Chipmunk Eating Peanuts Cheeks Watercolor Painting Illustration
By Charlie

Just One More

Written by Charlie O'Shields

For our prompt of “Feed” today, I ended up with a chipmunk chowing down on peanuts. I was actually eating peanuts earlier and things got a little out of hand. My sister and I agree that if you put the cap back on the jar of peanuts, then it’s like a reset button. This is, of course, ridiculous, but it makes us feel better. Let’s just say that the cap came on and off a few times and I’m feeling a bit stuffed on nuts. Truly, potato chips are still the absolute worst when it comes to total gluttony. Before I know it, a couple of chips turns into twenty and soon the entire bag is gone. At the very least, peanuts are a bit of a healthier option, but knowing when to stop is such a tough thing indeed. It’s really no different with watercolor, either. I’m never sure if I’m adding too much or too little, at times, but I do like quite a bit of detail. Whether it’s just one more line or one more color, it’s often tough to know when to stop.

My dog Phineas is a master when it comes to eating nonstop. We don’t let him, of course, as that would be child abuse, but if we did, I don’t think he’d ever get tired of eating. We’ve purchased lots of treat toys for him, each more complex than the next in an effort to slow him down a bit. He’s mastered them all by now and in a few seconds he’s back for another treat. We then moved to tiny treats. These are impossibly small and less than a couple of calories. So, now at least, he can get the experience of indulging without all of the bad side effects. It’s actually really lucky to have someone monitoring one’s food intake. Philippe manages mine, but he wasn’t around for the great peanut fiasco earlier. And unlike Phineas, I have opposable thumbs and can open jars.

And truly, I do often adopt a very balanced approach to life. Having a little of something is always a wonderful thing and it’s not necessary to want for more. But, of course, logic isn’t really how I’m hardwired. Emotions are mainly at play for me. So, when I see some awesome new art supply I just have to have, I sort of look past the little pile already forming on the table. Sometimes, I just want something really badly and so I go for it! Yet, most of the time, I just dream about having that extra little thing I don’t necessarily need. And if the dreams happen all of the time, then it goes on a wish list and is delivered to Philippe before birthdays and holidays. I actually didn’t get anything for my birthday this year as we were in lockdown and the only thing I really wanted was name brand toilet paper. This seemed a touch ridiculous as a present and it was impossible to find at the time anyway. But I think treats are a lovely thing indeed. Even you don’t truly need something extra in life, it’s often rather nice when you can get just one more.

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About the Doodlewash

Da Vinci Paint Co.: Yellow Ochre, Hansa Yellow Medium, Quinacridone Red,  Cobalt Turquoise, Terra Cotta, and Indigo. Lamy Al-Star Safari Fountain Pen with sepia 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!
 Chipmunk Eating Peanuts Cheeks Watercolor Painting Illustration Sketchbook Detail

 

Charlie O'Shields

Creator of Doodlewash, founder of World Watercolor Month (July), World Watercolor Group, and host of the Sketching Stuff Podcast. Sharing watercolor illustrations and stories while proudly featuring talented artists from all over the world!

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28 thoughts on “Just One More”

  1. Charlie for sure you have a very quick mind. I’ve seen in your writing hoiw it comes to the fore in many things and when it comes to goodies, it absolutely glows and beeps. Love it! Phillippe is going to have to put a tracking device on your ankle. Oh oh there goes Charlie. Time to send a text. I won’t tell you then about Lindt chili chocoiate bars. Chili? Oh oh I feel a cheat coming on. I am sure one square won’t hurt me on top of my ration 1.5. Now where is the freezer….

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  5. I started laughing when I laid eyes on that squirrel and didn’t stop to the very end of your post. Wonderful painting and post, Charlie!! There’s a jar of mixed nuts on our kitchen counter so your description of the peanut consumption hit home…directly. Glad that I’m not the only one who can’t eat just one…chip, peanut, cookie…..😍

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  6. Peanuts are one of my downfalls too – in almost any form. There isn’t much that can’t be made better with peanuts or peanut butter. I had Pad Thai for lunch this weekend – if I’m going to have peanuts I at least try to make it seem like there is some other nutrition involved!

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  7. I picked an ice cream bucket of green beans today. I have a friend coming tomorrow to pick them up we ate some that I picked two days ago for dinner tonight. I’ll have more to pick in two days. I only have one person left on my gimme list. Planting an extra row to give away has been brilliant. I’ve given to most of the neighbors and a couple of friends further afield. Next year I may even do more so I can pass them on to the food pantry. Unless the squash beetles kill them, my zucchini plants should be out of control in another week. I feel some bread in my future.

    I had hamsters and gerbils as pets when I was a kid. I loved when they stuffed their cheeks with food to run off and hide it. They were so cute!

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  8. Oh, I have a saying about my head when things get out of control, “The squirrels in my head are loose and they have machetes!” Look how well behaved yours is! But now I understand why I never quite get what they’re yelling about-they have their mouths full!🐿🐿🐿

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  9. You just preached to the choir, Charlie! haha haha Now, I know that you understand how I feel about rubber stamps and all the tools of the trade that come with it that I JUST HAVE TO HAVE. I ‘m sorry, but you can’t have enough Christmas stamps. 😊 Cute chipmunks. I think dark chocolate is so easy to keep popping into my mouth especially Hershey’s kisses because dark chocolate is supposed to be “good” for you. When I roll up the bag to put away, I grab a few more for the road. Even if my mouth is stuffed like the chipmunk. 😁😁 I still hope that you get your cookies!

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  13. I enjoy your rambles as much as your sketches, Charlie! Yes! Potato chips and leaving well enough alone when I work on a sketch are still hard to keep a lid on. You had me laughing out loud at the “reset” button, and name brand TP on your wishlist 😂 Thank you—I needed to laugh today, and your stories just give a touch of normalcy to these unusually strenuous times. 🤗🤗🤗

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