Panda's First Smile

Panda's First Smile
PandaPig's First Smile!

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Rough Drafts: We Are All "Works In Progress"


Mom recently found a sketch she began as part of her "art therapy" after Edwin was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Swedish Hospital down in Seattle had an amazing art therapist and it included caregivers, so she went every week. Mainly, she recreated the Wildlife Sanctuary using lots of stuff in the therapist's office, spread out all over the floor, and that's how she realized how homesick she was for Bellingham. But across the street was a cafe called "Arosa's" and she had spent 6 months atop a mountain above Arosa, Switzerland meditating back in 1975...so she would go there, get her latte, and just draw. This sketch was called "Oh, Orca, Please Teach Me How to Breathe Underwater" and she
just found and completed it to frame in time for October's fabulous fall First Friday Artwalk at Artisan's. It looks good, too...for once she left it relatively simple, mainly just dark, flowing lines, embellishing only the orca's face. This is how it looked back then, drawn freehand.

She still hasn't learned to breathe underwater. But with a piggie snuggled into the crook of her
neck (like me) or Calvin or Coconut or any of us up close and personal, she is learning to at least BREATHE. WE ARE HER THERAPY PIGS. HER NEXT DRAWING WILL HAVE TO BE OF US! AND EDWIN REMAINS CANCER-FREE!
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WHAT A BEER TORMATO?

Tired of weather reports? It's winter now. End of story. Case closed. HOWEVER, Calvin is wondering what a "beer Tormato" is and whether or not one would fit into his special mug. We answer his curiosity below.

"No, sweetheart, a Beer Tormato will not fit into your special cup." (Please, please, let that be true!)
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A Beer Tornado? | Weather Blog | Seattle News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News | KOMO News

A Beer Tornado? | Weather Blog | Seattle News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News | KOMO News

YOU READERS THINK WE TALK ABOUT THE WEATHER TOO MUCH? WATCH THIS!

DENIAL

We feel your pain, Mahal Brothers. You feel that nip in the air. The same nip, the same air you felt all summer. Only today that "Bright Thing Spoken of ONLY IN LEGEND is OUT! So you two are sunbathing together, in obvious denial that the lowering slant of light means...well, it means new cuddle cups will be arriving soon, take solace in that! Meanwhile, according to Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, you have every right to be in grievous denial since the summer we had can be measured in minutes (Exactly 3,323 to be precise: TRUE!) after winter was measured in record-breaking Days of Gloom! So, go ahead & get jiggy wid it... while you still can!
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If It's Summer There MUST BE SNOW!

Mom's bff, Susan, snapped this after an arduous hike up to Artist Point at Mt. Baker a few years ago. Why arduous? Thank you for asking. Because, like this year and years preceeding, the Washington Department of Transportation took one look at the porto-potty located at Artist Point and, since they couldn't find it, determined that plowing out the road was an exercise in fertility. We didn't find the porto-potty, either. But the hike was worth it. So, if this is summer...mmmm, Louie-Louie, we is
IN FOR IT NOW!

P.S. And Susan, oh Ye of Warning Guardianship, MANY GRACIOUS THANKS
for spacing out when we got to the waterfalls and I was doin' my bizness in the
woods and you somehow didn't warn me about the car full of guys pulling into
the parking lot...so, thank you! Watch your back next time you need to go!
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How We Predict Weather

Almost Live Weather Update - YouTube
^^^Don't believe us? Ask MK_Wa because
we are NOT exaggerating! And try to catch
them showing BELLINGHAM in the beginning
because when they forecast snow for Seattle,
what we get here is more like the SnowPoCaLypse!
(But do they know that in Seattle? No. Because
our weather comes from CANADA AND THE
ARCTIC!) SO, we have tried to get weather
forecasts from Canada. But what's with their
funny numbers? CelseeZ Us? Who is that?
We look out the window. Why are we talking
snow so early in the season? You (or WE)
can't HANDLE THE TRUTH!

SATURDAYS IN B-HAM!


Hi, friendly neighbor! Whatcha gonna play for us now?


The Ice Cream Shop everyone walks, snowshoes, and skis to at night in mid-winter when blizzards blanket the city in snow: WE EAT ICE CREAM!




Love his smile as well as his hat!

We have a local artist whose work appears throughout the city, even on newspaper stands! To us, everything is art, ready to be arted on!

Never been inside this salon, artistes that we surely are.
Just love the ivy turning colors over ancient bricks.


Hello to you, too, Mr. Farmer's Market Greeter!

We don't believe in this. We are a lawless people. Let's just say there are fewer dogs and fewer bikes.

THE GOAT! LOVED AND RIDDEN BY ALL! WHERE MOM EATS HER LUNCH BEFORE SITTING IN FOR HER ARTIST FRIEND SO SHE CAN EAT LUNCH, TOO.




Mom's artist friend, Jesse. She met mom years ago when heading the Alternative Humane Society, asking mom to design fund-raising buttons. Jesse got mom into Artisans and is sooo cool! While mom was sitting at her booth, some people came (TRUE, JUST LAST
SATURDAY!) actually looking for a design with a GUINEA PIG!
WAAAAH, Jesse returned from lunch to find us all gathered around their smart phone thingy admiring their stunning guinea pig, Jesse agreeing that if they sent a picture, she would include their piggie in her menagerie of animal art prints! SQUEEEEEEEEEE!

JUST BECAUSE WE IZ ALL KIDZ INSIDE!

Thank you, music people!


Mom's friends. They own the India Grill, adjacent to Artisans and she has known them for years. Every Saturday she goes and every Saturday asks for the one thing they never haveFor years. Then orders just a few vegetarian samosas while carefully detailing instructions on how they are to be packaged, how much sauce to put on them, how many napkins she
needs, it never ends. How much do they get?
Two dollars. Unless she splurges for a hot cup of
chai tea: For years! They still greet her with a smile.

                                 Says it all!










This is actually a typical Saturday in downtown Bellingham walking from where we live to the Farmer's Market. We actually have the highest number of artists per capita bested only by Santa Fe. But we are a humble people, taking to the streets with our Imaginations, expressing ourselves as the
whacky Bellinghamsters we are! Yup, we fits right in! And this ain't no special Saturday, this is every Saturday:  downtown BELLINGHAM, where gettin' your freak on is encouraged and applauded!
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