These are a size between regular and the minis.

Macaroni and Birth. My usual meat sauce, but I was out of spaghetti. Eaten out of big bowls. The only improvement would have been using spoons instead of forks.

While I knew what Birth would be about, I wasn’t prepared to enjoy it as much as I did.

The orchestra was conceived and developed by Richard Lair of the Thai Elephant Conservation Center and Dave Soldier, a composer and neurologist. Instruments were especially designed for the animals, and are based on native instruments. A CD was produced.

Their latest effort is called Elephonic Rhapsodies , and features their xylophone player, Phong.

Fruit flies everyday might be worse than prison loaf.

It is with great interest that I see the cabbage moths in the garden. Normally this means my getting out the bacillus thuringiensis before the green caterpillars eat all the petunias and geraniums. But Loretta has grown to where she might be up to a caterpillar or two.

She lost part of a leg in the last molt, and has difficulty with balance. So not only do I capture the flies, but must stun them as well since she can’t procure her own. She refuses the completely dead ones. (mutter, grumble, as if I’m not busy enough)

Tian Tian: My dearest, I am overwhelmed with joy!
Mei Xiang: (grunt. sigh.)
Tian Tian: It is a noisy little dickens, isn’t it?
Mei Xiang: For something the size of a stick of butter , it is, most precious mate.
Tian Tian: Is it a boy?
Mei Xiang: It is a panda. Now will everyone leave me alone so I can get some rest?