A BETTER DAY?

So much love from all of
you feels like Fairy Dust surrounding
me in colors Bright and Beautiful.
This is how HOPE looks
inside of me, sitting on eggs
of Spring Renewal
covered in Sprinkles of Magical
LOVE from all of YOU.

RAINBOW

View from out the back door
of the wildlife sanctuary where
we used to live, where we
first started PandaPig's Peace 
Sanctuary With PandaPig and
YumYum and Bear the Beaver Pig.
Snow covers these hills now
and we miss waking up to the
sounds of birds, wind, rain,
and the fragrant storms that rolled
across the foothills from the 
North Cascades only 50 miles East...
But we also realize we need the
ease and access of downtown life,
the bustling cafes, our art galleries,
and having company once we are
able to get out again...still...
to smell the storms, the rain, and watch 
fawns pass beneath our window with
their moms, and eagles carry long,
heavy branches to bolster their nest
from the wind, snow, and rain...
what a sight just out our door!
Rainbow Bridge>who knows?
It's just where we once lived and loved.

VINNY THE RAPPER!

i'm a baby guinea pig

whose name is Vin~ny

and when i get BIG 
i gonna

call m'self 
O'BINNY!

but for now i'm tiny 
and i'm teeny,
soft, and fast!
and my mommy hopes my teeny,
babyVinny-ness will last!


{composed
by VinnyGuinea
to cheer up mom}


All COPYRIGHTS APPLY
to smokin' hot whole grain 
pancakes fresh outta the
skillet, dripping with organic, local
butter, smothered in authentic Canadian 
maple syrup served with AWESOME
 latte: freshly-brewed with
just-ground, fragrant beans
bird-friendly, rainforest-friendly,
organic, farmer equalitied (you know,
just can't remember the words)
single-sourced, no trees cut down,
no fossil fuels used during shipping
from Guatamala by bicycle courier
um...well, hell's bells, we know
we done it right cuz we in
Bellingham and you can't
do it wrong even if you try! 


BUZZER JUST WENT OFF,
ALL CUDDLE CUPS, HUTS,
GIGANTIC CARROT AND LEAF, 
TUNNELS, SLEEPING BAGS,
EVERYTHING WONDERFUL
WASHED, FRESH,
SANITIZED AND HOT TO
SNUGGLE INTO FOR OUR NAP!
~

THE DAY I FORGOT...

Just awhile ago I cheerfully decided to put Raj on my lap
and brush him, the way I did the night he died.
Except I forgot he died.
I thought of perfecting the coronet on the crown of
his head because he always wanted it to be perfect
for Fairy, and how we trimmed his "tail feathers"
for her and how much he loved flattening his back
so I could comb it softly, slowly, gently, like a 
massage and make him beautiful. And how much
attention we paid to the details of his dew lap (double chin)
to make his two-toned lower lip stand out, as he was
most proud of it! I was in the midst of planning
when
I
remembered.
For we did this before tucking him in.
Next to me.
Under the covers,
that  night.
I remembered.
Stumbled and fell.
Crumbled and yelled.
Into my hands.
Covered in tears.
And cannot put myself together again.


Piles of papers with deadlines scattered.
The inspection has, at least, been postponed.
Social workers are calling: why haven't I sent
the papers back?
Why haven't I gotten my guinea pigs back?
I'm out of the hospital now,
where have they gone? 
A friend I emailed to warn that I might
sound a little crazy for awhile
said that he had two mentally ill
relatives in his family and he did
not need this so I was never to
write him again ever. He never
asked why...I felt crazy.
Because I was going to brush Raj...
And I forgot.

THANK YOU, FRIENDS

We're still hanging in there, with you, in our little boat.
This drawing's title is "Best Friends in the Boat of Life."
That's Us. 
Love You.
chana, YumYum, VinnyGuinea, & BhindiGuinea

FAIRY CONVENES FIRST INTERNATIONAL PIG-A-THON OF PEACE PIGS TO HONOR LOVED ONES

IT TAKES A FAIRY'S MAGIC to find a way
to bring us all together for healing and happiness
after so much loss that has touched each of our 
households, some more than others, but we are 
so close that miles and oceans no longer separate
broken hearts. And 2012 has been a Heartbreaker.


While mom can only post in short fits and starts, she and
Fairy's mum and the meeri's mum, and Almond Joy and
Millie Bea's mom will all be helping us create the first
EVER INTERNATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF 
PEACE PIGS!


