Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, October 4, 1949

Dark & raining –

In the studio – made a small replica of a large painting I made last winter with the idea of selling it at a low price, low enough to attract buyers who had little to spend. It came out well, & both B & H (who had stopped in with Peggy) thought it had everything that the large one had. 

On the way home from the P.O. saw the little girls next door throwing buckeyes at something. It proved to be a praying mantis. I rescued it, and put it on our chrysanthemums. Then poked my finger at it, to see if it would “fight” – The result was amazing – It reared up suddenly, opening its wings and curving its long abdomen upward, and raised its long forelegs and placed them at right angles to its body revealing the two “eyes” on the inner side of the legs – I remembered reading then that these odd creatures, when confronted by an enemy larger than themselves, assume this striking pose to inspire terror. As I dabbed my finger at it, it would hiss and strike out at me. I had to call B to see it. Really a loveable insect so full of individuality. 

Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, October 4, 1949