I’ve been wanting to post this for a few days. Elizabeth and I hung one of the boat bumpers in the play room the other day and tied a troll doll to it. Foxie and Jamie were the most entertained by it, and Jody tried to pull up the boat bumper from above (smart!). The video is of Foxie “boxing.” She wasn’t upset – she mostly seemed curious and appeared to want to see if she could get the troll off of the rope. She wasn’t counting on the troll bouncing back!
Sanctuary
Foxie nesting!! and Jamie’s new method for carrying trolls
Foxie was genuinely nesting with a blanket this morning
and even lied down on it ever-so-briefly!
She was really happy about her new speedo troll doll with yellow hair from yesterday. I tied a yellow scarf to the troll and gave it (him?) back to Foxie – this occurred right before the nesting.
Jamie seemed pretty intent on getting the troll and scarf, so I gave Jamie a substitute, which she decided to wear by tying the scarf around her torso, baby-sling style:
Easter Party
The chimps had a great party today, complete with Easter baskets and treats courtesy of their wonderful friends and supporters. There were plastic eggs filled with nuts and dried fruit, homemade bagels and muffins, even cornbread peeps! Of course, there were also plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, including eggplant, cucumbers, green onions, and coconuts, which we were able to purchase because of your Easter party donations.
It was rainy and gloomy today, so most of the party was set up inside. However, Annie realized that we threw some treats in the outdoor area and she got to enjoy them all by herself. Burrito grabbed one of the coconuts and clung to it for dear life. When he first came to the sanctuary, he didn’t know how to crack one open, but he must have learned from Missy because today he cracked open his first!
Many thanks to all who contributed to the party!
Missy (and Annie)
Donnie’s Day
Today we’re remembering and celebrating a special person on what would have been his 62nd birthday: Donnie Pfeiffer. Donnie was the brother of one of Foxie’s most dedicated supporters, Karen Young. Since Donnie was an archaeologist, we created a special “dig site” for the chimps to celebrate his birthday. We put fresh straw in the outdoor enclosure and scattered treats so that the chimps would have to hunt for them. For more fine-tuned digging, we also put out raisin boards and big blocks of ice with cranberries, raisins, and apples frozen inside. Jamie and Missy have been working on excavating the cranberries all day. Donnie also founded the Vermont Wooden Game Company, so we gave the chimps lots of wooden toys today too. Among other things Donnie was a world adventurer, a free spirit, an animal lover, a decorated veteran, and a very dedicated brother, son, and father (to his three pups!). Happy Birthday Donnie!
Dinner with Jody
Many of you know that Jamie often eats her dinner with a spoon. Did you know that Jody does too? Tonight, Jody used a spoon in her own special way to eat her oatmeal and applesauce. I love that she looks right into the camera in this clip!
Spring!
Finally! Here are a few shots of the chimps enjoying the beautiful weather. It’s been right in Negra’s “sweet spot” – between 65 and 75 degrees – so she’s been outside a lot.
We had a forage outside for lunch – lots of broccoli, cauliflower, and peppers. The last photo is of Foxie with a “whimper face”. I’m not sure what she was whimpering about; she probably lost one of her trolls for a moment.
