I am a primatologist who spends twelve hours most days in the company of a thirteen year old chimpanzee named Bow. I am also an editor with Inverted-A Press.
We have had such a very mild fall that spring flowers were still blooming early in December.
We began to take it for granted that we would have spring weather all year. But when the snow finally came, it just so happened that my daughter and I were on a weekend visit to friends.
Lawrence was sitting with Bow, and we were en route to St. Louis, to visit my friend Michelle and her family. Remember that video of Bow's choice of mugs? It was Michelle's suggestion.
My friend Michelle with one of the mugs she thought Bow might like
En route to St. Louis, I experienced some weather related delays and problems that I won't bother to detail here, as it would be tedious. But what I do want to share is that everyone I met was kind and helpful. Michelle and her family went out of their way to help out in an important juncture, but there were also a couple of good Samaritans I met along the way, people I did not know. One of them was a Christian, and he said "I'm a Christian, so that is why I am helping you." On the way back, it was a Muslim and his family who helped me. And he said "We are Muslim, so we will help you." Each time, I wanted to just tell them that they were good people, and that's why they helped. Their religion had nothing to do with it. But since I was grateful and wanted to be polite, I didn't say that. I just said "Thank you so much!"
An ornament we gave to Michelle and her family
We shared good fellowship with Michelle and her family. We went to a skating rink and to the mall and put up ornaments on her tree and exchanged gifts.
When I got back, Bow was happy to see me, and we groomed for a long time. Then Bow asked to go outside. It was so cold out! I was surprised that he would ask that. But he just wanted to go out, look around at the altered landscape and then taste the snow. After about a minute, he leapt off the bench to the safety and warmth of the inner pen.
This morning, after letting the dogs out and having breakfast with Bow, I noticed the beautiful sunrise behind the trees in the woods. I went out to get a better look.
Leo came running the moment he saw me go out there.
But Brownie took much longer to emerge. He is slow and steady.
It was good to get away for a short while and meet with friends. But it is also good to be home again.
It started with the most gorgeous sunrise that I have ever seen. The pink sky surrounded us in the pens this morning. I could not help but notice, so I rushed outside to take a few pictures.
The sun was rising up through the barren trees in the woods behind our house.
The woods are due east of our house, so that's where the greatest amount of light was shining. But if you looked in the other directions, there were also some spectacular displays of color in the sky.
To the southeast the cloud formation was regal in its display of pink, yellow and purple.
Due south, the colors were more muted and less festive, but dignified in their splendor. See that giant twin cedar in the distance?
To the west it was still somewhat gloomy, and the bare limbs of the oaks reached out to one another with against a pinkish, blue sky.
In the northeast the clouds towered over the woods and the ribbon of our private road.
Today is a Thursday, and Lawrence was just here yesterday. But our generator needs to be repaired, because there is something wrong with its starter, so Lawrence volunteered to sit a while with Bow, as the repairman was in the backyard working on the starter. You can see how dreadfully cold it is by how bundled up the repairman is in this picture.
When I told Bow that Lawrence was coming, at first he remarked that it was the wrong day. But he was happy when Lawrence arrived and did not display at him at all. Since Lawrence had just been here yesterday, he had still not become a stranger. Stay away a whole week, though, and you get an extra long display!
Whenever we have a repair person over, Bow is usually a little excited and agitated. This time was no exception. Bow insisted on going outside to see how the repair job was progressing, and he was out there with no clothing, his teeth chattering, and yet he did not want to go in, and it was hard to persuade him. Bow was afraid he'd miss out on something. I brought out the red shirt to see if Bow would let Lawrence put it on him, but Bow refused. It was only when the repairman went back in for a moment that Lawrence was able to persuade Bow to go back in. After that, they stayed in, even though the repairman went back outside to work on the generator.
To warm up, they walked in circles for a while, and then Bow settled down to a serious grooming session with Lawrence. When Bow starts to groom someone, it could go on for hours. Bow is very intent on his task.
Eventually the repairman had to leave, and so did Lawrence. But Bow and Lawrence certainly had a nice time together this morning, on this cold, but beautiful day.
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