When faced with a prompt of grains, I wasn’t particularly inspired, so I just dashed off a quick little doodlewash of our morning breakfast of oats in the form of oatmeal along with blueberries. This is the healthier through-the-week breakfast that we have so we can indulge in our pancakes on the weekends, complete with cartoons. No sugar added or maple syrup, just simple bowl of oats and berries. As a kid, this breakfast would have sent me screaming into the other room, but as an aging adult, I realize it’s for the best. I’m not quite as active or spry as I was in my youth and my body simply doesn’t understand how to burn calories as efficiently as it did before. But simple treats like this one as still a wonderful way to start the day. I’m usually half asleep at this time anyway and pretty much just show up for the coffee in hopes it will revive me into consciousness again. Lately, this has had varying degrees of success and I usually have a bit more the moment I arrive at work each day.
This past weekend Daylight Savings Time arrived to grant back the extra hour that it unceremoniously stole last spring. Though we talked about it’s arrival, we then forgot and went to bed at the same time Saturday. After sleeping an hour later without thinking about it, we woke up as though nothing had happened at all. Come evening, the change was apparent as it gets dark insanely early now and feels like the day almost forgot to happen at all. Soon, we’ll leave for work while it’s still dark and arrive home just as the sun is setting. The effect is a bit weird as it means that 100% of our free time during the week will now be spent in blackness. A joy for moles all around, but for the rest of us, it’s a bit disconcerting. Though I don’t like that aspect of this season, I do love absolutely everything else. And, in truth, the extra bit of night makes everything a bit more cosy and inviting for a bit of time by the fireplace.
So I’m still rather happy, even while we move into a season where we become mole people. It’s a wonderful time of year that might bring a bit more night, but also brights a lot of festive times and twinkling lights. There’s a bit of magic in the air this time of year and it’s like a lovely energy that makes each day a bit brighter. And even on days when I feel like I’m rushing all of the time, that glow keeps me energized and happy. I hope each of you are enjoying those little moments in life. The ones that don’t really seem to matter at the time, but when repeated over time, become the most important moments of all. I’ve no idea really why this little sketch led me to talk about all of this. I really know where my mind will go when I sit down to type the accompanying post. But even now, I feel a bit of that wonderful glow of the season. And all it took was quick little sketch of oatmeal and blueberries.
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About the DoodlewashDa Vinci Paint Co.: Yellow Ochre, Opus (Vivid Pink), Cobalt Turquoise and Cobalt Blue. Lamy Al-Star Safari Fountain Pen with sepia ink in an A5 Hahnemühle Watercolour Book. |
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Let me be the first to wish you Happy Holidays!! Lol I’m an adult who still can’t abide oatmeal. More power to you my friend!
Thanks so much, Lisa! 😃💕 hehe… not an oatmeal lover, eh? Yeah, I have to admit to preferring pancakes far more than oatmeal!
Your oatmeal and blueberries looks wonderful both as a painting and as a breakfast. I like the fall, up until this time. Here in Portland, we usually have constant rain (though we’ve actually had a little sun for a change) and even the day is a gloomy gray. Eventually, after two-three weeks, I adjust, and don’t feel so much like the walking dead. Until then I mainline coffee and hope I don’t crack my jaw with all the yawning. I’m not sure if it helps knowing that almost everyone else here is the same way.
Thanks, Sandra! 😃💕 Oh wow.. yeah… constant rain would make me yawn and go a bit crazy. We sometimes get that here… when the clouds just hang over the Midwest and the wind is too still to move them away properly. But when the sun finally arrives, it’s even more energizing!!
Your shadows, as always, look great. I like the holidays, but hate the short days. Although I live in L.A., I can never have enough light. My mood definitely takes a hit when it’s cloudy or dark outside.
Thanks so much, Sharon! 😃💕 Yeah, I can only take so many cloudy days in a row before I go a bit crazy! hehe
Love the lifelike blueberries!
Thanks so much, Marrianne! 😃💕
Mmmmm, I actually like oatmeal with blueberries but my favorite oatmeal dish is cooked with half water and half apple juice with a chopped apple, walnuts and a few raisins with cinnamon, little nutmeg and a touch cardamom. No added sugar and it tastes like desert. Nice painting, Charlie!
