We saw Roos!

Desert Park

It was a quiet week this week, with temperatures from 104 to 107 most days we were creative in finding things to do indoors.  Driving is getting easier, I only find myself on the wrong side of the rode every once in a while.  We do not eat out much but we found a pizza place that has an indoor play park, the boys made new friends and JD and I were actually able to have a conversation at dinner (new favorite place).  We did venture out to Desert Park on one of the cooler days though and being the well prepared outbacker I am, I had on flip flops and no water.



Notice the Kangaroo in the background

Desert Park, in a word was amazing.  The greeting area is impressive, beautiful trees and seating area surrounded by the entrance, a theater and a café.  As you walk through the entrance you are given the option of an audio tour but we chose to just walk at our leisure.  As we started on the trail I was immediately struck by the beauty of the land, being able to see the trees and flowers up close and then having the mountains in the backdrop.  The trail curves around stopping at an amphitheater, bird houses and of course the kangaroo trail.  We were on a mission, the boys wanted to see kangaroos!  When we got to the kangaroo area there was a small gate, I was amazed that the trail continued beyond the gate – we opened it and continued when we realized we were walking with about 10 kangaroos, we were as close as 2 feet away.  The boys were thrilled; some were napping but 3 or 4 were carefully watching us and hopping from place to place. A little further down the trail is the Nocturnal house, my favorite part of the park.  It was very large and dark with didgeridoo music playing as you walked through.  It featured reptiles, invertebrates and rare and endangered animals of the night.  The displays were enormous and really helped the boys to understand the animal’s natural environment. There was an area that had the constellations on the ceiling and a large ottoman to lie on to get the full experience. We purchased a membership at the Park so I am certain we will be back numerous times over the next year.

One thing I am fascinated with here are the birds, you see birds everywhere.  You wake up to chirping and singing every morning.  One morning you might have a lime green bird in your backyard and the next day a pink one.  At Desert Park we saw incredible birds, but I see them everywhere!  I love how colorful they are!





Outdoor sculpture/tunnel



The boys and I visited the Aurelian Arts Center Friday while trying to beat the heat.  There is a museum that showcases the rocks, minerals and animals found in nature here.  I have to say I was a little freaked out by the taxidermy, they had a mouse with suckling babies, an owl with a dead rat in his mouth and a cat licking himself (the boys thought that was hilarious).  Dillon kept telling me “do not look at this, you will not like this”! We loved the skeletons though; there was an emu, snakes, and even a prehistoric bear.  As part of the Arts Center there is an Aviation Museum, craft center, museum, gallery and performing arts hall.  The boys and I walked through the museum to check out some of the local aboriginal art, unfortunately photography was not allowed in this area.  I was impressed with the center, the walking trails and the outdoor sculptures.



Inside the tunnel there were various aboriginal paintings.



Inside the museum