Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, September 2, 1932

Southeast of E. Aurora in quest of what I called—the Bearded Hill Country.

On the railroad—the sweltering noon heat—comes up in waves from the railroad—cicadas—to the south a beautiful phenomenon—The glistening rails like molten silver, converging into a mass of heat waves which are so dense that they produce a mirage like illusion, and become like a little pool, reflecting the sky, and therefore like bluish white smoke writhing, now swelling and now shrinking—Start painting of it—a freight train from the north interrupts me—a long line of cars with one locomotive in front + two in rear—it disappears in the “heat-wave pool” as into fog—only with this difference, it was reflected in the “pool,” as also the smoke so that more than ever it seemed like a smoldering fire—shortly afterward a train comes from the south, appearing out of the heat-waves like black apparition...

Charles E. Burchfield, September 2, 1932