Black Pine Animal Park, part 2

In the previous post, I was writing about some of the histories of the animals we encountered at the Black Pine Animal Park in Albion, Indiana. I had started to mention Nala, which is one of the largest African lions I have ever seen - they said she weighs at least 500 pounds.

The first "house pet" adopted by Black Pine, Nala was being raised in a home with young children before a judge intervened and ordered her removal. (People are just whacked.) Someone tried to remove her claws when she was a cub in the home, and the brochure said this had been 'botched' somehow, and the resulting effect contributed to her weight gain. These cages aren't far from the human fence - watch out little kids, because these predators track and stalk the movement of little things like humans, they can't help it. This can be frightening for a small child, but an interesting thing to actually experience - the powerful human momentarily reduced to the feeling of being prey. Maybe a good reality check? I hope the cages are solid.

It's nice this facility prints a brochure that profiles the exhibited animals. It's more than just a map, it's a history of many animal life journies. The brochure also clearly states rules for human behavior in the park (assuming all the visitors and their children can and will read. Specifically, English.) It cost $7 for adults to enter and $6 for kids, and a bag of critter food is $1. There are 70 animals housed on 18 acres. My family and I thought the visit here was worthwhile. Look them up on their website: http://www.blackpine.org/. Remember, you can also take advantage of the more in-depth tours offered- private, guided.

The place is food for thought. To lighten the mood a bit, I've included this snapshot I took in the Reptile house - a framed box of laundry detergent from Indonesia or Malaysia. There is no sign to explain the failure of translation or cultural faux pas here. It's funny how a little miscommunication can be so powerful sometimes. Chew on that for a while and I'll see you later.

Black Pine Animal Park

If you're in the mood to see some animal species not native to Indiana, you might want to check out the Black Pine Animal Sanctuary in Albion. This country park is not a zoo but a refuge for no-longer wanted exotic animals, abandoned or cast-off from elsewhere.

Remote, in a lovely wooded setting, Black Pine is open daily in the summer. Other times of the year, tours can be scheduled by appointment.

The cages are not state-of-the-art, but many of the animals are close up and easy to view - there was also lots of nice shade on the paths, which really helped cut down on the heat. In one area, the only chimpanzee in Indiana, a retired circus performer, is housed indoors. Work on his large outdoor play yard is ongoing, as Black Pine raises enough money to finish the structure. In the meantime, the chimp has to stay in a building all the time. It's obvious housing some of these big, smart, strong primates must be very expensive.

It makes me think of a capriciousness and ego that comes with the human species. The life-long implications of capturing and breeding. How poignant to see them now turned out; as much as I appreciate animals for education, to me they simply don't belong in cages. But this is a world-wide tradition and industry that is way beyond me.

I am most struck by Chui, a black African leopard. He is the most impressive, perfect, wonderful thing. His eyes glow, the hint of the leopard spots can barely be seen under his black color. Yet, he seems so reduced, so resentful to be there - it's painful to watch. I feel sorry he can't somehow be released into the wild. The brochure states he was rescued from the pet trade.

There is a building full of reptiles, and some large parrots and macaws- turtles and these large birds can sometimes live 100 years. The implications of that means some of these creatures have had to suffer through a series of owners.

The park has its up moments -one is a barnyard area with a dwarf horse, deer, ostrich, rhea and emu. Although these are behind a fence, visitors can purchase food and feed them. This kind of thing is always a crowd pleaser. There are other wayward pets here such as a couple of pigs, and a seven-foot-tall, creaky camel that used to be featured in the Ringling Bros & Barnum and Bailey Circus (explain that last title to me). So big he's scary.

In part two of this article, soon to be posted, I'll tell you about Nala, a rescued African Lioness that was the hugest I have ever seen, at 500 pounds. Up close and almost personal. See you soon.

Chief Little Turtle's gravesite

Not far from downtown Fort Wayne, in the middle of a residential neighborhood with homes on both sides, is the grave site and a memorial for Chief Little Turtle, who lived in the area from about 1747 (his approx. birth) until his death in 1812. A great warrior chieftain, he was later known as a peacemaker, who encouraged his followers to make treaties with the U.S. Govt.

Born perhaps near Churubusco (also called Turtletown) he was the hereditary war chief of the Miami Indians. His father was Big Turtle. When the French attacked Kekionga (now Fort Wayne) before the American Revolution, Little Turtle retaliated and fought on the side of the British. It was all part of a larger battle for Detroit. But after the Americans won the revolution in 1776, the British abandoned their native allies, and the U.S. claimed the Indian territories on the other side of the Ohio. The Indians weren't taking it. Little Turtle began fighting against this group of white men.

Many Indian tribes united and fought the new Americans, and in one battle 600 American soldiers were killed. But after the Indian tribes were defeated at the Battle of Fallen Timbers, Little Turtle ceased fighting and repeatedly called for peace with the new government. He went against other Native American leaders in this cause, and also visited several U.S. Presidents.

