Archive for October, 2009

Mystery gifts

Wednesday, October 21st, 2009

Our supporters have been very generous with gifts of material goods, particularly the items listed on our Amazon Wish List. Unfortunately, we occasionally receive these in-kind gifts without any donor information included. This seems to occur more often with purchases from Amazon that go through a 3rd party vendor.

So, if you have sent a gift to CSNW and have not received acknowledgment from us within 4-6 weeks, please email me at jb@chimpsanctuarynw.org. We are very grateful and we would love to thank you personally!

Laughter

Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

The seven chimpanzees living at CSNW are the most playful group I’ve ever met. You would think they were kids the way they play and laugh. As all of you who follow the blog know, Foxie in particular has a kid-like disposition (at least she does now that she’s in sanctuary!) Jamie, on the other hand, can often be very serious. But Foxie is able to bring out the kid in Jamie too, as you’ll see in the video below.

One interesting thing that we’ve observed is that the chimpanzees seem to play wrestle more in the front rooms than any other location within the building. Perhaps it feels like a more private location for wrestling?

Isa Moskowitz, chef for the chimpanzees?

Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

The Apron Activists benefit dinner on Friday in Portland was fantastic! But you don’t have to take my word for it, the Cle Elum Seven benefited from some of the leftover Butternut Rissoto (complete with cashew creme, roasted brussels sprouts and toasted hazelnuts). The chimps food grunted like crazy and licked the bowls clean – only slightly different than what the humans did at the benefit dinner. Thank you Isa Moskowitz and all of the Apron Activists!

A window with a view

Monday, October 19th, 2009

Here’s Negra earlier today, at one of her favorite lookout spots. She spends a lot of time gazing out the windows here. Early next year we’ll have an exciting project: replacing some of our “caged” windows with bullet-proof glass so that the chimps can look out upon the valley without having to see bars. We can’t wait!

negra-in-the-window

A new grooming medium…

Sunday, October 18th, 2009

I bet you thought the only use for a crayon was to color…

By the way, that sound you hear Jamie making is called Lip Smacking and is associated with grooming.

Annie & Missy

Saturday, October 17th, 2009

Annie is the most anxious member of the Cle Elum Seven, but you wouldn’t know it from the photos we take. She always looks so serene:

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Missy rivals Foxie for “most playful member of the group”. Here’s Missy in the middle of a game of tug-of-war with me today. She always looks like she’s up to no good:

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Always playful

Friday, October 16th, 2009

There was a short break in the gloomy weather today, so Foxie made sure we got in a good game of pass-the-troll outside. Even though she’s in her 30′s, she has the spirit and energy of a little kid. The last photo captures the look she gives just before she does some crazy twirl or flip.

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Apron Activists benefit dinner

Friday, October 16th, 2009

The Apron Activists, made up of the wonderful folks at the vegan mini-mall in Portland, OR (SweetPea Baking Company, Food Fight, Herbivore, Scape Goat Tatoo) and Isa Chandra Moskowitz, chef and author of the best vegan cookbooks out there, are putting on a benefit dinner for the sanctuary Friday night in PDX.

The dinner is sold out, but don’t let that stop you from drooling over the menu. Check it out on the Post Punk Kitchen blog, and browse some of the great recipes while you’re there.

I’ll see you there if you managed to get your ticket before it was sold out!

Annie and Missy are at it again

Thursday, October 15th, 2009

The weather in Cle Elum has been pretty wet and gloomy for the last couple of days, so the chimps have chosen to spend more time than usual inside. Annie and Missy are in good spirits, though, and are making the best of the situation.

Games, games, games

Wednesday, October 14th, 2009

Recently, Jamie invented a new game that we have dubbed, formally and officially, the “slappy swingy game”. Jamie cannot get enough of this game, perhaps because it requires her caregivers to run around and act ridiculous…