YUM-YUM APPROACHES THE BIG "UH-OH!"

Dear Readers,

As all of you know, our little artist (note his footprint/signing on blue) is the only member of our herd who had not has his
manhood tinkered with. Because he was a baby, and he is still little: only his head grew to full size, the rest of him...
not so much.

But, tonight during a Runabout with three times more space now than ever before, the little diplomat STILL had the
balls (their days now numbered) to chase down the old, brown Beaver Pig, and antagonize him into a "rumble in the jungle."

You have all seen the size of Bear's mammoth teeth. Let's just say YumYum's fur went flying, and Bear walked away once his work was done. Mom has kept them apart, but let them both Runabout at the same time tonight because she figured if it was
just a real estate issue, there was now plenty enough to go around. Peacefully!

WRONG.

Apparently, it's personal: YumYum has it in for Bear the Beaver Pig. And now that Bear is neutered, he's really not so
interested in quarreling over who the alphaPig is, because he wins out of default: He is the oldest, the largest, and has
the longest teeth. End of it.

Now mom is seriously thinking that YumYum's time as a fertile bachelor is drawing rapidly to a close since he's the
only pig in the herd who still acts like Rambo. If only he could have stuck to sculpting...instead of doing a cavy/porcine
imitation of "The Karate Kid."

Such an artist! ARTIST GONE BAD!

He's no Karate Kid, that one. The Big Event is now inevitable.

On a lighter note, we all enjoyed lots of lap time and a Runabout!

Tired, content, happy.
Good night, one and all. Sleep well.

PANDA OUT!

"ASIA, THE TAIWANESE MOUNTAIN DOG, HAS A MESSAGE"

Dear Readers,

You have already met Asia, the purebred Taiwanese mountain dog who was rescued by one of mom's neighbors here at the condo, which is practically an animal sanctuary considering how many of our residents are rescues.

Asia actually did come all the way from Asia through the efforts of a purebred rescue group mom thinks is out on Bainbridge Island. She's nothing short of a miracle, this one! SHE AND MOM ADORE ONE ANOTHER. And her dad gets to bag her poo: win/win for mom and Asia!

Her message is to encourage all of our lovely readers to visit a rescue site and enjoy some good news for a change! The good
news, which doesn't make the nightly news, is that a lot of kind people and animals in the world are making this a better place,
one rescue at a time. We guinea pigs are proof of that!

And one of mom's favorite sites for good news is www.bestfriends.org - GOOD SANCTUARY NEWS that will make you happy.

And that's worth waggin' a tail for!

PANDA OUT!

"WAY OF THE BULL TERRIER, ASCIA, AND MOM"

JERRY'S BIRTHDAY PRESENT

Mom's friend, Jerry, gave her a beautiful book for her birthday last year, which she took on a photo safari to Whatcom Creek. She read it, thinking about Jerry and how special birthdays are.

And she remembered a special day, many years ago, when she drove up to Mt. Baker, stopped at a fresh berry stand, and bought a slice of the best blueberry pie in creation to celebrate HIS birthday.

Then she hiked up to Artist Point, photographed that mountain pie for Jerry, and ate it! Altitude: over 5,000 ft. Pie tastes real good when you get it up high like that.

She then sent Jerry a photograph of his birthday pie, taken before she ate it, wishing him "Happy Birthday."

Jerry works in an office. In Atlanta, Georgia. Indoors.

We think that was mean.

 Still...

He sure sends mom good books. He's a poet. And good books are even better when read beside the rushing water of a cool, glacial melt, even once it's descended almost to sea level.

Mom asked me to say: "Thanks, bro! Love the book and your pie remains unforgettable!"

WHATCOM FALLS

WHATCOM CREEK IN SLOW MOTION

mom loves photographing water and has no idea how she got this image because she thinks it looks more like fabric.
waterFabric.

WAY OF THE GUINEA PIG: THE FLOW OF NOT KNOWING

Last April, mom took this photograph of Whatcom Creek, just down our greening forest path, on her birthday to celebrate living here.

Next month when April rolls around this will no longer be our home and we do not yet know where home will be.  Perhaps we'll  linger here a bit, but we no longer belong here and do not feel settled, safe or secure knowing the place will be up for sale.  Home, to us, means a cozy nest in which to melt as worries of the day fade into guinea pig laughter and a big, soft blanket full of cuddle time with mom.

In memory of water, we all agreed to relax and flow wherever nature takes us; nestling in gratefully once our destination is reached, for just being together makes us a family on the inside, and that's what makes any house a home: the oinkers! usn's! us and mom. and snacks. and a starry night sky filled with meteor showers that make even the worldliest of pigs go "wow." Yes, the meteor shower is the thing.

Thus, we embark upon the "Way of the Guinea Pig: Flow of Not Knowing" and will be updating you, dear reader, as our delightful journey unfolds. No doubt twists and turns will create drama and mom will spend long hours lying on the floor wondering about carpet cleaning; but this will also be the journey where we inhale Faith and exhale Fear.  Because meteor showers won't come out unless guinea pigs feel peaceful inside.

