Rise and Shine

Are you a morning person?

Maybe not a 5 a.m. get up and run type necessarily, just someone who enjoys watching the sun rise and get out there before the day is somewhat, well, used.

Joining you, if you are such a bird, are the animals in the zoo.

A recent early morning visit found the bears active, the tiger walking about his place, and a rhino dining on wheat grass and alfalfa sprouts.

Truthfully, I don't know what the Rhino was eating.  He didn't wish to share and it seemed impolite to shout from across the compound.  It could have been hay.  However, I like the idea of a Madison Rhino enjoying local sourced foods of a higher nature.

The King of the Zoo had no reason to walk about, but was more alert than other times I've paid him a visit.  I think his expression (below) is saying something like, "Yes, yes take your picture and please move on.  Thank you for coming.  And if I ever see you on my lawn, there will be no repeat offenses."

The morning hours are a good time to visit a zoo.

Not just because the animals are active, it's the early visitors who add to the atmosphere as well.

A sense of awe is seen in the eyes of each child and a child-like awareness rekindled with their parent.


It's less crowded early in the day, so it's easy to see. There is plenty of time, so no need to rush to the next exhibit.

A zoo is a place where each of us can be a kid again.

Being close to magnificent creatures brings out a sense of wonder and fires the imagination.  Really, how often can we be this close to a lion?

There is much to be learned while touring a zoo or it can be a great place to just enjoy a walk in the park.

It's also a good place to remember we are sharing this planet with many, many other creatures who call this blue marble home... and the non-humans are counting on us to take care of it.

God spoke: “Let us make human beings in our image, make them
        reflecting our nature
    So they can be responsible for the fish in the sea,
        the birds in the air, the cattle,
    And, yes, Earth itself,
        and every animal that moves on the face of Earth.”  Genesis 1:26 (The Message)