coriander in pho

I’m learning and trying to create depth here. The Little Cat is climbing a cliff and finally arrived at the top — I’m visioning this vast landscape displayed as the background.

I’m still learning about perspective, so creating this one has been a pretty challenging process.

We are entering middle of the month which means it’s so easy to get confused what date it is and which prompt.

I like little critters; and even though the official prompt of today is “Pressure”, my brain went, “is it possible for a porcupine to ride a bicycle?”

Yes. Yes, it’s possible.

When you are watching a white rabbit running frantically holding a watch and yelling, “I’m late, I’m late, I’m late!”

In Malaysian/Malay/Indonesian folklores, there is a character named “Pak Belang” (Mister Stripes), or “Kakek Belang” (Grandpa Stripes) that usually live deep inside the forest with magical powers of granting wishes and feared by the villagers.

I just found out, Pak Belang refers to Panthera tigris. The tiger.

I find it endearing for folks to call animals with honorific. To honor and acknowledge those who have been living far longer before we humans came.

When I was a kid, my late grandma always said, “excuse me…“ whenever we walked passed some abandoned gardens or some kind of forests.

I asked her why; she answered — and apparently it’s really common among Javanese folks — that the forests or some abandoned places might have some invisible residents. We as humans need to respect them, as they know more about the place than we do.

I feel this is not only specifically on Javanese culture; but also on many many many cultures and beliefs outside Java.

Next time you hike on the mountains or in the forests, don’t forget to say hello — and always always always pick your trash along the trip. Be mindful.

(I also just realized I forgot to draw the cat’s tail.)