Charles Burchfield, Journals, January 23, 1962

Home about Midnight —

When I went out to the studio to check on the furnace (which yesterday had failed to operate, the temperature in the studio being 34) – it was into a fantastically beautiful world. Flat dappled “white” clouds covered the whole sky, lit up by the high in the east waning moon, filled the whole air and sky with a cool silvery light; the trees made sharply defined patterns against this strangely beautiful light.

In the eastern sky the moon shining through the flaky clouds (which were patterned with rhythmic darker sky openings) was surrounded by a broad orange halo (the other colors of the rainbow could also be dimly seen, outside the orange band – with the dark spruce trees and bristling poplars it made a ravishing sight. Almost directly in the south, Sirius shone clearly; and in an open space in the cloud blanket Orion shone in all its glory. 

I went in to tell Bertha about it; then it seemed to me that I must make a sketch for future use; so I “bundled up” and went out and put down a few notes — I felt keyed up, and strong, and the S.W. wind seemed mild instead of cold.  Such moments are so full of happiness.

It was 2:00 A.M. before I got to bed; but I had to have some bed-time music, which was Handel's Water-Music (or at least 8 of the first 11 numbers).

Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, January 23, 1962