7.25.2013

I love pond lilies.

I took my friend this morning to the cranberry bog to show her the great blue heron nest. What a change in weather from the hot and humid. This morning it was overcast and very windy with the occasional raindrops. I'm glad I had a light jacket on. Below are a few more photos I took of the heron.

great blue heron wading amongst the pond lilies.
The bird standing is one of the parent birds. My brother told me there are 3 young in the next and they are quite big now. I could see 2 of the young birds in the nest, but you can really only see ones back in this photo.. You can barely see a 2nd bird in the back of the nest on the left.
 

hanging on for dear life in the wind.

Below one of the parent birds preening on a tree limb a distance away from the nest.
Preening

   scratching itself

After observing the birds my friend, Shirley and I joined my son, Steven, Robin, Bella and Sammi and off we went to Buttonwood Park Zoo in New Bedford. I took lots of pictures of the animals. Bella loved the zoo and visiting the farm animals. This is a wonderful place to take kids. There is a cafe, gift shop, picnic area and playground area, zoo  animals, birds, reptiles. There is also and area that has farm animals. If it hadn't started to rain we would have stayed longer. I use to take my sons and cousins when they were young. It has change so much since then.  For zoo info click here...Buttonwood Park Zoo
train that rides around the zoo.
  Bella and I riding in the caboose. It started to rain as we boarded the train so we chose to ride in a covered car.
all aboard
Bella riding the carousel with daddy
  riding on the bear

  Bella on the pigs back

After we left the zoo due to the rain we went for a late lunch at Pa Raffa's which is also in New Bedford. Their antipasto salad is out of this world. I order it every time I go. The antipasto comes in several sizes. The can't finish the individual size. So Yummy!        Pa Raffa's restaurant info , menu... http://www.aol.com/
large platter size antipasto salad shared by 4 adults and we still had plenty to bring home. Topped with tons of shredded mozzarella cheese and roasted red peppers which covers the lettuce, tomato wedges, cucumber slices, black olives, onions, green peppers, salami and ham slices and pepperoncini peppers.  The salad dressing is red wine vinegar and oil.

Bella loves pasta, can you tell by her spaghetti sauce face

  concentrating  
Elaine