Happy First of July!
Ever creative preparations for the chimpanzees’ Fourth of July festivities have been well underway this last week, so be sure to join us, and the chimpanzees, for their upcoming summertime celebration! Every year I think with joy and awe of the independence that sanctuary, and by extension, you all, creates for them and allows them to explore in the ways most meaningful to each of them.
Foxie from a past 4th enjoying her Field Roast (plant-based brand) hot dog:
And Rayne with a watermelon bowl:
My eye landed on this again the other day. It’s posted on the human fridge above our “human water spigot” in the foyer of the chimp house. Between an average, wildly busy and unpredictable day in the chimp house, along with all the sometimes overwhelming thoughts and worries and other distractions clamoring for space in our heads, our tired bodies, or heavy hearts, our sometimes challenging lives, and oh, you know, just our very human tendencies, I suspect that most days it goes unnoticed. Maybe in some moments even scoffed at. But as I stood there filling my water bottle and really looked at it, see Jody’s sweet face, I thought, yep. Absolutely. All these moments exist together. All these moments, beautiful and horrible, are also a love story.
We have the birthdays of two beloved individuals to celebrate this month. On July 19th wonderful, quirky, mischievous, endearing Gordo will be turning 38!:
A favorite pastime, blasting the humans with mouthfuls of water when they least expect it:
Gordo is really a delightful guy:
Wild Cascade Mountains chimpanzee 🙂 :
And the very next day, on July 20th, we will be celebrating the honorary birthday of the sometimes sweet, sometimes spicy, Betsy, turning 19!:
As the bovine version of our always missed Jody and her “den mother” ways, it’s rare to spot Betsy NOT taking care of her tiny herd members (sometimes extending this care to the humans):
Wild Cascade Mountains cow 🙂 :
So here we are, somehow at the beginning of July, half the year drifting off, and half still laying ahead. I’ve been thinking a lot about the precious, sacred time – moments really – to be found in the harder parts of life. Or truly, just life as it is. How they’re there together one and the same, not one or the other as we tend to want to see things. There are times like now, when we are acutely aware every waking hour (and often non-waking) of Negra and her waning time here with us. Of our worries and concerns for her and her family…our family. Of our worries and concerns for our hearts, and ideally, one another’s.
In these times, when I can just be present, I also get to see moments of Negra and her family’s ease when they spend peaceful (of late) time together. Hear Negra snore (!), sound asleep as her family orbits around her, warm summer wind lifting wisps of her hair. A still sleepy Negra resting her hand on Foxie’s leg while Foxie grooms her, doll in mouth (another doll tucked into Negra’s hip-pocket). We hear her laugh as she holds her forehead against the caging for us to safely give her a “Neggie noogie”. We get the immense privilege of being surprised and humbled by Negra’s tenacity and agency in currently choosing to adapt to her slowly decreasing mobility in order to still enjoy most of what’s important to her in her life. I can tell you we somehow never expected this to be her response. I’ve learned through a myriad of ways over recent months and years how very hard, and how very gracious and sacred, it can be to hold space for something other while also holding fear. This is also a love story.
Negra in her favorite corner of the greenhouse on hot summer days:
Foxie and Negra:
In the midst of carrying the shadow and light of any given day, we might also get a few moments to pick tiny strawberries for the chimpanzees’ from their spidery strawberry patch while they blow raspberries and bang at us to “hurry it up”. Or sit together companionably in a mosaic of time as Cy gently rests his fingers on the back of my hand, Terry with his ginormous fingers somehow so very gently grooms a daddy long leg without smooshing them as Gordo sits next to him staring incredulously at my bright orange pants, and George obsesses over my pinky toes – forget the other toes – what are those?! To see Dora do a belly-dancing-like version of high arousal to let me know I’d better not forget her in the passing out of chewing gum. Or Honey B holding her toes outside the caging and wiggling them when she sees my blue toenails, a request that she’d like blue toes, too (she has her own Dr. Erin approved/chimpanzee safe blue polish). So off I went to get it, Honey B hooting at the top of her lungs when she saw me headed her way with the tiny blue bottle, toes at the ready. To be clear, we are definitely not advocating for painting chimpanzees’ nails! But in Honey B’s case, it’s one example of her choosing a safe form of enrichment she finds interesting in this natural, but unnatural life of hers. (The other chimpanzees are not remotely interested in having their nails painted unless it’s to do a “taste test”).
All these moments swirling, the lyrics from The Sways’s song, Someday we will dream about today, look back wonder how it slipped away, echoing in the background of memories…
Elsewhere in the sanctuary, a few Western Tanager and Oriole pairs return each year. Both species nest and linger in the dense greenery near one of the ponds on the property, always in motion, and very hard to spot though we hear their conversations. I love the flashes of red, orange, and yellow whizzing by, always hoping to see them, but rarely catching them perched. But even not seeing them clearly is a thrill.
