Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, February 29, 1912

As I will not have a chance to write that date in my diary for four years, I thought best to write on this day. The last two days have been fresh wintry days. Monday morning was a damp murky one, with a soft rain falling and grey misty sky. Down at the office I watched the weather as much as possible, for there was not much work to do. Across the street is the opening of a [sewer] thru which, foul gas came, white like steam. Down from the shops, came the smoke which always hovers around the ground on rainy days, which the wind caught, and whirled up fantastically, mingling it with the [sewer] gas. Later on the wind swerved around to the southwest; the clouds began to break up; and the warm sunshine came forth. When I came out at noon I was delighted at how fresh the breeze was tho it was not yet any colder. In the afternoon, the sunshine occasionally was obscured by black rainclouds from which came dashing showers showing already that colder weather was coming. At night, I went up to Edith’s, the sky was pitchy black, and the breeze was already cooling.

The next morning the earth was covered with a thin film of snow, and the wind was blowing a gale, straight out of the west. All day Tuesday and yesterday occasional flurries of snow came down, beautiful sights indeed, accompanied by such a fresh and bracing air that was heartily welcome to me. But the moment the sun came forth, most of the snow would melt, only to be replaced by a second flurry.

It is odd how the days lengthen, unnoticed for a long time, until, all at once, we see how much earlier it is getting light and how late it remains light. I just realized it the other day. Now it is comparatively light at six o’clock.

Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, February 29, 1912