Written by As the summer weather begins with incredible heat through much of the globe, our prompt of “Ice” today is rather fitting. It’s a perfect pairing with the warmth of summer to offer a bit of relief from the high temperatures. In response, I tried to my my sketch today as cool as possible, saving the warmer color for the required bendy straw that I love. I’ve no clue what drink this is other than a fruity, bubbly water of some kind, but it’s definitely cold. Normally at this time of year, our family in Paris is reporting much cooler temperatures, but this year we have nearly the same forecasts. The only distinction is that our own house is outfitting with air conditioning. This was something that Philippe was not used to at all when he arrived in the States. Being trapped inside a refrigerator was something of an anomaly to him. His initial reaction was to lower the thermostat, but after living here a few years he’s learned just how important this little bit of technology can be in the summer months. The humidity is high so the heat hangs in a sticky cloud of air that’s quite frankly, terribly unpleasant. I prefer the colder temperatures and don’t even mind a bit of ice when it happens to appear on trees in the winter. While the seemingly brief spring temperatures feel nice, it’s incredibly brief here and we’re usually just plunged right into the burning temps of summer. What I love most, however, is the light. Even if it’s unreasonably hot, I like the longer days that make life slow a bit and not feel so fleeting. But, sure, when night comes, I’d certainly prefer to be sleeping on a bed of ice cubes.
I was talking with a friend this week over lunch about sleeping, because good friends talk about anything that comes to mind, and asked her whether she liked it cold or warm at night. She replied the colder the better as, like me, she sleeps a bit warm. As it turns out, we both tend to boil a bit during the night so we like to keep the house as cool as possible. Philippe, however, gets cold rather easily, so there’s usually a stealth fight with the thermostat each day during summer. I’ll adopt my most casual stroll and walk by it and then even more casually drop the temperature a few degrees. It will only be in the middle of the night when I realize, like a good poker player, he saw my degrees and raised them. I awake melted into the mattress like a fish gasping for air. Well, it’s not quite that dramatic, of course, but still rather close. I’ve often tiptoed downstairs to readjust the thermostat before heading back to sleep. Thinking all the while he wouldn’t notice, but since we’re both keenly aware of said thermostat, this is a fool’s game. That combined with the electricity bill that ultimately rats me out like a petulant child on a playground.
It’s scientifically proven that our world is indeed warming, and denying the fact is simply a bit of wishful thinking. I have a fervent wish that our own crazy human species will wake up at some point and tiptoe downstairs to make a positive change in temperature as well. Perhaps, that’s also just wishful thinking on my part, but as a devout optimist I have to believe that it will actually happen. Hopefully sooner rather than a mad dash later, but knowing humans it’s likely going to be the latter. I get it, really, life is never better than when it’s the one we’ve come to expect. I myself always fall backward and sketch every memory and wish that life could be just like that again. But, things are changing quickly and there’s always something new coming each and every day. Yet, as much as the world changes, there are some absolutes. The beauty of friends and family and the connection that we all share. These are the very things that will get us through even the hottest days and make life feel like what we all remember it was once. So yes, in my childlike mind I believe that we will indeed come together and make a world we can all love equally. A world filled with beautiful color and art, and, of course, lots of ice cold drinks.
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About the DoodlewashDa Vinci Paint Co.: Aureolin, Quinacridone Red, Terra Cotta and Cobalt Blue. 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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That ice looks wonderfully cold. I’m with you and like it cooler. I made the mistake of working in our yard today trying to keep up with the invasive vines that threaten to cover everything including our house. 😖 It has taken me must of the afternoon and evening to cool off. Our heat pump system is not functioning as an air conditioner right now and can’t be serviced until the 3rd. So lots of ice water! At least the ceiling fans move the air around and makes me think it’s cooler. 😉 I continue to paint and doodle.
Thanks so much, Karen! 😃💕And yay to continuing to paint and doodle! Even through the heat! Ugh… yeah.. I can do without it. I’m all about adding layers when it comes to clothing… much like watercolor… hehe… there’s only so many layers you can remove before you’re still hot and hoping for cooler temps!
Two thermostat stories. My last job was in a big building that didn’t heat and cool efficiently. Add to that that I had an all woman staff of various ages and no one could leave the damn thermostat alone, so it never caught up to itself . Finally I bought locking cages for over them, and that worked for a while until someone figured out how to slip a wooden skewer in a vent hole and change the dial!!
My father was the head maintenance guy at a large shoe manufacturing factory. People were constantly complaining about the temps, or changing the thermostat themselves. Finally he disconnected it and just left the useless thing in the wall. He said after that, when someone complained he’d go over to the fake dial, fiddle with it and be done. More than once people thanked him for making them much more comfortable!! 😂
Nice stories!
Oh wow!! Those are awesome temp stories indeed, Lisa! 😃💕 Love the power of suggestion in the second one… hehe… proof that mind over matter is quite possibly a real thing indeed! hehe
One of the nice things about Oregon is that we seldom go long without some rain to refresh everything and cool things down a bit. Although I could have done without the storm last night. Thunder, lightning, wind and torrential rain for a while. Kind of fun to watch, but it was interfering with my internet connection! Can’t have that!
haha!! I know exactly what you mean! 😃💕 I always tell Philippe during a bad storm… I just hope the power doesn’t go out! There are so many worse things that could happen, but yeah… I can’t be disconnected! lol
Wow – those ice cubes are fantastic!
Thanks so much, Sharon! 😃💕 Ice is tough to paint! So happy you liked this!
Oh, that drink looks so refreshing, and the straw is pointed right at me! It would be very welcome here, as we are about to have our first 90 degree days this summer. But I know about the thermostat battle, between my wife and me all year, all seasons. As you said, we have to get smart about the earth’s own thermostat and it better be sooner than later; we don’t have a lot of time before we hit the temperature tipping point…
Thanks, Bob! 😃💕 Yeah, I have a habit of pointing the straw right at people! hehe And true… our domestic thermostat fight pales in comparison to the global one. Here’s hoping people will wake up to it sooner rather than later! 🤞🏻
Looks so refreshing!!
Thanks so much, Lori! 😃💕
beautiful doodlewash! Hubby and I play the same “game” with thermostat. I’m on your side! 🙂
hehe! Yay Jodi! 😃💕 I like it cool!! I always knew we were the COOL people! lol
That looks so refreshing!!!
Thanks so much, Mary! 😃💕
One thing I like about your work is how you translate essentially transparent objects into colorful ones. Love it!
Thanks so much, Laura! 😃💕 That’s actually something I’ve added as I’ve gone along. A bit more color in glass makes it really shine!