Some of my favorite photographs begin with unexpected moments.

One afternoon my mama insisted on driving while we were out shopping together. As we drove along a country road, I suddenly spotted an old weathered wagon wheel that had become part of a rusty metal fence.

Without thinking, I shouted, “STOP!”

Mama immediately pulled over, convinced something terrible had happened. Instead, I jumped out of the car with my camera, completely captivated by what I knew would become the perfect photograph.

After realizing I wasn’t injured or in danger, we both laughed all the way home. We joked about how differently our shopping trips would have looked if we’d been traveling by wagon instead of by car.

Later, I transformed that photograph into this painting. The weathered wagon wheel became a window into a colorful Texas landscape filled with blooming trees, prickly pear cactus, and warm memories.

Every time I see this painting, I smile. It reminds me that the best stories often begin with an unexpected stop along the road and someone you love willing to laugh with you afterward.