Once again I am going to step outside my role of cartoon panda to share a little piece of the view into the world I live in.

Warning: Heartwarming story coming…people who are looking for action, adventure, and panda kindergarten misdeeds should just skip on down to the cartoon!

When I lived in Seattle, one of my musician friends had a little joke he liked to tell about supporting yourself as a musician.  “We make our living taking in each others’ laundry.”  He was referring to the practice of one person paying another, to give their child music lessons, and then that person would pay the first to teach his child.  It seems like no net gain for anyone, but really, it was a real builder of community and connectedness.

Today is the first Saturday in May, which on Whidbey Island is Hearts and Hammers day.  It’s modeled on Habitat for Hummanity’s home building program, and is a one day all volunteer work blitz.  They have done projects as simple as gardening for a home owner who is no longer able to keep up with the raging flora that we are gifted with here in the northwest, and as extensive as new roofs, railing and ramps and even a whole new bathroom in some houses.  I’ve worked on projects for a number of years, and been the recipient of a “hearts and hammers-like” day, when my house caught fire 17 years ago.

We also have a very active food bank that several years ago started an organic garden that provides fresh vegetables for our food bank clients.  Is this an amazing community or what?  Not only do I love living here, but I am proud to live here as well.

So, when my good friend (and panda supporter) Vicky Brown, of the Little Brown Farm told me she was going to do a Kickstarter project to add to their facilities  at the dairy, I offered to help her with my vast (ha ha) wisdom gleaned from doing my (successful) Kickstarter project.  Besides being a very modest (very) contributor, I’ve been helping her with editing her posts and updates, and just being a general cheerleader.  I know I have a community of readers out there, who love humor and pandas as much as I do.  So I am going to use my panda pulpit once again to request your consideration, and hopefully, your help for the Little Brown Farm.  Do check out their Kickstarter project and video (with adorable little goats!) and remember it’s really not the size of the donation that matters.  even a small $10-$25 donation shows them you care about small scale farming and good food made by people who care deeply about their animals.  They work harder than just about anyone I know (except for maybe other farmers).

http://kck.st/GW4Yal

And now for a word from the panda kindergarten:

join the pandas at http://kck.st/GW4Yal

Be the Bear!

Bob T. Panda