Little Turtle's daughter was married to William Wells, who was a big fighter as well. After the Miami villages were destroyed in the War of 1812, Little Turtle moved in with Wells and died that year. He was given a U.S. military funeral in Fort Wayne.

His grave was eventually forgotten, though, and then rediscovered during home construction excavation in 1912. His swords and other memorabilia were taken to the Allen County Historical Society, and his grave was left alone. In 1959, the Smeltzly sisters bought the property to be preserved as a park and memorial, as a piece of history and a tribute to peacemakers. There are only low plaques, stone markers and wildflowers at the site - very minimalistic, and also beautiful.

I love this unusual little park. It must be interesting to live on this street and have it sitting there in what looks like an empty lot for a house. It has a lovely winding path and lots of trees, but it isn't overly manicured, I suppose to give one the effect of just being a Naive American, walking through the woods. It feels very peaceful and sacred somehow. As tossed aside as these native people were, to somehow, this grave being found after all those years and called important by a few lowly women and preserved - there is something powerful in that.

Drive up streets like the appropriately named Spy Run in Fort Wayne, curve off at Tennessee, and ask locals about the grave for Chief Little Turtle. To me, it's just a special as any big bronze statue of General "Mad" Anthony Wayne in Friemann Square. Trappers, traders, old forts; there is lots of interesting history to be found in Fort Wayne.

George's La Baguette

It was a rainy day in Fort Wayne, and time to find an indoor activity. I had been looking for a good time to visit George's La Baguette - an authentic Mexican bakery near Broadway and Taylor streets, downtown.

It's casual and comfortable - no white gloves here. Instead, one takes an aluminum tray, a set of tongs, and walks around filling the tray with baked goods. There is a ton of stuff. I choose a big slice of carrot cake, a desert that looks like a Hostess fudge cupcake, complete with icing and a creamy center (only this one was baked here fresh from scratch this morning), and my companion took a doughnut. (I will take some of this home to others). All of this cost $2.60. There are boxes at the counter, because most of the business is taken out, but we sit down at some old-fashioned tables where one can watch the people working hard in the back. Most everyone is speaking Spanish.

The proprietor asked if he could help. I asked him how long the place had been in business, and he said three years. There are ethnic breads featured such as Cuban and Greek ones, and they make tons of specialty cakes for weddings and birthdays. All the ingredients they use are so fresh there isn't even a bakery freezer on the premises.

Everything is extremely cheap here. You could buy cake and treats for a child's birthday party for $10. They have so many different kinds of baked goods - garlic onion cheese bread loaves, fancy fruit flan cakes, cheese cakes. They have French breads and baguettes. There are traditional Mexican cookies baked with corn flour instead of wheat. The cookies are huge. Many different colors, some sprinkled with M&Ms, whoa baby.

I don't eat a lot of these types of carbs anymore, but this place is a kid's dream. Cannoli for $1.50. Carmel apples for the same. Ornate slices of Oreo cake. Frozen treats such as Edy's ice cream. (Made here in Fort Wayne, if you didn't know). Coffee (no free refills - no public bathrooms - this place is low-rent and there are plenty of loiterers, and homeless folks, in this neighborhood).

They make all types of Danish, coconut-covered cakes, pastries - I have to stop before I get diabetes taking about it. Come to Fort Wayne, bring the children with the sweet tooth gene, and I'll set you all up. You'll want to write home about it, and ship a few things for your freezer.

Sheba kills the muskrat

The balance between nature and man's interests is a precarious one; take the case of the mighty muskrat. Not as big as a beaver, but larger than the river rat, a family of muskrats will infiltrate quickly and can compromise the man-made dams on Indiana ponds and lakes.





It's an ongoing battle for water Hoosiers; sometimes trapping, sometimes loading up the ol' shotgun, and for every one taken out, there seems to be a nest of new ones. Pioneers used to predict the severity of upcoming winters by judging the mud thicknesses of muskrat nests.





Muskrats have huge teeth and claws and are absolutely fierce when cornered. I wouldn't want to try and back one into a corner, so maybe you can imagine my surprise when Sheba, a normally mild-mannered neighbor German Shepherd, went after one that ran across our driveway.





What was it doing out of the water, you say? I'm not sure, but I have seen them in the yard many times when there is clover to eat. In any case, Sheba the dog had come down to visit the children and perhaps decided to defend them as she took off after this big muskrat.

All I know is that I heard a tremendous barking as if there was a bear or its equivalent in the yard. I rushed outside to hear fierce scrabbling, vicious fighting, and then silence. I still couldn't see what was happening behind the tall prairie grass and cattails, but pretty soon, to my absolute astonishment, came two little girls hoisting a big fishing net they had used to scoop up the dead muskrat.

My eyes grew huge with amazement. "What happened?" I said.

"Sammy and Sheba killed the muskrat!" the smaller girl said proudly.

"I see, how did that happen?" I asked.

