Saturday, Arthur & I went alone to my “Trillium Woods” south-east of Hamburg. It was truly a “red-letter” day for me, and I hope for him. I had long looked forward to just such a trip as this, that I would take with my boy; from the time he was a helpless baby I thought of the time when he could tramp with me in the woods. And he measured up to my highest expectations, entering into and enjoying hugely all the little things I hoped he would.
It was a fine, warm day, with brilliant sunshine. As we left the car, and strolled along Eighteen Mile Creek, I felt the nearness to my Creator and often during the day, I felt humble, and thankful that the superlative gift of a little son to trot at my side, had been accorded me. I tried to do all the things that I used to delight in as a boy. First we explored, thru the little hollows, crossing the little stream on logs, sinking into mud, finding flowers, and listening to the bird-calls. At a quarter to twelve Arthur declared he was famished, so we went to the car, and got our lunch-basket, and the basket for plants, and flowers. We ate our lunch sitting on a log where the hollow ends and the little brook empties into the creek. The brook kept up a continual chattering which amused Arthur.
Charles E. Burchfield, April 23, 1935