Happy Birthday, our October reveling friends!! Personally, I’m Elphaba-green with envy of you all who get to have October birthdays.
Just past midnight, I woke out of the soundest of sleeps to Great-Horned Owls calling loudly outside my window. As if on cue, the season of Jamieween has arrived! On October 31st we will celebrate Jamie’s 45th birthday and if you’re new to the sanctuary, it’s one of the most anticipated celebrations of the year. And you never know what is going to happen (last year the reigning Great Pumpkin Thief was overthrown)!
Jamie is a kaleidoscopic force of life. She is one of the most intelligent, strong-willed, resilient, inspiring, creative, endearingly silly and sometimes, intimidatingly scary individuals I know. The details of Jamie’s childhood are somewhat murky. We do know that she spent the first nine years of her life living with a trainer. And while we can only verify her year of birth, I’m not sure a better day than Halloween could have been chosen to celebrate this amazing woman and her trick or treat ways. Despite everything she’s somehow miraculously survived in her life, she seems to have come out even stronger. Jamie knows her worth as an individual and she tolerates nothing less from those around her.
One of the things I most love about her is that you always know in no uncertain terms where you stand with her. (We’ve written about this often here on the blog, and Anthony recently described in wonderful detail what this can look like). I could not have more admiration for her and while it’s not always easy, it’s nothing short of a privilege to help provide her with a life in which she is heard, her choices matter, and she can “live spherically, in many directions.” (From a favorite Federico Fellini quote of mine).
Happy Birthday, beautiful James! How we love you.
We are profoundly grateful to each and every one of you, October celebrating or not, for being here, for making this special home for 16 chimpanzees, 4 cattle, and a feisty barn cat possible. For making Jamieween possible! Every single day you show up in a myriad of ways, all of which play an invaluable role in their lives, and our lives. You are Pals, and Buddies, you keep our shelves stocked and the chimpanzees’ bellies full, you read/like/share/comment on our posts, you sponsor days of sanctuary to include the chimps in the important days of your lives, you rally in emergencies (I mean, it’s mind-blowing), you help for a day or for years, and you are here, present, standing with us and lifting all our hearts. You are part of a community like no other, as Jenna beautifully shared recently. Please know that we celebrate every one of you every day.
And may I also share happiest of birthday wishes for two very special October celebrating people connected to all our hearts:
Annie’s beautiful daughter, Mariah, will be turning 31 on October 4th! This photo (courtesy of Save the Chimps) is like looking at a younger Annie. Save the Chimps, the Florida sanctuary Mariah thankfully gets to call home, notes on her page that she is a loyal friend…and while she is quiet and reserved, she also has a sassy streak. Moxie!! Just like her mama!
Annie:
Also gratefully residing at Save the Chimps is Negra’s son, Noah, who is turning 33 on October 19th. Good grief, does this handsome guy look like his mama or what?! Noah is noted as being happy and incredibly playful, and that no chimp or human can resist playing with him. Noah and Burrito share the same father, Mack. Mack passed away some time ago and while I didn’t know him, I can’t help but smile at the thought of this connection and their mutual bottomless pit of joyful energy.
Negra:
Wishing you all an enchanted, magical and of course, spooky Season of Jamieween! And now only 31 days until we find out the biggest question. Who will be the Great Pumpkin Thief of 2022?!
Thank you, all of you who take care of the wonderful, beautiful chimp people! I love the chimps so much, and I love you for what you do.
Thank you for your kind words, Melissa. And for being part of making their lives here possible.
Katelyn!
Always good to read a Katelyn post! Hope you’re well.
My prediction is Jo will take the title again!
Can’t wait for Jamieween!
I hope Jody regains her title also. The video of her carrying and
then rolling the pumpkin is one of my favorites, I just watched it again a few weeks ago.
Thanks, Linda! I mean Jody is a tough opponent in these matters, haha. Happy autumn/Jamieween!
While I celebrate Jamie every month, I do love October…the month of Jamieween! Looking forward to this year’s celebration.
