To the “Big Woods” – Cooler, partially cloudy when I started – so wonderfully good to be out again.
Altho I took all my sketching material along – I was not sure I wanted to paint – but rather that it would be better to browse.
I parked at the usual spot, and entered the woods, and received a terrible shock – woodsmen had been in, cutting trees – the greatest confusion and devastation. The four huge hemlocks gone, and many other trees – birch & maples. They only took the larger part of the trunks leaving the tops – I felt sick at heart – one more retreat about to go. However I penetrated deeper into the woods to get away from the distressing sight – and was rewarded by coming upon a small flock of dainty birds feeding on the ground. They were quite tame – paid little attention to me – The males were wine-colored on the heads backs and breast, with black wings with white spots – the females yellow-olive where the males were red (Later identified as Pine Grosbeaks)
The roar of wind in the tree-tops – the sun came out brilliantly at times.
I soon reached untouched woods. Here by the stream I found the skeleton of a deer – surrounded by hair, which was a dirty gray white. Perhaps one wounded by a hunter and then devoured by foxes.
I returned to the road by climbing the hills to the west; near the top I found a colony of scarlet cup-fungus- seven growing on one dead stick. I carefully lifted it out & took it along.
For a walk westward along the road. A dark storm on the west approaching rapidly. I decided to park at the brim of the hill and watch it.
The effects were beautiful & dramatic – the southern horizon sunlit at first then slowly blotted out by the blizzard-like snow until just one spot remained above the deep blue violet hills, a wan pale yellow green with snow flying past it.
Snow-flakes passing the car seemed like streaks & travelling fast, but in the middle distance, over the “amphitheatre” then seemed to float lazily down.
After eating my lunch, I followed a “lane”, that led north thru the western section of the woods; a fine wild track – into some deep hemlock growths. It led eventually to a small open field that had been planted [with] oats – flanked by narrow marshy tracts, where I found some pussy-willows.
Explored some more of the woods eastward – made sketches of a beech tree – Once a flock of crows flew noisily over-head – what a fine elemental sound!
Before I left I picked up a flat rock for our garden path, and a black cricket scampered back into his hole.
Start home about 2:00. – east on 39 to Morton’s corners – then north – Altho I thought I was going north all the way, I eventually wound up on 299 going west & had to go down back to 62 before I could go North again!
When I got home – a letter from Frank with a check for 666.67 (from Railroad in September) & news that Montclair had bought “A day on Midwinter” for $1000 –
Charles E. Burchfield, March 19, 1953