The TV was off...

Sunday was my first day to the farm after our beloved Chelsea passed.  For each of us, that first time in the barn after a death is extremely difficult.  Losing Chelsea has been particularly heartbreaking for all of us.  Amongst the hustle and bustle, cleaning the fridge, pressure washing the floor, making dinner I passed the tv and it was off.  The tv was off.  Then the pain hit again.. no Chelsea ... no tv.... The tv was there for her.  She loved watching it and we all made sure there was a steady supply of nature videos, children's shows, programs with monkeys in them... all the things that Chelsea loved to watch. Throughout her time with us, the tv's grew in size as volunteers and friends would get her bigger and better ones, a new VCR, a new DVD player, Leonard even tried to hook up the satellite in the barn for her!  She loved watching Mark Hebscher on CHCH and would make her happy num-num sounds.  Now, there is quiet - no rubber boots being thrown in the air, happy chatting, no shrieking to let us know that George had touched her boots, no little hands reaching out for a groom... the tv was off..

It's time for the Baseball Tournament

The annual Baseball tournament is almost here!
There is a slight error on the poster - the Tournament is actually on SATURDAY August 25!!!!  Our second Open House of the summer takes place on SUNDAY August 26!!!  A very busy weekend for sure!
This year we have added a dance to end off the tournament - should be lots of fun and tickets are only $10.00 for that!  Even if you can't make the dance, we would love to have you show your support by buying a ticket anyway!!!!!!
Hope to see lots of you on both of these days.
Remember to register for the Open House...the website will tell you how to do that!

Chelsea...

 This is by far the hardest entry I have written.
Many of you will know by now. We lost our beautiful Chelsea on Monday July 16, 2012.  She had spent the last 5 years with us and she was such a happy girl.  She had dozens of shoes and looked after them always.  She loved to play with her ball, smash her hula hoop around, ride her shoes on her back.  She reached out to her friends (the people who looked after her) and held hands - especially if something had upset her.  She loved to groom arms, legs, even heads and did it so very gently.  She enjoyed watching bubbles floating around and never said no to a treat.  She looked after old blind Nan who will now have to manage on her own.

We miss her and are still in shock over her loss.  Rest in peace, beautiful girl.  You will always be with us...

Buddy Lemur finally gets outside!

The second outdoor enclosure for the two "kitchen lemurs" was completed on Sunday.  We did a little switching of the boys, so now Remi lemur lives in the enclosure closer to the entrance door - all the coming and going was sometimes a little stressful for Buddy lemur who used to live there.  But now he lives in the inner enclosure.  And both boys can go outside.  Remi has been going out since the spring, but Sunday was Buddy's first time.  He was great - never one to be shy or hang back from a new challenge.  He met Mickey marmoset while she was outside, and he made some wonderful leaps from the doorway all the way over to the platform perch at the opposite side of the space.  What a long way he has come since his arrival at the Farm!!!!

Some recent shots of the family!!

                                                      Relaxing after dinner!

                                              Chelsea tackles a water bottle!  And wins!!!!

                                                Pockets is excited - as always!

                                             Jenkins enjoys some fresh leaves.

                                           Julien is fishing for grapes.

                                          Pierre works on his enrichment bottle - loves it!!!!!

                                            Mickey says Hi!!!!!

                                               Rosie looks for more treats!

                                           One of the boys poses for the camera!

                                                   Susie is enjoying the sun!

                                            Remi reaches out for a scratch!

                                              Beautiful Lily Goat!

Chelsea plays!!!!!

Chelsea is always excited when her floor has been cleared.  When the old straw has been removed, she comes down from the step and plays!  Sometimes she bats her ball around, sometimes she tosses her shoes. She likes to see what she might have missed as well - treats that might have been hiding under the straw!  But she is always sure to keep her shoes (whichever ones are the favourites of the day) close by - she sometimes even carries one or two on her back - the way she might a baby baboon.
It might take a while to complete the cleaning of her enclosure - we have to wait for her to go back up to her platform before we can continue, but she is such a joy to watch!

There is a new Story Book book!!!!!!!
Check it out here:
http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/3262898
 It's called Here's Looking at You - and it's a great book for kids!