We look forward to posting photographs of our
growing membership and Fairy will include Magic
with each membership herbal melange bestowed 
upon each new member. Once someone tells me
what a melange is: a hybrid watermelon/orange?


Who knows? Mom has already noticed my
vexation at YumYum for having me forcibly
removed from the Big Pen which I get to
express - unlike him - because guess
which one of us ISN'T NEUTERED?
ME!
MOM CALLS ME BHINDI-BOY BECAUSE
SHE THINKS I AM TOO "PRETTY" TO
BE A BOY AND WHILE COMBING ME
LAST NIGHT KEPT REFERRING TO ME
AS A SHE, WHICH VEXED ME, AS WELL!


Still, my runabouts with VinnyGuinea remain
way too much fun, and watching him race up
and down our carrot which mom propped up
at a 45 degree angle is so funny I just roll
over on my back grabbing my furry, swirly
tummy to keep it from exploding in GLEE!
THAT VINNY IS A CLOWN! WE ALL
HOPE HE DOESN'T GET MUCH BIGGER
BECAUSE HE STILL SCOOTS AND MAKES
UP TRICKS NONE OF THE REST OF US
CAN DO. WELL, EDWIN CAME TO HELP
MOM TODAY.
HE CAME.
HE ENTERED.
HE LEFT.
SOMETHING ABOUT NEEDING A HAIRCUT?
NOW HE COMES AND GOES.
MORTIFICATION, WHO DOESN'T 
HAVE IT LOOKING AT THIS MESS?
THEN MOM FORGOT TODAY IS
MONDAY AND THOUGHT IT WAS
SUNDAY AND THEN REALIZED SHE
HAD ONE LESS DAY TO CLEAN BEFORE
INSPECTOR CLOUSEAU VISIT...
NOT TO MENTION, IN THE MIDST OF
ALL THE PILES OF TRASH SHE HAD
SHREDDED SHE NOTICED SOMETHING
QUITE NOT-GOOD: AN UNCASHED
CHECK FROM THE ART GALLERY!
YUPPERS!
SO SHE GOT TO CALL RICK AND SAY...


WHICH IS WHY WE WILL NOT BE RETURNING
YOUR LOVING EMAILS UNTIL TOWARDS THE
END OF THE WEEK. BECAUSE OUR SIX WORD
CLASSIFIED AD STILL HAS NOT BEEN ANSWERED:


"DESPERATELY NEEDED:
FUNCTIONAL BRAIN,
URGENT PLEA!"


love,
Bhindi "I AM A BOY AND WILL SKUNK YOU IF YOU DOUBT IT!"
Then pet me and love me and feed me, thank you.
And, Fairy, well done, little lassie... well done.

MOM IN BIG TROUBLE NOW!

Bhindi Here. Mom is in BIG, BIG, GINORMOUSE TRUBBLE!
The Housing Inspection is Wednesday...

And the only thing she's cleaned around here in two weeks
is her hair! And she didn't even do THAT until LAST NIGHT.
So she was supposed to go to bed early because Edwin is coming up from Seattle early and staying late before taking the bus back
then going to work on Tues, all to help her.
They'll kick back a few shots of espresso:
 BADDA-BING! BADDA-BOOM! RIGHT?
DOUBT IT. EDWIN? NO DOUBT! GOOD MAN!
WITH MOM AROUND?
FUGGETABOUTIT!
(i like talking all "New Jersey" it's fun!)


Did I mention annual inspection and the only thing she 
done is her hair and she ain't even given us our 
antibiotics yet? whew.


Six Words:


"Lost Mind.
Please Return.
Desperately Needed."


SHE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO RETURN EMAILS UNTIL
AFTER THE INSPECTION BUT PLEASE DO KEEP
WRITING AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO PUBLISHING
MORE OF YOUR BEAUTIFUL MEERIS AND 
ENLARGING OUR FAMILY OF FURRY FRIENDS!


LOVE ALL,
BHINDI
(don't tell no one, but i'm gettin' a friend once
the vet clears us for take-off! YumYum still 
blaming me for the vet! At least I get runabouts
with Vinny and we have lots o'fun, but once
back in my cage I feel so all alone...so
getting me a new friend, just don't tell
NOBODY!)

BAVARIAN MEERIS! WOWEE!

OH MY GOSH, LOOK WHO INGRID
AND HELMUT SENT TO CHEER US UP!
IT'S SUNNY, MEERI-BOY (NOT SUNNY, BUT IT'S 5 a.m. so...) SPITZMAUS,
AND A VIEW OF SOME MIGHTY COZY
LIVING QUARTERS.


