Written by It was incredibly hot here again today, so I was craving something cold. Sadly, I didn’t have strawberries to make a smoothie, but realized I did have a paint brush so I decided to make the calorie-free version. Honestly, I love smoothies as they feel like eating dessert while resting confident in the fact that you’re actually being healthy. But as I gaze at this, I can’t help but crave a good old-fashioned strawberry shake with enough calories to complete your recommend daily intake. In younger years, I wouldn’t have had to choose between the two, but these days I’ll have to stick with blended yogurt and fruit. By these days, I mean that time in your life when your metabolism just stops impolitely, without bothering to warn you first or explain why.
Of course, obliterated strawberries on their own don’t quite pack the sweet punch to make a smoothie edible so a little bit of sugar is still in most recipes. I’m sure there are folks who take their strawberries pure in a smoothie, but sugar is to strawberries like salt is to most other foods. It changes strawberries from casually tasty to genuinely delightful. This also makes me think of chocolate which can create something truly magical when combined with this fruit. Crap. Now, I’m totally thinking about rushing to the grocery store to get some strawberries, but that would mean leaving my glass of wine. Oh, don’t worry, wine is healthy too in hamster-sized quantities as I’ve previously described.
Since, this Sophie’s Choice moment is too much for me to bear, I’ll just stick with the wine and imagine what could have been. I’ll be sure to pick some strawberries up for the weekend, though. Maybe I’ll also get some other fabulous fruits I can blend into a crazy summer concoction. And, I hope all of you are enjoying your summer! To my friends here on WordPress, I’m woefully behind on getting to everyone’s blogs and responding to comments. But please don’t let that stop you, as you know I’ll be there! Turns out hosting a worldwide celebration for thousands of people is a bit more time consuming than I expected. I honestly didn’t expect this many people would paint with me, but I’m thrilled you showed up! Oh, please make sure to check the social media links at worldwatercolor.com each day. It’s a beautiful way to instantly paint your day with amazing watercolors! Happy painting!
Join us for World Watercolor Month in July! Click here to learn more!
About the Doodlewash
M. Graham watercolors: Ultramarine Blue, Gamboge, Pyrrol Red, and Neutral Tint. Sennelier: Opera Rose. Lamy Safari Al Star pen with Platinum Carbon black ink in a 5″ x 8″ 140 lb. (300 gsm) Pentalic Aqua Journal.
It’s a cruel trick. Nice smoothie!
Haha! Thanks!! So glad you liked it! 😃💕
great sketch Charlie. and yes, I remember those wonderful strawberry shakes.. YUM. hopefully your wine will make up for the no shake.
in fact, with all the very hard and Unexpected work you’ve been doing with watercolor month – You’d better have Another! 🙂 enjoy!
Hehe! Thanks, Debi! 😃💕Yay to another glass! But unfortunately I’m in bed now and that would just be weird…or sad…or potentially both. It’s been fun just playing with whatever comes to mind this month!
lol….. sad indeed! definitely like the idea of painting whatever springs into the mind! 🙂
Hehhe “sugar is to strawberries like salt is to other foods”! I totally agree! I do have almost daily strawberry smoothie 🍓but your painted version is much more tasty 👍🏼🎨
Awww thanks Snehal! 😃💕That’s high praise from a strawberry smoothie lover! Yeah….I’m pretty sure I’ll be having them all weekend now. Totally craving one!
What a delightful cooling sight for a desert gal! Beautiful Charlie.
Awww thanks Sharon! 😃💕Much better gift than a mosquito! Hehe
One of the most beautiful smoothies I’ve ever seen by a SMOOOOth guy! I’ll bet you are busy keeping up! Keep sipping and painting buddy! Enjoy!
Thanks so much, Jodi!! 😃💕glad ya liked this! Yeah…having trouble keeping my usual post visiting schedule and when I fall behind it’s so hard to get caught up! But love seeing all the enthusiasm for World Watercolor Month! Yay!
Oh yummy strawberry smoothie for that tummy! I know what you mean about the metabolism slowing down….hate it, not fair at all. So happy to hear that the World Watercolor Month is going well and hey, that means that you can have the smoothie! wait…..I guess you don’t have to run to catch up with posts, at least it was a thought. Too bad our brains don’t burn more calories than they do, darn…..great yummy post Charlie!
Yeah…unfortunately no calories are burned by reading posts! Lol Whoa, can you imagine just how much traffic our blogs would get if there were?! Lol So happy you liked this one!! Thanks Margaret! 😃💕
yep….that is a thought, if only lol
Looks great! And yummy!
There are so many beautiful Watercolors floating around Facebook I am constantly inspired. Creating the month was brilliant! Thank you.
Thanks so much, Teri!! 😃💕 I know!! Isn’t it wild to see so many wonderful pieces of art in your Facebook feed! Beats the heck out of politics! lol So thrilled you’re enjoying it!
I could most definitely go for this, right this minute – awesome! The cravings are setting in! Though I’ve actually recently been enjoying quite a few too many of those shakes of which you speak – strawberry and chocolate! – as a means of fending off the insufferably high temperatures (17c!) we’re being hit with. What makes all this doubly pleasing is that strawberries over Wimbledon is basically the law. A happy, happy law which I’m quite willing to abide by!
