Enjoy a peek at today’s St. Patrick’s Day lunch forage!
Archives for March 2023
Simple Moments
I couldn’t quite come up with the right written thread to connect all of today’s photos together. I simply present, a few moments from this *almost spring day.
Jody on Young’s Hill this afternoon. Notice it almost looks like there’s some green grass peeking out already!
Mave grooming her BFF Dora:
Rayne lounging in the Riverview Greenhouse:
I never quite imagined just how enriching having a neighboring group of chimps could be for Burrito in particular. He spends a great deal of his free time watching and listening to the goings on in Cy’s group. It comes as no surprise to me that he is vigorously tuned in on all things dramatic. I myself am a reality TV buff and there’s something so enticing about enthusiastically watching a spectacle that you don’t have to be involved in.
Burrito is always sure to grab prime seating on a barrel so he can see his neighbors in the chute, all he needs is a bowl of popcorn and he’d be set:
Ladies Who Groom
It’s Wednesday and for many of us, we are busy with work, life, and all the in between. Personally, watching Dora and Honey B quietly groom and spend time with each other felt like some type of meditation. If you need a little zen or quiet time, this is the blog for you!
Sleepy Dora:
Bonus photo of Foxie this morning:
All Quiet on the Northwestern Front
The battle between Winter and Spring has seemingly begun. With Spring right around the corner, the weather has been bouncing around cold, gloomy, and snowy, and sunny and warm (like today). When caregivers arrived in the morning, it was a brisk 25º, but an hour or so later is was nearing 40º. With the winter paneling still up on all the greenhouses, the sun and the rising temperature helped create a nice, warm atmosphere where the chimpanzees spent much of their day relaxing. This all made for a nice and quiet day.
Negra spent the morning portion of the day covered in blankets. Later on she was seen relaxing without the blankets.
Lucky was seen lounging about in several different spots in her greenhouses.
Gordo enjoyed his entire lunch service in the greenhouses.
Willy B looking for any leftovers someone may have left behind.
Honey B calculating her next move after lunch.
Rayne especially was seemed relaxed all day!
She even took a quick nap on one of the leaf benches on the artificial tree structure in the Marmot Mountain Playroom.
Even Barn Kitty thought today was the day to take it easy!
Here’s to hoping Spring breaks through this winter spell and brings warmer weather soon!
Bonus photo of Foxie waiting for dinner to be brought out!
For Cy and the love of reading!
Much gratitude to Diana Walti for sponsoring a day of sanctuary for the chimpanzees in honor of Cy and National Reading Month!
“This is in honor of Cy’s birthday. It is important to celebrate a fellow reader!”
Thank you so much for keeping the celebration of this beloved chimpanzee fella going, Diana! Your gift makes a difference in Cy’s and his friends’ and neighbors’ lives.
As you may know, Cy’s 33rd (library-themed) birthday was this past Sunday, March 12th, and we’re so thankful for all the people who have come together to contribute toward the celebration of this special guy. And given Cy’s love of his books and magazines, how apropos is it that March also happens to be National Reading Month! This wonderful celebration of the magic, joy, inspiration and community found in reading is kicked off by the National Education Association’s Read Across America. (But do they know about Cy and Jamie?!).
I was just saying to a friend of mine that it never ceases to blow my mind that the 16 amazing chimpanzee people who call the sanctuary their home spent decades of their lives virtually unknown by the world outside their immediate care providers, be that in biomedical research or other care facilities, prior to coming to Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. The gift of getting to see each of them loved and celebrated for their unique personalities and interests by so many people the world over makes our hearts sing.
Cy:
Cy and Rayne in the background:
A Man for All Seasons
I’ve gotten used to the fact that Burrito now goes on more walks (or runs, actually) than Jamie, but I still can’t get over how comfortable he’s become in inclement weather. Earlier this week we had snow off and on throughout the morning, and when Burrito told me to meet him outside for a run around the hill I was sure he would be disappointed when he got out there. But he was undeterred.
When you’re not moving fast enough, Burrito will stand bipedally and clap to goad you on.
Eventually we just sat near the top of the hill, watching the snow drift down across the valley as it slowly accumulated atop the hair on his head and shoulders.
We took several walks in the mist this morning, along with Missy and Jamie. But when the mist turned to a light, steady rain I was sure they would all want to curl up in a nest indoors. Not Burrito. We hiked back up the hill together in the rain, and every once and a while he would turn backward as though he was ready to head home, only turn turn again and race further up the hill.
He thought it was hilarious.
Cy’s 33rd Birthday Celebration
There’s a lot of love going out to Cy today on his 33rd birthday. Thank you to everyone who sponsored the day in his honor, made donations in his name, and purchased the limited edition Cy’s book club merchandise!
Today was also the first day of Daylight Savings Time. For CSNW, that means that, while we turn the clocks back like everyone else, we keep on the same actual time schedule for the chimp house. So, expect your blog posts an hour later than “usual” (or even later if I’m writing the blog, especially if it’s a party day).
If you haven’t already, please do think of Cy this evening and wish him a happy birthday in your heart. We don’t know what we’d do without him and his leadership over the sometimes rowdy group of nine!