To Gowanda – Zoar Valley Rd — to the Big Woods (scene of so many of last year’s woods sketches)
A cold cloudy day, wind from the east. With what elation I set forth, my first country sketching trip since last Dec. 4! —
It was a clear brisk day, a few scattered clouds with a sharp tang to the air. I spent the whole day tramping up and down the main ravine, making studies, and saturating myself with the “feel” of the banks, and the rushing water. Yesterday’s rain had had converted the usually quiet little brooklet into a very gay rushing torrent.
The day advances without my knowing it. It is morning, noon, afternoon, evening, & yet I dream on. I am aware of the changes only thru the birds—
Terrific wind in the Black night – A brilliant sun morning with immense cerulean sky spaces –
Peace of mind is only achieves by the sacrifice of what is noblest in life – the contact with materialistic people around us only becomes less harsh when we dull our repugnance to ugliness & evil...
"A rainy sky morning...dashing rains...Trees below sky very indistinct –"
In studio: got out the North Wind in March and studied it – it seemed awkward in composition, and in need of some more sky –
Each day I stop to contemplate the downy bowed heads of the hepaticas, half-hidden under the leaves – there they wait humbly for their cue to lift their heads and open wide to the sky – the one being the first warm ray of the sun.
At one place I found a pile of bird feathers, strewn over the ground. They were mostly grey and white, but a few were of a dull orange, and I thought it had probably been a ground oriole.
P. M. Out Ellsworth Road, sketching – terrific high, wind looming clouds – bluebirds & singing of telegraph wires – Host of redwings while I was in a gale on a hill painting the sun & clouds —