Charles Burchfield, Journals, August 4, 1962

Aug. 4 – Saturday –

A very hot sultry day –

I was all “primed” to paint in the studio, but the lure of truancy was too much – I suggested taking our lunch out to the Maples on the Townsend Road, and Bertha was all for it – I wasted some time trying to get some sandwich material at a delicatessen – I found two listed in the phone book. I started to ask Mart if she knew about them, - met Hank on his way out; he said they enjoyed their anniversary dinner out last night (they went to Charter House). Mart said on delicatessen store (Mach’s) was good, but they had nothing but boiled ham. –

So I came home again, and we made ham + cheese and pea-nut butter sandwiches – took with it peaches and cherries + coffee and soon were on our way – Stopped at Armour and bought some potato chips –

In spite of the heavy oppressive air, the country looked beautiful to us – we reached the Maples at 12:30; a cool breeze was blowing – and we set our tables in the shade of the trees –
A very happy couple of hours – eating, watching the various butterflies – Once a black swallow-tail, that had chosen a certain spot near the big ash tree across the road as his domain, attached a larger swallow-tail for trespassing. (In these ‘battles’ no harm ever comes to either contestants).

Made some studies of wind-blown milkweed plants * and also, the pale white top thunderheads constantly forming, disappearing, reforming with great rapidity –

Once an apparently vast storm formed in the northwest when rain began to fall on us, we put our things in the car and drove down to the main road. We decided then to go home out by the “mill” road – we turned and went northward but by this time the “storm” had dissolved into nothingness.

It seemed to get hotter and muggier, the nearer we got to home –
A short while in the studio made some studies of corn Albarella’s garden.
A short nap – we watched TV a while then at twilight for a little walk in our backyard –

Evening music.

Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, August 4, 1962