Showing posts with label Michigan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Michigan. Show all posts

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Frankie Is Thankful

Frankie is thankful for Thanksgiving vacation.

Frankie is thankful for car rides.

Frankie is thankful for rest stops.

Frankie is thankful for cranberries.

Frankie is thankful for pie.

Frankie is thankful for games.

Frankie is thankful for kitties.

Frankie is thankful for leftovers.

Frankie is thankful for returning home after a fun trip.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Squeaky

Hippo's friend Squeaky wrote to tell him about how she spends autumn in Michigan:

Squeaky enjoys reading about Hippo's adventures – they make her laugh and squeak.

She likes to garden and harvest grapes at the end of the season.

She turns apples into apple butter.

To send to all her friends.

When Squeaky makes cookies, she makes some little hippo sized ones.

She enjoys playing beautiful music.

And she likes to pet big kitties.

She's very handy, especially at fixing little parts.

Squeaky likes to go for drives through the countryside.

But she doesn't like having car problems. Where did we put the gas?

Have some apple pie, it'll make everything better.

Squeaky Loves Hippo.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Hail to the Victors


To all the football fans, Hippos says:
Dress Warm!

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Holly

Hippo's new friend Holly sent holiday greetings from snowy Ann Arbor, Michigan.

She wanted to show Hippo what the University of Michigan campus looks like in cold weather. There's a definite lack of salsa dancing hippopotamuses on the plaza.

But Triton and the kids are still playing in the fountain.

Holly tried to catch snowflakes on her tongue.

Then she warmed up with a fresh Mexican lunch.

Holly nuzzled a puma on the way into the Exhibit Museum of Natural History.

There she learned how hippopotamuses are related to whales. An animal called Artiodactyl began adapting to an aquatic habitat 55 million years ago. Some of its descendants evolved into swimming hunters which later became whales and dolphins. Others evolved into wading grazers like the hippopotamus.

Holly is a beautiful example of Hippopotamus amphibius.

She left an impression on Ann Arbor by making hippo prints in the snow.

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Red Cedar River Horse

I learned a lot on my trip to Michigan this summer--like how to navigate with a mitten. It's a good thing we didn't go anywhere located on the "thumb" of the Michigan map. I have trouble finding mine, and we didn't want to take a wrong turn!


I also learned that there are no river horses in the rivers in Michigan. I guess that is because it gets cold enough in the winter to turn us into hippopsicles! It was plenty warm in the summer, though! Here I am by the Red Cedar River. The water was just a little too rough, and the fish just a little too big for a tiny hippo to take a dip.


So, I just cooled off at the nearby Starbucks. I couldn't decide which flavor Frappuccino I wanted, so I had two. Watch out for the brain freeze!



Thursday, August 21, 2008

Ludington State Park

I can't resist a good nature walk, so when my staff suggested a day of walking the trails at Ludington State Park during our vacation, I just had to say yes. We decided to walk to the top of the big sand dunes.


There are a lot of steps to climb! Good thing I have staff to carry me when I get tired.


Alvin was also out for a walk.


Comet, Cupid, or maybe Rudolph stopped by the side of the trail for a snack.


Along the way, we found some signs were more helpful than others. I like the ones that tell me where we are.


Now which way do we go?


Phew! I made it all the way to the top!


What a great view!

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Ann Arbor

For Hippo's big summer vacation this year, he went on a road trip across Michigan. One important stop was a tour of Ann Arbor. We watched some weird cartoons at the old Michigan Theater.

And ate some authentic pastrami at Zingerman's Delicatessen. (Well, Hippo stuck to the carrot salad; the sandwiches were too big for his mouth!)

One of Hippo's favorite spots is this fountain sculpture of Father Triton and his sons playing called Sunday Morning in Deep Waters.

Ann Arbor is of course home to the University of Michigan whose school colors are maize and blue.

When the music starts playing, Hippo starts dancing. Thanks to some salsa lessons he now has yet another boogie move.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Googly Update!

I spotted another googly friend on my recent visit to Williamston, Michigan.

Sunday, December 23, 2007

O Christmas Tree


I am very excited about my first Christmas, so I went to see the National Christmas Tree. There has been a national tree since 1923, but only a live one since 1973. Around the big tree are more than 50 small trees--one for each American state and territory. I took a photo of the Michigan tree since I have non-hippo family there.


Most of the ornaments on the tree were mitten-shaped like the state! It was cold out, but not cold enough for me to wear my mittens.

I liked looking at the trees and thinking about all the presents you could fit under them, but the best part was the trains running under the big tree. These trains were almost big enough for a tiny little hippo to ride!


Ho, ho, ho! Just 2 more days to go!