It Happened While Feeding the Koi

The Franklin Park Conservatory has had an installation of orchids on view since January 9th, and it ends February 28th. I've been meaning to go see the Orchid Forest ever since January 9th, since I love orchids, but I hadn't made it yet. Then, I realized that this is suddenly the last week in February, so we high-tailed it over there this morning.

We were having a fabulous time.


We watched the train.


We looked at the flowers.


We were pleasantly surprised by all the fabulous new Chihuly pieces on display as part of Chihuly Reimagined.

This one is my favorite. It makes me think of Ophelia.

Sidebar: While watching a brief video clip of Chihuly working in his glass shop, complete with his eye patch, Connor announces to the little old ladies sitting behind us, "He is a pirate. Like Captain Feathersword on the Wiggles."

I thought that this banana tree was the most interesting plant I'd ever seen.


Then, we got to the koi pond. It had a lovely Chihuly piece in the center.


Connor found the fish food, so I bought some. We were feeding the fish. It was such a touching moment that a random old man with a very nice camera asked if he could take our picture.


Then it happened. One of these fish must have given Connor the hairy eyeball.


He jumped back no less than four feet, practically knocked the stroller (and his brother) over, and started shrieking. He was terrified. Trembling.

Why?

Because the fish were going to bite him.

I explained to him that the fish couldn't get out of the pond. That they didn't have teeth. That they didn't eat little boys. That the only thing they did eat were the stinkly little fish food pellets in my hand.

No dice. Game over. Do not pass go, do not collect $200.

I threw the rest of the fish food into the water unceremoniously, and we left the koi pond.

I thought that would be the end of it.

But no.

In each new place, he asked if the fish were there. After a few rounds of this new game, he saw a plant that reminded him of a lobster. A LOBSTER. Do you remember the lobster scene from Valentine's Day?

And that's when I decided that it was time to go home.