Saturday was a perfect day to take the kids to the zoo. The weather was pleasant, the leaves were changing colors and the kids were behaving. What more could a girl ask for? It was absolutely perfect.


So after a way-too-early football game, we packed a picnic lunch as usual, loaded the kids into the van and headed out to visit the animals. As we traveled down the interstate we all commented on the amazing colors that autumn brings. We even decided to collect as many different color leaves as we could and make a leaf collage when we got home.

Everything was going great until we pulled in front of the zoo‘s entrance. In the middle of the parking lot is a strip of 20-30 trees. Trees to park your car under in the summer so that it isn’t blazing hot when we get back in. Trees that are decorated with gorgeous Christmas lights throughout the winter. Trees that bloom beautiful in the spring. Trees whose leaves are vibrant with a multitude of colors in the fall. Trees that we sit under when we have our picnic lunch. Trees that provide food for the birds and squirrels. Trees that help save our planet and provide oxygen. They were gone! Every last one of them…gone.

Upon inquiring about the missing foliage, we learned that there had been some requests made for more picnic tables. Zoo visitors are asked not to eat within the zoo grounds so many families retreat to the arboreal area for meals, hence the need for more tables. Unfortunately, when the corporate big wigs came for a visit to inspect the area for the said tables they decided that the forest would be better used as more parking spots.

Needless to say, we were very distraught, perplexed and concerned. I am planning to call the office and write a letter to express my feelings on the loss of our wonderful trees. I know that my one little letter will not bring back our trees or their colorful leaves but at least I know that tried. I just want them to know that they have at least one unhappy family who is missing their trees.