Childhood Dreams

When I was a kid, one of the shows I loved was Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom, with Marlon ("I'll stay in the tent") Perkins and Jim ("while I go wrestle the alligators") Fowler.  It was what I wanted to be when I grew up.

 

 

Of course, the reality is that most of us don't grow up to travel the world around to wrestle anacondas and get kicked by kangaroos.  But animal have always been a part of my life, from having too many cats to doing animal education at the museum and raising wee squirrels.

 

But sometimes things come full circle.  Marlon Perkins is long gone, but Jim Fowler is still around and kickin'.  He was in town yesterday to film some promotional spots for Amendment One (Land and Water Conservation).  I'm not usually one to vote for amendments, because I think constitutions should be clean and uncluttered.  But this will protect funds already in place--which at the moment can be siphoned off depending on the interpretations used ("isn't 'development' the same as 'conservaton'?)   But to hop off the soapbox--Fowler wanted to be holding a hawk for the filming.  The museum has a hawk (the one I helped train)--so we loaned her for the shoot.  And--of course, one of her handlers (ME!) had to go with her.

 

Have to admit--I really behaved like a 10-year-old.  And enjoyed it.