Bell with the bear

My daughter's nickname is the bear, because of how she'd growl when she nursed. I misread an event at the Bell--I thought there was some guided artmaking there, but it turns out Wet Paint borrowed some of their gorgeous artifacts, so we thought we would spend a little time in the touch exhibit, then head over to the Food exhibit, which we missed last time.

 

So my proud bragging rights moment: I touched a tarantula. It means everything psychological, which is maybe why I did it and felt fine. If I had to pick it up, that would have involved more physical risk. After teaching Montessori for two years, we learned to interact with critters in some really wonderful ways. (Side note: I miss our corn snake.) I was nervous at first with Lamar, but she grew on me so fast.

Above: gardens of the future?

Below: an Americana in great taxidermied shape, which is strange to look at when you have seven chickens of various types, including three Americana, pecking around your backyard. But here is one, completely still, set under glass.

Above: I want to spend more time exploring this, the preservation techniques with food.

Below: The people around me probably thought I was a bit strange, we shall say, when we came to this part of the exhibit. I have a poem that is being considered by a few journals called "The Unburying of Otzi," based on a documentary about this 5,000 year old frozen man discovered in the ice. My daughter didn't quite understand why I was so excited to see this part of the exhibit, but I felt a little kismet.

Things seem to speak directly to what I think I'd like to do with this manuscript, and there's always another layer--many, many layers--each time I visit.

I have to end with this: Maya doing the mating dance with the sandhill crane. It's their favorite spot. Aside from that little window into the beaver dam. And touching all of the pelts. And watching scientists talk about their work. And looking in the drawers at the stones, trying to decide which ones to bring home to add to their rock collection. Bonus points for geodes.