That sounds like a lovely law, Jacob! 😃hehe…so glad you liked this. I am still craving the real thing so will need to rectify that this weekend or go completed mad. Which may have already happened actually. I blame the severe strawberry smoothie deficiency. Lol
Ha! Well at least you’re not blaming me 😛
I love smoothies! ❤️ And your Doodlewash looks delish, Charlie! 😄🍓😍 Don’t worry about commenting on my blog when you are so busy. I completely understand! Enjoy the journey my friend! 💕🎨🌟🌈
Thanks so much, Jill!! 😃💕This is a gift to make up for that horrible mosquito yesterday! Haha…it’s been such a fun journey this month, but wow! I guess I thought I was more than one person. Turns out I as wrong about that. 😊lol
You know, Charlie, we ALL think you are AWESOME! 😍❤️🌈🎨 Just saying! 😊
Awwww…..😊😊😊😊You’re too sweet! ❤️
Beautiful painting! Finally, you painted something I have on hand, a strawberry mixed fruit smoothie, sans sugar but sweetened with locally grown apple bananas. Having taken a peek at Facebook, it is a wonder the machine has not broken down with all the gorgeous posting going on there…totally awesome. No worries about commenting, I concur with Jill, you are totally awesome and this is the time you need to do what you need to do while keeping this wondrous thing you created together for the rest of the month. So glad you are pacing yourself with what must be a busy month for you and wine is good…highly recommended for health purposes ;D, now, when you say “hamster-sized quantities”…how big a hamster are we talking? Take care, happy painting, and Peace.
Awww thanks, Haunani!! 😃💕 Yeah, it’s been an amazing month so far. I’m so excited! But lots to do. Hehe… and even the biggest hamster wouldn’t work. Still too small a serving size! Lol
This is fantastic Charlie, the froth on the top, the small bubble effect, what a scrumptious looking pink drink, you will need to keep your energy up for this busy world watercolour month, considering this is its first year, it has grown and blossomed around the world in super fast word of mouth ( and Internet posts) you might need a holiday after, just shows we needed a watercolour month celebration, thank goodness you were the one to realise this for us all ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Awww thanks so much, Rebecca!! 😃💕 Glad ya liked this one! And yeah…I’m thrilled with the response to World Watercolor Month! I guess the world was ready for something like that! It’s been so fun seeing the amazing variety of work. I love it!! 😃😃
tough choice: alcohol or sugar 😀 You could put a bit of banana or date in your shake instead of sugar. It will taste sweet and make you feel good about not using sugar 😀
True, but just a little gives it such a nice kick! Hehe😉
I first thought strawberry lemonade…now that would be a nice treat for a hot day too!
I’m sure you’re overwhelmed with the month’s festivities…but don’t try to do too much, relax and bask in all the watercolor, we’ll still be here in August! (K)
Thanks so much Kerfe! 😃💕yum!! Strawberry lemonade sounds awesome! And yeah…I honesty didn’t expect this many people in the first year. It’s been amazing though! So cool to see all the wonderful work!
What Kerfe said, don’t worry about us, we’ll keep. Enjoy and have fun, I don’t know how you do it, Charlie. Another beautiful painting, way to go, guy! 💜😎🌅
Awww thanks Laura!! 😃💕 This one was really fun! Figured I needed something pink and bright to mix things up a bit! Hehe
Have you tried ground flaxseed in your smoothies, Charlie? It adds a savoury taste 😀
Ohhhh I haven’t! But I’ll have to try that! I add flax seeds to my cereal…love the flavor it adds!
You’re doing well, Charlie… keep going!
And don’t imagine what you could have had – dream what you will be having! 😀
Exactly!! Beautiful way to put it! Thanks, Tom!! 😃
What a wonderful smoothie, even if just virtual. The perfect summer treat!
Awww thanks Cathe! Glad you liked this! 😃💕
Warm here too this weekend Charlie, one of your smoothies would go down great and I love the sweet colours of this painting, pure summer 😊
Thanks so much, Phil!! 😃I need one again today!! So warm!! Ugh!
Another great watercolour (that’s how we spell it over her in Australia) of yours! Perhaps, better drop the “u” for the hashtag…when I put a painting on the facebook page. 🙂 Thank you for giving me the “ok” for that. Actually, I’d been peeking around the place, and didn’t realise I’d touched on something, which must have sent a request to join the group…though I seriously was thinking about it! I’ll get the brushes and paint out, (Watercolo”u”r has long been a favourite medium of mine) and have a splash about soon..though I’m also enjoying the watery aspects of some of the art apps I use. 🙂 Certainly a worthwhile Charity idea… Thanks for all your hard work on getting this special event happening! All the best, Janette
Awww thanks so much, Janette and welcome!! 😃💕 Yeah, I chose the shorter hashtag in the end with the other spelling. Some folks on Instagram are tagging it with both spellings, but I could only link to one so #WorldWatercolorMonth it the only one I link out to. So glad you’ve joined us!