Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967)

16.                May 3, 1934 – (Thursday)

     To Orchard Park by bus, & thence southwards afoot thru to Chestnut Ridge Park. Down in ravine to make studies of rapids under bridge. The dry weather had shrunk them and made them much more interesting – work there till noon –

     Coming up out of the comparatively cool hollow into the hot sunlit world sunlight was like coming to a different world. The sky was a nasty chalky whitish blue – in fact the whole landscape was of a bleached out color, further softened by a dense smoky haze – at church strike S.W. – across fields. Enter little pine grove where I eat my lunch – in spite of the white brilliance of the day, in here there was a dark twilight.

     After lunch, S.W. along road towards brink of Hamburg Valley – a wood attracts me & I enter in coming soon to a deep hollow that was a delight to me – There was a feeling of ancientness about it, with rotten logs, moss-covered, and dark ledges showing in the steep banks. Going down it, over the slaty creek bed was a physical pleasure also. I came to the end with regret – the red barn & the road where it dwindled seemed banal

     Along road to old railroad bed – very hot now – Farmers everywhere seemed to be plowing. I had not gone far till I came to a great pile of trash, mostly basket tops & old boxes – Following some impulse &