Simple joys

When I opened the raceway to Young’s Hill this morning, there might as well have been crickets chirping for the lack of any other noise or activity. It’s been on the chilly side since our Christmas day snow and understandably, the chimpanzees seemed content to stay inside. When Anthony radioed me later in the day to let me know the chimps were outside, I ran out just in time to catch several people gathering snow snacks, like the true Pacific Northwest Mountain Chimpanzees they have become.

Missy and Annie:

Missy eventually decided to take her snacks to go and made her way back to the warm chimp house:

And Annie was soon to follow:

Icicles along the eaves of the chimp house:

Foxie was next to venture out, followed closely by a tentative Burrito, but she quickly realized she’d dropped her Orange Blossom doll and doubled back to fetch her from the snow. She and Orange Blossom then decided to head up to the structure Annie and Missy had left, at which point Burrito exited stage right and ran back inside for a (warmer) game of chase:

By the time Foxie made it back inside I noticed everyone making nests and trying to get warm so I served a batch of warm tea and then they all spent the rest of the afternoon in cozy nests napping and grooming one another. On the other side, things looked pretty similar, with Mave, Willy B and Honey B venturing into their outdoor chute for a time and eventually winding up back inside in a chimp pile grooming the rest of the winter day away until dinner time.

Here’s a funny story. To me, anyway. 😉 Yesterday I was cleaning the front rooms and Honey B was downstairs with me while Mave and Willy B were upstairs in the mezzanine. Well, let me rephrase that…I was in one front room cleaning while Honey B had access to the other two because she chose not to go upstairs with Mave and Willy B. So this is a little unusual as typically the three are in the same areas together while we clean, but as we often note, one of the most important things we provide in sanctuary is choice. And yesterday, Honey B chose to do things differently.

I’m pretty sure she thought this arrangement was the best thing ever because who needs to clean when you can play?! The entire time I was trying to clean, Honey B was racing around, laughing, standing on her head, leaping about and just so entirely joyful, I had to join in. Of course, every time I tried to take her photo she’d just stop and stare at me as if to say, “There’s nothing to see here.” But this is the best part. At this point, Honey B was wearing a blanket like a cape (because, of course she was!) and she suddenly grabbed another and pushed it out of the caging, asking me to take it. So naturally, I put it on like a cape, too. Well, you should have seen her face! And that was it, scrub brush temporarily forgotten, we both donned our Wonder Women capes and raced each other back and forth, laughter and capes flying behind us like the wind. Honey B. She is such joy and a surprise every single day.

Have a wonderful evening, everyone!