Sherri needs grooming!

Chelsea, one of the Hamadryas baboons, like to groom Sherri - and when she has a chance, Sherri obliges.

Buddy and his blanket

Happy Holidays

Good afternoon! Here we are a week before Christmas! The year went by so fast at the sanctuary. This year was filled by joy, heartbreak, challenges and victories. We welcomed new residents Buddy, Remelle (Remi) and Chico. The boys are settling in with new friends, surroundings, lots of good food and loving humans all around. Thanks to the drive and determination of Leonard and Sherri and a hardy group of volunteers, the new barn was built just in the nick of time. We lost Skinny. Basil misses her and so do we. Nan required surgery - so lots of worry - but she was a star and is doing well.

As 2010 closes, we thank you so much for keeping the monkeys in your heart.

Happy holidays to you and yours,

Rachelle

More new residents!

Meet the new lemurs!!!!!!! That's Buddy with his blankets, and Ramelle (aka Remi)





A large welcome to 2 small new arrivals. Ramelle (aka Remi) and Buddy are a couple of little ring-tailed lemurs that come to us all the way from British Columbia. They are tiny; although aged 5 and 7, they weighed in at about 4.5 pounds. They make our other ring-tails look like giants. They are delighted with their new home, although all the space is just a little daunting! But they have great appetites, and are curious about everything. Remi is becoming quite the leaper and bounder, and Buddy wraps himself in blankets and looks shy and coy.
I am looking forward to getting to know them much better and making some small contribution towards their futures!

What I Missed...

Good evening all! Hope you had a great weekend - the weather was crisp and sunny on the farm yesterday.

In dealing with a family situation, I have been unable to volunteer weekly at the farm since the end of July until last Saturday. I cannot describe to you the emotions I felt driving up with Kim - a little anxious, nervous, happy, bewildered at how the time had passed and filled with anticipation. Would everyone be happy to see me? Would they be mad at my absence? Angry that maybe I had abandoned them and let them down? The car just could not go fast enough. Yet, when I took that turn and came up the driveway...it all melted away. Charlie, Maggie, Sammy came running down the drive...I pulled up and saw the extremely handsome Pierre - Julien sitting on his log and Lexy with her doll. My heart jumped up and beat so fast.. here they were - my family.. my brothers and sisters.. each majestic and beloved in their own way. In the barn lemurs jumping and happy, Mickey and marmosets chirping, Chelsea with her new dolly - a running shoe, Nan, Jenkins, Basil, Koo-Koo and Coco, Pockets.. That warm dense presence, it was like being wrapped in a loving blanket.

and then there was George and Susie! If ever there was a doubt about being loved or missed... George and Susie made it pretty plain how silly that is... chattering, making happy sounds, pushing against the enclosure, wanting scratches and grooming... little Susie... so sweet and happy... and of course George trying to push her out of the way, but she maintained her spot. So much that I missed...these precious moments - gifts of lives, emotions, sounds, touches. It was great to to see Jen, our hard working "little Jen" in the barn and Kim - to be working once again alongside them.

As we heard at another event on Saturday - some say it may just be a drop in a huge ocean, but it is our drop and to the lives it touches it is the universe... this is what I missed..

Avon Canada Fundraiser!

Hi everyone!

I am happy to announce a new fundraiser for Story Book!

In association with Avon Canada you can purchase one or two products especially designated by Avon.

You can buy the 75ml Cucumber Melon Antibacterial Hand Gel for $3 and/or a box of three Fair Trade Certified soap for $15!! 40% of the cost goes to Story Book for food and heating the barn this winter.

You can email Kim Meehan at kimsavon2010@hotmail.com to place an order or comment on this blog. You can also get in touch with your favourite Board Member to get in on the action.

Let me know if you want to make this available to your friends and family as I will email you an order form so that you can help boost the sale of these reputable products! Think of a Christmas stocking stuffer or birthday gift!

Our newest resident

There is a new face, a new voice, in the Story Book Barn! We welcome Chico! He is an "old" - we don't know exactly how many years that means - tufted capuchin. And he is doing very well in his new home! It is to be hoped that as time goes by, he can share space with Pockets, our black-capped capuchin...but for the moment, he is living in a lovely new space that Leonard created in the blink of an eye (or so it seems!!!)

Chico is active and moves constantly - like capuchins do - so it is hard to get shots of him. He has almost no teeth left - they are worn down to nothing! And he doesn't seem to use his tail - but maybe he will as time goes on.

He had a very restricted diet previously - a boiled egg, a banana, a peanut butter sandwich - so he is overwhelmed by the variety of food he is offered now. Apparently corn is a big hit!

As we all get to know Chico better, there will be more to say about him - but he is already a member of the family!