Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, February 24, 1954

Out to the “Big Woods” painting altho a slight drizzle was falling – Hearing the first “cawing” of crows at dawn.

My long pent-up longing to paint out in the woods made me anticipate the excursion with great joy – I sang as I drove southwards.

The devastation wrought by the work of lumbermen last year did not seem so tragic this year,  because I suppose, I was prepared  for it now. No additional cutting has been done and already Nature has begun to absorb the debris of the tree tops and other discarded material, and make it seem part of the scene – so that my beloved woods had much of its former grim spirit of the north. It was good to be back.

Charles E. Burchfield, February 24, 1954