Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967)

Oct 9, 1926

a good handle to grip to, but did not lighten my burden—
Sketch of apple tree – a farmer comes along with team of horses & light wagon. The horses shy at my paraphernalia the farmer chuckled & said “I guess they never saw an air-plane before.” I was shivering before I got them.
But by now the clouds had all passed and the sun shine warm from a clear watery sky. The air had the October tang to it, but the profuse rains of August & September have preserved the summer greenness of the fields & trees, and were it not for the October chill, one could almost readily forget it was Fall. How this stretch of land has grown into my heart. Tho this is only my fourth trip here certain trees & house, vista iti, as they come into view are like old friends of long standing. The huge chest-nut tree as I passed it – before that farmhouse with its double-row of giant maples shading the road – but most of all the cliff that forms the west end of the huge horse-shoe cliff at the base of which curls the Cattaraugus Creek. A little pine grove that has been partially cleared on the little knoll rising from the edge of the cliff – the ground is almost literally covered with moss, pigeon-berry  & winter-green. The berries of the latter are large and tasted particularly fine today. The little point at the extreme tip of which a tall thin young oak tree leans out – here I sat down to eat my lunch. The sun was warm here and the pine covered knoll kept the wind away.
After eating, I put my cap under my head and stretched out on the ground. The warm sun was delicious & warmed me till I became drowsy & lay half-asleep. I amused myself by half opening my eyes and stealing a look at the distant hills, which look blue-white to my eyes. They I discovered my left eye saw everything yellow & my right