Life’s full of surprises. I went to paint on Day Four and found the parking lot full of cars. Hmmm, I wonder if something is happening in my painting area.

Yeppers. Good thing I’m only one mile from St. Anthony’s Retreat Center in Three Rivers, because I went back home and did other things that day.

Day Four finally arrived, and here is a series of progressive shots of the oak tree mural.

Here is a list of thoughts and decisions throughout the day:

1. That’s the wrong color of green on those first leaves – better fix that.
2. Extension ladder? Nah, I can do this.
3. Will I ever finish these twigs and does it matter of they’ll be covered with leaves? 
4. Maybe I can finish in 5 days.
5. A group of guys came into the chapel to set up for the weekend, and it took hours, nay, HOURS, to get their sound system working. They stopped and prayed for wisdom, and right after that a guy said, “This cable isn’t plugged in here!” 
6. The sound system made a terrible surprising and deafening noise, as sound systems do; I yelled from around the corner, “You aren’t allowed to do that when I am on the top of a ladder!” 
7. Maybe I can finish it on Day Five. Maybe it will be quiet in there. 
8. Even if I finish on Day Five, I’ll have to return to photograph it in the morning because the afternoon light coming through that window erases the entire left edge. 
9. Maybe I can time Day Six of photography to be there for lunch.
10. I love lunch at St. Anthony’s.