Written by Today we have some mixed nuts for today’s prompt. Though now, having painted them, I’m really not sure what to say about nuts. As a kid, I remember always having a big bowl of pecans this time of year. In fact, we would often go to collect them ourselves off the ground under a tree. It was like a little Easter egg hunt, only in autumn, and really quite fun! I loved the taste of pecans, but having to crack them open was always a bit of a chore. It seemed like there wasn’t much to offer after all that work. And sometimes, getting a bit of the husk would make it taste rather bitter, making it sort of a game of nutcracking roulette. Even so, the experience was a memorable one and I often miss it.
Mostly, I just loved family time during the autumn and winter months. Perhaps, more than the bitter cold that often arrived, it was the holidays that made every moment feel closer and more special. But there was just something magical about the time that I really loved. Even passing around the nutcracker to enjoy some pecans was a wonderful experience. A time that wouldn’t come again until the next year, so it felt especially unique. I particularly love the change in seasons, mostly for the way the food changes. The summer salads are replaced with squash and iced coffee finds itself usurped by a lovely hot chocolate. All of it delicious, but special for being enjoyed at a very specific time of the year.
Getting together with family to collect pecans was a great experience. And I look back fondly on all the fun moments spent together. My family loves to joke and generally have a great time. I’ve met families that seem too serious and it frightens me a bit. I think life is a celebration and each second we have to enjoy it should be enjoyed with smiles and laughter. Truthfully, those serious families would find mine just a bit crazy. But in the end, I adore spending time with them and like that things are never taken too seriously. Life gets so much happier when you get to spend it with your very own bunch of mixed nuts.
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About the DoodlewashSennelier L’Aquarelle: Indian Yellow, Perylene Maroon, Burnt Sienna, Ultramarine Deep and Payne’s Grey. Lamy Safari Al Star pen with Platinum Carbon with sepia ink and second pen with black ink in a little red cloth hardbound l’aquarelle journal I found in a Paris shop. |
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Nothing wrong with mixed nuts, Charlie. Variety is the spice of life, after all. Your nuts are very impressive, if I may say so… the big nuts over to the right of your painting were my favourites when I was younger… are they Brazil nuts? That rings a bell…
Thanks so much, Tom! 😃 Actually, that big one is a walnut, but a Brazil nut would have been way easy to draw! Lol I should have added one instead! hehe
You did a great job on painting these. I’ve also picked pecans, hmm, it was interesting 😄
Thanks so much, Teri! 😃💕 Picking pecans is so fun, isn’t it? I haven’t done it since I was a kid though.
This is a wonderful painting, Charlie, and reminds me of the same family time. My dad loved all kinds of nuts, and we always had a big bowl of mixed nuts, a nutcracker, and the poi9nted tool to pick out the pieces. A pretty healthy finale to dinner. Love the subtle colors and textures you’ve captured in the nuts – just the way I remember them.
Thanks so much, Sharon! 😃💕 Yeah… that pointed tool was awesome! I’d almost forgotten about that! hehe… yeah, nuts were far healthier than most of the other items devoured on the day!
You mean like the sweet potato casserole that was covered with marshmallow? Boy did I love that, and I always had seconds. Nowadays I wouldn’t serve it to anyone. I make a sweet potato, carrot, apple, and pecan casserole – just as yummy and probably not very calorie conscious either but at least there are no marshmallows.
However, when it comes to S’mores….
Happy T-Day Fete to you and the whole family.
Merci beaucoup, Sharon! 😃💕 Sweet potato casserole with marshmallows wasn’t a fave of mine! 😊 In fact… I really couldn’t stand it! lol But I was in the minority as it was still present and enjoyed by member of my family. I sort of edited it out as an adult. hehe
I too remember the bowl of mixed nuts that we would crack open and dig out the nut. I haven’t thought of this memory in years…thanks Charlie! 💜😊🎨 Awesome post and Doodlewash today! 🌟🍂👍
Thanks, Jill! 😃💕 Hehe… yeah… I remember that little nut chase! Lol Fun times though!
Great Nuts!! they look stunningly real!
Aww thanks so much, Edo! What a wonderful compliment! 😃
Your painting is so beautiful! And yes I love nuts and like you i remember when I was kid we always had a basket of mixed nuts this time of the year and Christmas, nice memories growing up just like you. I didn’t had time today to paint Happy Thanksgiving Charlie 😉 <3
Thanks so much, Carolina! 😃💕 Mixed nuts are the best aren’t, they? And yeah, the holiday weeks are tough to sneak in painting time.
You’re welcome Charlie and yes I painted my Turkey yesterday evening so that I was able to post it today! 😉 Have a great one and say hi to Philippe!
I love nuts, I love yours 😉….feeling quite jealous that you have picked them off the ground, here in the uk my favourite pecan nut has to be picked from the supermarket at a high price, grrr. I also love Cobb nuts, these are quite different, as they are eaten when sort of softish, and I can pick them from a tree opposite my house, it’s a short season for the Cobb nut, I have to compete with the squirel, sadly this year I lost, I was a week late, most had been taken by the furry tailed rats or gone over the best eaten stage…..reminder to next year!
Thanks, Rebecca! 😃💕 yeah… finding them yourself is a really fun experience! Hmmm… I had to google cobb nuts as I’d never heard that term! Guess they’re a type of hazelnut. I just learned something new! Thanks! And truly sorry you lost the squirrel competition this year! hehe… oh no!!
The most favorite snack for all Beers !!
hehe… Yep! Goes really well with a great beer! 😉
Lovely painting, Charlie! In Greece we don’t have pecans, but we do have almonds and walnuts, as well as pistachios. Good for family times as well!
Thanks, Marina! 😃💕 ooooooh! Pistachios and almonds are actually my favorite! Yum!
Wonderful painting of so many kinds of nuts – you captured them all well! We never collected nuts, but we did always have a big bowl of walnuts on the table this time of year. I think we all realized early on that your aptly named “nut cracking roulette” didn’t usually pay of in deliciousness, so the nuts went largely untouched. I’m not sure what ever happened to them. I do remember some years when we would get walnuts painted red and green. That was just too strange and those really were left alone. Best to you and your loved ones on this day.
Thanks so much, Ellie! 😃💕 Now painted walnuts are new to me actually! Not sure I’ve seen those. But sounds like it didn’t matter much as they would have gone untouched anyway. Now you do have me wondering what happened to them though! Lol
You’ve done a fantastic job of capturing the textures, shades and tones of the nuts.
Awww thanks so much, Laura! 😃💕
Wow, brilliant nuts Charlie , beautiful work 😊
hehe… thanks so much, Phil! So glad you liked them! 😃