a garden? We would love to see pictures of your garden. Tweet your garden pictures to @bchbby and maybe we can get a little inspiration from you.
Sure, I have always liked tigers. They rank high on my list of favorite cats with leopards, jaguars, and lions. The size and strength of these animals alone amazes me and their eyes always seem to tell a story. I knew that tigers were an endangered species, but it wasn’t until I started a board on Pinterest that I realized how critical their fate was.
The board started as a simple contest sponsored by the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. As part of the 40th anniversary celebration, people can start a tiger-themed board on Pinterest called Pin It For Tigers for a chance to win a Behind-the-Scenes Safari for two and meet some of these big cats up close. I thought this would be a great surprise for Dylan if I actually won. It started as simply pinning pictures of tigers – then I started really looking at the pictures, the amazing photography, and how beautiful these animals actually are.
How could a human being do this to an animal. An animal that has done nothing wrong. The tigers are not killed in self-defense. The tigers are not killed because they are attacking people. They are killed for their skins, fur, and bones because some cultures actually believe that tigers can provide medicinal healing. Tigers are not medicine.
Tigers are not shot, they are trapped in snares so not to damage the pelt. Aside from stopping the poachers and illegal trading of tiger parts, you can do something to help save the tigers. You can stop buying products that are made by destroying the tigers natural habitat. Buy sustainable coffee that is certified Fair Trade and does not destroy the rain forests. Buy the Save Vanishing Species semipostal stamps and create awareness.You can donate to local zoos who support conservation and help in their efforts to save the tigers.
Photograph I took of a Malayan tiger at the San Diego Zoo last month
Awareness is what it really boils down to. Making people aware of something will cause a reaction. To think that the beautiful Malayan tigers I see at the San Diego Zoo are a rare sight (there are only about 500 Malayan tigers left in the wild) and that future generations may never have the chance to see these animals, or photographs of these animals in the wild breaks my heart. The Safari Park has Sumatran tigers and there are only about 400 of these tigers left in the wild. According to the World Wildlife Fund, there are as few as 3,200 tigers left in the wild. That’s not a lot – considering the size of the planet.
So sure, I would love to win the contest and take Dylan on a Behind-the-Scenes Safari to see the tigers up close – but I can always pay for a Behind-the-Scenes Tour. More importantly, I would love to create a spark of hope within you, a little inspiration to share what I have shared with you. Conservation is the key to saving tigers and all endangered species – and conservation starts with awareness. You can make a difference.
Over the years, I have spent hundreds of dollars making donations to various non-profit groups and organizations hoping to make some sort of difference. I went from making the minimum donation of $15 to several places, to now being more specific as to where I donate my money – but that’s another post. My point is that one person can make a difference and you don’t need to spend tons of money doing it.
Awareness is one of the biggest hurdles faced in animal conservation. Today I am sharing three simple ways that you can raise awareness and help save animals for only a few dollars.
Even though many of us pay our bills online, there are still times that we need to mail something the old-fashioned way. The next time you buy stamps, ask for the Save Vanishing Species semipostal stamp. (cost is 55 cents)
This is a first-class postage stamp and all proceeds over the current cost of a first-class stamp go directly to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to support the Multinational Species Conservation Fund.
For more information on what conservation funds are supported by this stamp visit the US Postal Service website.
Do you love having a unique screen lock picture and wallpaper on your iPhone or iPad? Do you admire great animal photographers? If you said yes, then this next one is definitely for you.
In November 2011, the San Diego Zoo released the officially licensed digital skins through the iTunes store. For only $1.99 you can purchase this app and have some beautiful wallpapers and images on your phone. The app also includes app frames and shelves.
Here are some screen shots from my phone –
This is a wonderful way to support the San Diego Zoo and show your love for animals – and I can promise the pictures will being a smile to your face too.
Another great way to support animal conservation and raise awareness is to follow your favorite organization on Facebook and Twitter. By simply sharing a post or re-tweeting something you find interesting may catch the attention of someone and before you know it a domino effect is in place.
A few of my favorites organizations that I personally support through membership or direct donations are listed in the right side column of the blog. Looking for some organizations to follow? Take a peek at the pages we support on Facebook or who we follow on twitter. Find your passion – whether it be wildlife, parks, or the oceans and start doing what you can to help.
As a parent, I believe it is my job to help my son be the best he can be. To inspire him to follow his passions. To support him in his choices. To love him for having the drive and aspiration to learn more about the world around us.
