Life has been good and quiet these first 10 days of 2025. We finally got some snow, which made everything look sparkly and beautiful. The world may be a mess, but right here, things are good, and I’m grateful.
I’ve been having a great time with my 365 Somethings Project (hosted by iHanna). I’m drawing in my sketchbook every day, and I love it! I’ve been very successful at drawing daily so far, and I’m even ahead at the moment, with 12 drawings in 10 days.
I’ve been less successful with my daily stretching, exercise, and water intake. But they’re on my mind, and I succeed once in a while! Maybe I’ll succeed more often as time goes on.
I got this new water bottle today. It has marked ounces (32 oz) and times of day, so maybe it’ll help. Then again, the times don’t start until 8:00, and I’m up WAY before that, so it might just be annoying. Well, I’ll report back next week.
What do you think about this water bottle? Would it annoy you or motivate you?
I hope you have a great week!
SO happy to see your doodles Michelle and to know you are working along this year being very creative. Yay!!
If you are thirsty, drink water, but please don’t force yourself to do it all the time. There’s no need because the YOU MUST DRINK WATER IDEA is a myth!
https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/health-nutrition/water-myth
Cheers and take care.
Thank you, Hanna! I’m enjoying my 365 Somethings project so much, and when I sit down to draw, it’s my favorite part of the day. Ok, I won’t force myself to drink too much water, but I was getting quite dehydrated almost every day. I’m feeling much better now.
I would feel bossed around by the water bottle. DON’T TELL ME WHAT TO DO, PIECE OF PLASTIC. But that’s just me. Hopefully it motivates you!
Ha! It actually is motivating me so far. Bossy piece of plastic!
That water bottle looks great. I think I would like that, but it’s so big – that might annoy me. Would it fit in my cupholder in my car, for example.
I love your art work. It’s so fun and bright. Great job on sticking with the daily sketches. What supplies do you use? I’ve sketched before, but mostly just in dark pencil. Do you use colored pencils or pastels? Or paint?
I saw a blurb on CBS Sunday Morning a few weeks ago with Jane Fonda. She was discussing age and how people always ask her how she looks so young. She urged everyone to join a community (I think there are studies that supported her thoughts, etc), and she said the most common and most helpful is a group that does art. She gave lots of examples and it really got me thinking that I’d love to get more involved in making art again someday. Anyway, thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Ernie! I haven’t tried the water bottle in my car’s cupholder, but I’m guessing it won’t fit. I’m using colored pencils and markers for my daily sketches. I’m going to try some watercolor, but the paper is a bit thin, so I’m not sure how that will go.
That bottle is a really great idea! I have no idea how much water I am drinking each day. I love that.
Your dog is smiling! I love when dogs do that! And I love your daily sketches! My best friend Rebecca does that, too! 💕🌈
Thank you so much, Kari! Isn’t it the best when dogs are smiling? I can honestly say that the water bottle is working very well!
Your art is great! I love how peppy and colorful it is! I am with Lisa, that pasta bowl is one of my favorites. As for the water, I also get up way earlier than that, but maybe you just try to stay ahead of the curve and think of them all as Nova Scotia time or something, so that you are doing it three hours earlier than it says. Personally I used to try to have a pint (16 oz) right away in the morning and then would drink when thirsty otherwise, but now that I am on the road, I mostly just drink when I am thirsty, and usually only have issues with that when I am out and about, as I hate having to try to find a bathroom (and in Europe, to pay for it) all the time!
Kyria, that is so sweet of you to say. Thank you! Yes! I’m on Nova Scotia time! I love that idea! Oh no, having to pay for a bathroom would be SO difficult! I hope you’ll talk about that on your blog – how much does it cost? Are they clean?
Hmmm…I am torn on the water bottle because it’s kind of neat but also like you my water drinking starts way before 8 AM. Maybe start drinking at what ever time you get up and then top if up again at 8AM? Or do a “slow start” and drink however much water you drink from the time you get up and start “watching the clock” after 8AM to make sure that you’ve at least hit those targets? Actually, the more I think about it the more I like the water bottle.
Love the “belly up” pic of your dog!
