Pictures from Eureka Springs

[songofjoy02]

We went to Eureka Springs today and, as you might imagine, I took my camera.

The scenery while we were driving was magnificent, but I just missed it because my camera was in my purse.


Construction is not a very beautiful sight.


Here is my dad taking a picture of "Fawnda" with his new camera phone.


When cats are comfortable, they sleep like the male lion on the right.


Another cat...female lion? Maybe a cougar. I can't remember now. I think this was probably a cougar, though.


This crazy cat just kept pacing back and forth like it was worried or something!


This tiger was amazing. I don't think I had ever seen a black and white tiger before, so I was very happy to take several pictures of it.






Lions and tigers and bears...all were present at this place (Turpentine Creek)






Benjamin petting Fawnda






As soon as the younger children saw this pig, they started singing the Worry Warthog song from Patch the Pirate...gonna have to get rid of those tapes!


He was explaining to me how he had learned to wiggle his hips...eventually, though, he refused to tell me.


Petting the one "safe" animal at Turpentine Creek


Here you can actually see the cat that they were petting...


This was a liger. Cross-breeds only occur in captivity with artificial insemination or VERY close quarters (confinement that is intended to produce offspring). The animals have the father's name first--the liger's father was a lion and its mother was a tiger. Our kind tour guide gave us many explanations of why the animals behave as they do and descriptions of  how they behave.


A male lion...


Three tigers...I believe some of them may have been among the original bunch from many years ago, when TC had just started.


Looking at the tigers...


Some flowers right outside the main office/gift shop area


We then went on to the Passion Play area in Eureka Springs, partly so my mom could buy some cards she liked and partly so we could picnic near the Christ of the Ozarks.


We waited outside the Sacred Arts Museum while my mom made her purchases.


Benjamin (right) was carrying the trail mix...and eating it.


Gabriel didn't want me taking pictures, I guess.


Barnabas took this picture.


Benjamin took this picture; Gabriel is peeking into the bag of trail mix.


We ate lunch in the car because it was so cold outside (not frigid, but uncomfortable).




David with the Ozarks as a backdrop


Benjamin


The Christ of the Ozarks


Barnabas was disappointed that I didn't get him with his leg high in the air.


Rebekah always tries to imitate her brothers, but her coordination isn't great and her vision is bad enough that it really doesn't help her coordination...


Walking back to the car...


Here's Rebekah; I fixed her hair in a bun today, but she wouldn't tell me whether it was comfortable.


The boys at the trash can, of all places; the building is a restroom.


Same boys...David and Barnabas


Running back to our van


David right at the edge of the parking lot