Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, October 4, 1962

Very dark, cloudy, muggy and warm – Rain seemed imminent all day, but none fell –

Each time I went to the studio, I was struck anew with the miraculous beauty of the coffee tree – a deep rich orange yellow, deep but unsullied by any darkening agent – The top alone was green still, and some of the lower leaflets had midribs of emerald green – On a day like this, it was the source of light – The maple-leaf ashes by the studio, and shed were a clear orange-yellow, but not as rich as the coffee tree –

Everywhere were special accents of beauty – the clear yellow of a grape-vine on two of the poplars on Binkowski’s line revealed what had been hidden all summer.

In the front yard, the white picket fence with the red, yellow, and white chrysanthemums, and the rich red orange maple tree in Cottrell’s yard, with our maple above and in front still a rich green.

On the back lot – the black walnut “grove” rich orange yellow (with just a hint of lemon yellow) – a host of tiny flowered white asters, with a few rich purple New York asters.

In the studio most of the day – redding up, and changing bouquets – Took down the Wind, Sunlight & Water, put a bouquet of corn-flowers (the staminate tops) flanked by large western pine-cones – Used the frame for the “Rain-glow in Winter” (1949) and hung it to the east.

Hung the row of (Mr. Roots’) butterflies which I had prepared yesterday – and other things – an activity I thoroughly enjoyed –

A good letter from Evie, and also a warm-hearted letter from Ernestine Sample.

Evening to Buffalo shopping – to Hengerer’s for dinner – Bertha bought a pair of ear-rings to go with a necklace Art & Vi had given her; a Woolworth’s, a frame for the “Constant Leaf” which I had pressed and preserved and a small frame for a snap-shot of Bertha I have in the studio.

While Bertha went to Tanke’s to pick up my watch, I went on to D.C. & D. – I had quite a list of records I wanted, some of which I wanted to discuss with Saia, but he was not in so I just asked for two – one, a stereo version of Gibson’s playing of the Sibelius Fifth had to be ordered, but another, Gibson’s playing of the Carmen Suite, and the Ballet Suite was in stock, and I bought it.

I played it first, at the end of our evening; and it was an unmitigated delight – miraculous playing and reproduction –

After that I played the Sibelius Third – Ehrling’s performance with the Stockholm Radio Symphony –

Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, October 4, 1962