Thank you, Birchie! I’ve been using the water bottle today and I really like it so far. I’m feeling very hydrated!
I love your drawings!! The bowl of pasta reminds me of the book, Strega Nona. Are you familiar with it? It would be worth checking out at the library. My friend who is artistic told me the author is quite a famous illustrator (Tomie de Paola). It would be fun to page through even as an adult!
I drink quite a bit of water naturally so I think I would ignore the water assignments. lol. But I do like that for someone who is working to drink more water!
We got a little bit of snow this week, too. It’s so much prettier when we have a covering of snow. Brown winters are just depressing for me honestly. We should get a bit more today. I would love a good dumping so the boys could play in the snow and sled. And usually if it’s snowing that means it’s not too bitterly cold. We has a stretch of weather where it was too cold to snow.
Thank you, Lisa! I love Tomie de Paola and had not considered my spaghetti looked similar – but what a compliment! 😊 I’m a huge fan of children’s book art.
Hi Michelle, personally I love snow alot AND but above all I love seeing your first 12 drawings of 2025, they are so lovely! Drawing is also very relaxing, and lots of fun.
I see your cheerful dog loves tummy rubs, cutie!
Regarding your daily stretching, exercise, and water intake: take it easy, build it up and you’ll succeed. Do you want an honest opinion of me about your water bottle…???? Well, by seeing this huge water bottle of you, it would annoy me, sorry. But since I am a bad drinker of water (I always forget to drink water in time), because I don’t like water much…. 😉
Have fun (and peace) with your new water bottle and have a wonderful day!
Hugs, Ilona
Hi Ilona! Thank you for the lovely compliments about my drawings – and for your honesty about my water bottle! I’ll use it this week and see how I like it. I do like its ombre blue color at least! It makes the water look pretty! You’re right, a gradual approach is the best way to incorporate new habits into my daily routine, and I’m allowing myself a lot of leeway. Thank you for stopping by! ❤️
It’s so funny because we JUST had a conversation about water consumption this morning around the breakfast table. I think they’ve largely debunked the “you need 8 glasses a day” and it has more to do with drinking when we’re thirsty. I’m somewhere in the middle. That said, I drink over 2L a day…but I crave water! I am a HUGE fan of my leakproof Stanley. I know it was a very trendy product, but I 20/10 love it.
Michelle. Your art. It is just incredible. I would give just about anything to be that creative and skilled. The cacti made me smile. My daughter LOVES cacti. And the “Tea” drawing. No pressure, but can you please post like every singe day because seeing a post from you – and something creative always makes me smile. (I’m kidding. Don’t post every day because I want to make sure you have plenty of time to create these works of art – and dollhouse masterpieces – to bring such a bright light into the world.
Speaking of which. Yes, yes, yes to this: “The world may be a mess, but right here, things are good, and I’m grateful.” Doesn’t this just summarize my current goal in life PERFECTLY. Acknowledging that a lot of really horrible things I can’t control are currently happening. BUT, it’s also good and okay to focus on the good and the joyful. Gratitude almost always makes us more generous and giving, healthier, and better able to lend a hand to others. So it’s not about ignoring an issue, but realizing sometimes the very best thing we can do it stay positive and spread the light.
Thank you so much for this lovely comment, Elisabeth! It really warmed my heart and brightened my day! ❤️ You are a bright light in the world!
I used to have no problem drinking water, and I never even thought about it. I don’t know what changed. I do know that I feel much better on days when I drink more water.
Sounds like you’re doing amazing Michelle, everything follows in its own good time. I carry a water bottle everywhere with me as seems to be the modern way, I like the size of that one but I’d be tempted to take a personal marker to it & write my own motivational messages, like at the 8am one you could cross it out & replace it with ‘5am way ahead of you!’ Things to make you laugh are always motivating! ☺️ Glad you’re having a quiet start the year.
Thank you, Rae! Yes, laughing is always good! You’re right, I could always alter the water bottle to make it fit my schedule.
Hi Michelle! I love your drawing-a-day challenge and Hooray for keeping at it!
