Sunday, December 21, 2008

Hanukkah Tigers

click on photos to enlarge!










"Christmas is when kids tell Santa what they want and adults pay for it. Deficits are when adults tell the government what they want and their kids pay for it." - Dick Lamm



"The long run is a misleading guide to current affairs. In the long run we are all dead."
- John Maynard Keynes






"Whenever you find yourself in the majority it's time to pause and reflect."
- Mark Twain



















I have a confession to make: today is sunny, balmy and delightful. Sorry, but it's just 'paradise' beautiful. I seem to remember when temps in the 40's (F) felt balmy after subzero weather, but now, after 20 + years in Hawaii, mid-60 degree temps overnight feel positively wintry! BRRRRR! Many of you currently have blizzard warnings - we have lizards warming! You say: "ski mask" I say: "Sunblock." But Hanukkah arrives this evening in Hawaii just as it does throughout the world with the lighting of candles, the re-telling of miraculous events, and the re-kindling of the passion for human freedom. . . AND there are gifts! Honolulu has received not just a bounty of beautiful weather this holiday season, but the public debut of 3 delightful Sumatran Tiger Cubs at the Honolulu Zoo yesterday. . . Walk along with me, as we stroll through Waikiki and manage to arrive at the zoo late enough to miss all the tiresome official ceremony. Let's just enjoy my newest neighbors in the company of other animal lovers local & international . . . . A L O H A! Cloudia

18 comments:

laughingwolf said...

i'm with mark twain, hence my blog title: paws and reflect ;)

season's blessings to you and yours, m'dear...

Cloudia said...

Wishing you warm paws and rich marrow-bones, LaughingWolf!

Fida said...

Thanks for the report on the festive Princess Birthday celebration. I am always a little behind with my visits... Today I blame the snow shovelling - three times I had to go out and move that white fluffy stuff. And it's Sunday, for goodness sake, my only day off. Anyway, I am happy for you and the balmy Hawaiian weather, as for me I like the 4 seasons (yeah, yeah and complaining about shovelling snow J). What I don't like are Zoo's. But that's just me. Maybe they ARE useful (education, preserving species...). I don't know, I just so love my freedom, and I would like to have the same for animals.

Barbara Martin said...

Beautiful tiger kittens, Cloudia. My Chinese astrological sign. And I really like elephants, too.

Enjoy your balmy weather, we in the frigid part of the world will survive another three months until spring.

Dina said...

Those little tigers are almost as sweet as Chanuka soofganiot/jelly doughnut.

the walking man said...

I have a confession to make: Today it is 2 degrees and there is a 35 MPH wind drifting the 12 inches of snow that fell over the past 36 hours.

Winter ain't all bad...at least in Hawaii.

Anonymous said...

Oh, the baby Tiger kitties are so cute. Surely they'll like Hawai'i, just like the Happy Hana Cows. Where IS the Honolulu Zoo?
Have a merry.... DrumMajor

Dave King said...

I'm still laughing at the first quote. Marvellous - and so true.

pattinase (abbott) said...

Wish I were there. The animals and plants are lovely.

RiverPoet said...

Drop by my place today for a little bling...Peace - D

Junosmom said...

We are now in full hibernation :-)
It is 5F here today. So, I enjoyed for a moment your warm weather. We hold out for the hope of spring.
Happy Hanukkah!

Akelamalu said...

It's 9.6 C here at 3 p.m. Not too bad for December. I'd much rather be there basking in the sun!
I just love the photograph of the elephant - it looks as thought it's wearing a toupee! LOL

Anonymous said...

Already visited the Honolulu Zoo this year, but I guess it's time to go again to see the tigers. I wish the animals here were taken care of as well as at the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo.

Maria Verivaki said...

christmas is definitely for the kids first!

Charles Gramlich said...

DEfinitely a little more wintry here today. A pretty good windchill. Temps in the 40s and dropping to the 30s

Cloudia said...

Fida: Bless you for your love of freedom and the creatures. I feel real ambivilence going to the zoo. . .

Barbara M: You ARE a tiger tiger burning bright!

Dina: thanks! Is that like "schnecken"? Shayna Punim!

Walking Man: Thanks for walking by and leaving a comment.

Drum Major: The zoo is at Kalakaua & Kapahulu Avenues in Kapiolani Park below Diamond Head.

Dave King: wonderful! More joy in the world!

Pattinase: So nice to see YOU again!

Riverpot: Thanks! I will.

Junosmom: Thanks for popping your head out of the hibernation nation and paying us a visit! Thanks for your kind wishes AND for hosting My Town Mondays for a while!

Ake: Toupee on an elephant! I love your whimsical ways. I liked her smile. (didn't notice the 'rug.')

Gigi: aloha, neighbor!

Med Kiwi: Agreed, but aren't we ALL kids at Christmas? ;-)

Charles: Bundle up, and thanks so much for dropping by, friend.

ALOHA to us ALL!!

Cloudia said...

OOOPS "RiverpoEt" of course! sorry ;-(

DeniseinVA said...

Great post Cloudia and your cubs looked a little livelier than when I saw them. How I miss being there. I am counting the days already and planning, planning, planning.