Well, since Monday was October 32nd, and if you’re me (worshiper of all things October and Jamieween), it follows that today is October 34th, so I’m right on time with our happy birthday wishes to all our November celebrating friends and followers! We are so grateful to each of you and hope your own special days are as wonderful as you help to ensure the chimpanzees’ and bovines’ days are.
Admittedly, a birthday month following “Jamieween” leaves celebrators with a tough act to follow. But don’t fret people. You now have Lucky on your side! And believe me, you have no idea how special that is. And as if that weren’t enough, you also have Honey Cow in your birthday camp!
Lucky is turning 30 on November 6th and we cannot wait to celebrate this beautiful chimpanzee woman! We are still getting to know Lucky and her five family members, just as they are still getting to know all of us. As is the case for most of us when, well, pretty much everything about our life as we’ve known it suddenly changes in one fell swoop, our personalities tend to take time to shine in their full light again while we make sure that we’re safe and settled. While some of Lucky’s family members are a little more front and center, like her look-alike brother and seeming alpha of the six, Cy, or endearing and animated, Terry, Lucky is someone who has been quietly taking in her new life in her own way and time. But make no mistake, she is no less present. She is kind and patient with her chimpanzee and human friends. And once you’ve earned a bit of her trust, she’ll swing right over and sit as close to you as she can, gazing at you, just as you cannot help but gaze in return, full of awe.
One thing Lucky loves is to have her belly knuckle-rubbed by her caregivers during greetings or times of excitement. We’ve also learned that she appears to really enjoy wearing scarves she finds in the chimpanzees’ daily enrichment that we put out. And tomatoes! Lucky loves tomatoes! While not quite Missy level tomato love, it could still be coming.
Thinking about Lucky, I find myself thinking of one of my most beloved poets, Mary Oliver, and specifically, her reverence for attention. Of being present, looking more deeply and “seeing through the heavenly visibles, to the heavenly invisibles.” That’s Lucky. She holds a quiet beauty all her own that can’t be missed. But she also holds an as of yet ineffable grace behind those beautiful eyes, in her being. All you have to do is be present, pay attention, and you will immediately see just how very special she is.
As with most months now, we have a bevy of celebrations to look forward to and be grateful for! On November 2nd we’ll be celebrating our tiny bovine family’s 3rd arrival anniversary. They’ve bravely embraced, and are thriving in, what I endearingly refer to as their mountain cattle lifestyle.
When they first arrived from California, they naturally weren’t so accustomed to our wintry weather and hilly property. It understandably took them some time to quite literally get their legs under them in their ice and snow-covered pasture. But just yesterday, they were all grazing comfortably in the rain of a chilly November day when Diana and I watched them all suddenly race past the office window, Betsy leading the uphill charge into the trees above their winter pasture, on some secret bovine mission. (Honestly, I’m not sure Nutmeg, Honey or Meredith knew what the mission was either, but they diligently followed Betsy!).
(L-R) Meredith, Honey, Nutmeg and Betsy:
And oh my gosh, you should just see the luxurious floof of their winter coats coming in. They are literally glowing. Try to run your fingers through that floof though and they will have some words with you, especially Honey, lover of her personal space. Which brings us to our second November celebration at the sanctuary, beautiful Honey is turning 14 on November 10th!:
Happy Birthday, November human friends! We are so glad you are here!
tom austin says
nicely stated…..
Linda C says
I swear, Katelyn, if you guys began uploading “blog by ??”, I might not be able to identify everyone’s, but I could sure pick yours out!
Do you do creative writing in your free time? If not, you should. I kniw we’ve told your before, but I’ll say it again!
Happy birthday to all of the November birthday celebrants!
Kathleen says
As a fan of Mary Oliver, I must say that your words flow beautifully next to hers. Your description of Lucky is poetry!
Happy Anniversary to our beloved moo’s. Happy Birthday to the very special Ms. Lucky and the gorgeously golden Honey. We celebrate your lives with pleasure.
Here’s to all the Scorpions. Now that I think about it, Scorpio is the perfect follow up to Jamieween!
Debbie Reintzell says
Happy Birthday sweet Lucky Lady and dear Honey! I can never get enough of your lovely faces. Thank you Katelyn for the pictures, for the love and for the stories. They are a joy to read!
CarolR says
Great blog Katelyn. I’m a November birthday girl too. I love this month’s calendar photos too, starring the floofy four!
Linda C says
An early happy birthday to you!
Vida Lohnes says
Beautifully written, Katelyn. Your birthday wishes to us Scorpions gratefully received, too.
A question, though. I thought I spotted some staple-like metal things in the cows’ ears. Why? Are these necessary??? Just wondering….
Katelyn says
Hi Vida,
Thanks for your question and apologies, I’d meant to respond sooner! The cattle do have ear tags – they are legally required here for identification and vaccination status so we aren’t able to remove them.
DIANE M. KASTEL says
It is the, close-up, photos of the bovines’s noses that I find so very, adorable, and, endearing!