Ludwig's Summer Vacation

It's just about time to head back to school (or work). So Hippo's friend Ludwig von Flusspferd wrote to tell more about how he spent his summer vacation.

After some time spent seeing doctors, his vacation became more fun.

Supervising the van-packing. It's amazing how much stuff a little hippo can possibly need.

Smiling for the camera on his new little hippo-sized Nintendo DSi XL.

Rolling in a bed of his favorite flowers: snapdragons! They sound scary, but their mouths are so soft that it just tickles when they bite.

Thanks for sharing, Ludwig! From the rest of you, Hippo A. Potamus would like to know:

How did you and your hippo spend summer vacation?

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.

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.