Planting

Yesterday Ozil went to the garden centre to buy a few things, including a bay tree and a new plant.  Today Edward did some planting.

First he planted the bay tree.  As baboons we wanted to climb and we got a variety of opinions about whether it was suitable for climbing.  An orangutan opinion was taken, as they are more habitual climbers even than we baboons are.  Joey says no, not yet, its not big enough!!

The lions were more interested in how useful it might be for shade, than climbing.  They also found it was not ready for that yet.

Next Edward planted the nice yellow plant that Ozil chose.  We liked that, just because it looks nice.

The lions could see that it was never going to provide much shade, but Lawrence decided it was shady enough for a little chap like him.

Next year the bay tree may be climbable and shady, this year we will have to look after it and the plant to help them to grow strong.

Food tasting and the garden centre

Hello!! Our person is taking a rest from work.  They call it holiday in workplaces.  We have been out and about this week doing busy stuff, most of it seemed to involve tasting food.

On Tuesday Aboo and Jimmy (who you probably know from @ThePalmOil2), did some food tasting.  First they visited Gossips cafe in Yarmouth and tried a scone.  It was so big that they shared it.  Aboo is a skinny chap and Jimmy is quite small.

Yes, they definitely liked the scone and Jimmy was able to check that it was #orangutanfriendly.  Moving on they got the End of the Line cafe in Freshwater for lunch.  They had walked all the way so they were pretty hungry by then.

Aboo went for a cheese sandwich in white bread and Jimmy had a tuna sandwich in wholemeal.  Both were happy with the flavours and textures and were able to be sure their lunches were #orangutanfriendly.

Today (Friday) Ozil went out food tasting and shopping.

Ozil went to Thompson's Garden Centre, in Newchurch.  He had to choose between toasted cheese and a egg mayonnaise baguette.  He went for the toasted cheese.  Very wise!!  It was delicious.

Then Ozil had a job to do.  He had to buy a bay tree, a plant, a large plant pot, plant food and some potting compost.  Quite a big shop!!

Ozil is a friendly chap and he sat down to talk about all the things he had to buy, with this flowerpot man.  The flowerpot man was very helpful and he advised him about what to choose.

Pushing the trolley and loading the car was a bit more challenging, but we helped and got it all in.  We will be planting tomorrow so we will show you the results.

Whitstable Tweet-up

Last Saturday Mini-Kolo and Leroy went on a Tweet-up to Whistable, in Kent.  We got up early and went on the car ferry and then had quite a long drive,

We met TGT, Tabitha, Baz Bear, some of the Emergency Teds and others at The Teddy Bear Trading Company, and had lunch.  It was a delicious lunch that got a high baboon rating for tasty food.

Mini-Kolo had decided to wear his biker gang outfit and the new constable on the Emergency Teds team felt he needed to check him out.  Mini-Kolo managed to persuade the constable that it was just a fashion look and that he was really harmless.  He got off without a warning.

Far more scary than the police constable was this chap.  Look at his size compared to Mini-Kolo and Leroy.  He is even bigger than me and I am the size of a four year old child!!

We met this very nice dog as well.  What is TGT doing to Leroy there?  Holding him up probably lions are a bit scared of dogs!!

After lunch we wandered down to the beach at Tankerton.  Sunbathing was nice.

Mini-Kolo and Leroy went for a bit of exploring with Tabitha Teddy.  They found this cannon.  Tabitha was brave and looked out for incoming invaders from the sea.  Mini-Kolo and Leroy stayed safe.  Of course they were ready to leap into action should an invasion take place.

Mini-Kolo found Whitstable Castle.

After a lovely day and a great walk we made our way to Sandwich, to stay at the Bell Hotel overnight. Our favourite hotel with a high baboon rating!  Mini-Kolo and Leroy loved the big bed.

They also enjoyed looking out of the window at the historic buildings.

Most of all the loved the games in the foyer.  They found lots of games to play.

The next morning we made our way back to Portsmouth and the car ferry back home to the island.  More adventures soon.

Freddy enjoys the great weather!

Yesterday Freddy was the boy to have his pictures taken on a walk.  He has a nice new T-shirt for the summer and he is very happy.

We started at the Lakeside Hotel in Wooton, where they serve great coffee with great views of Wooton Creek.

Outside the hotel Freddy found some lavender.  He smelt lovely after sitting there.

