Charles Burchfield, Journals, December 5, 1917

A dark grey sky; the awesomeness of the air—dead quiet—an orange streak in SE, sun appears suddenly like a silver eye in a gold rim + is gone, it did not dispel the gloom of night,—the Arctic Winter hangs down even this far; —white train smoke against the heavy grey sky, factories crouch under the snow gloom—feathery flakes commence to fall, + soon the ground is filmed the first Christmas trees unloaded from freight car.

Charles Burchfield, December 5, 1917