What a day of celebrating beautiful, dear, sweet Annie! We decided to have the party on Young’s Hill, the chimps’ 2-acre outdoor habitat and it was complete with a chimp favorite, watermelon bowls filled with lettuce, blueberries, cherry tomatoes, onions, and cabbage, and a new treat of banana leaves filled with roasted sweet potatoes and onions and leftover watermelon, and beautiful organic sunflowers strewn about!
Aren’t these amazing?! They’re bigger than Kelsi! š We have the best volunteers who found a recipe for wrapping good stuff in squares of the leaves and another who found them in Seattle for us! Something completely new for the chimps!
Here’s the birthday lady opening her banana leaf packet:
Jody was actually first onto the hill and was very excited to make it back with two watermelon bowls! I caught her mid-blink – sorry Jo! – and food squeaking with delight:
Negra’s approach to the forage was to wait for Jody to bring her haul back to the greenhouse and promptly try to take it!:
Jody kindly let her have one. That said, when Jody came back later with another one she wasn’t so willing to give it up which the Queen wasn’t too happy about, though she did get what Jody couldn’t shovel in fast enough. Oh, Neggie:
Burrito found a bowl for himself and started to make his way back to the greenhouse food squeaking all the way. But he stopped short when he saw Jody and Negra near the raceway and decided to try and play it cool so as not to attract their attention (or probably more specifically, Negra’s). You can see how excited he is by his hair standing on end (pilo-erect):
Of course, he couldn’t wait too long before taking some bites:
Jamie’s tactic was to collect everything she wanted and put it in a good place to return to when she was ready:
Missy:
Annie and Jody out for more:
And Foxie! She was way out on one of the structures by herself when she found a watermelon bowl.
Then…Oh. My. Heart! We could hear Foxie food squeaking with excitement when all of a sudden she just couldn’t contain herself! When chimpanzees are overwhelmed with excitement or fear they will often express a facial gesture known as a “fear grimace.” This is what Foxie is doing here, but she was SUPER excited. Usually others chimps are nearby and they reassure one another, but Foxie just kept looking at us from afar as if to say, “Do you see this??!! Watermelon bowls!!! I just can’t…” We love how excited the chimpanzees get over something as seemingly simple as fresh food. It never seems to get old for them and certainly seeing their joy never gets old for us.
Happy 44th, Annie! May all your days and years ahead be filled with more love, joy and adventure than you ever imagined. We love you so very much!
jackie says
What a wonderful celebration! May the beautiful Annie and all the chimp
Jacqueline Bobnick says
Happy Birthday Annie!
Chris says
What a lovely day! You all work so hard Iām so glad you get the reward of their noisy appreciation!
Edie Bruce says
What a fun treat all those watermelon bowls were! Thank you for those great pictures, and for taking such good care of them. Burrito melts my heart, every time!
Caroline Burke-Damaschke says
I love this blog and look forward to the emails to alert me to a new entry. T
Caroline Burke-Damaschke says
I love this blog. They look so happy with their goodies : 0
Kathleen says
Wowie! What a scrumptious birthday feast! The banana leaves are huge and I bet the packets were a real treat. Must be so much fun for the chimps to engage in new treats.
Is Annie sneaking some of Jamie’s stash (3rd photo from bottom)? I guess being The Birthday Girl Jamie will allow it. ; )
Happiness always for dear Annie. And I know this will be because Annie is in your hands. XO
Katelyn says
Good eye, Kathleen! Yes, Annie was helping herself to Jamie’s stash. š To her credit, Jamie had picked out what she most wanted and was off foraging for other stuff, but it’s a good example of that Annie moxie. š
lisa says
what a wonderful post today. not that every day is not a wonderful post, but the birthday celebration photos and videos are always really, really special. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
annie – – – forty-four. wow. here’s to another year of health, joy, love and FREEDOM.
love, lisa
Elaine Reininger says
I always enjoy your birthday and holiday parties and this one was no exception. The commentary is also great, especially the picture of Foxie seemingly saying “Do you see this???? Watermelon bowls” caption. It really looked as if that was being said.
Elizabeth Thomas says
Happy Birthday Annie to a wonderful lady and here’s to many more
Tobin says
How apt that Rosh Ha-shana should coincide with the beginning of Annie’s new
year of life. What great workers Annie and her friends have to throw such a
wonderful birthday party for Annie, still young after 44 years! I wish the beautiful birthday girl a sweet,
healthy, and happy new year of bird-calls, climbs atop Escher, and games of chase with her best friend Dr. Missy.
L’Chaim!
Tobin says
Oh, and given the looks of excitement on Foxie and Jody’s faces, I infer that they
thoroughly enjoyed the birthday party as well!
Arlene and Michael says
What an amazing party for dear Annie. Thank you all for the hard work you put into this. So happy that all of the chimps had such a wonderful time. Happy Birthday sweet Annie. Hugs to all of you:)
debi says
Oh, for heaven’s sake, this is is one of my all-time FAVORITE current vlogs…SO colorful & FUNNY…I NEVER ever tire of hearing the stories associated with an individual Chimp…The accompanying BEAUTIFUL photographs just make all seven of them even MORE endearing… *: )*
I have a very SWEET, affectionate cat that loves EVERYBODY…even his vet…However, he also LOVES being massaged & brushed, but after just a few minutes, Finn gets WAY “over-the-top “excited & then bites…H A R D enough…HaHaHa
Linda says
Happy Birthday, dear, sweet Annie!
The photos really *do* depict some great moments…Negra’s begging face, and as someone up above pointed out, Foxie’s excited face with the watermelon. I think that one in particular could be a new one for use on the website….it’s right up there with Foxie sitting in the window sill. And Burrito charming as ever….our boy’s getting smarter, lol!