The walk was very varied with woods and ...

fields!!

On the wooded path Freddy came across this ice house.  It made us think the area we were walking in must have been grounds of a big house once.

The next excitement was coming to the Isle of Wight steam railway.  Freddy read the warning signs carefully before we crossed the rails.

There was no train coming so we were safe.

After walking a bit further we came across this sundial and flowers.  Freddy had a rest.

Hey look at this!! How cool is this farm sign.  Freddy had to climb up and see it more closely.

It was a hot day and a long walk so afterwards we went home and put our paws up!!

Thank you for reading.

Ernest goes for a walk

Hi the weather has been great on our island and we have got out and about as much as possible.  Yesterday Ernest went for a walk.  We didn't get many photos because there was a run going on and we hardly got any space without runners, but we got a few.  We started at Freshwater and climbed the downs.

When we got up to the Tennyson monument Ernest wanted to remind people that sunscreen is important for them in this weather.  Of course baboons don't need it, so this was a public service announcement.

It was a long climb up to the monument and we had further to go, so Ernest had a bit of a rest.

Yes Ernest is a baboon so he wanted to do some climbing.  Those tall baboons like him love to swing in trees.

We walked on to the Needles, at the west end of the island, and back.  Ernest took a couple of rests along the way.

We could not get more photos without getting in the way of the runners, but Ernest had a great time and says he can't wait to go out again.  With the weather as it is he sure will be out an about again.

Thank you for reading.

George finds spring flowers

Two weeks ago George wanted to find flowers.  The winter has been long so we were very happy to see some good weather.

We drove to Bembridge, in the east of the island and start our walk there.

We start at the Lifeboat shop as we always support them.

Even in the car park George found some flowers.  He felt this was a good start.

There was plenty of hawthorn blossom.  We did not stop there long as it makes my person sneeze.

On the cliff path George found bluebells,

whitebells,

primroses

and buttercups.

We walked down the cliff path, and back, by which time we needed a sit down and coffee

at the Crab and Lobster pub!!

We walked back a little bit further to the car park.  At the Bembridge Coast hotel we found narcissus

and palm trees.  George enjoyed the walk and finding flowers.  The weather is better now, lets hope it stays that way!

Thank you for reading.

Jimmy does the Christmas Shopping

Hello, its been a while since we blogged.  When the people are working we don't do so much.  However, last week we were joined at Baboon HQ by an orangutan called Jimmy.  He is proud to be the Baboon HQ orangutan.  Every year somebody needs to go with the people to get the Christmas dinner.  Last year Harry Baboon went, this year Jimmy Orangutan offered to go.

Christmas dinner shopping day always starts with a treat, breakfast at the Bembridge Bakery.  Jimmy started by admiring their Christmas decorations.

They had done a good job as always.  But that wasn't the main point of going there, it was for breakfast.

Jimmy stuck to the Baboon HQ tradition, by having toast and marmalade with tea.  It was delicious, as always.

Next they had to go to Newport, to pick up the main part of the Christmas dinner.  Jimmy decided to check out what else was on offer.  Chocolates and wine seemed to attract his attention.

He had been told that sprouts were traditional Christmas food, although baboons don't eat them.  Jimmy checked them out, but decided he didn't fancy them.

He liked the Christmas crackers, they were quite pretty.

He found the things that he was looking for, bananas!!  Orangutans share the baboons' love of bananas.

They picked up the Christmas dinner, its not a turkey, as we are vegetarians at Baboon HQ, its a mushroom wellington, from Marks and Spencer.  The vegetables came from the fantastic Barrow Boys in Ryde.  Great vegetables and friendly service, with good advice.  They told Jimmy to get Maris Piper potatoes for roasting.  So we will be having mushroom wellington, roast potatoes and roasted root vegetables.  Jimmy did a good job, but that wasn't the end of his excitement.

Jimmy had fancied the strudel at the Bembridge Bakery, so he brought some home for all of us.  It was not the traditional apple strudel, it was a Christmas version, with mixed dried fruit.  It was delicious.

After a hard day's work, there was another treat, we had pizza.  It was Jimmy's first pizza at Baboon HQ.  He wanted to share with his friends who help to flavour our food, with salt and pepper.

Jimmy had a great day and did a good job, I think he will fit in well at Baboon HQ.  Thank you for reading about Jimmy's day.  Wishing you all a very happy Christmas and new year.