Callaway Gardens

We recently went on a field trip to Callaway Gardens.  This is the first time the girls have ever been there and we had a great time.  All the flowers were not in bloom and it was a bit rainy, but it is still a beautiful park.  I love how the girls "pose" for pictures:

They loved touring the log cabin, which reminds them of the chapter book we are reading, The Little House on the Prairie:

Here is a well, which reminded them of a chapter in the Little House book in which Pa digs a well for the family.

 Catherine acting like a wolf and "howling:"

 I tell them not to, but they always sneak and pick a flower:

 As soon as they saw this swing, they both ran over to it:

I really wanted a butterfly to land on their fingers, but it didn't happen.  This was the only decent picture I could get because my camera lens fogged up as soon as we entered the butterfly enclosure.

The highlight of the day was the Birds of Prey show.  This owl was so amazing.  He flew from the front of the audience to the back, and then returned to the front - several times.  He flew just a few inches above our heads, so some people's heads were actually brushed by his (or her?) wings.

 Here is the owl, about to fly:

 Catherine ducked down every time the owl flew by:

After the owl, the show featured a hawk. The hawk was in a non-cooperative mood and flew into a tree.  He refused to come out of the tree.  After 30 minutes of trying to get the hawk out of the tree, the trainers ended the show.  They were unable to bring out the bald eagle or the vulture, because they are apparently only allowed to have one bird of prey out of its cage at a time.  I was so sad; I would have love to actually see a bald eagle after having studied it recently.

Ever since we went to the High Museum a few weeks ago, the girls have been talking about statues and paintings every time we see them.