Written by Today, we celebrate farm animals everywhere with this fast and loose little doodlewash of a few of my favorites that my grandma used to raise on her farm. National Farm Animals Day, was originally created by Pet Lifestyle Expert, Colleen Paige, as a day to raise awareness about slaughter animals, as well as to empower animal lovers to to find homes for abandoned and abused farm animals. It’s a day to consider a meat-free diet or at the very least raise awareness of the conditions of the animals that people are consuming. And honestly, farm animals are just awesome so it’s also a good time to reflect happily on any time you’ve encountered them.
I used to spend summers on my grandmother’s farm and it was pretty much the most fun a kid could have. It wasn’t until I grew up that I realized I was actually serving as free labor, but at the time it was just incredibly cool to work on the farm. I think the goats were my absolute favorite, especially the young ones. I used to help name them, but looking back I can’t seem to remember any of the names. Once, my grandma showed me how to milk a goat, which I just found super awkward and a bit embarrassing. After my couple of feeble attempts, she would end up pushing me out of the way saying, “you gotta grab the tit and squeeze!” which just made it worse really.
The cows were always just off in a field and I never really interacted with them. We’d just moo at them stupidly like the people driving by in their cars, but I still rather liked them. Pigs were so adorable when they were babies and I remember helping care for one that I immediately fell in love with. When I returned, however, the little pig was gone and my grandmother kept insisting that the giant scary fat pig in the pen was actually the same one I had nursed as a baby. I never really believed her. As a grown up, living in the city, it’s fun to remember those rural moments as a kid. Time seemed to last forever before I grew up and learned how to become “busy.” But on thing is certain. I’ll never forget those incredible animal companions who kept me company on those wonderful summer days on the farm.
Join me any and all days you like during April by celebrating a National or International Day with a doodlewash! Tag your image #doodlewashaday and I’ll feature everyone who played along on doodlewash.com at the end of the month!
About the Doodlewash
M. Graham watercolors: Burnt Sienna, Ultramarine Blue, Permanent Green Pale, and Nuetral Tint. Sennelier L’Aquarelle: Opera Rose. Lamy Safari Al Star pen with Platinum Carbon black ink in a 5″ x 8″ 140 lb. (300 gsm) Pentalic Aqua Journal
Oh I love how you placed these cuties on the page and your Grandma story. As you know I am partial to grandmas 🙂 You farm animals are amazing! Happy National Farm Day!
Thanks Jodi!! 😃💕 yep…Grandmas are the best!! 😉 glad you liked this! I was so excited to see that option come up for a day to doodlewash! Hehe
Awww Charlie this is tooo cute! Nicely done! 😉
I loved to read about you as kid going to your Grandma’s Farm and spending time with the little pig how sweet it reminds me at the kids story “Charlotte’s Web”. I love farm and all animals very much and I don’t want to think at them as food! <3
Awww thanks Carolina! 😃💕 Yeah…those were really fun times! Love Charlotte’s Web! That was one of my faves growing up. Yeah…if I’d spent all my time on the farm, I would have become a full on vegetarian! The animals are too cute!
Love it, I am about to break into song, ‘ old Mac Donald had a farm, e-I-e-I-o, with an oink, moo, bleet! They never did have a goat, Why ever not? Glad to hear your gran did, even if milking was a little awkward for a young lad 😀
Goats were the best! They should have starred in that song! Hehe… Thanks, Rebecca! Glad you liked this one! 😃💕
One can’t beat memories of spending time at Grandma’s house. My best childhood memories are of those wonderful summer days. Nice you had some farm animal friends to remember too Charlie. Love the doodlewash. 🙂
It was the best! So much fun! Glad you liked this one, Susan! 😃💕It brought back such good memories!
Ditto 🙂
Charlie, I love how your post, stories and illustrations bring back sweet memories of childhood!!! How fortunate those of us were, to have had that same experience to influence our creative lives.
A poweful book by Christian McEwen – World Enough, ‘slowing Time: On Creativity ‘ has me spellbound.
your post echoes with similar threads….
Thanks Debi!! 😃💕Glad you liked my writing and my doodlewash! I’ve never heard of that book…I’ll definitely have to check it out!! Thanks!
Beautiful post. Love your farm animal group portrait, their faces are so endearing and lovely. Your memories of childhood days on the farm are wonderful, and your sentiments and fondness echo the same memories I carry of childhood days on my grandmother’s farm. What a wonderful day to celebrate…moooooo!
Hehe…those were definitely some of the best days, weren’t they?! So happy you liked this post! Thanks so much, Hanani! 😃💕
Fabulous doodlewash, Charlie, the animals are wonderful. Thanks for sharing your childhood story. I always loved the book “Charlottes Web” with Wilbur the pig.
