Whenever a warm day breaks through a string of cold ones—whether in the spring or the fall—I call it a “Water Buffalo Day.” It’s a tribute to a perfect day trip I took back in the spring of 1977.

My art school, The Corcoran School of Art, went to the National Zoo. It was the week of my birthday, the second week in March, and the weather was a gift in itself. The high was forecasted for the low seventies, so I only wore my Levi’s jacket. I was especially excited because I had just learned a new technique: drawing with an eraser.

This technique starts with using vine charcoal, which leaves a dusty powder all over the paper. You then use an eraser to “draw” back into the charcoal residue, creating highlights and gestures. As a fan of Claude Monet and the Impressionists, I loved that I could create a believable impressionistic picture on-site without hauling all my painting gear. It might have been just black, gray, and white, but it was Impressionism all the same.

When our bus unloaded at the zoo, I was ready to unleash my new “weapon.” I took off on my own, eventually finding the water buffaloes in a sunny spot in the lower part of the park. I spent the morning there with my drawing pad, charcoal, and eraser, completely absorbed. The buffaloes were the most patient subjects I could have asked for.

I never saw my instructor or any other students all morning, and I was happy to be on my own. Around noon, with the temperature at a perfect 72 degrees, I decided to take a break and find the rest of the class. I eventually found them outside the smelly Reptile House, where they were having lunch.

My teacher immediately confronted me about where I’d been. When I showed her my drawings, she was definitely impressed. But she informed me that the class project was on camouflage, and the Reptile House was where everyone was supposed to be working. I had no idea! I don’t recall ever hearing about a camouflage project.

I spent the rest of the afternoon in that smelly building, but it didn’t matter. I’ll always be grateful for that beautiful morning alone in the fresh air on my perfect Water Buffalo Day.