While in Marietta...

...you have to visit the Wilds.
They explain it pretty well on their website, but in a nutshell, a bunch of strip-mined land was donated to a conservation group. This group has a whole slew of endangered animals being raised and protected on this land (10,000 acres!!!).

Giraffe
Asian camel
Some sort of antelope and a WHITE RHINO!
Overlook
Two little hams, hamming it up for the camera

BIRDS: I wanted to come to this area because I had heard of all the great birding. We took a bus tour through the park, and a bumpy bus is no place to bird. But, we got out a few times and I did get a lifer: Henslow's Sparrow. Other birds: Osprey, trumpeter swans, Am. goldfinches, tons of turkey vultures, belted kingfishers, cedar waxwing.

At the hotel pool, I was lazily floating on my back, and I saw a Common Nighthawk (another lifer!).

You know you've arrived in the boonies when there are Mail Pouch signs.

And while in Marietta, you just have to visit Big Muskie Bucket. This is all that is left of the world's largest earth-moving machine. It could move 350 million tons of earth in an hour. My in-laws were cool enough to go with us to see this big thing...They have been all over the world, and yet they are real enough to still be impressed with something like this.

To put it in perspective, here are Isabelle and me in the bucket. And the chain laying alongside the bucket is bigger around than an average person. I don't really understand our fascination with GIANT things, but there you are.

Tomorrow, we have a real treat in store for us. But I will have to keep you hanging, because it's just too neat. Laura knows, but she's not gonna tell. When we get home, I will share photos and stories.