Thanks Sharon! 😃💕This was really a fun day to doodlewash. And that book rocks! I kind of what to read it again now. 😊hehe
Wonderful doodlewash Charlie. The pig and goat are cute, but the cow is my favorite. I too have fond memories of staying with my grandparents. In fact, I’m smiling right now at the thought! (K)
Yay! That’s so awesome to hear Kerfe! 😃💕 Glad ya liked this. It was such a fun day to explore. Glad ya liked the cow. Wasn’t sure at first if I was capturing it correctly.
Lovely farm animals Charlie – and it’s so nice to have the anecdotes back this month (I don’t suppose there was much scope for personal stories when dealing with the stinkbird and dik-dik!). Goats!? I’m inordinately jealous of your childhood, mister – the closest I ever got to them at that age (or indeed since) was at the petting zoo. Saying this, I probably would have been equally uneasy about the whole milking business… at least now, when I get to acquiring my own, I’ll know who I can get to do that for me, and for free aswell! 😉
Yeah… The last couple months’ adventures didn’t inspire personal stories. I’d never even heard of most of last month’s creatures! (And no dik-dik stories to share, sadly) haha! I wouldn’t trust me to milk your goat. I never did get it down correctly. My grandma gave up and out me in charge of feeding them instead. 😊
Love the animals! They just look lovable and that’s your love for them shining through.
My husband also spent his summers on the farm and so much of what he remembers sounds just like yours.
It’s such a brilliant experience for a kid! That’s cool your husband got to experience it too! And thanks! 😃💕I just really love animals, so glad you saw the love there!
Such wonderful memories – I really enjoyed hearing about your experiences on your grandmother’s farm. I have fond memories of my grandma too – she didn’t have a farm but she lived by a creek. We spent many hours fishing and trying to cross it without falling in. 😄 Lol! Sounds like your grandma was a great lady even if she tried to get you to milk a goat! Hehe! 🐐💕😍 Your doodlewashes are awesome, Charlie! 😊
Thanks Jill!! 💕😃 Creeks were cool too!! My grandma was an awesome woman. She always made me laugh. Something I always like in a person. 😉 So glad you like this doodlewash. I was trying on fast and loose to see what would happen. Hehe
My grandma always made me feel special. ❤️ And YAY for painting fast and loose! 🎨😄
Beautiful, Charlie, and I love how your fast and loose stays well-defined! Well done, my friend! Boy, my daughter converted to vegetarianism after watching Food Inc. I won’t go that far but we buy organic and grass fed beef only. Non GMO feed and no CAFOs for us! Nice way to raise awareness. 💜
Thanks Laura! 😃💕 I’m trying out a less laborious style…mostly because I have a lot less time lately! Hehe Glad you like it!! And yeah…I tired vegetarian for quite some time, but now still eat meat occasionally. Philippe won’t buy anything that was from a small farm and organic. Hard to find sometimes at the last minute so we end up vegetarian most of the time!
Loved the way you did composition of animals Charlie! All are cute but 🐐 is my fav 😍
Hehe… Thanks Snehal! The goat was my favorite too! It was fun to try a lighter and less rendered style. Glad you liked it! 😃💕
Very sweet doodlewash and story! It’s wonderful that you got to experience something other than concrete in your childhood! I’m not a vegetarian but I do try to get grass-fed beef or free-range chickens, and thinking about how those animals are bred for slaughter makes me sad. And it makes me chuckle to picture young Charlie trying to squeeze those tits.. Haha! ❤️
Haha! Now there’s something I thought I’d never hear!! Lol Needless to say I wasn’t any good at it. 😉 Hehe… Thanks Kari!! 💕 It was a really fun time!
Hah! Your childhood on your grandmother’s farm sounds pretty ideal for a kid…despite the goat milking incident. 😀 Cute doodlewash of your favorite animals! <3
Thanks Teresa! 😃💕Yeah… She wasn’t too proud of my inability to properly squeeze a tit. Bit of foreshadowing there really. Oh well…it was all super fun! I miss those days!! 😃
LMAO!! Oh, you’re a sneakily cheeky one! <3
Hehe😊😉
Your doodle looks so cute, Charlie! 🙂 I love animals too…
Thanks Janina!😃💕 These guys were fun to doodlewash! Hehe… glad you liked them!
What a magical childhood you lived, goat milking or not. Your painting is endearing. I can see the personality of each of your models. They seem to like posing for you, the bonds of trust and affection evident. Every time you post a Doodlewash, I think it’s my favorite – until you post the next. Thanks, Charlie.
Awww thanks Sharon! That’s such a sweet thing to say! I feel like each doodlewash just gets faster and faster since I’m running really short on time lately. hehe… So thrilled you are liking them!! 😃💕
I love pigs and goats and the ones you painted are great. You were lucky to have those early experiences on a farm! I’ve lived in Los Angeles my whole life, but often yearn for the rural life.
Thanks, Sharon! 😃💕 Yeah, I loved those experiences on the farm… you should totally visit one! hehe… it’s amazing!