I visited Save The Chimps website to read more about Mariah and Noah. The similarities to their mothers is amazing! Mariah seems to have a personality just like Annie–“…a loyal friend and will always stick up for my loved ones”. Mariah is also very beautiful, just like her mama. And the header photo of Noah looks exactly like Negra, so much so that I would swear it IS a photo of Negra! And clearly there’s a direct connection to the “happy-silly-charming” gene shared between Burrito and Noah and their father, Mack.
Thank you, Katelyn, for always connecting us to the chimps childern and relations. I so enjoy learning about these family ties. It’s important to remember all they lost in their past. Somehow it makes the joy in their lives today all the more meaningful.
Leeny, I always see similarities with the chimpanzees and their children, but these two! Amazing. I’m glad you enjoy learning about them. I love honoring their connection and am so grateful when we get to see them thriving in their own adult lives now. We are so fortunate to be able to see them.
Thank you, Katelyn, for this great post filled with pics and perceptions of these amazing beings. That backlit pic of Mariah looks almost ethereal. Jamie is a force to be reckoned with, that’s for sure, and it has stood her in good stead her whole life. I’m grateful for her qualities and her attitude about herself and the world (despite the poop-throwing, or maybe even including it, though I might feel differently if it was being thrown at me!). What a woman of opinions!! She’s actually a role model for me, always being true to herself even in difficult contexts and leading the way when she’s able (like on patrol). I look forward to learning about what she’s up to in the new outdoor expansion.
Thank you, Marya. Jamie is an inspiration to so many of us I think. Her ability to remain true to herself at all times astounds and delights me.
OH MY …… is that Noah above Negra????….. that looks like an old Burrito:)
Marie, yes, that is Noah. 🙂
Have you heard if Save the Chimps had any damage from IAN?
The chimps at Save the Chimps were all indoors before the hurricane hit. Apparently they were not especially bothered, which goes to show how secure they feel generally. Some platforms were broken up and some trees saw damage as well. All the staff were on hand, the chimps enjoyed their favorite foods and there was lots of extra enrichment. Sounds like a pyjama party.
Oh thank you for that news; I was also wondering; I have no idea where the sanctuary is in Florida, and if the whole state was hit.
More and more times I do not follow the news…..
Hi everyone! Im in Jupiter FL on the east coast. Save the Chimps is about 40 miles north of me. While we didn’t take a direct hit from Ian, we had some wicked outer bands that spawned tornadoes. There is a WebCam on the roof of our building (www.evsjupiter.com) that measured a gust at 137 mph! The tornado watch included the area of Save the Chimps.
Hi Sue, thanks for asking about them. Yes, as Francoise accurately shared, Save the Chimps did sustain a lot of damage, but all chimps and humans are safe. Center for Great Apes, also in Florida, reported having received a direct hit from the hurricane and are also struggling with pretty extensive clean-up and repairs. But thankfully all are safe there as well. These sanctuaries are well experienced and built for hurricanes and have “ride-out” crews of caregivers who stay with the chimps and orangutans during the storm. But I know we all hold our collective breath until we know they are out of danger and they can certainly use all the support they can get.
Thank you Katelyn for the update on both sanctuaries, the staff & chimps. so relieved theyre all safe. we can all collectively help by donating time & $$ to help repair, replace & rebuild. But the staff chimps & orangutans are irreplaceable. so grateful all are safe. your article on Jamieween is exceptional. I loved learning about their offspring their traits & characteristics & seeing how much they resemble their parents. I always learn so much from your articles. your love for the chimps cattle & fiesty barn cat can be felt in every word. youre a blessing to those animals & to us chimp & animal lovers. youre an inspiration ?
That photo of Jamie looking through the box is the best!
One of my favorites as well! 🙂
I’m an October birthbaby! :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:
Paulette! Finally we get to celebrate *your* birthday! Happy Birthday/Jamieween from all of us here! Such a good month. 🙂