Providence Alaska Medical and Animal Park

I went to get my stitches taken out today. (Monday I had a basal cell carcinoma removed.)  I also had to go pick up some metal siding (that will be another post about insulation as part of our energy audit recommendations) so I drove.  As I got toward the end of the parking garage I noticed a woman staring off the balcony. 

At first I only saw the two young moose in the front.  The security guard pointed out the mom on the right and suggested I go the other way around.

Some places have stuffed moose or bear in the lobby.  Providence has them unstuffed, outside.  (Sorry about the reflection.  Putting the camera up against the glass got rid of the reflection, but I didn't like them.  I did look for a light switch, but decided that wasn't a good idea either.  I'm just not dedicated enough I guess.)

So I went upstairs and the stitches were out within ten minutes of parking and moose watching - and no, I don't need a bandage any more, though the nurses remarked on people's creativity in covering the stitches with band aids.  The spot is just too long and too close to the eye for normal band aids to fit right. 

In any case, she assured me that in six months it will be hardly noticeable, something about it being along the cheek bone.  Check back April 21.  The black eye should be gone much sooner.  (You can see what it looked like Monday here.) (Since I've only seen this in the mirror, it looks like the wrong side to me, but it's on my left cheek.)

Then back outside and the moose had wandered a bit.  Here they are from the second level of the parking garage.

And then Mom modeled terrible behavior for the calves by not looking as she crossed the street.

But the babies weren't even looking at her anyway.  So I guess it doesn't matter. 

I read today that Alabama farmers can't get people to pick their crops now that Hispanics are leaving the state because of the new immigration law.  Maybe they should contact Providence about their moose gardeners who trim the landscaping.  I should have stopped earlier to get a picture of the fifty or so Canadian geese fertilizing and weeding a lawn on the Providence grounds. 

To be fair, Providence along with UAA across the street, has by far the best landscaping of any company in Anchorage.  They take this seriously and it makes for a much more pleasant experience.