Vi & Art left at noon today —
Art spent a good part of the morning packing various things we had given them – the electric stove, kitchen cabinet, and various other things – in a trailer he had brought from Chicago —
We hated to see them go, we had had such a good visit with them; the children were so lovable and interesting (and they cheered us by so obviously having a good time at “Grandpa’s & Grandma’s” –)
Late A. M. –Edna Lindemann called for the State University College – they are dedicating their new $4 million Fine Arts Building in October and wanted to open its new gallery with an exhibition of my work — We agreed on 7:30 P.M. for her to come out and talk it over.
To see, in the upturned face of a child directed toward oneself, a look of complete trust, liking and admiration is to me one of the finest and at the same time most disconcerting experiences.
The afternoon – The air becomes more stagnant – the ground hot – the sky turns to a sultry violet; hasty clouds – the day dies endlessly –
After I had secured the studies I wished, I set out to find some wheat fields, for I felt it was more important to get these, than the maples, as wheat was ripening fast -
A notice in times, that Kenneth Grahame had died. It occupies my mind at my waking moments all night.
"How the hot noon sun pours down...Stars zigzagging above the lightning-lit horizon with its jagged border of black trees"
All my mis-deeds, all my denials swept over me as I lay in bed – where have I been?
July 3 – Wed.
Buying Fireworks for Arthur & Catherine & Sally —
July 4 – Thurs.
Arthur’s last year to celebrate with Firecrackers. Evening our usual celebration with the “House on–Fire” as a grand finale. Spent the morning working in, & weeding the garden –
Afternoon building the house.
There comes a point in fireworks where the sensations of sight and sound overlap, and affect one another. Our perception of the loveliness of bursting rockets, is different, when suddenly bombs start bursting in the midst of the cataracts of stars. I cannot explain how it seems to me. And a bomb without the visual display is more terrific & ominous.
A “clearing-up” day after the rain yesterday. The wind from the northeast, great loose clouds in a calm blue sky, the air full of the hot per-fume laden humidity of early summer.