Sun and shade at the zoo

© 2012 Lydia Hinshaw

Sun worship

 ASHEBORO, NC -- We had an extra day in North Carolina and no particular plans, so we decided to visit the North Carolina Zoological Park.

 I had been to the Zoo once before, but it was at least 25 years ago and I couldn't remember much except being out in the hot sun a lot.  In my absence, the zoo's trees have grown considerably, and the zoo's walkways have become pleasantly shaded.

 Not everyone is looking for shade, though.  This ring-tailed lemur, native to Madagascar, looked as if he wanted a tan.

 We saw most of the zoo, skipping the cypress swamp with the alligators, and giving only a cursory glance to the bison and elk.  No need for us to drive 500 miles to see 'gators, and a zoo can't compete with Yellowstone in the bison and elk division.

 After the zoo, we stopped for lunch at the first restaurant we found, which was the Jugtown Cafe in Seagrove.  Good thing too, because it was Sunday and we didn't see another restaurant open for miles.

 I was particularly delighted with the Cafe's no-bake chocolate-peanut butter cookies, a favorite at my grandmother's house and also in my elementary school's cafeteria.  We picked up two for the road.  I don't want to know the calorie count, but they certainly were tasty.

  The blog is a few days behind, and this is being written while we visit the St. Louis branch of my clan. Thursday, we hope to cross Missouri and about half of Kansas.