Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, August 23, 1945

Toward the latter part of the afternoon I took time out to sit down and look at the northeast sky. Never have I seen the sky such an intense deep blue, (or is it that I have never truly observed it?) -  At the N.E. horizon opposite the sun, it was a rich glowing cerulean, then it deepened thru rich cobalt to a deep ultramarine at the zenith, tempered by a deep orange brown haze that seemed to start a few hundred feet above the earth, and extend upward to infinity above the willow tree, the sky took on rich blue-violet tones.

The only clouds were some white feathery mare’s tails low in the S.W. - In spite of the clarity of the air, the sun was so brilliant that all light and color seemed to go out of it. Trees were very dark against the sky, and their shadow parts almost black. 

Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, August 23, 1945