Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, April 23, 1935

Saturday, Arthur & I went alone to my “Trillium Woods” south-east of Hamburg.  It was truly a “red-letter” day for me, and I hope for him. I had long looked forward to just such a trip as this, that I would take with my boy; from the time he was a helpless baby I thought of the time when he could tramp with me in the woods. And he measured up to my highest expectations, entering into and enjoying hugely all the little things I hoped he would.

It was a fine, warm day, with brilliant sunshine. As we left the car, and strolled along Eighteen Mile Creek, I felt the nearness to my Creator and often during the day, I felt humble, and thankful that the superlative gift of a little son to trot at my side, had been accorded me. I tried to do all the things that I used to delight in as a boy. First we explored, thru the little hollows, crossing the little stream on logs, sinking into mud, finding flowers, and listening to the bird-calls. At a quarter to twelve Arthur declared he was famished, so we went to the car, and got our lunch-basket, and the basket for plants, and flowers. We ate our lunch sitting on a log where the hollow ends and the little brook empties into the creek. The brook kept up a continual chattering which amused Arthur.

After lunch, we built a little dam.  This was huge fun for both of us.  After we tired of this, we set out for flowers.  Arthur was delighted with the Dog-tooth Violets.  He knew instinctively how to pick them—a slow firm pull, and long stems resulted.  Blue Cohosh interested him, and we dug a plant.  There followed hepaticas and spring-beauties; we found quite a lot of red trilliums out—Once a pheasant startled him by whirring up suddenly from almost beneath our feet.

By mid-afternoon the warm drowsy day, and our exertions had fagged us out, and we made for the car.

When it came to putting in our plants, Arthur said that we ought to put some in the “other kids' gardens.”

Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, April 23, 1935