I rush through my chores for Mama, aching to escape the confines of our house.

Once I get my mind set on painting something it is like a magnet drawing me to it. What has this Mr. Amazing wrought within my spirit?

I used to be normal. Now I feel as if I am slowly becoming mad. Although I had always done things well, I had never been obsessed with perfection as I was when I painted.

Soon the noon day sun was overhead and I had permission from Mama to go “do what I want to do because I was driving her crazy.”

I gathered my paints, brushes and some canvas and put them carefully in my satchel.

I headed out for the rocky location where Papa and I first spotted the Wall Creeper.

I sat exactly where we had danced. My mind quickly located the image of the bird in the vaults of my memory.

I sketched the outline first and then started on the gray. It would have been easier to have sketched the bird at rest, but the bird only showed the brilliance of color while in flight, so I chose that instead.

It is hard to convey softness into paint but that is what I needed for the underbelly of the bird. I found that a lighter shade of gray gave me the texture I was searching for.

The red paint I had was not as bold as what I had seen as a young girl. I was limited by the local paint vendor but I worked with what I had. The shape of the bird was forming.

Now the black at the tip of the wings…  but I had to leave a spot open for the perfect white polka dot. I couldn’t get that right. I tried again and again, canvas after canvas and the white polka dot was never perfect enough.

“Having quite the difficulty with that white spot aren’t you?”

“Yes, I am,” I said, only half aware of the other voice.

“The rest looks very fine.”

“Thank you, but if it is not all fine then it is not a painting which I want.” I said as I crumpled yet another canvas into a ball.

Wait a minute, that voice meant that someone was behind me, watching my failure.

How dare they?

I shot up with indignation and turned around to find my gaze rest on the beautiful face of my love.