Tiger and Friends Take Over Nittany Lion Inn!

Every year, the most amazing, gorgeous gingerbread replica of Penn State's famous Nittany Lion Inn is created just before the December holidays. They place the fancy gingerbread Inn on display near the doors to the Nittany Lion Inn main dining room, home of that favorite dish, lobster bisque. And yes, every year, I go and visit it; almost never am I alone. :-)

In prior years, I've taken the Crittergators along to visit the gingerbread replica. One year, a Dancing Girl and her cat-steed came too. This year, Tiny Tiger and his festive mouse buddies wanted to come and see. And so with Tiny Tiger acting as guide (though he'd never been to the Nittany Lion Inn before), away we went!

Above is a photo of the crew posing by the front doors of the gingerbread Inn. Tiny Tiger always looks a bit serious, but he was actually having a grand time. My husband suggested he might be a bit overwhelmed, being asked to coordinate so many adventures lately. But I think Tiny Tiger is up to the task!

Then we discovered that a kiss had been stolen. So, CSI: Penn State sprang into action! An investigation began. The Crittergators ran over and began checking for evidence. The only bit of it they found were a few chocolate smudges near where the kiss had been. See the photo in the extras. (And yes, now that you ask, everyone is covered in powdered sugar; and I myself went to work after this with bits of ICING on my pants!)

Before we left the Inn, we had one more quick adventure. There is a beautiful Christmas tree just outside the one meeting room. All of the festive mice leapt right on that tree, and they hung there quite easily; you see, they came with strings attached for hanging. Tiny Tiger wasn't quite as facile with it; he ended up sitting on pine needles, which he found to be a bit jaggy on the butt! You may also see that photo in the extras.  :-)

Now, I am always amazed, when I do such ridiculous things, that the world doesn't stop right there, and everyone point at me, and make that weird screeching noise that they make in Invasion of the Body Snatchers: THERE SHE IS! LOOK WHAT SHE IS DOING!! SOMEBODY MAKE HER STOP!

But the thing is that most passers-by are not really LOOKING to see what you, the photographer, are doing. Their brain fills in what they expect to see. And so of everyone who filed past, only a few stopped to comment on what a lovely gingerbread house it was. Did their brains say to them later: Wait, but were those MICE AND TIGERS in that gingerbread house? I hope so! :-)

So I say this: deck the halls with mice and tigers! Fa-la-la-la-la la-la-la-la! The soundtrack is Neil Diamond, with Deck the Halls/We Wish You a Merry Christmas.