Written by For our prompt of “Farm” today, I made a little sketch of a baby pig and a duckling admiring a flower. As I’ve mentioned before, I spent many summers on my grandparents’ farm and it was always a wonderful experience. Though there were barns and pastures to explore and enjoy, the farm animals were always my favorite part. I loved watching the baby animals experiencing the world for the first time and seeing their enthusiasm always added to mine. That immense feeling of joy and happiness of days spent on the farm is something I like to remember often. It transports me out of even the most stressful of days and takes me right back to a place where possibilities and wonder felt infinite. Some days, I find myself feeling a bit less motivated and its on these days that the farm memories always come to my rescue. Soon, I’m back to imagining a world that’s simply waiting for me to take that next new path. A world that beckons me with a smile and quiet reassurance that everything is going to work out just beautifully!
This past weekend was extremely wonderful as my mother and sister visited and I hadn’t seen them in over a year due to the pandemic. It’s never easy to be separated from the ones you lost most, so it was a fabulous reunion. Philippe made chili and cornbread, because it’s apparently become a tradition for this particular visit. My great nephew was with them as is often the case and, though older now, still remembers the delicious cornbread that Uncle Philippe makes. He pronounces the name perfectly now, but when he was really young, it was “Unco Fweep,” which was just too adorable. Our dog Phineas greeted our guests with the usual caution and lack of enthusiasm. My mother said that they forgot to bring him a treat, a fact that was not at all lost on him. I gave them each a small piece of chicken jerky and he went to each person, one by one, as though he was some kind of king accepting an offering from peasants.
Though the visit was rather brief, it was fun to catch up with my family. My mother and sister are both avid crafters, so we shared our various current creative projects. Mom wanted to create a stuffed animal of the character from my latest picture book, so I gave her a couple copies along with the clay figure I had crafted while working on it. We used to always collaborate on projects when I was a kid, so that made me smile and I’m curious to see what she comes up with! My next book in the series comes out in June so I also gave her a proof copy of that in case she wanted to try that character as well (next up is one little dog!). I was reminded that my own passion for making things comes to me from a long line of makers. I’m simply carrying on a cherished family tradition, in my own little way. Each new little sketch might only appear here, but sometimes it becomes part of something grander. Yet, it’s simply the act of making something new that I adore most. Every page in every one of my towering stack of sketchbooks isn’t merely an image on paper, it’s a beautiful reminder of those fresh little moments.
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About the DoodlewashDa Vinci Paint Co.: Hansa Yellow Medium, Quinacridone Red, Leaf Green, Phthalo Blue, and Cobalt Turquoise. Lamy Al-Star Safari Fountain Pen with black ink in an A5 Hahnemühle Watercolour Book. 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! |
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I agree that it’s so amazing to be with family after being separated for so long. It was my birthday this weekend, and my brother knowing my tastes, whipped up some fresh cornbread for my birthday breakfast, and then we had it again along with some pulled pork. My cake was fabulous, but it’s that cornbread that I’ll remember!
Feliz Cumpleanos, Sandra! It sounds like you had a wonderful birthday! I hope you have many, many more! 🎉🎉🎉 Girl, cornbread…….YUM! Happy Birthday 🎂!
Thank you, Marisela! I was trying to find some Gansitas to share for that day, but the store only had gansitos. I like the crunchy cookie.
So sorry about your gansitas shortage, but I hope that you find some soon and can celebrate your 21st birthday again! 😀😀😀 Shhhhh, no one needs to know the truth. hahaha Hopefully you can find polvorones also. Girl, now those are addictive! If we lived closer, I would make them for you. 💜💜💜
Aww! Yay for cornbread! And so happy you had a wonderful birthday my friend! Sounds like a perfect time with family! 😃💕
Sweet little characters and even sweeter that you got to be with your family!!!
Charlie, how wonderful that your mom and sister visited you and Philippe! Oh, and, of course, HRH Phineas. haha haha Such a sweet painting and, as always, such loving memories. How awesome is that that your mom wants to make a stuffed animal to go with your book! It sounds like a lovely visit!
Thanks so much, Marisela! 😃💕 It was a fabulous visit, and I was so happy my mom was still excited to create with me! Such a fun way to relive my youth!
I showed your book to my mom and she loved it! Hopefully on my next Amazon order, it will come home to me. 😀 Enjoy your pizza, Charlie! Warm hugs!
Aww that’s wonderful! Thanks so much! 😃💕
Oh Charlie! I got to hug all my family and even hold my great niece during the last month! Hearing your joy makes all of ours greater🤗🤗 I should be getting my book soon, tell mom to make a mousie too please. A prototype for our action figures😊 Didn’t you love a figure from your books as a little guy? Our family is filling our little niece’s library rapidly and she just turned 1. My husband and I have official titles now.. Because Grand aunt and Grand uncle are a mouthful, we are now the self-proclaimed Graunty and Gruncle🤣 (my personal fave is Gruncle😆) Have so much fun!!
PS I swoon over the sweet little Piglet, but I have been known to say, “Love a Duck!”, in times of wonder!
Thanks so much! 😃💕 Thrilled you got to hug your family!! And thanks so much for getting my book… please let me know what you think! hehe! Love a Duck! Times with family are the best… I think they’re even more precious now that we had to forgo them for time! ❤️
Wonderful that your mom and sister visited you! The funniest part is how condescending Phineas was with the guests, lol!
Hehe!! I know, right? That little dog is almost embarrassing! LOL But it was a wonderful time with family! 😃💕
Lovely doodle, Charlie. We are officially allowed to hug family and friends now. Our eldest daughter came round with her two sons the other day. It was so nice to give them a hug when they left.
Thanks so much, Gary! 😃💕 Aww that’s so wonderful they dropped by. I’ve never enjoyed hugs more than I do today! And that’s saying a lot… I adore hugs!
love your characters. and the stories. and the comments. such a fun place to visit. thanks as always for sharing.
Thanks so much, Theresa! 😃💕 It was a beautiful visit. So happy to have a bit more semblance of normal.
How sweet you little piglet and chick and the great memories you have as a little boy, nice that you mother and sister came over to visit!I celebrate my birthday saturday (22 May)i become 52 and go for dinner in a restaurant !!
Thanks so much, Fatima! 😃💕 And a VERY happy birthday to you my friend!! I’ll be sending you a virtual hug on Saturday!
How wonderful, Charlie! So happy you were able to see your family and that your mom will craft some of your characters.
Thanks so much! 😃💕 Yeah, it was such a fun visit. And so fun to be crafting with my mom again!
So glad you had a visit with your mom and sister. Being away from family has been tough on everyone.
Thanks so much, Sharon! 😃💕 I agree… that’s been the toughest part of all this, so it was wonderful to see them again!