#WorldWatercolorGroup - Day 29 - Walnut A Bit Nuts - Doodlewash
By Charlie

A Little Nuts

Written by Charlie O'Shields

Though walnuts are definitely something you see more of this time of year where I live, painting them for today’s prompt proved far more challenging than I expected. They’re like little brown brains inside a strangely shaped skull, which is admittedly the least appetizing description ever. And lately, I feel like I’ve been going a little nuts trying to get everything I want accomplished. I mentioned the bugs with the gallery on Doodlewash in yesterday’s full post, but last night I had a dream where I solved them. When I awoke, I implemented what I did in my dream and it actually worked! Now the member’s gallery is working as usual again. So yeah, that’s incredibly weird, I know. But, rest assured the dream included a brief encounter with a unicorn, a strange conversation with a platypus and other perfectly normal things that only happen in dreams. As much stress as problem-solving can bring, I do rather enjoy it when a solution finally presents itself.

Tomorrow, we head to Texas to visit my family and I’ve still not packed or prepared for it. I figure as long as I remember to bring my phone, watercolors and sketchbook, everything will be fine. Of course, a more grounded person would first think about things like underwear and fresh socks. Those, I assume I’ll remember in the morning. Tonight, I’m just taking it easy at home and enjoying the quiet before the adventure. Each time I’m out of town, posts are definitely going to arrive at odd times, and will be rife with typos and other issues, so apologies in advance. Part of the adventure is sneaking a quick bit of time to show up and post. I realize I could take a break for a few days, but I’ve been painting and posting daily for over two years now and I simply can’t stop. It’s fun! And anytime we find something we love in live, we should pursue it with all the exuberance and joy we possibly can!

I’m rather excited to be reunited with my family again. No matter how many people you meet in life who seem a bit like you, your family is the purest representation of who you really are. Though my life has taken turns that are far different than anyone in my family, we’re all still very much the same in the end. We share similar crazy tastes, a love of obscure things, and ability to laugh at generally anything at all. Though I never grew up in Texas, my mom has lived there even longer than my childhood home. My father is only with us in spirit now, but his ashes still sit atop the Tiki Bar he built in the overly large back room addition he plunked onto a ridiculously small house. It’s all a bit quirky in a way that always makes me feel completely comfortable and happy. I’ve had a lot of amazing adventures in life, but being a part of family is the greatest adventure of all. Cheers, to my extended family here on Doodlewash. I’m honored and thrilled to be your host in this wonderful growing community. As ever, big dreams are best achieved when you just go ahead and let yourself go a little nuts.

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About the Doodlewash

Da Vinci Paint Co.: Yellow Ochre, Red Rose Deep, Burnt Umber, Terra Cotta, and Cobalt Blue.  Lamy Al-Star Safari Fountain Pen with sepia ink in an A5 Hahnemühle Watercolour Book.
 #WorldWatercolorGroup - Day 29 - Walnut A Bit Nuts - Doodlewash

Charlie O'Shields

Creator of Doodlewash, founder of World Watercolor Month (July), World Watercolor Group, and host of the Sketching Stuff Podcast. Sharing watercolor illustrations and stories while proudly featuring talented artists from all over the world!

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46 thoughts on “A Little Nuts”

  4. Your spirit animals obviously decided it was time to step in and help with the upload program. I’m sure they’ll make sure you remember to pack all the necessities so you can concentrate on the creative end of things. Your walnuts are fabulous. Mine ended up looking like something from the Little Shop of Horrors! Have a great time with your family.

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  8. “I’ve had a lot of amazing adventures in life, but being a part of family is the greatest adventure of all.” sigh……. you always remind me why I love you! <3 ENJOY!

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  11. Ok, I laughed at the unicorns, hehehehe. It seems you know a lot more about computers and their quixotic nature than you THINK you do. I so love how the subconscious works. it’s always incredibly satisfying and fascinating when this kind of thing happens. You have a terribly complex problem, no one around you has an answer, you think and think and think. Nothin’. Then you go to bed and wake up thinking… HEY. I know what to do!! Ya, LOVE THAT. Hehehe. You have a good strong, smart brain. Lucky boy. :o)
    Have fun at home, Dorothy was right, there’s no place like it. Just try to avoid the tornados. hehehe.

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    1. Aww thanks, Jennifer! 😃💕 hehe… yeah, my brain works weird, but it’s surprisingly efficient sometimes! Was so happy to have the solution just before leaving. And yeah… just south of tornado alley now… thankfully not the season! 😳

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  14. That’s great that you’ve been able to do daily painting for so long! I always bring along supplies when we take a trip, and it’s a 50/50 chance I’ll even unpack it, never mind put brush to paper to amount to anything, haha. Going to visit your family must be a really great feeling. We didn’t move far (30mins) from our families, so I don’t quite know the feeling besides when I was away at school and came home for the holidays, that was a nice feeling. I still associate the smell of distant wood fires with driving home for Christmas on the MA turnpike. Ah, nostalgia.

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  16. I have to say your nuts look great! I did chuckle at “they’re like little brown brains inside a strangely shaped skull”. That is simply wonderful, and I expect your cookbook to be full of similarly mouth-watering descriptions! 😉

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  17. Charlie, this post hits home in more ways than one. When I see walnuts, I think of Dad. Each Christmas, we would have a big bowl of mixed nuts in shells and Dad’s favourite dessert was to crack those nuts open, and share them with us kids.

    And like you, I am on my way home this weekend. Only, it is my mom’s ashes that are in the home, as Dad says he wants his ashes to Go next to hers when he leaves us. A bit macabre, I know but these conversations have to happen in families.

    Like you, I have a bag packed with a few sketch books, some micron pens and I might get to draw. But I also have a beautiful puzzle to do with Dad and some board games.

    So you see why I said our lives are kind of in parallel so to speak!

    Enjoy your trip and time with your family. Cheers!

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  19. I think you better use that Tiki Bar to conduct dream workshops to teach people how to access their dreams for worthwhile purposes. And you can use the walnut shells for little boats to sail down the stream. Very fun post tonight, Charlie.

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  21. I love this line of yours…

    And anytime we find something we love in live, we should pursue it with all the exuberance and joy we possibly can!

    —-
    Thank you for the daily dose of inspiration, Sir Charlie 🙂
    Enjoy your day!

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  23. Nuts to you Charlie! My mother’s Prussian soldier nutcracker did wonderful service at Christmastime, and he hasn’t lost any of his teeth, so I see! Walnuts were always a challenge to crack, but I sure love to eat them. So, you’re deep in the heart of Texas…ten gallon hat, chaps and boots, and six-guns on the hip…yee-ha! Yes, I can see you like that. You must draw the Tiki bar for us! 😎

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