We’ve had endless days of unrelenting high winds lately and as I left the sanctuary the other evening, the bright, cherry-filled trees were wildly whipping in every direction, and cursing the wind as I was (believe me, it gets exhausting, though thankfully the chimpanzees have appeared largely unphased by it), I couldn’t tell if a sudden flash of color was cherry or bird. Just then, for a moment, the gales and their howling were silenced in my head as I heard a faint “pit-ick pit-ick pit-ick” and saw the fiery blurs of the Tanagers:
Another recent windswept day I was trying in vain to photograph the lilacs when I saw someone hovering next to me. It took me a minute to compute who I was seeing…a hummingbird moth! I couldn’t believe it, the first I’ve ever seen here, or anywhere! They’re rare day-flying moths whose behavior mimics that of hummingbirds as they gather pollen. Also impossible to catch still. Magic in the fury of impossible winds:
Amazing photos and lovely poetic musings….I’d say there is definitely an artist in CSNW’s midst! What an amazing group of humans who have such unique talents sharing a common…and very important goal. The chimps and bovines are fortunate, and so are we as we gratefully get to tag along!
We’re waiting on Katelyn’s book. Oh, and she’s never allowed to quit!
<3<3<3
Thank you, Roberta. We honestly feel that way about all of you and are constantly in awe of the community as a whole that’s gathered around the chimpanzees and cows. We are so grateful for all the love, care, and dedication that surrounds them.
Great pictures. Wonderful to see Ms Negra :purple_heart:. Very, very cool picture of the hummingbird moth!
Kathy, I still think of that hummingbird moth all the time and haven’t seen them since. Magical!
Beautifully written and especially loved the little sign reminding us to “be in the moment” because when we are old we will look back as these being the best times of our lives.So true. Also loved the Negra/Foxy pictures and Betsy the cow. Very insightful and lovely post.
Thank you, Debbie. I’ve honestly never been good at appreciating the multiple realities usually found in our lives at any given time. But although I’m not in their heads, I’d say I find the chimpanzees really inspiring in that regard.
Katelyn,
This is a lovely post. The pictures are great/beautiful and include Betsey in her pasture. Neggies news always bring a few tears.?
Thank you so much, Pat.<3
Jeepers. I was moved to tears by the way you paint with your words. All I could do was feel grateful. That silly little sticker about looking back….YES! The happiest days of your lives. Katelyn, I love how you take nothing for granted and drink it all in. CSNW is clearly a special sanctuary for more than just the chimpanzees and cows.
And the way you described Negra. Sigh. It was so lovely. How fortunate it is, for all of you, to help her through this “whatever it is” she is going through. It allows you take part, in her courage, her everyday happiness, comfort, and amazing fortitude. You will look back and feel honored.
Gordo and Betsy will be celebrated this month!! Yay!! Can’t wait. I am also looking forward to celebrating the chimpanzees independence this July 4th. Let’s hear it for freedom. (Can the chimpanzees hear any fireworks near them? And if so, are they afraid like dogs can be of the noise?) Looking forward to hearing about all the joyous happenings this month.
Thank you, Kathleen, for your always kind heart. Very thankfully, fireworks can’t typically be heard from the sanctuary. I would imagine it would be unnerving for at least a few – Mave hates thunderstorms, for example.
Poor Mave. She would really dislike fireworks, especially the finale!
I’m absolutely with Mave. :/ Super stressful.
Part of me thinks them watching fireworks would be wondrous to behold…but with wildfire season and those winds, a horrible idea with possibility of disastrous consequences.
What a heartwarming post, thank you for sharing.
Thank you, Marcie!
Yay! It’s the first of the month… :notes: :musical_note: see Katelyn’s blog and read on… :notes: :musical_note:
Happy birthday to Gordito and his big jaw, tiny ears, and stubby little feet!
I’m glad you kept Sofía’s Nail Salon going for Honey B! I was thinking of her yesterday as I picked up a coffee, thinking back to her recent birthday, and starting the day with decaf.
Heartwrenching to see Neggie go, and that picture of Jody at the water cooler is right where it belongs! On more than one occasion in my life, when things were going less than optimally, and I was uncertain of what was ahead, I remember thinking exactly that as I walked through the city I lived in.
Now, it reminds me of seeing my parents go- my father quite slowly, my mother rather quickly. Neither is optimal; we wish to keep them all with us forever. However, if one must go slowly, lingering, Neggie’s way is certainly the best way: with grace and dignity, surrounded by the people who love you and the people and things that you love.
:broken_heart::broken_heart:
PS–Does anyone else get a “critical error” message on WordPress when commenting? I haven’t been getting updates for weeks now, and Paulette said the same. When I submit first comment, I get the error message, then am booted out to the original email push.
You’re so kind, Linda, thanks. Chickpea loves her coffee – it’s always fun to pick up her annual treat and try to explain to the baristas what you need. 🙂 Sending my thoughts to you regarding your parents – I don’t think that gets easier at any point in life. <3 And thanks for the head's up about the error message - I'll forward that info along.
Wonderfully heartfelt and poëtic Katelyn as alway on the first of every month. Thank you for sharing your warm heart with us.
Now I am going to try out the Gordo-pose….holding all your toes and fingers and sitting in a box. It looks very relaxing!.
And our dear Foxiefox still had all of her ears in that photo…..
Negra is an example of taking life as it comes with all ups and down and treating them the same; I think that is the answer to growing older.
Thank you, Marianne, so kind of you. Gordo has the best poses! I find that Foxie photo endearing and also thought the same of her ears…sigh. Negra is a wonder, every day.<3
What a beautiful post. Despite Negra’s declining mobility, I am heartened to know she’s her same lovely self and still does the things she enjoys. I am also heartened to know how well her human and chimp families look after her.