The Gardener's Flower

There are a few gardeners that take care of the grounds here at the colony. A few days ago I saw one of these men walking with a very large beautiful flower. These flowers are abundant in Costa Rica, but I had never seen one cut before. As I walked past the man, I said “Esta flor es muy bonita,” (this flower is very beautiful) in my broken Spanish.

To my surprise, he handed the flower to me and gestured that I could have it. I smiled and thanked him, and immediately brought the flower back to my casita and put it in water. The shapes of this flower are so interesting, I had to paint it. I started this watercolor painting last night and completed it this morning.