Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, May 11, 1922

It is May! The buckeye trees are almost fully out, and hang loosely with great masses of vivid emerald foliage – there’s nothing to equal this brilliant color of green – the sun shines on it in subdued silvery highlights & the partly cloudy sky beyond is composed of pale violets – a cool breeze comes out of the sunlit south – Maple trees are speckled with twin leaves that that form horizontal dashes across their branches – the shadows under porches suddenly become intensified & full of poetry – It is the kind of a day that should have its lawnmower going.  
 
At evening to my new quarters – to the place where Bertha & I will start life together – Mariner street is lined with buckeyes & elms, and I felt a wave of joyousness come over me as I walked up under those brilliant green trees, splotched with yellow in the late afternoon sunlight –  
These two small rooms are my first home – their humble character seems fitting to me, as we should start life humbly, and not like a circus parade – they are glorified to me, and already I feel the presence of “her,” who is to come to live with me. So much so that I feel as if even now before her arrival, there must be no evil thoughts to destroy the sacredness of the place.  

There are windows that face in all directions – East, South, West, Northwest, North & Northeast. Each window has a different story to tell in the way of its groups of trees & houses & outlooks to the sky. Out of the west window tonight I saw a peculiar maple tree full of brilliant yellow green bloom, lit up by the sunlight. 

Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, May 11, 1922