Written by When faced with a prompt of “gigantic” today, the first thing that popped into my head was a giant panda. They aren’t exactly the size of a tall building, but they are giant balls of fur that I find crazy adorable. So I made this quick little 2-color doodlewash of a couple of pandas cuddling. I mentioned in a previous post that we have a webcam constantly streaming on the television in the break area at my office. It’s mesmerizing to watch even though the stars of the show do pretty much nothing at all. There’s a lot of rolling around, sleeping, and chomping on bamboo. That’s really it. The entire extent of a panda’s life. And it’s perfectly endearing. Once endangered, they are now considered “vunerable” on the IUCN Red List. Which also reveals their scientific name of Ailuropoda melanoleuca, which sounds like an incurable disease and not something cute at all. Each time I pass the screen where iPanda is playing, though, I can’t help but smile. And perhaps, be just a little envious, of their fabulous life of leisure.
Once while passing the television at work, I saw three pandas sitting facing each other, each eating a stick of bamboo. It was like they were having some sort of panda conference of the elders. I found myself losing the next five minutes watching them do absolutely nothing at all. It was strangely relaxing and therapeutic. I returned to my laptop refreshed and ready to attempt to answer all the emails waiting for me. This was proof that pandas certainly deserve a place in offices everywhere. In a world that is mostly delivering up chaos these days, to spend a little time simply watching panda cams is a miraculous thing to experience. Nothing horrible or sensational. Nothing at all really. And that’s what makes it so intoxicating. A constant video stream of giant furballs doing what they love has become an unexpected guilty pleasure in my life. Second only to that train ride cam where you have a conductor’s view of the tracks and can travel to wherever it happens to be going in real time.
The world can overtake you if you let it. There’s too much happening out there that’s hell bent on disrupting our lives. But when take little moments to simply stop and experience the mundaneness of real life it’s actually quite a comfort. Real life is perfectly boring at times with nothing much to do or report. It’s these very times that let us just be who were actually are and enjoy moments so beautifully simple they barely seem like moments at all. A blur of the tiniest emotions that blend together in a soothing way. Life is never just black and white, there are always shades of gray and bits of color lurking there. It’s often confusing and crazy, but it’s equally one of the most beautiful gifts we ever receive. Each time I find myself feeling stressed or running behind, which is quite often, I do the one thing that might seem like the totally wrong thing. I do nothing at all. Problems are patient, they’ll always be there when I return. So, for a brief and thrilling moment, I escape from them all, whether it’s letting my mind simply wander or taking a quick moment to indulge my giant panda love.
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About the DoodlewashDa Vinci Paint Co.: Terra Cotta and Cobalt Blue. Lamy Al-Star Safari Fountain Pen with sepia ink in an A5 Hahnemühle Watercolour Book. (Photo Reference: Todorov.petar). Want to purchase a print of this doodlewash? Click here! |
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Wonderful Pandas!
Thanks so much, Mary! 😃💕
Nice pandas! I didn’t know there was a panda cam. It sounds like it could be the focus of meditation.
Thanks, Sharon! 😃💕 You should totally check out the panda cam! It’s awesome!! hehe
I’ve often thought that we humans took a wrong turn somewhere along the way. Most animals spend their time trying to conserve energy, and with just being. You seldom see depressed or unhappy animals in the wild despite some pretty harrowing existence. It’s only animals kept by people that have emotional issues.
That’s such an excellent point, Sandra! I totally agree! 😃💕 Yeah… humans definitely forgot a few things as they evolved. I think watching animals cams helps me to remember.
Aww! This, I found myself losing the next five minutes watching them do absolutely nothing at all. It was strangely relaxing and therapeutic, made me think they must be Yogi bears! Lol Okay, I have a weird sense of humor!
haha! They ARE Yogi bears! That just made them cooler! Lol Thanks, Lisa! 😃💕
Now, this is really lovely!
Aww thanks so much, Susan! Glad you liked it! 😃💕
Interesting take on Giant Pandas. Saw some a couple of years ago and absolutely amazed how small they are. Cute for sure, but smaller than expected.
Thanks, Rod! 😃Yeah, I’ve seen some that are large, but only in girth really… hehe… they are definitely smaller than expected.
Oh what huggable Pandas, Charlie. Lovely!
Yay! Huggable is the best compliment ever! Thanks, Sharon! 😃💕
Cute and adorable Pandas! Lovely painting. 🙂
Thanks so much, Jui! 😃💕
My daughter and I went to the National Zoo in D.C. and spent a couple hours with the pandas. They had a baby and he was so cute! He was sitting in a tree and would peek around the trunk at us. It was awesome!
Oh my gosh, Alice! That sounds so amazing!! 😃💕 The babies are extra adorable!! What a fun experience!
Oooh! Pandas!!! (Imagine me jumping excitedly up and down 😉 ) And better still – cuddling pandas!!! What a wonderful painting, Charlie! You´ve managed to catch their loveliness and playfulness so beautifully in this 2 color doodlewash! We have two Pandas in our zoo here in Berlin, Germany, and I just love watching them doing nothing else than chump on their bamboo! 😀
Thanks so much, Sarah! 😃💕Pandas just make me so happy! hehe… I adore watching them chomp that bamboo. And sooo cuddly!
That panda cam sounds wonderful. Adorable painting!
Thanks so much, Susan! 😃💕 The cam is awesome! You should definitely check it out!
I love pandas, they always seem so at peace with everything.
They DO! They have a joy that I wish I could match… so content!! hehe 😃💕
Love your pandas! Thanks for reminding me about the animal cams! I think I need to watch a few minutes throughout my work day too!
Thanks, Delores! 😃💕 Yes to the animal cams… so fun and a great way to distract yourself during the day! hehe
I just added Ipanda to my favorites and watched for just a second (which lasted 12 minutes)
Awesome, and I love those two cuddlers you captured. I feel absolutely mellow. Considering
the last two weeks, that is truly amazing!
Thanks so much! 😃💕 LOL … see? it’s addictive right? Pandas are just the cutest!
Yes!!