Today has been all about enjoying the brilliantly sunny day while doing our best to keep cool. We’ve reached that wonderful time of year when we begin to remove the panels on the greenhouse and the chimps enjoy breakfast in the open air with a view of the hill. Volunteer caregiver Lizz made an extremely popular smoothie this morning (pineapple, banana and lime) and served apples and watermelon so the chimps were beside themselves.
Annie emptying her cup and Jody on the left licking up a drop from the caging:
Everyone was so happy this morning that even Negra couldn’t contain herself and initiated a wrestling game with Missy in the middle of breakfast (you can see a glimpse of Missy’s big play face!):
Foxie and Jody anxious for Lizz to pass out watermelon:
Foxie rubbing her toes in happiness:
After breakfast the chimps all headed out onto the hill with almost everyone heading to the top. Annie chose to go on her own exploration, as she often does:
Annie is her own woman. She has so many endearing habits – walking bipedally around Young’s Hill more often than not, making her Annie-bird noises by whistling through her hands when she’s particularly content, and lying on her back and blowing water out of her mouth to wash her face. With the temperatures hovering around 90, she has taken to doing this as a way cool off as well:
The chimps have been enjoying lots of frozen and watery treats today to stay hydrated and we even broke out the snow cone machine.
My favorite mountain lupines are finally blooming around Young’s Hill and there is an entire field that reaches inside and outside the perimeter of the chimps’ outdoor habitat. Walking through that area is my favorite part of the walks with Jamie this time of year. Sometimes the amazing scent wafts through the greenhouse:
For the first time I noticed several Melissa Blues, a small violet-blue butterfly I have typically only seen at higher elevations around the mountain lakes and rivers. There were so many floating around the lupine today it looked as if the flowers were taking flight:
It’s such a beautiful time at the sanctuary. Be it butterflies, flowers, beautiful days, exciting fresh food, or big-hearted humans, I’m so grateful for all the beauty, in all it’s varied forms, that surrounds the chimps every day.
Jo says
Katelyn! Thank you for that beautiful and lyrical post ~ your words brought it to life before my very eyes and nose and I felt the sensations you describe ~ what a funny and unique girl Annie is ~ they are all wonderful beyond belief. I’m so grateful to you all for giving me this window into their world and for being so nurturing to them ~ hope you can feel my gratitude!! Love and hugs to all!
Katelyn says
Jo, thank you so much! Without all of the amazing support and love we and the chimps receive from so many people like you we couldn’t provide the chimps with this life. We are immensely grateful in return!
Paula says
I totally want one of those smoothies! I make have to make some tomorrow and call them Annie’s Delight. Thank you for sharing that great post about Annie and the rest of the crew. I wish I could hug all you guys that work so hard to help heal these great animals, and to give them so much more, especially the normalcy they never knew.
Katelyn says
Thanks so much, Paula, we so appreciate your support of the chimps (and humans!).
Pauline says
Thanks for the wonderful photos. The carers are so lucky to be so close. I realise they all work hard and are qualified to be there. I expect there is a lot of dirty work to do but this must be offset by being close.
Katelyn says
Hi Pauline- Yes, there definitely is a lot of dirty work involved caring for the chimps – on average it takes 4-5 hours a day to scrub and clean their enclosures and pretty much 8 hours each day to complete their laundry – but it’s so satisfying to see them enjoying a clean and comfortable home every day. They are certainly very special people and it’s a privilege to know them and give them the best home we can. Thank you so much for caring about them and for your support. 🙂
Kathleen says
Jo’s post expresses exactly what I was feeling and thinking. Such a lovely experience to simply read your posts! I am excited to learn the greenhouse is wide open, yippee! And that breakfast smoothie sounds so yummy! I love the photos of Foxie and Jody receiving watermelon, how did you ever take those shots?! It looks as if you are standing directly behind the chimps (and we all know you can never enter an enclosure while the chimps there), such a great perspective to see out as the chimps do! Kudos to the photographer.
Thanks for brightening my day!
Katelyn says
Hi Kathleen, the chimps were all so happy yesterday at breakfast, it was really lovely. You may recall the enclosed “human area” of the greenhouse where we enter to clean/serve the chimps meals? I was standing in there while the chimps were served at the top of the greenhouse that faces Young’s Hill. Some people were even asking for reassurance during breakfast because they were so excited. I think the weather, open air greenhouse and fancy tropical breakfast just pushed everybody over the top, haha.;)
Ginny F. says
The photo of the butterfly is stunning, the way it was caught at that angle. Wonder whether the lupines are the same variety as the Texas bluebonnets……my favorite thing about having lived in that state.
And, yes, Jody, “caging drops” are the tastiest.
Ginny F. says
PS…….I always wonder whether Katelyn was an English major because her writing is exceptional!
Katelyn says
Hi Ginny, That photo was pure luck after chasing those poor butterflies around the field with my camera hoping one would light somewhere for one second (as Jamie watched on while looking moderately embarrassed for me 😉 ). I believe the Texas bluebonnets are a different species of lupine than the ones here (I was researching lupin species last night for fun), but they look amazing – much darker than these. So beautiful! And I’m definitely not an English major, but I appreciate your kind words, thank you. We so appreciate your support of the chimps – thank you for caring about them and making a difference in their lives.
Francoise says
It’s the lime. Lime makes anything uber-delicious!! Well, all citrus does.
Thank you for the wonderfully cheery post filled with great photos. Truth told, I’m super jealous of you all. To work with the chimps (even the hard and dirty stuff) AND to enjoy such beautiful green and blooming surroundings… the chimps AND the humans are very blessed. This Torontoian (sp?) is there in spirit.
Arlene and Michael says
What a beautiful post with amazing pictures. The chimps are so blessed to be there with all of you. The picture of the butterfly is stunning.