For each of us, every season holds favorite things to look forward to. That one special food, flower, sight, sound or scent that you can only enjoy at a certain time each year.
This spring I’ve watched the chimpanzees anticipating the growth of the wild greens on Young’s Hill and the fruits and vegetables in their garden weeks before anything appeared. For weeks Jody diligently marched to the top of Young’s Hill each day to see if the wild mustard or wild lettuce had begun to grow yet. The second the weather warmed up, Missy began asking us to open the barn doors to their playroom so she could see outside to her beloved garden. And every day she runs to the window next to where we plant her favorite cherry tomatoes each year, checking to see if they’ve magically appeared. This is the first year I’ve noticed the chimps demonstrating such clear anticipation for things to come with the corresponding season. It makes my heart so happy to know that they recognize they have favorite things to look forward to in their sanctuary home throughout the year.
Of course spring in particular offers a variety of favorites for each of the chimpanzees. Annie for example, loves racing across the expanse of Young’s Hill in a mad game of chase and wrestle with her best friend, Missy. But she also increasingly enjoys exploring and foraging on the hill in solitude. Just sitting and taking in the sky, the surrounding fields and watching the birds. Often she will be the only person out on the hill, perfectly content and serene.
And another of Annie’s endearing favorites as the season grows warmer? Toes. Yep, Annie loves to see human toes! The second she spots our feet in sandals she immediately blows raspberries (indicating she wants to see our toes right now!), grabs a tool, and races over to check them out, utterly mesmerized. Around here, the humans are pretty smitten with chimp toes and while I think their toes are a lot cooler than ours, I guess I can see why she might be fascinated by these strange things that probably seem so similar and yet so different to her own.
I so enjoy the way you describe the chimpanzees in your posts Katelyn. You bring the chimps, and all their excitement, to life. Touches me deeply to know they anticipate their favorite seasonal delights.
Annie is so beautiful to me, I am so pleased to see her brave and comfortable in her solitude. Such a big step.
Love discovering that she likes human toes (as much we all love seeing chimpanzee toes!). Do you think Annie is attracted to the beautiful colorful nail polish too? That must be intriguing! (Made me think of Tatu — BLACK!) ; )
Thank you, Kathleen. 🙂 Annie is so special and we’re thrilled to see her more and more comfortable in her own skin. Even her increased interest in interactions with the humans and other chimps is surprising and wonderful. She is really mad for human toes! She pokes, prods, and even tries to suck them up in the straw haha! It could be the nail polish (maybe she thinks she can taste it?), but whereas Jamie is someone who will clearly focus on the polish during grooming, Annie more often seems just fascinated by the toes. Of course, I’m not in her head, so hard to say what she’s thinking. Tatu…yes, she so loves black. 🙂
I like to think of Annie enjoying the peace and quiet on the hill. It must be very relaxing and restorative.
I too enjoy your posts Katelyn! This is the absolute truth, the first time I saw Annie 6 years ago, I said that girl is a quiet leader, she’s going to sit back and watch, and as each of the other chimps comes out into there own, she’s going to bust out! Yay Annie!
Thanks, Jo Anna! Annie is full of moxie and we couldn’t be more delighted to see ever new sides of her wonderful self.
Wonderful to see the lovely Annie enjoying the peace and quiet of the hill.
I am a newcomer to the site. I to enjoy your descriptions of each chimpanzee.
Welcome, Barbara, we’re so glad to have you here! Thank you for your interest in the chimps and we’re so glad you are enjoying getting to know them!
She is simply delightful! Warms my heart to read this, thank you …
She must like that pretty nail polish color!!
What a wonderful post, Katelyn. Spring is in your words as it is in the air. I think that Annie and Missy and the others are trying to will the plants to grow…. don’t the tomatoes know how eager Missy is to taste them??
Thank you, Francoise, that’s lovely! Well, I think their powers are working as finally things on the hill are sprouting up! The chimps are coming back from Young’s Hill with HUGE mouthfuls of wild greens this week! Even Queen Negra has been venturing all the way to the top of the hill each day to enjoy the feast.