In the event that you haven’t yet had the chance to see it, Sunday was not only our Mother’s Day celebration in honor of all the chimpanzee and bovine mamas and their children, but the day on which we celebrate our beloved Jody’s honorary birthday! Jody turned 47 this year!
One of Jody’s wonderful Chimpanzee Pals, Tobin, also sponsored a day of sanctuary in her honor (and through a handful of happenings outside Tobin’s control, we’re posting this generous gift a little late). But given that Jo is to be celebrated endlessly with at least a month-long birthday party, it’s perfect.
Tobin shared this special message about her kind gift:
“I want to join Jody’s many friends – simian as well as human – in honoring her on her birthday. I hope that seasonal delicacies such as lilacs will be in abundance on Young’s Hill for Farmer Jo to forage and harvest.
As a small – and admittedly misinformed – child, I wondered why the farms surrounding my small, Midwestern hometown didn’t have certain animals grazing on their lands. I would have been interested to see – let alone hear – a dinosaur in the pasture across the street from my home. Moreover, circa 1967 I was inclined to think that having a chimpanzee and an elf within my immediate social circle might prove to be a source of “enrichment”.
I never did cast my sight upon herds of Tyrannosauri or Brontosauri grazing in the countryside. Nor, ultimately did any of my pointy-eared human acquaintances declare themselves to be elves. Nonetheless, a half-century later I did fall head over heels for seven chimpanzees who reside in the Cascade mountains.
One of those seven – today’s birthday girl, Jody – will seemingly contort the shape of her ears into those of an elf when she is in good spirits. And when she feasts upon certain gourds from her garden – watermelon, squash, or pumpkin – she will evoke the grunting pleasure of a satisfied Stegosaurus.
To conclude, I not only treasure having Jody as my chimpanzee pal, but I am glad that she is in our lives as well.”
Many thanks to you, Tobin, for adding to our celebration of beautiful Jody and your long-time friendship of the seven (and now sixteen chimp people and four bovines!) who call the sanctuary their home!
Due to winter not as of yet being ready to entirely give up its time on the seasonal wheel, our local lilacs are just now barely starting to bud. But we know they will appear in their own time and a lilac celebration will hopefully ensue in a couple more weeks.
In the meantime, behold Jody, in all her endearing, elf-eared, foraging glory:
wonderful photos of Jody. She is quite the girl.:bouquet:
Oh Tobin! Thank you for entertaining me with your story honoring Jody. She is lucky to have you as her Pal!!
I can’t wait for the soon-to-be-blooming lilac forage. This gives us something to look forward to! And it keeps the celebration rolling along.
What a wonderful story, Tobin, and a happy word-picture of your early life. Thank you.
As to the photos today, ever one of them causes me to say it’s the best ever, until I see the next one.
Happy days to everyone!
love readig the blog
oh my gosh that last picture is the cutest thing ever!!!
Thanks Tobin!
I had to zoom in to see the Easter egg!
Thank you, Katelyn, for choosing these beautiful photographs of our dear friend, Jody. The look of contentment on her face seems due, in part, to how well that she and the other chimpanzees and the cattle are taken care of and cherished by her human friends at her Sanctuary. I thank you and your co-workers for all that you do to make Jody and her friends and neighbors so happy and healthy. Why. it’s enough to give one elf-ears!
Thank you, Tobin!
I know Jody is special to you.
I’ve always thought of her ears as “gargoyle”….but even though they’re not pointed, I think “elvin” is cuter!
My favorite Jody face is the one that she made in the “sharing” video, where Foxie gives her the (bigger) piece of coconut. Such a pious look, as though it pained her to accept it!
Beautifully written Tobin. Sorry you never saw your dinosaurs, but you have the amazing Miss Jody!
I love to see everone with their foraging goodies. They look so happy with their food hauls!
I’m one of those people who have to call out my typos. Sorry Tobin. My “r” disappeared on me!