Sunday, November 9, 2008

"Nuts!..."

Friday,
while shopping for fresh veggies
and dark chocolate covered macadamia nuts
a delightful display of bins bountiful with unshelled nuts
caught my eye and reminded me of
holidays past.
I never really enjoyed nuts as a kid...actually, I refused to eat them
and detested it when they were hidden
in chocolate chip cookies!
I remember the "grown ups"...usually the men...
cracking open all varieties and sizes of these shelled "things" using
the special silver nut crackers and picks
mother would bring out only during the holidays.
It became quite a festive yearly ritual.

My drawing here today celebrates memories of the past
and
"Welcomes in" the seasonal festivities of the coming weeks.
The nutcracker I drew
is an antique from my husband's side of the family.
I really do enjoy eating nuts of all sorts now...
Maybe it's just because I finally "grew up" and my tastes changed
or, maybe...
it's because so many of them now come blanketed in
rich dark chocolate!
Hmmm...Just a thought! LOL:)

"Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't."
(1970's jingle written about Almond Joy and Mounds candy bars...)
~Leon Carr

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

You're making me SO sorry I'm allergic to nuts! This is lovely...

Leslie said...

This is so beautiful! You have such a wonderful design sense, and a fantastic talent.

Julie said...

This is beautiful...makes me ready for the holidays! Especially the chocolate covered ones!!! LOL

Teri said...

This is such a wonderful art piece! Does that make us all nuts?

I love going to Sprouts and someday I am taking my sketchbook out in there

Lisa Adams Reed said...

My favorite parts of this are the great shadows and the darling Santa stamp!

Felicity Grace said...

Love this illustration! The black and white border is gorgeous (I used to try and work black and white borders into my little quilts, I just love how it sets other colours off). I'm the same with nuts, couldn't eat them as a child either!

Anonymous said...

Wonderful memories. We also had unshelled nuts at holidays - but I don't even own picks! I think we are more impatient as a society and expect our nuts to come shelled. Beautiful composition.

Timaree said...

Great picture. You make them look so real. Nuts were always part of our Christmas stockings. We'd get a handful of nuts, an orange, a candy cane and some little gift.

I didn't like nuts in chocolate chip cookies as a kid and my grandkids don't like them either but I sure do now - the more the better. It must be that combo of chocolate and nuts like you say!

Anonymous said...

So bright and cheery! I love the red ribbon on the nutcracker!

Anonymous said...

Your piece makes me want to sing Jiggle Bells. Your post made me remember stepping on shells when one went astray. OUCH!
Walnut shells especially are very painful.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

I still remember the ritual of cracking open the nuts. It was such fun and I enjoy most nuts.

Christie said...

This drawing really speaks of Christmas to me. Here I am in the land of chocolate covered macadamias, dreaming of a big bowl of mixed nuts in the shell by a roaring fire. Sweet nostalgia!

MuseSwings said...

I love your "nutty" picture. You always use such wonderful colors!

Monette Satterfield said...

This would make a great Holiday card. As soon as the nuts (in the shell) are available in the store, I put a small bowl out with nutcrackers for snacks. It is a holiday tradition in my house :)

Ricardo Sérgio said...

Very beautiful, great composition.

Serena Lewis said...

A fabulous drawing! It's funny how our tastes change from when we were young....I used to detest Brussels Sprouts as a child and now, they are my favourite vegetable. Go figure ~ :)

kazumiwannabe said...

This is awesome! it would make a fabulous card!

Margaret Ann said...

It is amazing how the miles separate us physically yet the memories coming from all of our art ties us together so closely...I am so glad you each enjoyed this piece...thanks so much for you lovely comments! :)