As many of you probably already know, Negra hasn’t been going out on Young’s Hill much since last fall. Obviously, we cannot ever truly get inside of the chimps’ heads, and I’m sure Negra’s lack of interest in the hill is due to many different factors. I imagine 35 years in a small laboratory cage would make 2 acres seem extremely intimidating (it is intimidating!) plus we know she isn’t much of a fan of cold weather, so lately she has preferred to hang out in front of the chimp-proof glass windows in the Playroom with a blanket over her head (who can blame her when it’s that cold really?). But with the warmer weather and the vibrant fresh grass, she’s found just enough motivation to get herself out there, even if just for a minute.
Negra
Hoppy Easter!
Today was a full day of mini-parties! First, we had a juice forage in the Playroom (something all the chimps love), then we set up a lunch forage in the greenhouse, followed by an Easter Egg Hunt on Young’s Hill! On the menu for lunch was Easter baskets of cut up fruits and veggies in a bed of lettuce, courtesy of volunteers Stephanie and Katelyn. The chimps were so excited!
Foxie got a couple of new trolls, thanks to Katelyn and to Dick and Robbi Brown, who donated tons of new toys for the party:
Jody with her head in the game
Burrito always has his head in the game!
Negra and Jody enjoying their lunch together
After lunch, the chimps went out on Young’s Hill for an Easter Egg Hunt! We were so excited to be able to see them search 2-acres for plastic Easter eggs filled with peanuts and berries. There were also carrots stuck in the ground, allowing them to “harvest” their own carrots! What a fun day!
Visits from old friends
The chimps have gotten a few visits from old friends lately. Founder Keith LaChappelle was here last week for Sippin’ for the Seven. The chimps are always so excited when Keith comes to visit, especially his pal Burrito! But this time, Negra was especially affectionate:
And today, former volunteer caregiver Kim visited. The chimps were so excited to see her! While we were cleaning the Greenhouse, she got to spend some quality time with Jamie and Foxie through the chimp-proof glass window.
Hiding out
Negra loves to cover herself in blankets, so as we were wrapping up cleaning today, in thinking of her I was inspired to build more forts in the playroom. We have several bullet-proof glass windows in the playroom but for ventilation purposes, we have left the caging over a few of them. Negra often builds her daytime nest in front of one of the window cages, so I decided to tie blankets up to the caging and let them drape off of the railing, making it a cabana-style fort. I think Negra was pretty pleased.
Though this isn’t a great shot, I love that it shows Negra peaking around the blanket to see what is going on outside of her fort
Burrito liked it a lot too. Here he is enjoying his peanuts in his fort
Negra Inspires Us All
Art Month Musings #2
Many artists and creative-types have a muse – that source of inspiration that seems to come from outside of them. I often wonder what it is that inspires Jamie, who is one of the most creative chimpanzees I know.
Yesterday Jamie made this composition:
I am not going to claim that Negra is Jamie’s inspiration, but I will submit that Negra has been the muse for several human artists (and crafters). Case in point – four of the pieces in the Biddin’ for the Seven online art auction.
The Great Outdoors
Sally-Anne Ryan’s 12×12 acrylic on canvas was inspired by Negra and the newfound outdoor life that all of the chimps have been able to experience on Young’s Hill. Negra’s history is bleak. She was stolen from her family in Africa as a infant and brought to the United States to be used in biomedical research for nearly three decades, including more than a year of complete isolation. Knowing this history, the sparkle and hope in Negra’s eyes that Sally-Anne captured in this painting is full of meaning.
Everyone at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest is lucky to have Sally-Anne as part of our expanding circle of friends “across the pond.” She works with many animal rescue organizations, in particular chimpanzee sanctuaries. She has donated her original paintings to past auctions and even traveled to the United States and attended the sanctuary’s 2010 Out of the Box auction in Seattle. Check out her website and blog written for people who love animals: www.GretaLovesMabel.com
The next two art pieces are photographs chosen by volunteer and supporter Jeani Goodrich (we’re not related, as far as we know – she’s the first Goodrich outside of my family that I’ve met).
Jeani has folded many a blanket, washed many a dish, and prepared many a meal for the Cle Elum Seven. In addition to volunteering in the chimp house, she has helped with several of our events.
For the Biddin’ for the Seven auction, Jeani wanted to donate the cost of printing photos on canvas and selected two Negra photos.
Feet Holding Hands Holding Feet
These are Negra’s hands and feet clasped in comfort, with Jody’s finger reaching in to groom Negra’s toe. The photo was printed on an 18″ x 24″ canvas and it can be yours! Just register for the Biddin’ for the Seven art auction and start bidding on March 24th.
Negra is Beautiful
Nothing really needs to be said about the above photo on canvas, except perhaps that it is simply stunning in person. Imagine being able to see that photo on your wall every day knowing that you’ve helped give Negra so much by supporting the sanctuary.
Sock Chimpanzee: Negra
At last year’s Sippin’ for the Seven, we had some silly sock monkeys that were made to go over a bottle of wine. Since then, I’ve noticed that sock monkeys are everywhere, but I have yet to see a sock chimpanzee. Not one to be dissuaded, I took matters into my own hands. I found a suitable pair of socks and hand stitched my very first sock chimpanzee. The body of the plush chimp reminded me of Negra (she is my muse, after all), so I found a piece of cloth to serve as Negra’s often-present blanket worn over her head and shoulders.
Don’t forget that you’ll be able to see all of the art donations in person at Sippin’ for the Seven in Roslyn on March 24th, so get your tickets for this awesome event today (fill out the quick registration form or login when purchasing tickets).
Foxie and Negra groom
Negra’s kind of day
Negra’s not a big fan of the cold, so she hasn’t been spending time on the hill. Even the greenhouse is a bit too cold for her these days. Her favorite spot is lounging in the warm playroom in front of the windows, so today was Negra’s kind of day. Missy stayed in the playroom during breakfast (so we couldn’t clean there until later) so after she ate, Negra got to go right back to lounging in the sunny playroom in her bed.