Painting ghosts in the cemetery

We started our day with an Almond Joy latte for Babushka and a Coco Loco for me from Rivers Edge Coffee. With warm cups in hand, we made our way to Overlook 3 at Hollywood Cemetery, with a perfect view, arguably the best, of the James River and the skyline of Richmond.

Lunch came courtesy of Sally Bell’s Kitchen. Babushka went with the Roast Beef & Swiss, while I opted for the Egg Salad Box Lunch, each complete with the perfect sides (potato salad, deviled eggs, and cheese wafers). We claimed a quiet spot near Palmer Chapel and let the day unfold.

Armed with paint-by-number kits featuring ghostly cemetery scenes (because of course we are going to paint ghosts in a cemetery), we settled in. The breeze was soft and the company was steady. Sometimes we talked, sometimes we let the cemetery do the talking.

There were mild grievances, such as Color #7 being questionable at best, and Colors #8 and #9 may have had identity crises, but even our complaints felt like part of the ritual. We spent the afternoon haunting the place, slowly bringing spectral forms to life with every careful brushstroke.

It was my book release day, and oddly, perfectly, it felt like my own kind of release too. A day painted with laughter, ghosts, and Babushkas just the way I needed.