Field trips are always fun, and this trip to the Fresno Chaffee Zoo is for my research for the book I’m currently working on. It’ll feature space aliens dating humans and this field trip is research for one of the dates.

***Since my birthday was yesterday that means a chance for free gift. Leave a comment with your email for a drawing for one of my hand decorated mini surfboards.***

1. Blue crested pigeon or simply Crested Pigeon. Yup, even though this bird in no way in shape or form looks like the common pigeon, it is one.2. Sulphur Crested Cockatoo

3. Pink and Gray Gala

4. Here’s someone trying to make a friend. I’m not sure what type of parrot this is.

5. A King parrot surveying his kingdom from his lofty perch.

I was disappointed that they didn’t have any lorikeets, I feature them in the second book of Windswept Shores (if I can ever get the thing polished enough to send out).

6. A lioness on a hand carved bench at the zoo.

7. Here we have the giraffes feeding station, where you can pay to feed the giraffes and for a couple of bucks more have a picture taken with them.

8. Fresno is hundreds of mile from the coast, yet here are some Harbor seals.

9. Lemurs

10. Black swan

11. This is the peacock that decided to take a leisurely stroll right through the outside eating area of the snack shack with a little boy trailing behind.

11. A bushy tailed squirrel that ate a discarded French fry

12. Oryx from Africa and parts of Arabia is actually a type of antelope.

13. Pink Flamingos are found in Africa, but they’re also found in the Bahamas.

Ah, you didn’t think I could link it in with my book, did you.

Windswept Shores Except: 

“You’ve got some fruit on your face.” She peeked over her sunglasses so she could run her thumb over his chin, along his bottom lip. Their gaze met, but when the look in Seth’s gray eyes turned intense, Megan became uncomfortable.

That’s dumb. You never touch a man you’re not married to so intimately. Embarrassed she stepped away.

Seth sucked in his bottom lip, running his tongue over it, still watching her.

His eyes look like the coals when the fire burns down, but you know they’re still hot and will flare-up at any moment. She gave herself a mental shake. Damn, I’ve been staring into fires too long. Megan wandered over to a small stream trickling through the rocks to rinse her hands.

“Uh, Megz?”

“Yes.” She shook water off her hands.

“Thank you.”

“What for?” She glanced at him.

“I reckon I didn’t thank ya for the food and the clothes.” He plucked at his Hawaiian shirt, wrinkled from sleep and getting wet earlier. “Also fer putting me up last night.”

“You mean putting up with you?” She chuckled. “I’m sure you’d do the same for me.”

“Orright, mate, anything ya need, I’ll be there.” He picked up his pack. “Ready to go?”

She slung her backpack over her shoulders. “Yes.”

Seth climbed a boulder. He gave Megan a hand up, pulling her next to him. “The going will be a bit rough, stay close so you can call-out if you need help.”

“Okay.”

They made their way over the rocks. Shrubs tried to make a foothold along this barren area. The skeleton of the ones that didn’t make it were everywhere. Megan grabbed a bone-white branch for support, but it broke in her hands.

Seth held her steady. “Careful, mate, dry rot has set in.”

They climbed the ridge to a safer spot, but disturbed some nesting sea-birds. They squawked their alarm as they took wing.

Seth moved ahead to climb up on a boulder and gazed around with one hand shading his eyes. Megan stepped up beside him, and then he turned to her. “Megz, look there.” He pointed. “That’s my mate’s boat, but see, she’s got herself beached.” Rushing down the slope he jumped from rock to rock.

Megan watched him with raised eyebrows. He’s a kangaroo.

She hurried to catch-up, stepping down between two widely spaced boulders, loose rocks rolling under her feet. “Uh-oh.” Losing her balance, she grabbed a branch which broke, causing her to slip down a steep area. She tumbled into a dead bush, and felt a sharp pain in her right thigh. “Ouch,” she cried. “Seth, help!”

Windswept Shores from Pink Petal Books: http://pinkpetalbooks.com/Windswept-Shores-Janice-Seagraves.html

Windswept Shores for the kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Windswept-Shores-ebook/dp/B003URROMW

Windswept Shores for the nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/windswept-shores-janice-seagraves/1025707130

 ***Don’t forget to leave a comment with your email address***

The drawing for the hand decorated (my me) mini surfboard will be held this Sunday, May 20, 2012.