i spent the afternoon studying a great blue heron…

on a piece of paper,

in a class on Chinese painting…

a picture of a picture to be painted…

struggling to find my beginner’s mind.

there is nothing like learning a new skill to remind us to be humble…

all is exercise, all is practice.

now go and paint 108 cranes.

.

All of us are caterpillars in some places –

even if we are butterflies in others…

on my way home,

the evening brings a small flock of snowy egrets

reminded me of the need to roost.

and the importance of dreaming in color.