Charm City Penguin Cake

I have lived in baltimore for the vast majority of my life, so when a reality show came onto TV with a Baltimore based cake company, I was overjoyed.  I watched every single episode of Ace of Cakes when it was on TV, never thinking that I would see one of these gorgeous cakes in person. 

 Imagine my surprise when I saw the cake on my way out of the Zoo yesterday.  It was intricate an amazing.  I am going to pretend that it is still in existence, and hasn't been eaten.

 Thankfully there wasn't any other visitors around, so I could take some time photographing each layer.  Like the penguin holding a yellow balloon.  Sooo cute.  

 Or a little penguin who was caught coming right out of the shower.  

 Mona Lisa painting penguin standing just a few inches from a penguin reading "penguin beat."

 Mr. Penguin chef, baking fish shaped cakes.  

Blogger penguin, that is totally me!!!!!

 Such a beautiful cake, I am zoo glad that I got to see it in person because these photographs do not do it justice.  

Love Always,

Meg

New Penguin Exhibit at the Baltimore Zoo

Today I went to the Baltimore Zoo.  The penguin coast grand opening was today, and I wanted to stop by.  I decided in the car that I was not going to fret about getting the best pictures, I can come back at a later date when it is less crowded, today was about enjoying the visit.

 I must say that the new exhibit is beautiful, and I truly believe that it will improve the quality of life of the penguins.  I have never seen them swim with so much excitement.  

 I could not remember when feeding time was, but thankfully it was ten minutes after I arrived.  So cute.  

 Not only do they have more room to swim, we are closer to them as well.  

 This is the area where the zoo workers fed the penguins.  

 Fact, this penguin jumped off of this rock, it was amazing.  I did not capture it on my camera, but it is something that I will try to photograph in my future visits.  

 The Zoo has a wonderful indoor exhibit where you can see the penguins swim upper water, but as it was feeding time, the penguins were not swimming by.  I don't blame them.  Breakfast is the most important meal of the day :  )

This is the entire viewing area.  It was funny to see the crowds of people from this perspective.  I have more pictures to share, I'll try to post them promptly.  

Love Always, 

Meg

The little pick me up that is needed on a friday

Last, but most certainly not least...kissing penguins.  

 I'd like to believe that they are truly in love.

 I love the shadow in the water on this one.

I love this picture because the penguins look like they are having human emotions.  The penguin on the right can't help but stare.  But the penguin of the left is looking away awkwardly.  

All in all I had a pretty great time at the zoo on Sunday.

Love Always,

Meg

It's Time for a Small Smackerel

As I got to the zoo on Sunday, I ran into a volunteer who told me to be in a specific spot at exactly 11:30, as that was the time that they would be feeding the penguins. 

 Naturally I got there twenty minutes early to stake out the best spot.  The penguins are fed twice everyday, and it seemed like some of them were just there to see what was going on.  

After the penguin got the fish, he took his time eating it.  Man, I can't imagine any of these guys eating more then one fish in a sitting.  How big are their stomaches anyway?

 All in all, it was a pretty exciting thing to witness.

Maryland Zoo Fun Fact: Per the exhibit announcer, these african penguins can eat up to 20% of their body weight each day!!!  

Tomorrow will be the last installment of penguin week.

Love Always,

Meg

Diving right in.

So this is going to be an epic post, 16 pictures but please bear with me.  I assure you, it's worth it.

I have been trying to take better action shots for a long time now, and haven't been too successful, in fact this is my fifth try to get a series of a jumping penguin.  Thankfully this was the best jump, and I finally captured it.  

 The most difficult thing was trying to find a penguin just ready to jump.  One never knows if a penguin is just pondering deeply or if he is preparing to jump in. 

 And we have a Jumper.

 I can only give him an 8.5 for the landing, as it was almost a disaster...but amazing.

 Quickly he found his footing.

 Now came the long wait.  Not every penguin who makes the first jump, makes the second jump.

 Take my word on it, at a certain point I really had to censor my children's zoo language.

 Hummmmm, what to do?

 "Too bad my feet are to short to test the water.  How cold is it in there? It's pretty hot out here."

 OMG, I think something is happening, twenty minutes after we began.  Seriously.

 And we have lift off, I love how committed he is.  He just plunged right in, but of course I don't think his stubbly little legs give him much of a choice.  

 Uh oh, 7.5 for a belly flop  :  )

 Hahahah, he's trying to find his footing still. 

 Now for my favorite part of the entire jump, beginning to swim.

And he speeds away.

Maryland Zoo Fun Fact: According to the announcer at feeding display, The Maryland Zoo has the most successfully breeding program of any USA zoo for african penguins.  In fact over 950 chicks have been hatched in the zoo.  So the take away from this is that these penguins firmly believe in the baltimore slogan, "Why be less, when you can B-More?"

Love Always,

Meg

Just Keep Swimming, Just Keep Swimming....

Well this little guy reminds me of Dory, and is my inspiration for going to work today.  After a long Monday, you just have to keep on swimming.

 I have never been to the Zoo at the right time to see the penguins before, so I had never seen them swim.  The swim around like little otters, flipping on their backs and splashing each other.

I love how he looks like a little airplane swimming around.

Today is a new day for positive thinking.  Today is a new day for zen and calm.  Today is a great day to strive forward.  Today is a new day.

Love Always,

Meg


Submitted to Tuesday Muse

I think some penguins have a case of the mondays....

Like all wild animals, I would assume that penguins get territorial, but I couldn't believe these three penguins started a brawl right in front of me.

              -"Hey, we having a fight guys?"

                                                   -"Easy guys, I don't want a fight."

This doesn't seem quite fair to me, can you see that big huge beak?

 I love this little foot hovering over the edge.

                  -"Ummmmm, are we being watched"              

                     -"act cool guys, act cool."                                 -I'm getting the heck out of here.

No less than five minutes later there four were hanging out together like typical guys.  Have a big fight, ruffle some feathers, and then be done with it.                

Newly learned Maryland Zoo fun fact of the day: all the males have bands on their right arms, while the females have bands on their left arms.

Love Always,

Meg