Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, April 16, 1952

A clear sunny day – I wanted to take Bertha to see the hepaticas but she did not feel up to it – at first I planned to “loaf” all day – but then decided to go out painting – after lunch.

First to Big Woods, but it did not suggest a painting so went back to the Collins Center road, to do a sketch of a creek I had seen on my way down.

A pleasant afternoon – once I heard a blue-bird’s song, but could not catch even a glimpse of the bird.

After I was thru painting at the big woods – got a basket of rotten wood for the rhubarb, & some dwarf yellow violets for Bertha –

Took my lunch into the woods, and ate it sitting on a fallen tree – gradually fading sunlight in the woods – the distant trees warm & bright, the foreground in the shadow of the hill to the west – As the sun sank lower, a chill came up out of the ground. After eating – I drove up to the brow of the hill and watch the sun slowly sink into the distant lake – the lake was invisible, and its location could only be seen where it cut the sun off evenly, above the farthest land strip. Peepers & robins – once a huge beetle flew up & into the sky – so large was it that I could follow its flight for a long time.

Home – a game of cards with B & listened to radio.

Charles E. Burchfield, April 16, 1952