As for the grand water bottle, I have to confess I think (my humble opinion, of course!) that much too much is made about getting enough water!!! When I was growing up (and clearly I made it to adulthood!) nobody thought anything at all about the water you did or didn’t drink. There were water fountains in corridors and parks and public buildings…. some even had paper cups! (novel idea that!). But nobody carried a water bottle and nobody bought water in bottles. (We laughed at the idea that people would buy something that you could get free from any faucet! ) Then it became “trendy” in the seventies (“preppy”) to buy fancy “bottled spa water”. Those Europeans were onto something (because their water was less reliably clean in theory)…. which made people wonder about their water quality here too! Our town publishes an annual water quality report to reassure us! And yes, there are places where the water quality is compromised. But it became a “thing” to have to have a certain number of ounces every day (much later – sometimes in the fitness-mad nineties)…. whether or not you sweated away a quantity…. no matter how big your body (I am small) no matter how many other “wet” things you consumed… the right dose of water was going to purify your body…. ready or not! I humbly question this edict. I believe in the knowledge of the body… it will tell you when it wants water! Flushing too much through can drain you of other minerals you need…. ! I do think plain water is better than soda… but I think the certain number of ounces a day is really a “one-size-fits-all” edict that is way over rated! My plan is that when I drink water I should enjoy it because I am thirsty and then it tastes great! (like when I should eat…. should be because I am hungry!)
Please forgive my rant… but do enjoy your water bottle especially if it makes you laugh or even giggle at 3:30 AM!!! :):):)
Thank you, Betsy! You’re right that there can be too emphasis on drinking water, and too much of it can even cause problems. I never used to have problems getting enough water, but lately I find myself dehydrated too often. Then I guzzle water because I’m so thirsty and I get a tummy ache! So hopefully this water bottle will help remind me to drink more slowly throughout the day. And give me a giggle!
I like that bottle, but I’m up at around 5 every morning so I’d have to improvise the hours. 🙂 You are a talented artist, and I love the typewriter, but that’s probably because I learned to type on one of those old antiques. 🙂
Thank you, Judy! I learned to type on one of those old antiques too! 🤣 I remember how my fingers would ache!! And how wonderful it was when electric typewriters became mainstream.
Also lolololol 8 am. I know you’re up before me! By 8 am half the day is gone!
Ha! Ha! You’re right! 🤣
Awww hummingbirds remind me so much of my Grandma Fern. She loved hummingbirds. Occasionally I’ll see them here and I’ll think she’s visiting me. Once a hummingbird flew in my face when I was listening to a podcast about then-Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles and I swear it was Grandma Fern getting in my face about it. She HATED them. Hated! When William and Kate got married, we debriefed on the phone and she said that Camilla should not have been in attendance. I said “Grandma, she is his stepmother” and Grandma flipped! “Don’t you say that! Don’t you ever say that! She’s not his stepmother! She’s nothing but a homewrecker!” Oh god I miss my grandma so much.
Wow, how did I get on that topic? Oh yes, hummingbirds. (Don’t get me started on JonBenet Ramsey, she was obsessed with that case. She read Star and National Enquirer, and you know that scene in So I Married an Axe Murderer, where the mother calls the Weekly World News “the paper?” It was like that.)
I NEED TO GET BACK ON TOPIC.
That water bottle is beautiful and I would love something like that! I can’t justify it though because I have a really pretty one and I’m trying not to bring more stuff into the house. But I would find it very fun to have!
Your doggie! I love him!
Oh one more thing! My post on Monday is all about yoga and stretching and I think you’ll like it. Stay tuned!
How lovely to be reminded of your Grandma, and I enjoyed your little side story! She sounds like she was a delightful person. Oooh, I’m looking forward to your Monday post! I’m drinking water from my water bottle right now. It’s 6:30 a.m. and I’ve already drank 3 hours worth! So far, so good!
oooh I LIKE that bottle. I’m very bad at remembering to drink, I think this would help. I’ve just found one online. I love your dog, and your drawings, they’re very good.
Thank you so much, Polly! ❤️ I’m a few hours in to using my water bottle and so far it’s great! If you get one, I hope you’ll love it!