Written by When the weather gets cold and snow begins to fall, there’s nothing better than hiding at home in front of the fireplace, enjoying a lovely warm winter beverage. Here we have some mulled wine, which is one of my favorites, but there are lots of drinks to choose from to keep warm. Hot chocolate is an excellent choice and anything with whiskey is guaranteed to add a little extra burst of warmth as well. I’m probably jumping ahead of myself, as the holidays are still quite a few days off, but I adore the coming season and can’t wait for all the wonderful once-a-year treats that come with it. Eggnog is another drink I look forward to as well. The kind you make at home as the grocery store kind is bizarre and has the consistency of house paint. But mulled wine wins the race for it’s perfectly fabulous blend of all the best holiday ingredients in a single glass.
Halloween is actually the next season up, but without a party to attend or a proper costume, it’s less of an attraction this year. My city neighborhood has no kids in it, so there won’t even be knocks at the front door. At least, I hope that’s still the case, as if anyone did they’d be horribly disappointed at the lack of candy and likely too young for a glass of mulled wine. I kind of miss living in a trick-or-treat neighborhood, though, since it’s fun to see all of the various costumes. It’s really quite adorable to see the littlest kids enjoying it for the first time. Tiny ones, who are still having trouble pronouncing their “r’s”, but with faces that light up with fascination every time they get candy just for showing up. Not sure the lesson we learned there, but I remember it being a fantastic experience and one I looked forward to every year.
These days, I just love a nice warm drink to take the chill off the cool autumn air. The only thing that bothers me about the upcoming season is that the days get so incredibly short. It’s dark when I wake up and sometimes getting dark by the time I leave work. But I guess it’s just a form of human hibernation, not feeling the pull of light to make you feel bad about being lazy. Snuggled up under a blanket, reading a book instead of working on that report that’s due in the morning. Or, finally binge watching something that’s been sitting in the Netflix queue for weeks. It’s the season to slow down a bit and enjoy time doing things that would have seemed wasteful in the summer months. And that’s why I love this time of year. It’s time for slow evenings with people you love most and, best of all, the delicious comfort of warm winter drinks.
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About the DoodlewashSennelier L’Aquarelle: Perylene Maroon, Red Orange, Indian Yellow, Burnt Sienna, and Ultramarine Deep. Lamy Safari Al Star pen with Platinum Carbon with sepia ink in a little red cloth hardbound l’aquarelle journal I found in a Paris shop. |
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brilliantly painted Charlie…… the glass shines squeaky clean and shiny! I imagine thats mulled wine…… Yes. yes it is! mmmm, Delicious.
lol enjoy 🙂
Awww thanks so much, Debi! 😃💕 hehe… yeah.. it would have been more wine-like if my sketchbook could have handled another wash of color! Lol Glad you liked it!
I totally like slowing down and hibernating on dark winter nights, and that mulled wine looks totally perfect for such an evening! Beautiful!
Awww thanks so much!! I’m so glad you liked this one! 😃💕
I love you daily musings and paintings. Do you use the Lamy Safari with sepia ink, or a Platinum Carbon pen? I’m not sure from your brief description. Thanks.
Thanks so much, Sharon! 😃💕 I only use Lamy Safari Al Star pens with my Platinum Carbon ink. I also have blue Platinum carbon ink but don’t use it very often.
So fantastically festive in its warming red glow… we’ve a little while to go yet, mind! Still, let’s hope for a nice dusting of snow befitting your perfect winter setting. I don’t think we’ve had any here for the past two or three years, so Mother Nature owes us big time!
Hot chocolate is always a winner, but I don’t think I’ve ever tried eggnog – I only know of it because of The Simpsons, so I’m not sure it’s that popular on these shores. ‘House paint’ doesn’t sound incredibly tempting!
Thanks, Jacob! 😃 What? No snow?? hehe… actually there was one season here where we only had to snowfalls and I was traveling both time. It had melted before I got back. But this year…. it’s going to be a very snowy winter I think! hehe Yeah… eggnog is only good if you make it yourself. Stay away from the house paint! Lol
They reckon it’ll be a harsh winter here, too. They guarantee as much every year, but it never seems to happen. To be honest, it’s probably a mercy – we grind to a complete halt over here with even the faintest dusting of snow!
