I am feeling celebratory for the first time in what feels like decades this Saturday morning. Here in Seattle, walks through this charming Fremont neighborhood are very pleasant, and I’ll take another stroll today just to feel the air (or maybe rain) on my face and bask in gratitude. America feels great again.

Anyways, on a walk yesterday I spotted these lovely fuchsias in a neighbor’s front garden. Took me back to my Mill Valley childhood when my little sister (in whose house I am now a guest) and I would pop the pink bulbs with our chubby child-fingers before they opened. These vibrant pinks looked amazing against the leafy greenness of that yard and the beautiful, dark stone wall, lined up like ballerinas.

I’ve got my paint kit here (obviously) in my sister’s house in these luxurious surroundings she set up for me — she is an expert at Thai massage, and part of her house is set up as a spa complete with big roomy areas and a sauna and an exquisite shower; a massage table works perfectly for my laptop. Because she is retired, I am very comfy and have tons of privacy in the spa/guest bedroom. Painting in this climate can be a challenge as the dampness means it takes forever for paint to dry. I’ve discovered here on the counter a perfect solution — a towel warmer! Tuck the watercolor sketchpad in, and it safely dries the paint (don’t tell Kay). So far I haven’t ruined any furniture with my paint spatters. Talk about purple rain!

10″ x 7″ watercolor, pen on paper + $90