IS IT WRONG TO FALL IN LOVE WITH A FAVORITE OR TWO OR THREE AND WANT TO PET AND BRUSH AND GROOM AND FEED THEM TREATS, AND HEAR THEM PURR ON MY LAP AND WATCH THEM POPCORN TOGETHER AND SEE HOW
DIFFERENT THEIR PERSONALITIES ARE
AND REMEMBER, THESE ARE ONLY THREE OUT OF A TOTAL OF EIGHT!


DON'T  YOU LOVE THEIR NAMES?
SPITZMAUS? IT'S NOT OUR FAULT 
IF WE FALL IN LOVE, THEY
ARE SO BEAUTIFUL,
WHO WOULDN'T?


THANK YOU INGRID AND HELMUT
FOR SHARING YOUR BAVARIAN
BUNDLES OF JOY! FAIRY SAID YOU
WERE SPECIAL AND FAIRY KNOWS 
THESE THINGS AND SHE IS ALWAYS
RIGHT AND THIS TIMES SHE OUTDID
HERSELF WITH RIGHT-NESS AND
WE ARE SO HAPPY GETTING TO KNOW 
OUR NEW COUSINS IN BAVARIA
JUST IN CASE OUR VOLCANO GETS...
WELL, YOU KNOW, THE STEAM AND THE
LAVA, THE MUDSLIDES, AND THE EXPLOSIONS AND WHAT-NOTS...
YOUR MOUNTAINS DON'T DO THAT,
DO THEY? WE SHALL BEGIN TEACHING
VINNY-GUINEA, YUM-YUM, AND BHINDI
BAVARIAN-GUINEA-WHEEK...YOU KNOW, JUST IN CASE...


THANK YOU FOR GIVING US A SERVING
OF YOUR JOY! NOW WE CAN IMAGINE
LOVING THEM AS OUR VERY OWN...


WITH FAIRY AND MARIGOLD BRINGING
BALLOONS AND MAGIC CARROTS
AND SPECIAL TOADSTOOLS.
OOOOH, THIS JUST GETS BETTER AND BETTER! THANK YOU!

FRIENDSHIP DRAWN

FRIENDSHIP IN MY IMAGINATION.
DRAWN FOR ARTISAN'S GALLERY.
TIGHTLY WOVEN TAPESTRY OF LOVE.
YOU ARE ALL IN EVERY BREATH
I TAKE NOW, INSEPARABLE.
AND IT IS GOOD.
IT IS HOLY.
I HAVE BEEN BLESSED BY
A TRAGEDY WITH LOVE INFINITE.
THIS IS ONE OF MY DRAWINGS
ILLUSTRATING HOW I PERCEIVE LOVE.
YOU ARE IN IT.
WHEREVER YOU WANT TO BE.
THIS IS FOR YOU.

GRIEF: SIX WORDS

Hair Washed:
Inhale.
Exhale.
Repeat.
Smile?

Found...

A few summers ago, when I could still walk,
Edwin and I spent a long, long day hiking the lakes 
and high trails around Mount Baker. 
We picked wild blueberries, prayed by ponds
of glacial melt, and languished in the altitude where
 I always seem to forget I have ever been ill...


We came across a number of free-standing rock sculptures
to which Edwin added his own touches.


This one really spoke to me.
If we had our way, it is where we would like to have
spread the guinea pigs' ashes but under the circumstances
I am still trying to find strength to wash the bird's nest
out of my hair! They know this is where we will go
to remember them. They also know everywhere we
go we will remember them. They also know we cannot
ever stop remembering them, nor would we
ever want to, for we are all better for their
having been in our lives, our Little Buddhas!


As each one died, I wrapped him or her in my favorite
pillowcase to take to the vet for cremation and have
come up with another 6 word short story:


"For Sale:
Pillowcases.
Broken heart included."


love,
Chana

LOVE FROM AROUND THE WORLD

WE FEEL QUITE SURE
THAT INGRID, HELMUT, AND
THEIR 8 MEERIS WOULD
BE HUMBLED IF WE ACCEPTED
THEIR PRECIOUS GIFT OF LOVE
AS COMING FROM EACH AND 
EVERY ONE OF YOU WHO HAVE
BEEN THERE AND CONTINUE
TO SUPPORT US THROUGH THIS
DIFFICULT TIME...


YOUR CONDOLENCES...WE MUST
NOW TURN INTO PRAYERS FOR
YUM-YUM, VINNY-GUINEA,
AND BHINDI'S LIVES, PLEASE.


PLEASE...