Yeah, it takes a LOT to stop things here, but I would love a great snow day this season to stay at home during! hehe
Awh yes. ☺️
hehe…. thanks, Jodi! 😃💕
Though its beginnings were a bit weird, I love Halloween, especially when seeing all the kids and sharing the goofy fun with my grands. A treat just for showing up – perfect!
Hot chocolate for me, or hot tea or apple cider – have never had mulled wine. But your painting makes it appealing. Anise and cinnamon sticks?
Thanks, Sharon! 😃💕 Yep! Star anise and cinnamon sticks!! And wine of course… though I didn’t quite the get the color I was hoping for! Yeah… Halloween is fun when you have kids to share it with!
(Secret: everything is fun when you have kids to share with. Doesn’t matter whose.)
True! hehe… that’s why it’s good to have nieces and nephews.
Beautiful painting, Charlie. It shines and glows and radiates warmth. You really are very talented. I agree with you about hibernation and a slower pace of life in winter.
Awww you’re so sweet! Thanks, Laura! 😃💕 Yeah…. here’s to hibernation season!! Yay!!
I enjoy seeing all the little kiddos trick or treating in our neighborhood – reminds me of all the fun times we had as kids! Maybe I will post an old photo on my blog next week! 🎃 Love your Doodlewash tonight, Charlie! ❤️ I can smell the cinnamon…YUM!! 🍂🍁🍂
Thanks, Jill! 😃💕 Hehe…. you should totally post a photo!! Yeah… this is really my favorite time of year! Yay!
What a great sketch! The glass is sparkles and the cinnamon stick is amazing.
Thanks so much, Teri!! So glad you liked it! 😃💕
Oh my god, i’m so thirsty
hehe! Thanks!
Lovely painting. I love a glass of mulled wine, cheers!
Awww thanks so much, Georgie! 😃💕
Yes I am hibernating, can I go now? I will just grab that delicious mulled wine of yours and I am off….I really wish I could slow down in the winter, but sadly the horses become harder work, I am already wishing for spring, lol
haha! I didn’t even think of that! My brother and sister-in-law had horses…. yep… spring is probably a much preferred season. Just be sure to have lots of mulled win on hand to get through it! 😃💕
Oh I will 😀
Wintertime as you describe feels good though I love spring and summertime much more. The days are longer and there is more light.
A pity to warm the wine. Good wine is so tastefull from itself so you could understand Charlie, I am already longing for the coming spring though beautifully colored leaves and warm winterdrinks! Despite said all this I say cheers to you and your beautiful watercolor!
Thanks so much, Margriet!! 😃💕 Hehe…you never use good wine for this little drink! 😉 Just any old bottle of red will do!
You’ve captured the feel of such a soothing, warming drink so well! Love it.
Awww thanks, Corinne! 😃💕 Appreciate that! So glad you liked it!
I love your painting ! Warm as its own ! wonderful color. I like so much Perylene maroon
Cold season is compensated those little things like big wool sweater, fireplace in the livingroom, hot chocolate and “grog”, Philipe has certainly talked about (water, rhum, honey or sugar but honey is an organic antibiotic), so good when you get a cold ;)) I don’t know if you have a word for this in US… I don’t like wine (yes, some French people can hate wine, true !) so, no hot and melted wine for me.
Thanks, Laurence! 😃💕 hehe…what? You don’t like wine?? Okay then, you can just send all that French wine you’re not drinking to me! Lol 😉 I love it! But never use a nice French wine for this drink…just something cheap as once warmed it doesn’t really matter anymore! Lol
Exceptional watercolor work !! I do love it…and the egg nog and Christmas Wassail…are really so delightful…to anticipate & drink……the aroma is soooo right for the moments.
Thanks so much! You’re so sweet to say that! 😃💕Yeah…nothing beats the wonderful smell of seasonal drinks! Yum!
I just can’t resist, that glass looks delicious! Awesome painting! Yep, a warm winter drink is like an energy tonic that you just can’t do without! 😀
Awww thanks!! 😃💕 hehe…..energy tonic! I love that idea! Yep! That’s it exactly!
great work ! you make it look so easy,,,,,,,,,,,
Awww thanks, Magny!! 😃💕What a sweet compliment!
I could smell the warming scent as soon as I looked at your painting! <3
Awww cool!! Hehe! Thanks so much, Teresa! 😃💕
I love the painting. It’s very realistic.
Thanks so much!! Appreciate it! 😃