Bundle Up!

For our prompt of “Coat” today, my mind first went to that scene in the movie A Christmas Story. The one where the mother sort of overdoes it when preparing the kid to go out in the cold and he can’t even put his arms down. This scene always made me giggle. So, we have mouse mom prepping her little one to go outside and play in the snow. I don’t remember my own mother actually helping me into my winter clothes, but I do remember her shouting, “bundle up!” each time I insisted on going outside. As an adult, a cold day can just seem incredibly cold. But, as a kid I would trudge through the snow for hours in my boots and never seem to even notice the bitter weather. It’s probably because I was having too much fun to notice. Perhaps, if I played in the snow today, I’d feel much differently about it. Anything can be wonderful again when you remember back to why you once loved it in the first place.

Actually, it’s not remotely cold here today, nor is it snowing. It was warm enough earlier for me to go a on walk with my dog Phineas just wearing a t-shirt. I was wearing the shirt, to be clear, Phineas prefers to walk through the neighborhood completely naked. Something, that would not be quite as acceptable were I to try it myself. But with the warmer weather, Phineas wanted to explore more and so we had a bit longer walk than usual which was lovely. It was a fantastic day indeed! I thought I’d have more time to sketch, but found myself doing a myriad of things again and then realizing I needed to make a quick doodle before the evening was upon me. I’ve found that sketching without any references, like this one, is super fun. Also, I’ve realized that mice are the only thing I seem to be able to pose easily from memory, so that’s the explanation for the recent mouse parade. I rather enjoy sketching them, and it’s equally good to practice one thing for a time rather than skip all over the place as I normally do.

Tonight, we’re getting together with a couple of friends for an outdoor gathering and so I’m thankful for the unseasonably warm weather. Soon, it will just be Philippe, Phineas and I hiding indoors once more. Yet, I’m still happy for the days ahead and cold nights in front of the fireplace. We only have a gas fireplace now which is not quite the same as the crackling wood fire of my youth. I remember gathering around that fireplace as a family when I was little during the holiday season. It was a lovely time, and a wonderful break from just sitting in front of the television. My mom would crochet, while I’d read a book next to a kerosene lamp. It was magical and I still remember those moments. Like most amazing moments, they didn’t happen all of the time. And though I may not spend the winter months rolling down the hill in the snow these days, each time I go out, I can still remember my mother reminding me to bundle up!

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About the Doodlewash Da Vinci Paint Co.:  Hansa Yellow Medium, Yellow Ochre, Quinacridone Red, Opus (Vivid Pink), Benzimida Orange, Pthalo Blue, Cobalt Turquoise, Terra Cotta, and Indigo. Lamy Al-Star Safari Fountain Pen with black ink in an A5 Hahnemühle Watercolour Book. Want to purchase a print of this doodlewash? Want to purchase a print of this doodlewash? Send me a note with a link to this post, and I’ll add it to my shop!

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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