Meeting Zookeeper Rick – April 12, 2012
We just spent three days in San Diego on a mini-vacation for Spring Break and aside from being exhausted from all the walking, I came to a realization. Not really a big surprise, but one that I know now I must support.
My son has a deep love and compassion for animals. He thrives on learning more about them and sharing his knowledge with others.
He respects the animals and their environments. Sometimes, to my embarrassment, he actually corrects tourists at the zoo.
The other day there was a group of kids screaming inside the panda exhibit and he said, “Mom, can’t they read the signs? It says to be quiet in here.”
He started to get really upset and proceeded to tell the kids to be quiet. During another instance, some people referred to the meerkats as prairie dogs – big mistake. Yep, he corrected them … while I looked the other way.
This got me thinking. When did his love for animals start?
Recently Dylan and I spent the day at the San Diego Zoo and it was the perfect day. A few clouds and sprinkles, but we didn’t mind – this meant less people. We spent almost 8 hours walking around the zoo and I took over 100 pictures! Yes, we have been to the zoo many times before … but this was my chance to play with my new camera. The subjects were so accommodating that I just kept clicking away.
And I loved capturing these priceless candid shots of Dylan trying to climb on the polar bear statues. His pants didn’t make it very easy – he kept slipping off. We both laughed so much.
I can’t believe summer is over and my little boy will be starting 3rd grade in just two days. Where did the time go?
It seems like the older I get, the faster the years go by … and the more I wish I could freeze time. My cuddly little boy is growing up so fast.
As I look at school pictures from the past 3 years, my mind is flooded with memories and my heart is filled with love. Through pictures like these, I can freeze time … at least in my mind.
Recycling is the most common thing people do to help the environment. Many think that this is all they need to do and nothing else really matters. Well, have you ever thought about how you recycle your aluminum cans and plastic bottles? Most people grab a plastic bag and start filling it up. When the bag is full they head over to the recycling center and collect the money.
Well, that plastic bag is usually just thrown away. Plastic bags do not go away. Plastic bags end up polluting the ocean, harming marine life, and filling up our landfills. Think outside the box when you recycle your cans and bottles. All those reusable shopping bags you have … I know I have at least 15 in my trunk and about 10 in my home. These reusable bags make a great way to collect your recyclables until you make a trip to the recycling center. Especially if you live in an apartment.
A few weeks ago Dylan and I packed our bags for a fun-filled vacation in San Diego. The goal was to leave all computers and work at home and just have fun! Three parks in three days – World Famous San Diego Zoo, Sea World San Diego, and Legoland California – can we do it? Of course we can, we have annual passes to all three! Nothing was going to stand in our way.
We left home early on a Tuesday morning and drove straight to the San Diego Zoo. Yes, we were just there last month, but this time we were on a mission … to see the baby tiger cubs!
We walked right to the Lost Forest, but sadly, the tiger cubs were not out on exhibit this morning. However, there is always something to learn when you are at the San Diego Zoo!
Did you know that you can find parts of the Rain Forest in your Cupboard? All of the products in this display come from some sort of plant found in the Amazon Rain Forest.
From Tiger Trail, we headed to Hippo Trail and we got to watch the Momma and Baby Hippo play for about 20 minutes!
We even managed to get his cute video of the Momma Hippo teaching the Baby a thing or two.
Dylan loves the area by the Hippo exhibit. He always wants to climb in the tree and pose for pictures on the bronze hippo sculpture. I think I have about 20 pictures on this hippo (spanning over 6 years) Yes, I guess you can say we go to the zoo often … but it’s always worth it to see the look on Dylan’s face when he is near animals.
Now as much as Dylan loves our next stop, I normally choose to wait outside … but he begged me to come inside the Insect House. The least I could do was take some pictures for him.
And if this wasn’t enough to show how much I love my child, we headed over to the Reptile House next! However, this time I stayed on the outer edge and handed the camera over to Dylan. These are a few of the pictures he took.
There was one little guy that I thought was kinda cool though … well, maybe not so little.
Green Tree Frog
Feeling a little hungry after the long drive and walking around the zoo for 3 hours we stopped at the Safari Kitchen for lunch. They have the best burgers! Not to mention some brightly colored neighbors.
Dylan was so excited about staying in a hotel (it’s the little things you know) that we decided to drive over to the hotel and check-in, give our feet a rest, and maybe hit Sea World for some night time fireworks!
Life with Dylan 