Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967)

18.                 May 5, 1934 – Saturday –

     Sketching trip with Schwanekamp – at Cowlesville he shows me oil painting of masses of ice on bank – It was just the sort of thing I was using in my hollows picture – We went over to see if there was any ice left. There were two masses left, melting rapidly – in the ground at the base of the bank were squirrel-corn, Dutchman’s breeches, & dog-tooth violets.

     Most of the day spent in riding around looking for a subject to paint – My trouble was the aftermath of yesterdays [sic] work – I could not drive it from my mind – A fine day of half sunlight & threatening rain – at times a few scattered drops blown by a stiff wind.

     The warm weather of this week has brought out many of the trees, particularly a species of maple which was covered with a brilliant lemon-yellow-green bloom – at one time a vast storm that covered the whole north – the maples against it, stood out brilliantly against the blue-black sky.

     Finally at early afternoon to Weathersfield – where on a rainy day a couple years ago we had been before – I spend a while in an old cemetery, reading the tombstones. We buy ham; buns & milk & doughnuts for our lunch, and eat it on the steps of a little church after which