Charles Burchfield, Journals, April 24, 1964

April 24 – Friday –

Sunny but cold.
The daffodils and hyacinths are in their first full splendor.
Dwarf white and purple violets are packed with bloom –

After a “season” of not showing up, all sorts of birds were at the studio feeder today – Blue jays, a redwing, robins (they loved the pea-nut butter), starlings, black birds, grackles, tree – and English sparrows, and a chickadee –

Yesterday a tree-sparrow spend the whole afternoon trying to get into the studio – it seemed fascinated by a bouquet of thistle down on the sill (to line a nest?). It would flutter against the window, chirping plaintively fly a few feet away, then dash against the pain with a loud thump – I tried taking the bouquet away and putting it out of sight, but the bird kept up its fruitless maneuvers – It was still at it when I left at four o’clock – However it did not show up today.

B+I to the lodge for lunch – then food shopping.

I have been trying to get to work at drawings. In spite of the prospect of a book. My heart is not in it – I am too full [of] painting ideas – (yesterday I made two enlarged drawings of the 1963 great nesting snow-bank study, preparatory to starting a large picture – The very thought of it is exciting.)

Charles Burchfield, Journals, April 24, 1964