Steve Mitchell

Charlie I know, I wouldn’t even eat more than half the two inch slab of my birthday cake (chocolate truffle) and got the hostesses mad at me. I don’t worry about gaining weight as I can’t do that easily but I do worry about cholesterol and saturated fats. The amount I ate was over the line.

For some reason I am looking forward to winter this year. Now this is a mind spasm I am sure as I hate winter with a passion. Up here we get black, white, grey, and brown for a vista. The ice is dangerous when you racewalk in a blizzard. Ahem. And it is too cold anyway. But somehow I anticipate the awful thing — maybe the winter cooking I look forward to.

Enjoy — safely!

I don’t think it gets much more tempting than a doughnut with pink icing. As if they aren’t enticing enough anyway, the pink seems to take it to a whole new level of naughty. That Ghost Light show sounds like so much fun!

I’m looking forward to watching the moon rise as well! There’s so much to enjoy in every season. Speaking of enjoying- love today’s sketch.

Oh Charlie a puppy and donuts! Nothing could be sweeter! We went to see Wayne Thiebaud’s exhibit this weekend at Laguna Beach. All glorious color! Only thing for me spooky, it was all clowns😆 😨🤡So I picked up his luscious illustrated counting book for our great-niece! All deserts!! So much better😋It’s fun being Graunty and Gruncle! So happy your birthday celebrating was joyous and I need to hear how the Air-fryer goes. I love the Insta pot, I just started soup!

I know how that puppy feels, they look very tasty. I know what you mean about this month flying by. I’m now cycling to work in the dark,but like you I enjoy the dark evenings and snuggling up in the warm.

Love those donuts, Charlie!!! Last night I attended a small gathering of artist friends …the first time we’ve gotten together in two years also the first time in the same amount of time that I’ve driven anywhere at night. How fortunate it was last night; my due East drive was illuminated by a beautiful, nearly full moon in a cloud free sky.

I’m in Florida, and missing much of the seasonal change I normally enjoy in Oregon. But I’ll be home soon and will enjoy the end of it all the more for missing the beginning!

Marisela, It actually doesn’t get that cold here in the tourist country of Okanagan, in BC, where vineyards, wineries, and orchards abound. We are outside the Sonoran Desert that runs from Mexico to the Yukon so we get the desert nights and days. We have had minus 35 Celsius (-40F and -40C are equal) but only for a day, the coldest it usually gets is in the minus 20s C. You would be surprised how many times I called the police when people were wandering around in -35 and I was sure they were going to get hypothermic and die on the ice — such as the young woman who was so drunk/stoned she could not walk and kept falling at 5:30 on a Christmas morning. One kid did a flip on his scooter, and knocked himself out. I called the ambulance and he must have regained consciousness and took off. Good thing because they told me I won’t get an ambulance as those were all out on calls. Yet in summer it reached to the 40sC this year (116 F). Apparently that is going to happen more often, the meteorologist informs us.

Take care and enjoy the fall! Hugs.

I love this Charlie – but I love all your paintings 🙂 and I love how you share with us. I love this time of year! To me autumn through until January feels cozy. October has the excitement of Halloween and I love the spooky aspect. November has the anticipation of Christmas up until the Big Day 😉 and to me Christmas means family and joy and laughter. So many exciting things in the fall and although it is a very busy time for me I try to take as much time as I can just to enjoy the cozy feel. Pheneus (sorry probably spelled his name wrong) staring at the plate of donuts just gives me the giggles. Thanks for the joy you always give. 🙂

Marisela it sounds wonderful where your friend is 🙂 You should paint that scene you described 🙂

Aww thanks so much, Marisela! 😃💕 hehe… chicken fried steak was always my favorite as a kid. Now I can’t have steak anymore, but I’ve been craving fried chicken! I adore star gazing… at my mom’s house in Texas it’s well outside the city and it’s so amazing how many stars appear! I love it!

Charlie you are a sweetheart and he will love your efforts. Not to worry about wrapping, I make a sloppy mess and nobody complains. Take care and happy birthday to Philippe! Blessings.

It was fun, at least when you didn’t have to clean it all up afterwards. Happy birthday to Philippe! Orange chocolate cake sounds like the best birthday surprise! I’d like to see Philippe try and wait a while before sampling that 😉

That orange chocolate Grand Marnier cake sounds delicious and I want some! Although, I did just have a bowl of mango ice cream with fresh mango on it so I won’t complain too bitterly about missing out on the cake. I’ve always had allergy problems with mango in the past, but I’m found I can eat oranges in Florida but not in Oregon, and decided to give it try. Yay! I can, though I’m not going to go overboard. I’m not sure if it’s the freshness, the source of the fruit or something they spray on, but I’m enjoying it while I can!

Happy Birthday to Phillippe! He will love all of your efforts to make his birthday a special day! Love your crafting Beagle! It makes me think of a German Shepherd we had years ago…a very mischievous dog and he loved glue….big gallon sized jugs of glue. We walked into the house one day to find one of my husband’s shirts on the floor in the middle of a very large puddle of glue and a dog with glued whiskers and fur. He pulled this stunt more than once even when the jug of glue was in a cupboard where we thought he couldn’t get into it. He was quite a character.

Oh my gosh this made me smile Charlie because it is just how I see myself all gluey and sticky and … well you know 🙂 I don’t have to dream about making big messes … lol …. they happen quite regularly with me. Paint on my hands, face, in my white hair and always … for some reason on the tip of my nose 😉 lolol But nothing on the paper 😉 lolol Happy Birthday to Philippe 🙂 and many more!!

Great doodle, Charlie. The gift bags do the rounds in our family. Hope Phillipe had a nice birthday.

Mariella, congrats on your new car, I pray travel blessings over you in it! I loved mine and drove it for 13 years!

Charlie you made the perfect party! Happy Birthday to Philippe! You reminded me I have 2 Birthdays tomorrow! (Oh my, I’m gonna be busy!)

I make lots of messes in my atmospheric paintings — and it’s harder to make a mess in those because you deliberately draw pigment across the page and invite or bleed colour and use lots of water to create water or colour flow. Have fun!

Thanks so much, Marisela! 😃💕 Yeah, Philippe has a fabulous birthday… though it went by super quick. And yay on the new car!! That’s wonderful! Yeah… there’s so much new tech in them these days. We still drive our classic car.😊 And sending positive thoughts for your friend. Warm hugs to you!! 💕

Hellooooooo Mugdha!! So happy to hear from you again my friend! 😃💕 Wow… that sounds so amazing! All those beautiful creatures… that would be so inspiring. And a break from the Internet can be inspiring too… hehe… but happy you could pop back in to say hello. Sending you a hug to the jungle!! Much love my friend! ❤️

Thanks so much, Marlena! 😃💕 Yeah, making messes is part of the fun!