Tomorrow’s children
It’s no small secret that we here at Casa Fred are some serious animal lovers. From chipmunks to squirrels to birds to horses and beyond, we like most all the critters that creep, crawl, stalk, walk, run, and fly on this planet. One of the three of us — and I’m not saying which (but it isn’t my wife or daughter) — is even partial to animals that slither on their bellies in the woods.
But we especially love the felines, as is evidenced by the herd we keep in residence. We have cat toys, cat notepads, cat fridge magnets, cat cards, cat shirts, and tens of thousands of cat pictures. Last week, we had the opportunity of a lifetime, pictures of which Robyn and I both shared in abundance on our web sites. You know what I’m talking about.
Tigers, baby. The big boys. Five hundred pounds of muscle, teeth, and power, wrapped in a swirl of orange, black, and white. All thanks to a local rescue facility called Tigers for Tomorrow (if you’re feeling generous, they always need donations).
Robyn’s in Maine for the week, and I have nothing to do.
There are tigers near me.
Robyn’s in Maine for the week, and I have nothing to do.
There are tigers near me.
I know people who would love to see tigers, and would gladly pay to see them. Why, if I found three other people, I could go see them tigers and cubs for only $50.
Fifty bucks to play with tiger cubs again. Hmmm. Robyn would probably kill me when she gets back from Maine if I went to play with tiger cubs without her.
Wait a second.
I’d get to share the experience with three other people who might have never gotten the chance to see tigers up close and play with cubs. Yeah. Why, come to think of it, it would be downright RUDE for me to know about this place and not offer to take my friends and family to see it, wouldn’t it? Yeah, that’s it.
And I’m not rude, I’m nice. Approachable. Friendly. I couldn’t just NOT offer to take my friends and family to Tigers for Tomorrow, could I? I couldn’t be that self-centered and assholish. I mean, I wouldn’t be going there for myself, because I’m not that sort of person. I’m trying to enrich the lives of other people, because I’m such a nice guy.
Really, it was out of a sense of altruism towards my fellow man, and not because I was dying to see tigers and cubs again. No, really. I’m serious. I did it for them. It was like, a sacrifice. Yeah, a sacrifice. For other people.
Think she’ll buy it when she gets home?
She was biting at the fence, playing. Looks like a roar, doesn’t it?
More playing. Scary playing.
Anyone with a cat recognizes the “face rub.”
How YOU doin’?
Mr. Lion (his real name) came out to see why his neighbor was being so feisty.
She was just playing, and it disturbed His Highness.
The porky serval lays around and slowly bakes in the Alabama heat.
The black leopard. Black skin, black spots, black fur.
And mean as hell, according to the guide.
I want to just grab his head in my hands and skritch behind his ears.
Probably I’d regret it if I did.
Bath time! Tigers love love LOVE water…
…and they get very playful when in it.
It’s hard to tell because of the size, but one tiger is in the air, bouncing off the enclosure.
Every time I see this tiger, I think of hillbillies.
Probably because of the massive lower canines.
I think maybe he wanted to eat one of us.
This time, we got all four cubs at once.
They always seem a little unsure about the stairs, and it takes them a couple of
minutes to get down to the yard.
Is there anything cuter than a baby animal?
Preparing to stalk some toy prey.
Mom and dad brought out the pool for this trip.
The cubs were obsessed with my brother-in-law’s shirt.
He’s French. Make of that what you will.
Hey, does somebody out there have a toy?
Stalking the most elusive of preys…
…the Cookie Monster.
Blinding the Cookie Monster…
…before making the kill.
Once you kill dinner, you have to guard it from other predators.
Again I must ask: Is there anything cuter than a baby animal?
Time to go back in the pool.
Don’t tell anyone, but the topmost cub was, um, altering the pool
when I took these pictures. Fortunately, she did not alter it further.
Trying to seduce me by turning on the cute…
…so he could get a taste of human.
Full-sized version here, for detail.
Probably the best picture I’ve ever taken.
Full-sized version here, for detail.
Great Pictures! But I am not surprised you went back. Is Robyn jealous?
oooohhhh, you’re gonna get in TROUBLE. hee! But I’m so glad I got to see the pics before Robyn murders you. Hey, if you want to build your case more, tell Robyn that journal readers were STARVING for new tiger pics. You weren’t just spreading joy to the three other people that went with you, you were spreading joy to countless people around the world who read your journal and get to see the pics. Yeaaah, that’s the ticket….
Just remind Robyn a wife has her place in your kingdom (*snort* giggle) with this link to an artice written in 1955 http://www.superlaugh.com/1/womenlib.htm
It’s your RIGHT as man of the castle to see tiger babies whenever YOU want without the missus’s consent LOL!
Boy are YOU in trouble…….;)
Thanks for sharing the great pictures and I just want to say that it’s been good to know ya, because when Robyn gets home..you’re dog meat!!!!!!
Oh, you are a lucky bastard! Well, at least until Robyn gets home…
Makes me want to be your neighbor…I wanna go play with baby tigers! So damn CUTE!
I love the pictures, thanks again. I think the only resolution to your dilema is to take Robyn and go back again when she gets home from Maine, cuz I really need at least one more set of picutres of the babies so I can see how they have grown. So maybe wait til you take her back and she is seeing those little faces, then tell her you went without her!!
Seriously, like you’d ever do ANYTHING without discussing it to death with me first.
For the record, Robyn’s not jealous ’cause she knows she’s going to be seeing the babies again, too.
So what lucky people besides your brother-in-law did you take?
And do you think you’ll be in enough trouble with Robyn to take another trip when she gets back?
Oh, I AM SO JEALOUS!!!! What wonderful babies!!
Take me! Take me! I’ll drive from Knoxville!!
Well,since the baby tigers will soon be too old to play with,one simply MUST take any opportunity to play with them now!
I hope you are having a great time,Robyn!
i’m assuming you’ve blocked Robyn from seeing this page right?
Great pics!
nellymom: So what lucky people besides your brother-in-law did you take?
A friend, and my sister. The untamed adventures are only for groups of 1-4.
I am loving the pictures! Hope she doesn’t actually kill you cause that would put a dead stop on the visits and the pictures. And I know that you both will be going back like.. next week
We need you alive and well in order to live vicariously through you and your experiences, cause we aren’t lucky enough to atually play with the tigers. (sigh)
Ok, judging by the blog post I just read by Robyn today.. you are having a FAR better go of it than she is this week
SOOOOOOOOOO freaking cute it makes me want to puke!
Fred, do they allow kids in to see the babies? My 8-year-old would *love* that.
Kathleen, I’m not sure. Best thing would be to call them and ask; I know when I made the appointment to go back with Robyn and the spud, they asked how old the spud was.
Hee! We’re in - we’re going tomorrow at 9:00 AM!!!! If there are two folks who’d like to join us (to help defray the cost for this single mom who’s had to spend excessive funds in the past month on a root canal, new tires, a new dryer, a dead refrigerator, *and* repairs to my hvac unit), e-mail me at sorcha_aithne@comcast.net, and we’ll figure out how to hook up and meet there.
That’s a *long* drive for us, Fred - four hours. But I’m not missing a chance to play with baby tigers. Baby tigers!
Don’t tempt me.
Have a good time! And tell ‘em Fred sent you.
I already did. She was amazed at how many people know you. Are you sure you don’t want to come along (she said, with big, puppy-dog eyes)?
AWWWWWWWWW!!! They r so cute!!!!!!!!!!!