April is here and much to our and Missy’s ever-loving delight, zooming season has returned!! It’s a month with no resident birthdays, but as you know, we are a partying bunch. Here are just a few things we are looking forward to this month!
Missy’s son, Josh, is celebrating his 38th birthday today! Josh, along with his sister, Honey B, was born at the Laboratory for Experimental Medicine and Surgery in Primates (LEMSIP) and as one of the youngest babies at the time, thankfully made his way to Wildlife Waystation where he lived until their closing. Josh was among the group who have now called Center for Great Apes their beautiful sanctuary home since 2021! Josh is thriving at CGA and he and his buddy, Ewok, seem to share the role of alpha in their group. He sounds like the loveliest guy. (photo courtesy of Center for Great Apes):
Josh’s beautiful mama, Missy!
On April 3rd we, along with people the world over, will be wishing Jane Goodall a happy 91st birthday! Dr. Goodall is in the midst of touring as she focuses on “hope, resilience, and the power of collective action.” There’s nothing I can add here to what’s already been said about this amazing human. She remains an incredible inspiration at a time we so deeply need it and we’re so thankful for her continued dedication and reverence for our beautiful world and all those we share it with.
This is my favorite photo of her. “Jane Goodall. Self Portrait”, taken in Gombe in 1962 (courtesy of the Jane Goodall Institute). Prints of this image are actually available through a joint campaign between the Jane Goodall Institute and Vital Impacts gathering the work of 90 female photographers together in celebration of Jane’s 90th birthday last year and the critical conservation work they do. 100% of the proceeds go to support of the Jane Goodall Institute’s Roots and Shoots program.
On April 12th the chimpanzees will be celebrating a welcoming of spring! There are so many amazing things planned! Spring is always such a joyful time here at the sanctuary. (And everywhere?!). A few favorite photos from celebrations past:
Jamie and her beloved mini-peppers:
Willy B:
I know Betsy and her family are dreaming of warm pasture days ahead:
A favorite Jody photo! Spring will forever bloom with thoughts of this beloved chimpanzee woman. Endearingly known as “Farmer J0” for her master forager skills, spring (and of course, Jamieween) really was her time of year:
I’d be remiss not to mention that this month ends with the second year since Jody’s passing. So present does she remain in all our hearts and days, so palpable is her absence for her chimpanzee and human family alike, that sometimes I still find myself looking for her. I’m sure I’m not alone in this.
Many of you may be aware that her group enjoys watching their television, particularly Burrito, Jamie, Foxie, and Annie. Burrito asks us to turn on the CSNW YouTube videos almost daily, with very specific demands for those of the neighbors (Cy’s group)! I say “demand” because he in fact will let us know in no uncertain terms by banging the caging or spitting at us that he’s not interested in any ol’ video AND that we better hurry it up! As soon as he sees an “acceptable” video he settles down for his “stories”. I think these appease him when the neighbors aren’t visible for his spying pleasure from the windows. 🙂
One day a while back, after they first started watching these regularly, some of us heard Burrito and friends “hooing” at the TV. When we went to see what they were talking about, it was a video with Jody. My heart froze. At first I was worried it upset them. But I see now when we’re watching TV together and it happens to come on, their eyes are glued to the screen. Burrito sits up and hoos, swaying excitedly, Jamie and I nod at one another, Foxie looks at me, sometimes nodding, sometimes smiling, always reaching her hand out to rest her fingers on the back of mine as her eyes drift back to the screen. I don’t share this to make you sad, though I know it will make your hearts twinge, but to include you in what our remembering and missing of our beloved Jody sometimes looks like in her family’s lives. Just as what missing loved ones looks like to us all. We can’t wait to celebrate Jody and all our mothers here next month.
Next up will be our annual celebration of Love a Chimpanzee Day on April 23rd, the wonderful invention of supporter extraordinaire, Monica! Read more about the history of this fun day in this post Diana wrote last year.
Negra:
Gordo:
Missy:
Another favorite photo, Burrito!:
Happy April, Happy Birthday to all celebrating one, and Welcome Spring! We could never thank you enough for being here with us through all the seasons in the chimpanzees’ and cows’ lives!
Oh, Katelyn, my heart! That story about the troop recognizing dear Jojo is so touching!
I’ve wondered if they recognized themselves and the neighbors, and noe I see that they do.:pensive:
I think the spring celebration sounds like a fabulous idea! I myself will be making some baked mini peppers stuffed with refried beans/salsa combo tonight (and might be cheeky and put some cheese on them)!
Too late Katelyn, I was already crying when you said not to be sad. What a beautiful story of them being nostalgic for sweet Jody.
Over and over they are just like us, It was just my Grandmothers birthday yesterday, and of course, I was looking at pictures and remembering her and crying.
We’re just the same.:revolving_hearts:
I totally concur with Linda and CeeCee. I was thinking about our dear Jody yesterday and found myself shedding tears. I — we — miss her so much, and like Katelyn, I sometimes find myself logging on to the CSNW website thinking, if only for a moment, that I will see a video of what she is doing today.
She’s somewhere — in Heaven, in our hearts and memories, and sometimes in my dreams — but not where I sometimes expect that I will find her. I am relieved and heartened, then, to read that her friends react with affection when she appears in video. Their love — our love — for Jody is a salve for the pain of her physical absence. When the day arrives, the day that the Green Blade riseth from the buried grain, (Sunday, April 20) I hope that you can set out a forage on Young’s Hill in her honor.
Thank you for sharing/talking about Jody. It’s a great picture of her. ?
oh my swollen heart. I felt like I was right there, watching Jodi videos with my friends.
I know for sure that your thoughts of Jody resonate with us all, Katelyn. She is missed so very much. i have her lovely ‘lilacs’ photo as my screensaver so I see her, and talk to her, several times a day. How’s the memorial garden coming along?
Lovely post, thank you :monkey_face::cow2::sun_with_face:
This was such a beautiful and emotional post. Jody will always be deep in my heart. I’m anxious to get my photo of her and Burrito that I ordered. since Chimpanzees are our relatives, I felt it was time to make a space in my livingroom for them! Can’t wait!
Josh. What a dear boy. I read his bio and my heart broke for Missy and her son. How could anyone be expected to interact lovingly with a newborn when everything, absolutely everything about existing in medical laboratory is so unnatural?! Making the current reality for Missy and Josh, and all the chimpanzees who are fortunate enough to be living the sanctuary life, all the more wonderful. I will celebrate their lives this month (and every month!).
Jody. Oh how I love to see her photos and read about her on the blog….still! She is forever in my heart and I can’t image how deeply Jody must still fill her familiar favorite spaces and your hearts and minds.
I am yearning for everything Springtime! Can’t wait to see the cow gals meandering to their lush green pasture. Hope they are all doing well.