Love to you all, especially the salmon babies in Whatcom Creek, where this photo was taken. Their life's journey is far more dangerous and full of challenge than ours, and we wish them godspeed into the deep, dark waters of the Pacific ocean where they will grow into big, strong salmon, only to swim home again, spawn, then die in the waters where they were born. 

May we all be returned safely to our True Homes! So Sing! Meteors like that.

Good night, readers.
Good night, baby salmon.
Good night, flowing water.
Good night, stars, sleep well, one and all.

PANDAPIG's BEDTIME: OUT!

PORTRAIT OF MOM

Mom's bff, Susan, knitted this gorgeous felted bag for her and it matches the rest
of mom's Hip, Urban, Bohemian, Artist ensemble.

We really think it looks better out on the trail than walking down the street in town.

We don't have to wear clothes, or shoes.

That's why we like being guinea pigs.

We are free and can Runabout anywhere just the way we are, UNENCUMBERED.

But Susan really did a beautiful job on that knitting
AND

We'd love to snuggle in there.

Mom said: "Yeah, I'll let you guys in there when ******!"

Guess it'll have to be a stealth operation:
We're DETERMINED TO get in there and hide and cuddle and snuggle in the warmth of wool felt.

We're pretty sure you'll be reading all about it when we do.  With lots of **********because mom
can really have a potty-mouth sometimes, especially when it comes to our teeth being where they shouldn't.

Stay tuned for Operation Snuggle Sack!

"********!@#$%&?***OH NO YOU AREN'T!"

PANDA OUT!

BEAVER PIG

Dear Reader,

Have you ever woken up on a sunny day, stretched, climbed out of bed, slipped into your
favorite slippers, put on your favorite free trade, bird friendly, shade grown, organic coffee
and asked yourself, aloud or silently (it doesn't matter), have you really asked yourself:

"Why, how in tarnation did that guinea pig get named Bear the BeaverPig?!"


We don't know what tarnation means.

Mom is from the deep South. She suggested I put it in because she said that's how Southerners talk; they say, "How in Tarnation?!"
Or, "What in Tarnation?!"



 Perhaps there is a Tar Nation populated by Tars?  Dunno.
Southerners...well, they're different.  I'll leave it there. Mom's
friend, Jerry, still lives in the South and he wants a dormouse to
live in the owl box currently being checked out by squirrels.  Mom loves Jerry, we all do.  But we don't get his predisposition towards dormouses.(He even saw "Alice in Wonderland" movie- just for the dormouse!) 

Southerners! Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em. Even WE live with one: mom!

READERS: We aim to please! Since your favorite PandaPig is an obliging fellow, I have hereto-forthwith illustrated in living color just How in Tarnation Bear got the moniker,

"BeaverPig!"

Ever seen something like that in YOUR house? Of course you haven't!

He rattles those cage bars so loudly that mom can no longer stand the noise and reluctantly gives us extra treats to calm him. (Read: to calm her!)

We do not encourage this undignified behavior.  Frankly, we consider it ill-mannered, ungentlemanly,
and extremely unrefined! How DARE he?!  

So we whisper: "Hey, Bear, do it again: more treats!" He obliges because he's so proud of those
pearly-whites! Win-Win. Maybe not for mom, but who cares, because everything isn't about her!

It is good throughout the Land to have Bear in our herd! Go Bear! Go Tars! Go in Peace, with Good Manners. All of you, git! (another Southern expression: "Git! Git on, y'all!") It's past our bedtime, so git!


PANDAPIG OUT!

LITTLE PIG LONGS TO BE REAL

Nancy from Iowa sent LittlePig to the Santuary and he loves it here.

The only problem is that he desperately wants to become Real.
We tell him he IS real (not Israel, Is Real) but he demures.
Says he has a feeling deep down inside  that makes him feel
different from all the rest.

We know how that feels. Otherwise, would we have had to be
rescued? We tell him it's worse to be Real and have that feeling
deep down that you are different because nobody notices you,
feeds you, plays with you...when no one gives you love and snuggles.When you feel invisible, even if you know you are real.

Guess this is just the beginning of what mom refers to as
A Long Conversation.

Dear Readers,
Do YOU feel real? Have you any encouraging words for our
LittlePig? We really want to hear from you.

PandaPig OUT

BEAR READS TO LITTLE PIG AND BRINGS HIM A SNACK APPLE, TOO!

DUSK

Good night, tweety little bushtits,
Good night, bobbing buffleheads,
Good night, stunningly brilliant Wood Ducks,
Good night you loud Beaver, mom heard you near the
edge of the pond, crashing through last year's cattails, crunching & munching
Good night, SunWhoVisitedUsToday, thank you,
Good night BlueSkyWhoFollowedSun,
Good night light on the water,
Good night, YolandaEagle,
Good night, hungry robins,
Good night, blooming crocuses,
Good night, up-bursting yellow tulips,
Good Night, Daytime,
Come back tomorrow.
Love,
The World
Hey, little bushtits, come back tomorrow. Mom put out a new suet cake just for you!

Good Night, Gentle Readers.

PANDA OUT!