Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

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chimpanzee

Shed in the Rain

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Today is caregiver Jackie’s birthday and you can wish her a happy birthday on Facebook. While Jackie was celebrating her day, I really felt like it was my birthday at the sanctuary because construction on “my” shed has begun!

At the Out of the Box 2011 auction in October, 16 people (in some cases, couples) donated towards my “adoption” and what I was really wanting, in my heart of hearts, was a shed to store all of the event set-up and tabling materials, merchandise and other various sanctuary stuff that has crept into the garage and the part of the house that J.B. and I rent from the sanctuary. I was dreaming kind of big, but Keith LaChappelle, Audrey & Jim Spencer, Jack & Sue Mulcahy, Max Carriveau, Jeani Goodrich, Julie Harding, Anika Lehde, Pam Lehnert & Marc Warner, Jessica Martinson & Lisa Cossette, Helen Payton, Dot & Allan Rothfus, Felicity Wood, Cathy Parker, Connie Robertson & Bill Lamm, and Barbara Boekholt gave towards my “adoption” and Jim Spencer even offered up his time and skills to build the shed.

And now it’s becoming a reality! Jim, who traveled all the way from Whidbey Island, Doug Bucklin and J.B. have spent the last two muddy and rainy days outside all day making my storage dreams start to come true. It has been especially heartwarming to see this happening and remembering Barbara Boekholt’s donation in particular. Barbara was Julie’s mom and she recently passed away. She was not well enough to attend the auction last year, but she sent Julie with a check just for my “adoption.”

This shed is no small-deal. We have a lot to store! It’s almost 200 square feet and it will have two windows (we’re using the windows that we removed from the chimp house (minus the caging) when we replaced them with chimp proof glass).

In the first photo below, you’ll noticed some very large logs. J.B. was also “adopted” at the auction and his project was to build new structures on Young’s Hill. Guess what those logs are for?!

 

Jim leading the crew with J.B. and Doug following instruction:

logs in front of shed construction

 

J.B. waiting for the word to start using power tools, Doug and Jim making sure things are level:

shed first wall

 

J.B. standing in front of the shed at the end of today:

JB in front of shedJ

Annie on Mt. St. Helens

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As mentioned on the blog before, the folks that created the treat rock on Young’s Hill had some concrete left over, so they made a little replica of Mt. St. Helens. Foxie and Jody have both explored around the replica, but it also seems to be a nice little perch. Here’s a picture taken the other day of Annie sitting on top of the mountain:

Joining in on the fun

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Burrito is a pretty shy guy and he’s usually very nervous about new things, which is why we were so happy (and surprised!) that he decided to venture out onto Young’s Hill the first day we opened it. Since then however, he hasn’t spent a great deal of time out there.

But with the weather getting nice, he’s been going out more and more. Today he was the first one out when I opened the door in the raceway and he spent a good 30-40 minutes out there. It’s so good to see him getting more comfortable.

Hiding behind the treat rock

Venturing out with the ladies:

“Innocent” Jody

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While Jody is very much a sweetheart when she wants to be, she does have her devilish side. She is often the first of the chimps to greet us humans in the morning- usually with a long kiss and a breathy pant. Her sweet almond-shaped eyes will make you melt.

but… she’s not always so innocent

Good thing troll dolls are loved with or without hair!

Time to relax

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The weather is getting warmer in Cle Elum and the chimps are starting to spend more and more time out on the hill. Over the winter, the chimps spent most of their time outside running around, playing, and exploring. But with the warmer weather, they are starting to relax a bit more.

Jamie sitting on the end of a climbing structure beam:

Missy:

Missy can only sit still for so long, however. Jackie took this photo of Missy playfully grabbing Annie’s foot:

Foxie and troll bellies

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Foxie likes to not only rub her trolls on her own belly (and other dolls like Dora or a stuffed animal with JB’s face on it), but she also likes to gently rub their bellies with her thumb. This is just a picture so you can’t really see the action, but even with the troll upside down she’s still rubbing its belly.