Creation Museum: Dinosaur Den

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The final stop on my tour of the Creation Museum's displays was an exhibit area known as the Dinosaur Den. This displayed a number of modeled dinosaurs based on fossils that have been discovered around the world.

The dinosaur below looks quite scary, at least when it has its mouth open. All of the specimens in the display seemed remarkably life-like.

Dinosaur

This model shows a skeleton only, which is actually more realistic, because this is all a paleontologist could hope to find at a dig site. Fossil sets this complete are, in fact, very rare. The look of the scales and skin of the other models are primarily determined by the ideas of the sculptor.

Dinosaur Skeleton

Creation Museum: Garden of Eden

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The next museum highlight was a recreation of a small part of the Garden of Eden. With lively model animals and luscious plastic vegetation, this room almost felt like it was outdoors.

These llamas were one part of the exhibit that stood out. One seems to be craning its neck to observe some distant object, while the other smirks at the viewer.

Llamas

The creature below was one of the more unusual. It looks like a leopard, except for its mottled pattern of scales. Apparently it is an artist's idea of one type of dinosaur, and it is seen here voraciously devouring a pineapple.

Pineapple-Eating Dinosaur

Finally, these two kangaroos could be seen peeking out of the vegetation.

Kangaroos

Creation Museum: Dinosaur

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As I mentioned earlier, the Creation Museum exhibits a number of life-sized dinosaurs. While there is an entire room, which we will get to later, dedicated to this purpose, I passed a lone dinosaur specimen early on along the exhibit trail.

This model is a Tyrannosaurus Rex, with sharp, knife-like teeth. It could grow to forty feet long and twenty feet high, with a weight over seven tons. Maybe this model wasn't quite life size, but it definitely was bigger than any T. Rex I'd like to meet!

Tyrannosaurus Rex

Another exhibit displayed ancient scrolls from around the world. The scroll shown below dates from around 1825. Scrolls were often made of vellum produced from animal skins, resulting in a document that could last almost indefinitely. The scroll below contains Hebrew portions of Genesis and Exodus.

Hebrew Scroll 

This exhibit depicts a famous scene of Moses and the Ten Commandments. As you can probably tell from the stone tablets, Hebrew is read from right to left.

Ten Commandments

Swan and Wolves

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This white swan was one of the few birds that could survive the winter at the zoo. It was sitting near a small pond. Although the pond was mostly covered in ice, it had a small hole at the center where the swan could get a drink.

White Swan

These wolves seemed quite at home in the snow. Their natural habitat in Canada and Alaska can get much colder than our mild winters.

Wolves

Reindeer

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Another cold-loving animal, and a famous one as well, is the reindeer. They seemed to be enjoying the cold weather just as much as the polar bear. While fourteen distinct subspecies of reindeer have been recognized, I doubt if I could tell them apart. However, their thick fur and large antlers set them apart from other deer species.

Reindeer

Bears

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Every year, the Columbus Zoo creates a luminous display of Christmas lights throughout the zoo. While these are best viewed at night, I planned my recent tour to include enough daylight hours to visit the animals as well. Some of the animals are moved elsewhere during the winter, but many of them remain at the zoo.

The brown bear below didn't seem to mind the cold weather at all. While I watched, it playfully rolled over on its back in the snow.

Brown Bear

Polar bears, such as the one below, are native to climates even colder than the day I visited the zoo. Their layers of thick fur insulate them from frigid air and ice-cold water. This bear almost looks as if it were grinning.

Polar Bear

Eden Park: Ducks

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Eden Park also contained a small pond, which had a healthy population of ducks. They seemed quite tame, and a few waddled after me, waiting for food. I caught these Mallards taking a spin out on the water.

Like a Duck to Water...

Also at the pond were these two beautiful white Pekin ducks. They seemed to be the only ones of their kind, but were quite tame nonetheless.

White Pekins

Topiary Park: Ducks

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No pond would be complete without a flock of ducks to waddle around its perimeter. The majority of the ducks in this shot seem to be taking their midday nap. I also saw a few in the water, but their snoozing friends were too lazy to join them.

Napping Ducks 

This one duck, however, seemed quite alert when I approached. Maybe it was standing guard while the other ducks were resting.

The Guard

Goat In Tree

Mud Valley Memories

 Goat In Tree

"Doctor. doctor, I feel like a goat."

"How long have you felt like that?"

"Since I was a kid."


What do you call a goat's beard?

A Goatee!

Two Goats

Mud Valley Memories

Two Goats

I like goats almost as much as I like horses. We used to see these friendly goats when we walked along the dairy lane. We called it the dairy lane because it went back to a dairy farm. You can see the dairy farm here and the dairy lane here.

One Goat

Mud Valley Memories

One Goat

This is a very mild-looking goat.

Why is it hard to carry on a conversation with a goat?

Because it's always butting in!

Side Plow Horses

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Side Plow Horses

These horses look pretty proud of their day's work. I like the markings on the brown ones.

Side Plow From Front

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Side Plow From Front

Now we see these three beauties from the front. They have almost gotten their whole furrow plowed.

Side Plow Turning

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Side Plow Turning

This man had to get up from his plow in order to do the turn. You can buy a horse-drawn plow for around $500. There's also a book out that you can buy to tell you how to drive your new plow. You can also buy a horse-drawn lawn mower.

Side Plow From Back

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Side Plow From Back

I was intrigued by this plow. It seems to be very simple yet effective.

,,,And Really Close

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...And Really Close

Now you can see the complicated harness on these mules. I really enjoyed taking this picture.

...And Closer...

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...And Closer...

Anyone who has tried to hand dig a garden knows how hard it is to break this kind of sod. I admire these mules for their strength and determination. I wish I had a few of them myself.

Two White Mules Closer

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Two White Mules Closer

A man and a mule could walk up to 30 miles a day on hard ground in the early days of farming. When working new ground, mules were used to pull out stumps. Only an acre of land could be cleared each winter using this method. Most of the cotton fields in the south were cleared this way.

Two White Mules

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Two White Mules

You can see these mules are holding their own with the bigger horses. I had fun snapping their picture as they came down the field.

Fancy Horses

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Fancy Horses

Now it looks as if these horses are pausing for a photo op. Meanwhile, the plowman is checking his work.