A Sunday after Christmas at the Philadelphia Zoo with Nate, Ben and Annie. The Chief Photographer grabbed this image in the primate house. This gorilla is made from corrugated cardboard, kind of like industrial papier-mâché.
Philly Zoo Gorilla
Unexpected find close to my sister’s house in Missouri. Over breakfast on Thanksgiving Dave and Dale spoke about a giraffe nearby. Was it larger than life? Would it count? We piled into Bob’s new F-150, 4×4, with a crew cab and went in search. We found it on N. Geyer, a few blocks south of Clayton. It’s across from the Old Des Peres Church, one of the oldest churches west of the Mississippi. Dave and Bob, avid geo-cachers, immediately went back home and created a cache to place under the watchful of Geoffrey. The giraffe is actually sitting in front of a private home.
Des Peres Giraffe
While we were in Grand Rapids visiting with our niece Erica, we stopped at the Meijer’s Gardens and Sculpture Park. A great place. We knew about this Big Horse. Here is what they say about this piece. “A monument to creativity, The American Horse was created by famed animaliere or animal sculptor, Nina Akamu. The work was inspired, in part, by a work created by Renaissance master Leonardo da Vinci for the Duke of Milan in the late 15th century.”
Meijer Garden and Sculpture Park Horse
After breakfast with our niece Erica we headed into Grand Rapids to grab some Big Things images and have lunch at Founders Brewery. The first item on our agenda was this Big Loch Ness monster at the John Ball Zoological Garden on West Fulton Street.
Grand Rapids Nessie
On our way to Saugatuck for our Fall Break trip, physician we stopped by the Sherman Dairy Bar in South Haven to grab this image of Blue Moo and Baby Moo located on top of the business. We had a big breakfast in Kokomo a couple hours earlier or I might have dropped in for a strawberry cone.
Blue Moo and Baby Blue
Gosh, there are so many of these Big Chickens scattered around the country I don’t know why there is not a web site dedicated to them. There’s several sites for Muffler Men, none for chickens. Maybe someone will create a Big Chicken Site.
Rise-N-Shine Cafe Chicken
After brunch in Tower Grove Park we couldn’t pass up the chance to shop at Gringo Jones, 4468 Shaw Blvd in St. Louis. If you are in the area this is a very interesting shop to visit. The place is crammed with items. Antiques in the basement, cement lawn statues, and much, much more. This chicken was on the curb out front.
Gringo Jones Chicken
Here is a butterfly we spotted on the way to Sunday brunch at Café Madeleine in Tower Grove Park in St. Louis. A great park with a number of gazebos to rent for your party. The brunch was wonderful. Afterward we stopped at the Brightside garden at 4646 Shenandoah Ave. to get this photo. A nice pocket park sponsored by the Missouri DNR.
St. Louis Butterfly
Ran across this Big Rubber Duck at the Broad Ripple Farmer’s Market advertising the Rubber Duck race in the canal. This is the same canal the Colt’s Pro-Bowl punter, Pat McAfee jumped into late one night a few years ago. Caused quite a stir at the time.
Broad Ripple Rubber Duck
Indianapolis Flower Show booth showing a larger than life (I hope) pest that can be found in your garden. The folks in the booth were very friendly and helpful.
Heartland Invader
No trip to Cincinnati, like the one we made for the Brain Tumor Walk, would be complete without a stop at Jungle Jim’s. I have a number of Big Things shot at Jungle Jim’s, however this time we spotted this Big Snail next door. Almost drove by since we wanted to get back home but stopped long enough to grab this image. Jungle Jim’s is unlike any grocery store you’ve been in, a must see.
Jungle Jim Snail
We went down to Cincinnati to support a friend by walking in a Brain Tumor Walk. While we’ve been to Cincinnati before I’m always looking for new Big Things. I found this Big Pig on Roadside America. The pig stands out front of the Sugar and Spice Restaurant on Reading Road. I wish we would have been there for breakfast, it looks like my kind of place.
Sugar and Spice Pig
On our way out of State College, look PA after spending the night and having breakfast at Ye Old College Diner (leaving with Sticky Buns in hand of course) we took Business 322 to get on US-322. Right before we got there, we spotted this bull atop Kelly Steak and Seafood. A restaurant in Boalsburg, PA. Another nice find!
State College Bull
Ben, Annie and Nate were in town and a trip to the zoo was in order. Just inside the entrance are these artful butterflies. Naturally I had to grab an image with them. The zoo has been upgraded and is quite a bit nicer than when we first moved here.
Indy Zoo Butterflies
It may be a stretch to put this in the Animal/Fish category but where would you put it? We were in Santa Monica while visiting Julia and Dan who were living in Eagle Rock, an area in Los Angeles. One day we visited Santa Monica, my how it has changed from my visits in the ’90’s. Less local and more national chain stores. Shouldn’t have been surprised but I was and disappointed for some reason. Anyway we were walking along Ocean Avenue and ran across this Big Scallop sculpture. I believe it was next to the Chez Jay restaurant. Nice find.
Santa Monica Scallop
While visiting Julia and Dan in LA during Spring Break we took a drive up to Santa Barbara to do some wine tasting and enjoy the city. While wandering about near the Visitors Center I spotted this Big Seahorse, the first one for me, and I’ve been at this for quite some time.
Santa Barbara Seahorse
Near by the Seahorse pictured just above we found this fish. Actually it’s not just any fish, it’s a sculpture by Matthew McAvene named “The Data Fish.” Too good to pass up.
Santa Barbara Data Fish
This is another image from the Indianapolis State Fair which I described in the Food and Drink section. At any rate, there was a building that housed an animation display. This Big Panda was part of the display. The conditions weren’t the best so the image is not up to the usual standards. I think Jerry needed another ice cream fix.
State Fair Panda
The Lighthouse Tabernacle Church around the corner at 98th and Keystone has a fish fry during Lent. I don’t remember one in July, however it did provide an opportunity for a Big Picture. I spotted these Big Fish yesterday and had to roll by this morning on the way to the farmer’s market to make sure I got this image before the fish were gone.
Lighthouse Tabernacle Fish
