long grass with butterflies

Of all the paintings at the Royal Gallery, this one really struck me. Close enough to see the brush work, the thick texture of the paint, a sense of movement in something static.

I remembered this painting yesterday. Blissfully cool after a week of wretched heat, Puppy and I spent hours at our favorite park. Everywhere, tall grass with butterflies, hundreds of fluttering white creatures, swirling in the breeze. The perfume of grass and flowers warm from the sun, the faint tang of algae on the ponds, an occasional earthy wisp of horse manure - I love the smell of the park.

I have a small print of Long Grass with Butterflies. It reminds me of a wonderful trip, a marvelous place, and the simple beauty of a summer's day spent in nature. I can smell the sweetness of grass in the sunshine.