Written by Even though summer hasn’t officially arrived, the temperatures here are already getting really hot, heading to 95F (35C) later in the week. I’m not a fan of weather so hot it makes you feel like a freshly cooked baguette. And starting out the season this hot is never a good sign of what’s to come. But I do love the fresh vegetables that arrive this time of year. Today’s prompt was “shadow” which I think was probably better served in yesterday’s doodlewash, so we have a little assortment of peppers today. We tried growing peppers one year and brilliantly succeeded in producing some beauties only to discover they were a little too hot to eat. This is what happens when you choose your seeds based entirely on how pleasing the photo on the packet is and not on any bit of real gardening knowledge. We’ve since switched to simply fresh herbs in pots. There’s so sort of plant in the corner of the terrace that defiantly comes back each year despite our deliberate negligence. I’ve still no idea what it is, but I have to admire its determination.
As a kid, hot days never bothered me at all. No matter how scorching the sun became, I still wanted to be out playing under it or riding my bike somewhere. These days, there’s just more of me to sweat. It’s just not quite the same. And let’s face it, summer break was probably the main reason for all of my enthusiasm. To not actually have to go to school for a few fabulous weeks was the best thing in the world! In truth, I loved school and was a big nerd about it, but having the free time to pursue what I wanted to do, rather than homework was amazing. I would come up with all sorts of ridiculous things to do, always finding a new passion to chase. It’s probably not that odd, come to think of it, that my passion for watercolor began over a 4th of July weekend back in 2015. The little kid in me felt like he was on a summer break and did exactly what he’s always done. Tried something new!
So, as I’m braving the heat this summer, I’ve decided to just let my inner kid take over and tell me what I should do next. I figure this is his season, not mine, so it’s really the best option. Maybe we’ll brave the heat and go to the zoo together or invent some new wild idea to try. I’m always a kid at heart, but sometimes my mind tries to think too much of tedious adult things and get in the way. I don’t even own a bike anymore, but that doesn’t have to stop me from discovering new things. As busy as my life has become lately, I know I need to always make time to enjoy life. This includes doing crazy impulsive things that make me and that little kid that used to be me really happy. Those things that remind me that life doesn’t have to change when it comes to summer break. I can still treat it like it’s the start of the year’s greatest adventure. I’ve no idea what will happen next, but I can rest assured it definitely be hot! Like peppers.
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About the DoodlewashM. Graham Watercolors: Pyrrol Red, Gamboge, Azo Orange, Permanent Green Pale, and Ultramarine Blue. Alvin Draft-Matic Mechanical Pencil in an A6 Hahnemühle Watercolor Book. |
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Lovey peppers and great shadows 🙂 Love the fresh colors.
Have you ever gotten pepper juice in your eye? That’s what Southern AZ will feel like later this week :O
Aww thanks, Jessica! 😃💕 And haha! Yes… pepper juice in the eye can probably describe well what we’re about to face this summer… can’t imagine what it will be like in Southern AZ!
Oh so beautiful! I’m a strange beast here – I love our streaks where it’s 106 and dry for 30 day stretches – I love the heat and the sun – although I love the desert climate better than our humid one here. And we do love our hot food – in hot climates, capsaicin actually helps you cool down because it dilates your blood vessels. But margaritas don’t hurt either 🙂 Love this and your amazing words 🙂
Thanks, Lydia! 😃💕 Oh wow! That’s awesome that you love the heat. You and my pup, Phineas, would get along well. I’m convinced it can never be too hot for him. Lol Yeah… humidity makes the heat much worse… if I have to face the heat I far prefer the desert!
Gorgeous colors in your peppers, Charlie! ☀️🌶😊
Thanks so much, Jill!! 😃💕 These were fun to paint! I needed some color!!
Charlie, I love opening your blog every day to see what you’ve painted and this peppers painting is delightful. But it’s your essays that always stimulate me in some way. I’m not much of a gardener either but I spent the morning picking up sticks that fell out of the trees and then watered the plants in the yard. We have at least 3 monarch butterfly caterpillars clinging to our butterfly plant (it’s doing well because I left it in the pot from the nursery instead of planting it) and about to become cocoons that will be new monarch butterflies soon. I won’t touch the caterpillars (icky!) and I wouldn’t touch the habanero chilies either (way too hot!) but I love seeing all of them.
Thank you so much, Sharon! 😃💕 I’m so thrilled you love the essays (or rambles?) as they’re honestly the hardest part of the post. Watercolor can be tough, but writing is still the most difficult part for me. But the scene you described sounds beautiful!! I agree… I don’t like to touch caterpillars, but what you have there sounds wonderful to paint! 😉
Love the peppers! As always beautiful work! I am not ready for the 90F coming to the end of this week here in California, this weather is playing so much up and down. this week was pretty nice, last week was hot! so go figure what’s coming next! 😉 Stay cool Charlie 🙂
Thanks so much, Carolina! 😃💕 Yeah, it’s just get a little too hot too quickly this year! I can’t imagine what’s to come. Stay cool as well my friend! (you’re totally cool, by the way, so this won’t be problem! hehe)
You want to talk hot? I live in Florida. I can stand the heat but it’s the humidity that drags you down. I’m a watercolor artist too and a doodle person as well. I can’t leave a piece of paper alone without making my mark on it. Love your quick little colorful doodles and I’ll be back to check them out some more.
Thanks, Kathryn!! 😃💕 Yeah, you have me beat in Florida. It’s gets really humid here, but nothing like there. Here’s to find lovely air conditioning and painting indoors! hehe
Another delightful painting. I love the bright colours. I managed to grow peppers on my window sill in Scotland and should have another go at doing so now we live in the US. I use chillis in my cooking at least once a week so it would be worth a try. I also get chilly in my eye at least once a week.
Thanks, Laura! 😃💕 Yeah, it’s funny that we tend to use more chilis in the summer, as though the weather weren’t hot enough! hehe But it’s definitely delicious!
Hot peppers for hot days! I wonder if they cool you on a hot day, like a hot drink does? That said, Charlie, I shan’t be trying them myself! I like your painting, as usual! And my like worked on this post first time as well! 😀
Thanks so much, Tom!! 😃💕 hehe… yeah, I’m not sure if peppers cool me, but I do tend to love them in the summer! And yay! So happy your like worked… I’ve made an insane number of changes to this site, so I’m thrilled to hear that things seem to be working now!
Lovely fun, traffic light colours although I’m not sure if it’s telling me to stop or go regarding a sample! I do love a pepper, though, so I’m sure they’ll get the green light sooner or later.
35C? Ughhhh. It’s been mid-20s here today (I think – it’s certainly felt that way) and is still muggy at near midnight – I’ve struggled to cope!
Thanks, Jacob! 😃💕 Wait, what? You’re complaining about mid-20s!! I want to be THERE!! Lol Glad you like my little stoplight… I tend to be the time who presses the gas when I see yellow and sail through the light. 😊