"And then the rains came. They came down from the hills and up from the sound. And it rained a sickness. And it rained a fear. And it rained an odor. And it rained a murder. And it rained dangers and pale eggs of the beast. Rain poured for days, unceasing. Flooding occurred. The wells filled with reptiles. The basements filled with fossils. Mossy-haired lunatics roamed the dripping peninsulas. Moisture gleamed on the beak of the raven. Ancient Shaman's rained from their homes in dead tree trunks, clacked their clamshell teeth in the drowned doorways of forests. Rain hissed on the freeway. It hissed at the prows of fishing boats. It ate the old warpaths, spilled the huckleberries, ran into the ditches. Soaking. Spreading. Penetrating. And it rained an omen. And it rained a poison. And it rained a pigment. And it rained a seizure."
~ Tom Robbins, "Another Roadside Attraction"
~*~
It rained today, but I took myself out on a much needed date anyway. I was smitten with the urge to spend some time at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens, and what a wonderful time to go. There were very few people there, which made for some amazing communing with the lionesses and for an eerie encounter with the Komodo Dragon. ew. I could see just how much he rued the glass between us as he sized me up as an easy lunch.
Here's someone much cuter, someone who asked to be first in the line up because she has a well honed appreciation of puns, and because she wanted to wave hello to Roger:
~ trunks ~
image ~ misha
rain ~ still fallin'
Very nice that you treated yourself to a break and some camera and critter time. Lovely ornate Robbins, there, and a great elephant portrait to balance the scales (because, of course, his prodigious talent for lingo is elephantine)... and, you might be surprised by Komodo dragons are capable of genuine dolphin-like affection for humans, when they have been taken from the wild and kept in zoos or other areas for study. I saw it on a TV show recently, so it MUST be true!
ReplyDelete:D
ha :)
ReplyDeleteThe Komodo Dragon habitat at the Cincinnati Zoo doesn't have a television, so I'm guessing he missed that show.
They weigh up to 175 lbs (350 lbs after a big meal!) and will eat any meat, dead or alive, up to 80% their own body weight. He and I both knew I fell into that category.
Mr. Robbins is a pro when it comes to lingo slinging, as is a certain very good friend of mine.
It's still raining.
Roger would like to say a, "how you doin'" to your new friend, but reminded himself that he is in a committed relationship.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous subject and photo.
Different kind of trunk -- very appropriate!
ReplyDeleteMeg, I'm glad Roger remembered in time and am laughing over imagining him uttering that opening line.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Heidi.