Thanks, Mickey!! 😃💕 Oh wow!! That sounds perfectly delicious!! We’ll have to try that!
ahhh, you’re killing me Charlie. I miss oatmeal soooo much. I haven’t had it since finding out I have celiac. Theres controversy about oatmeal, even when it’s GF. I’m thinking of trying it next year and hope I tolerate it. We used to make a huge bunch every 3 days and just heat up breakfast in the morning. So hot and stick to your ribs. Have you ever tried using Earl Grey (or your other favorite stronger tea) to “wet” your oatmeal instead of milk? Its kinda awesome, so different, mild and wonderful. You don’t need much, maybe a ¼ cup and you can even make the tea the night before too. then stick it all in the microwave, add some small amount of sweetener, even those blueberries I”m allergic to. Damn, I wish I could have that blue food. Gotta love blue food! hehehe.
Oh wow!! Even blueberries?? You poor thing! 😃💕 I only have an allergy to mangos. And no, I’ve not tried the tea trick, but now I think I really want to!
Love your part about “a joy for moles all around…” And I agree, it seems like we are living in darkness this time of year – good thing we have your cheerful blog to keep us smiling! 😘💕❤️
Aww you’re too sweet! Thanks, Jill! 😃💕 Yeah… here’s to all the mole people! hehe… at least we have wine as well to make us smile! 😉
Yes, to wine! Cheers Charlie! 🍷
Breakfast looks good to me – I like oatmeal. OK, I like pancakes too but our best breakfast ever is French toast. Don’t tell Phillipe. Being a mole person? Metaphorically speaking, right? No thank you.
hehe… always metaphorical…. and yeah to French toast!!😃💕 It was my favorite as a kid and Philippe has made it for me as well. A little too rich, though, so he keeps us back on pancakes mostly. hehe
Thanks making n reminding oat meal. Looks great . Here in winter have so dark that don’t like to. go out side in the dark. But have to go.
As i ever says the phylosophy of life is totally make me speech less (. lol yours).
Thanks lie.
Aww thanks, Snehlata! 😃💕 Yeah, dark days are never the best, but as long as we have people around us to give us light, everything is wonderful!
Beautiful blueberries. Really nice colors. Loved the story too.
Aww thanks so much, June!! 😃💕
Oatmeal is a great warm weekday breakfast 🙂 So filling and sticks to your ribs as they used to say! I finally ordered a Hahnemühle Watercolour Book to try. You seem to have been liking yours.
Thanks, Tom! 😃💕 Yeah, oatmeal is awesome! And YAY! So thrilled you ordered one!! I’m sure you’re going to love it!!
The oatmeal and blueberries look inviting to me! We got our first real snow overnight and instead of sitting at work, I wish I were at home enjoying a nice bowl of hot cereal. (Although, like Jennifer, I am gluten intolerant, so I make due with quinoa.)
Thanks, Ellie! 😃💕 And wow… first snow! I’m going to be so excited when we get ours… it always turns me back into a kid again… well… pretty anything does that really.
I most often make mine with 1/2 quick and 1/2 rolled oats, then add walnuts, cinnamon, a teeny pinch of salt, and about 1tsp of brown sugar. If I added fruit, I could probably cut the sugar, but I’m usually bad at keeping a steady supply in the house. Either there’s a rush to eat it all before it rots or there’s none, lol.
Oh wow!! I’ll have some of that! Thanks, Jill! 😃💕 Sounds liked a delicious recipe!!
that sounds so good, Jill. I’m going to try iit tomorrow morning. I must confess my husband bought a HUGE bag of walnuts at Sam’s and then forgot he had so he bought another huge bag… so I am on the lookout for anything that calls for walnuts!!
It’s really good, and some days I even give in to my inner kid and add a tiny sprinkling of mini chocolate chips after I microwave it.
I love the oatmeal and berries and the season.
There is much to be said for the warmth of a bowl of oatmeal.
Again both painting and article fill the senses delightfully.
Thanks so much!! 😃💕
It is almost dinner time and dinner is almost ready, but now I want oatmeal instead. With raisins in it….. Goes to loon in cupboard to see if I have oatmeal.
hehe… oatmeal really is great any time of the day… we use golden raisins! Yum! 😃💕
Oh, those blueberries look so real! I like blueberries or dried cranberries in my oatmeal, too. It warms me up from the inside out on those cold winter days. Followed by a big mug of tea. Yum. Funny story: When we were young kids, Dad made porridge for us for breakfast on the weekend. One time we went up to a summer house, but the porridge tasted weird. Dad made us eat it anyway. After 2 days we complained to Mom about the ucky porridge that Dad made us eat. Turns out that the salt he was putting in the porridge was actually powdered soap! It’s a wonder it didn’t turn me off porridge for life, but I guess it cleaned us out. lol!
Thanks, Susan!! haha!! Oh my gosh, what a funny story! 😃💕 Brings new meaning to washing your mouth out with soap! LOL Too funny!