Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, October 1, 1949

Oct. 1 – (Saturday)
A. M. B to M’s apt. for day to help her. [Burchfield bracketed the remainder of this entry with red pencil]
[To country S. E. of E. Aurora painting [- Best way to get there – 20A to light on 98 to Johnsonburg (1.3 miles) – east on road, then 2nd road to right) –
[A calm clear, almost cloudless day — As one gets away from lake, more & more color – almost full October color.
Park under a rich orange maple tree, one of two such. First eat lunch at base of tree. Then a sketch of the smaller maple tree, using a very tall upright paper (44 x 19) (When I did the one the other day of a long horizontal 19 x 40 B asked me why I didn’t try the same thing vertical.)
All afternoon — the father & his boy on horseback. The “walker” with pack on his back who strode unsmiling down the middle of the road who look neither to the right or left.
For walk afterwards, westward thru fields — a bouquet of pink milkwort & goldenrod. — A field of grass with large fuzzy seed-heads, bleached almost white and lit up by the declining sun. Northward and down into a deep ravine, whose course I followed upward, clambering over fallen logs from side to side. Occasional glympses of sunlit tree tops. Pale yellow jewell-weed.
Come out right by the car. Bouquet of asters & goldenrod then for walk down road to south. A calm beautiful hour — the moon about three-quarters full high in the southeast. Warm golden sunlight streaming across the land. An enormous hawk flying low over a buck-wheat field –
Brought the car to a more open spot & ate lunch, with great contentment. Then homeward – (right on 1st road which led into Johnsonburg & rout 98.)
B was enthusiastic about the sketch –
A little after 9:00 to station to meet M.A. She seemed tired but stimulated by her experience at Sally & Red’s.]
Charles E. Burchfield, October 1, 1949