"We were petting Sheba when this huge muskrat ran across the driveway. For some reason, Sheba took off after it and we followed her. She ran up on it and started fighting with it, and it was attacking her wildly, trying to bite her. It was all teeth and claws fighting."

Then Sammy said, "I was so scared for Sheba I grabbed a big rock out of the driveway and I threw it and hit the muskrat. I guess it stunned it or distracted it for a second, because right then Sheba was able to grab it with her jaws and kill it."

"Sammy, you and Sheba killed the muskrat together! I'm so proud of you, you girls are big muskrat hunters!" I couldn't have been more proud of my girls than if they had been Indian maidens, out hunting for dinner. The courage and resourcefulness! It usually takes a man with a shotgun! It makes me grin just thinking and writing about it.

I guess I feel sorry in a way for the loss of the sweet life of the muskrat on his happy pond, but maybe he'll go to a land full of more clover and willow fronds. Peace be to the cycle of life, and its amazing variety and diversity. And 'yeah' to mild-mannered, non-aggressive Sheba, the smart German Shepherd, who earned her stripes and her dog food for her first musky kill. She deserved a big, cool jump off the dock and a few hugs after that.

Tin Caps Baseball for High Summer Fun

As a starter team for the San Diego Padres, the Fort Wayne Tin Caps have to hedge for their lack of celebrity players with a lot of fun and a great ball field experience. And with their new and beautifully designed Parkview Field, they do not disappoint. This is baseball play at it's best.

Tired, old buildings in downtown Fort Wayne were razed to make way for this low-profile, very modern and friendly ball park. We began our family evening, in which we joined friends from the workplace, with a buffet line that had no waiting. Hot dogs, burgers, potato salad and cooked apples were served to us (help-yourself style). Fresh food, vegetable condiments, serve-yourself fountain drinks - the planners and cooks did a nice job.

The Tin Caps (the name is a nod to Johnny Appleseed, a.k.a. John Chapman, who is buried here) were the 2009 Midwest League champions, beating teams from places such as Beloit, WI and Cedar Rapids, IA (393 miles away). To play the Lansing, MI team, for example, the travel is only 130 miles. The playing field in Fort Wayne is great, but I guess sometimes I'm more excited about the atmosphere than the actual ball playing here - there is so much to see. For example, all the replays on the Jumbotron, break dancing bat boys - you name it.

There are so many different venues and seating options at this park - we ate with our friends at this table section and then watched the game from there. There is also a plush suite-level lounge and boxes for the upscale parties.

There is a different seating section that has bar-height tables for folks that prefer those - probably fewer kids are in that section. It's as if the architects and designers were playing with different ideas - there are even two types of lawn seating - one gradual, grassy slope for families and their blankets, and one grass bank with tiered concrete steps.

And after all that and more, there are the regular stadium seats with backs - so many choices! So much great food and ice cream! It's fun for all.

Between plays, there all lots of games for the fans such as musical chairs, dancing groundskeepers, Jumbotron marriage proposals, etc. The summer games usually end with big fireworks. This July night The Tin Caps beat The South Bend Silver Hawks respectably, and there were some exciting plays - no home runs that night but scoring into the double digits and several great grounders and triple plays. It's a happy, satiated atmosphere, with less tension and crowd issues than some of the bigger, big urban, major league parks. If you're in Fort Wayne, I think this is a best bet for evening summer fun. Please, take me out to the ol' ball game.

Fireworks on the River

Hoosiers are crazy about their fireworks. Whether they buy them to set off themselves, or spread blankets on lawns to watch big displays, summer means lots of pyrotechnics.

I've seen firework displays from boats, and that is wonderful - but then someone has to put the boat away. That's ok - but we have stumbled upon our own bit of magic - fireworks dockside in Leo-Cedarville, Indiana.

One used to have to drive to Fort Wayne to see a big show, but for the last ten years Leo has made a concerted effort, including raising volunteered funds, to put on a firework festival. Riverside Gardens Park has a perfect viewing area, and an afternoon of events including live bands, dance acts, and line dancing. We took the crew over for some ice cream, hot dogs, and cold drinks. The younger kids got to try the bounce hut and mini-carousel rides.

They also had pony rides and some other fun stuff, but we decided to avoid any more of the 90 degree heat and headed back to our own dock. Lots of pontoon boats, etc., move out on to the water and park for the fireworks to come.

A neighbor offers one of the kids a ride on a jet ski, and we carry chairs out on to the dock.
Having drinks handy and a dose of mosquito spray is a good idea before it gets dark. Some of the other neighbors show up at the dock at the last minute and are given seating for the display.

Pyrotechnics begin around 10 p.m., and are fabulous across the water - it amplifies the sound and makes a better stage than the lawn. If the water is calm enough it reflects the show, providing a mirror view at twice the height. It's truly spectacular, something a person can always remember. And then for us, we're fortunate enough to have no drive home. Fireworks made in China - and loved all over the U.S.A., in every small town and backyard. Fireworks everywhere, all at once. Amazing.