After turning in my plein air work for judging, I still had a couple hours before awards. Wanting to absorb the beautiful day along the Des Moines River, I took my sketch gear to the riverside park. I used to play on a slide just like this with my brother, at the Belton Memorial Park when we were kids, visiting our grandparents. I returned to the same park with our oldest three children, and they experienced the same childhood joy of climbing in a rocket! That park has since been modernized, and the old slide, swings and merry- go-round are gone now. As I sit and paint this place, I remember all those joyful times, to the music of laughter and families making memories. As I turned this painting in, it was purchased to hang in the Rocket Room of Hotel Manning, overlooking this very scene. Painting number 3792 in 3792 days.
