Christmas Lights and Rhinos

We took Booger to the zoo last night to check out the “Lights Before Christmas”, which are actually on display until after Christmas, but whatever, I’m over it. (sort of) It was a balmy 61 degrees here in Northwest Ohio, which was perfect for an outdoor evening. Also perfect for every single person in a hundred mile radius to crash my warm-outdoor-activity party. It was very crowded, but we still managed to enjoy ourselves. The lights were very pretty and while they appeared to photograph well, once uploaded and viewed in a normal size they are blurry. Figures.

I truly love to look at Christmas lights. Makes me warm and fuzzy inside. I especially like the trees that are “hard wrapped.” You know, Where the lights are wrapped around the trunk and branches and not just draped. Does that make sense? Also, I prefer single colors per tree. And I must know….who invented flashing lights? There was a set of trees close to the entrance that were draped with lights. Strands of red lights AND strands of green lights. The trees alternated between RED and GREEN. Flashing red, then green, then red. Not in synch, just RED then GREEN. I am capitalizing because that is how I felt about them. We were walking past them and I turned and said to Roy, “Why are these trees yelling at me?” They seemed to be yelling at me. I did not like them.

In the middle of the zoo was this huge display of dancing lights. No, really, that’s what they were called. There were about 12-15 trees covered in lights…completely covered. Red, white, green, maybe more…Anyway. These lights were set to music. So, as the music changed the light color changed, lighting particular trees in sequence, etc. During the big finale of whichever song, the trees would all light up and with ALL THE COLORS AT THE SAME TIME. And they would FLASH. The shouting, it hurts.

Most of the animals were inside, which I find odd since it was so nice outside. I would imagine the animals are not big fans of all the lights invading their space. We saw a sleeping baby elephant, sleeping peacefully next to his mom, who was catching a late night snack of hay. Down the way, sleeping peacefully next to their indoor exhibit window was a very large rhinoceros. He (she, maybe…didn't see any distinct, uh, rhino parts) was sleeping peacefully on a slab of concrete in a cinder block enclosed room with a view. I don’t know why, but my heart broke for this beautiful beast. What gives us the right to abduct this wonderful creature from his home, his soft bed, his family, to put him in Toledo and make him sleep on concrete. For crying out loud. I have always been a fan of the zoo and I truly believe there is good that comes from having zoos, access to these animals, and all that. But last night, I realized that maybe giving us the chance to gawk at him isn’t enough reason to pluck him from his home.