Here are a couple of preview shots. The first is the heart-shaped banana bread that Pam made – I had to take a photo before we cut it up to distribute. The second is fresh squeezed grape juice in plastic champagne glasses (thank you Debbie for your juicing and Rozsika for the idea for the glasses!). Actual party photos to be posted soon. The morning began with Negra not particularly interested in coming in for breakfast, which would have changed the party plans, as we were going to set things up after cleaning the playroom. When she saw the crepes that Denice made, though, Negra threw off the blanket she had on over her shoulders and scampered down to the front rooms. And boy did she squeek when Elizabeth served her the crepes!
chimpanzee sanctuary
Foxie “disciplining” a doll
J.B. posted a video a few days ago with the background sounds of Foxie hitting a troll with a spoon. It’s not an uncommon occurrence these days. I consider it a good thing, because now she interacts with more forms of enrichment – spoons! This video is of Foxie “disciplining” a Madame Alexander doll with a ladle.
Front room playing
We do a lot of cleaning at the sanctuary. We thoroughly clean the front rooms and playroom in the morning (unless one or more of the chimps decides not to follow the morning routine) and we spot clean throughout the day. When we clean the playroom, the chimps stay in the front rooms. When we’re doing our big morning clean, during and after their breakfast, we’re always conscious of trying to get done quickly so that the chimps can have the playroom back. What we’ve noticed is that at least some of the chimpanzees take this time to play in the front rooms. We’ve already shared a few videos of Foxie and Jamie playing in the front rooms while we are cleaning the playroom. Somehow playroom cleaning time = Jamie and Foxie playtime (along with the occasional addition of Missy, Jody and Annie). It’s kind of a play routine they’ve established around our cleaning routine.
Below is another video of Foxie and Jamie. This short video is action-packed! It includes double troll doll action, a sheet, and a leap-over move never seen before. The noise you hear in the background is J.B. squeegeeing the floor of the playroom.
Treat Yourself and give to the Cle Elum Seven
We are really excited that Cory Michael and Fresh Facials & Skin Care is participating in our Holiday Shopping fundraising. Here’s why we’re so excited – Cory Michael products are cruelty free, eco-conscious and naturally made. They even use organic AND local ingredients when possible. Fresh Facials & Skin Care is a Seattle spa that uses Cory Michael products and offers some pretty irresistible spa options such as organic pumpkin facials, European fresh facials and back treatments (plus lots more).
There are several ways that you can support this great business. For the entire month of November, 15% of all sales – all facial products bought in stores, at the spa, and even online, as well as all spa services at Fresh Facials & Skin care will be donated to CSNW. As though that were not enough – Fresh Facials is having an open house on November 21st from 12-5pm. During the open house, 20% of all sales will go to the Cle Elum Seven!
So, if you live in the Seattle area, go to the Open House on November 21st! You can RSVP (or drop by). Here’s how to get in touch: Address: 535 Pontius Ave N #126 Seattle, WA 98109, Phone: (206) 420-4723, email address: [email protected].
You can contact Fresh Facials to reserve a spa treatment if you can’t make the open house. There are also local stores that carry Cory Michael products.
No matter where you live, you can buy Cory Michael products online and 15% of sales (or 20% on November 21st) will go to your chimpanzee friends. Seriously, check out their website – there are great products for the face, body and home that you’ll want to buy now!
New CSNW Forum!
The Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest Forum is now live! Roslyn from Montreal has been kind enough to offer to help me administrate the forum/discussion board and she’ll be answering a lot of your technical and other questions from that site.
The forum is a place where people can more easily get to know each other and to talk with one another about the chimpanzees at CSNW and related topics – the CCC group asked for it, and we’ve delivered! I think it’s going to be a lot of fun! We’ve created several forum topics to begin with and will see if others seem to naturally develop as people use the board. You must first register to make posts – you’ll see how to do this once you go to the main page.
See you on the forum!! chimpsnw.org/forum
Diana
P.S. – Shelly K. is a moderator on the forum and will be helping with a few things including making sure the board rules are being followed (common sense stuff about being polite – please read the full rules on the forum) and moving messages to more appropriate topics, if need be.
Missy’s new blanket
Here is a video from the first day outside. One of our board members, Zibby Wilder, brought a blanket made by her grandmother specifically for Missy. The video is Missy taking the small pink blanket and nesting with it, Jamie coming over to perch on a boat bumper, Missy being overcome by the urge to chase Annie, and Foxie stomping around on the deck. Foxie’s stomping is something she did when the chimpanzees went into the play area for the first time – I wonder if Angie would do the same thing.
Jamie busy with enrichment
Jamie is always busy doing something – often multiple things at the same time. She definitely gets a lot of use out of the enrichment that we provide, as you can see from this video: