Charles Burchfield, Journals, September 14, 1914

Last night just before going to bed, my mind was full of regrets + doubts and I thought I would have difficulty in going peacefully to sleep. The moment however my head had touched the pillow and I closed my eyes a wonderful thinghappened. I was at once transported to the Post’s Ridge and the Dutchman’s close before my eyes. The like of the vision I saw I can only liken to a sunstorm; as tho sunshine was being blown, like snow, by the wind. In a whirling mass it glittered thru the trees, sometimes indeed appear­ing like snow, and again like water gliding down tree trunks in a blinding streams. The trees foliage was whirled and became a part of “the storm,” next the fields began to shift in a circling motion, but always was that whirling of the sunshine. All at once the air was full of birds, inflated with sunshine, flying not as regular birds but in the same spiral-like whirl with the sunshine. It was the most wonderful thing I ever saw. I fell asleep seeing it. Even now I can see it in my inward eye.

A perfect September day. Cloudless sky. Wind from S.E. (?) fresh and cool.

Noon sunlight in September! We do not notice the sun when it is in the same latitude in spring as there are no trees to reflect it. One has the feeling of criminal neglect by working on these days. The ideal pursuit is to sit on the sunny side of a hill and dream and speculate.

The wind is indeed from the southeast! A sparkling breeze. It is morning all day! On quiet summer mornings at dawn there is always a rush of air from the east or south-east as tho the retreating shadows created a breeze, like a train.

What a wonderful sky. Not a cloud, unless we call that plum haze at the horizon a cloud!
Sunset powerful. Little color other than a yellow glow. The sky has been cloudless for two days. At evening the air seems warmer.

I cannot keep from thinking of that vision I saw last night. I sometimes imagine I was favored by the gods. I was not asleep. Nor could I say I was awake.

Patriotism is little better the race prejudice. A little patriotism will go a long way.

Charles E. Burchfield, Sept 14, 1914