Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, March 8, 1911

 Wednesday March 8, 1911
     If anyone should read these pages, they would think I had got description of January and April mixed, for one day I describe as a raw wintery day, the next as a spring day, followed by another January day. But that's the way it is - and indeed there is something delightful about this alternation of snow and sun­shine.
     To-day warn a calm blue sunshiny day; this morning dawned clear and cold and white - and how the snow sparkled in the radiant sun, sparkling its death sparkle for as the sun mounted higher in the heavens, it became warmer and pools of shining water and mud took the place of the white. This evening I was leaning out of the window a feeling of something undescribablecame over me – which I concluded from the weather, how springy everything felt and looked and sounded!  That chill the follows every bright day in March was now filling the air, which was very still; the sun was sinking into a maze of grey mists, which he turned to yellow as he vanished into them; here and there in backyards brown smoke from spring bonfires was slowly and motionlessly rising into the air; only a few patches of snow were visible. Shouts of boys probably at marbles filled the air; a train roared away somewhere; suddenly robin called for his mate - a cry that was music after a long winter -, as I listened to his shrill cry, I thought to myself that altho I had seen and heard many robins still I had heard none sing yet. As if in answer to this thought, a robin began to sing from afar - it was very indistinct but sounded sweet to the ear; presently he stopped and however hard I listened, I heard him no more. I had an inexplicable yearning to do something - to run outdoors and embrace all these sights and sounds, and become a part of them.
     After supper we made a visit to Fay Ingrams and played cards until late. After we left there, we “car-ried on high”; the way we got started was thusly: Joe was walking  along sedately with Prudence; suddenly he cried, “Gink gink gink” as fast as he could say it, and just then stepped with a splash and stumble into a pool of water. We all were soon aching from laughter. – I don’t believe I ever laughed so much in my life until - well laughing along we came to Wolf’s, where we went in. And here it was a wonder we didn’t get thrown out, for we got to laughing until we couldn’t eat, and when we did take a bite, one of us would say “Gink gink gink!”

Charles E. Burchfield, March 8, 1911