Credits: Papers from Rhonna Farrer, flower from Stacey Stehley, Photoshop CS2, all but the main photo is from Giverny.org; Fonts: FG Freja, Civilian

Amazing. Awe-inspiring. Serene. Fragrant. Wet. Yes, wet. We arrived at Giverny, the one place I have been waiting impatiently to visit. My favorite painter’s home. And it is raining. Yes, raining. Huddled under my tour guide’s umbrella that he was so kind to lend to me, I took in the scene of these beautiful gardens, lily ponds and Japanese bridges, trying to take photos with my cheap advantix camera while trying to keep the umbrella above me. It was worth standing in the rain and catching a cold that continued the rest of my stay in Paris. It was worth feeling cold. Giverny is breathtaking. This is a memory I will never forget. Standing in Monet’s gardens is even better than going to a crowded museum and seeing his painting from afar. I was able to see what he saw and wished I had paint, canvas and a brush, so I may paint what I saw.