Written by One of the many month-long celebrations in November is National Pepper Month. I’m not sure how one spends an entire month celebrating the pepper, but luckily there are plenty of other options to mix in this month as well. For example, it’s also Banana Pudding Lovers Month, Peanut Butter Lovers Month as well as Fun with Fondue Month. Plenty of culinary options to help keep your energy up, while you’re working on your next novel for National Novel Writing Month. I love these celebrations, which, of course was my inspiration to found World Watercolor Month in July. The idea of celebrating something you’re passionate about, even the littlest of things in life, is a beautiful idea! So if you love peppers, then this is your month to go pepper crazy.
When I was a kid, a month was about as long as many of my interests lasted. I was so curious about everything and wanted to learn more. I devoted an entire month to learning Native American Sign Language once just because I had stumbled across a book about it at a garage sale. I immediately formed a club consisting of kids on my block so they could learn it with me. I’m not sure they initially shared my enthusiasm, but they went along for the ride. Unfortunately, the illustrations in the book were either small and difficult to decipher or unitentionally comical, much like the safety instructions in the seat pocket of an airplane. After many of our signs were simply interpreted as obscene gestures by parents and teachers, our dreams of having our own secret language quickly disappeared.
Throughout my life, I’ve had many things that I’ve been passionate about. That’s why the idea of celebrating these obscure holidays is so much fun. Somebody, somewhere decided to pull people together around a single passion. Like I’ve done with my passion for watercolor. But it made me think about all the little things that we could use as an excuse to get together with friends and spend a day enjoying it as a group. The more ridiculously simple the better. A spontaneous and silly reason to pull together the people you enjoy most could make for such an entertaining day. Next time you’re looking for a little fun with friends, just remember, if you can’t think of anything fun to do, you can always though reason aside and simply celebrate the pepper.
Join us for the November Doodlewash Adventure: A Celebration Of Food,
Click Here to Learn More!
About the DoodlewashSennelier L’Aquarelle: Carmine, Red Orange, Phthalo. Green Light and Ultramarine Deep. Lamy Safari Al Star pen with Platinum Carbon with black ink in a little red cloth hardbound l’aquarelle journal I found in a Paris shop. |
 |
|
Beautiful painting. Those reds and the sense of sheen on the pepper are marvelous.
Awww thanks so much, Laura! 😃💕
This red pepper just POPS off the page and SHINES with delight! Wonderful job!
Thanks, Jodi!! So glad you liked it! 😃💕My colors got a bit muddy because of my zero patience for letting things dry properly! Lol
This is such a luscious red pepper – your painting captures every nuance of shape and color.
Awww thanks so much, Sharon!! 😃💕
A stunner of a red pepper. Intense hues of red. Tells me I need a better red in my palette.
Thanks Susan! 😃💕 I used a red and a red orange on this one. Took a few layers to get the intensity up!
Thanks Charlie. I have to mix my red with orange to make it more red. Ergo I need a better red. 😉
I’m not sure how one could celebrate peppers for an entire month either, Charlie. Perhaps by combining them with the other foods-o-the-month? I imagine a pepper-banana-pudding-peanut-butter-fondue sundae would be quite a hit, lol. But how charming that you wrangled your friends into learning sign language with you as a kid (or at least attempting). That’s the beauty of finding a passion: It’s contagious, and it broadens our horizons! Sadly, I was must less successful in convincing my friends of the joys of philately. Perhaps because it sounded vaguely naughty, like something that might dash their political aspirations down the road. BUT I DIGRESS. What I meant to say was, “gorgeous painting.” I love how you’ve captured the waxiness of the skin.
Thanks, Heather! 😃💕haha! Too funny! I think maybe calling it stamp collecting would have been a start! It’s all in the marketing! Lol
Blimey, that red! Talk about thwack! Fantastic. I love peppers, so I’m sure I’ll partake in this at various points over the course of the month. (I don’t know why ‘Fun with Fondue Month’ made me laugh as much as it did. The alliteration appears to have tipped me over the edge… fondues are apparently more ‘fun’ than I thought!)
Aww, look at Little Charlie frogmarching his friends into these outlandish pursuits. I’m sure they’re grateful! 😉 I got a few people into drawing, but apart from that I think I did most of that stuff by myself, and kept the communal things restricted to the likes of WWF, Sonic and Where’s Wally in a (failed) bid to fit in. I needed someone like you around at the time, clearly! 😛
Thanks, Jacob! 😃 Hehe… yeah, sounds like you totally needed someone like me around. And you’re sooo right… Fun with Fondue Month is hilarious right? I’ve no idea what you’re supposed to do with them to make them extra fun, but it’s rather giggle worthy to consider! 😉
very dashing red pepper ! you seem so fun ! I admire your enthusiasm and zeal for life !
Thanks so much!! Glad you liked this! 😃
Super shiny and looks like a nice fresh specimen – ready for a salad or something special.
Awww thanks so much, Cynthia! 😃💕
I love seeing a bright red pepper, always bringing joy to a plate in a vivid ‘ I am here way’ .
You got me thinking about ‘reasons to bring people together’ this little story is very important to me, I stumbled upon it about 8 years ago. It’s long, but I think you will like it…you may have heard this story before?
A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “yes.”
The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.
“Now,” said the professor, as the laughter subsided, ” I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.
“The golf balls are the important things — your God, family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions — things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.
“The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car.
“The sand is everything else — the small stuff.
“If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued, “there is no room for the pebbles or golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you.
“Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.
Play with your children.
Take time to get medical checkups.
Take your partner out to dinner.
Play another 18.
There will always be time to clean the house and ‘fix the disposal’.
“Take care of the golf balls first — the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.
The professor smiled. “I’m glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.”
Thanks, Rebecca! 😃💕 Awww… I LOVE that story!! Thanks so much for sharing it! What a wonderful way to look at life. That made me smile!!
I thought you might like it…if you didn’t already know it 😀
Beautiful..your artworks are so amazing.Really they are so amazing that i don’t have words to say..Keep it up ..
Thanks so much! Happy you like them! 😃💕
You really SAW that pepper. I can almost feel the surface.
Awww thanks, Julia! 😃💕 What a wonderful compliment!!