You have probably read before that caregivers usually have mounds of unused photos and video clips. There are multiple reasons why they don’t make it to the blog: they didn’t quite fit that particular blog so they get lost to the wayside. They are too short to include into a full video. The reasons go on. Here are some clips I found on my phone that have yet to be used. Minus the Rayne clip, which I grabbed from the security cameras today.
Earlier today, you may have read it has been one year since we lost our beloved Jody Chimpanzee. I will be honest, it still is extremely hard for me to talk or even think about that day. This entire 365 days has felt like it was just yesterday, yet at the same time 1,000 years ago. There is literally not a single day that passes in which I don’t think about her.
On Jody’s burial spot, we planted some lilac trees, if you may recall. Right after planting the trees, they lost their leaves and seemed to be dead. We hoped that wasn’t the case and that Fall was just doing its thing. As the months passed and no sign of life, we began to lose hope that they survived. Well, I am happy to say, they in fact did not! On the contrary, they are thriving in this early Spring. When I noticed it as I was doing my morning run around Young’s Hill with Burrito, my eyes immediately went from dry to emitting a salty watery discharge.
Since noticing it, my entire day was filled with thoughts and memories of Jody. All the thoughts of our Joji gave me the idea to do something she loved: foraging. But I didn’t want to just do a normal forage as usual and call it a day. No. I decided to spice things up a little bit. I hid several “jackpots” around Young’s Hill. The more difficult to get to, the better the jackpot. Most of the jackpots were whole carrots and potatoes. But there was one jackpot that took a keen eye to spot and some athletic agility! (<– BIG foreshadowing of who got it.)
The prize?
A whole opal apple in one of the trees at the top of the hill! I will spare you the details of how I got it up there and got it to stay.
One person came to mind of who would reach it first. To no surprise, that person knew I was up to something at the top of the hill and it was worth skipping the bigger forage at large and see what was up there.
Initially, she found one of the easier to reach whole carrots. When she looked up though, she dropped everything and raced up the tree. I wasn’t able to get photos of it on account that I am not as fast as Missy and couldn’t make it up the hill in time.
I did, however, follow Missy the rest of the forage. During that time, Missy when to every single structure to see if any more big prizes were to be had. (Unfortunately for her, there wasn’t since some of the places she looked, I wouldn’t have been able to reach.)
It was well worth climbing to some pretty hard to reach areas to watch Missy seemingly having a forage that was designed for her, unintentionally.
Here are some bonus photos from today!
Burrito
Missy
Gordo
Rayne
Jamie
Negra
Foxie
Terry
I think that video has the biggest play face I’ve ever seen on Jamie, Chad! AND she was playing “got your toes”!
Thx for the extra effort to get Missy climbing some more. I’ve always figured it was you climbing to the top of these things.
Love how TTTs dark fur make the green avocado and the red pepper stand out!
The Lilac Tree looks Magnificent what a Buffet of Delights the Lilacs will be bring…I think Jody Planned it that way….I can’t wait for the Blooms…Ahhhhhhh
New Rule : Tuesday is This, That, and the Other Day! Great selection of videos and it’s wonderful you had the chance to share them with us. Jamie has so much fun laughing it up with Burrito. I love seeing these two having fun together! Lucky, Dora, Mave, ghost Rayne, Dora’s happy toes yoga, each clip showing all the different activities that happen in a typical sanctuary day. It’s amazing.
And I loved all the photos! Thank you brightening today with your creative forage challenge. Nice to see you gave Missy a reason to really tap into her athletic abilities. Go Missy! The prize apple placement just about brought tears to my eyes. Jody would have enjoyed your efforts. No one foraged better than Jody. And don’t you worry about the little Lilac trees because Jody will see to it that they blossom and thrive. 😉 My heart goes out to you today.
Hungry baby pose , very funny!!
Missy!!! I figured she’d be the one to snag the jackpot. She’s so athletic, that forage may as well have been tailor-made for her.
I also got a good laugh out of that picture of Negra. Something about just the top of her head sticking up cracks me up. Also Burrito shoveling chow biscuits into his mouth!
Hungry Baby pose Dora is just the cutest! Something about Dora’s ears and her tiny stature is just so endearing.
Also, I’m not surprised Terry is careful with his night bags. Remember how gentle he was with the rose?
I just wanted to thank you so much for doing the forages for the chimps. I know it must be alot of work for you guys, but it is so wonderful for them. I wish I could be there in person to watch everyone forage outside. It must be a sight to see all of them scrambling for delicious pay offs.
Thank you so much as well for this blog and for the videos. I enjoy them sooooo much.
I love each and everyone of the chimps. They are all one of a kind and beautiful souls. It makes me so happy to see them happy and content.