Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967)

37. into the water, snapping at bubbles and even ripples as tho he thought it was a live thing.

Continue on up the hill & out of the valley, and then for the Zoar Valley – a fine monstrous barn & some interesting houses on the way. At the entrance to Zoar Valley stop by a bridge, above which the streamlet that it crossed, came dribbling down over a large stony recess – very charming, the kind of place anyone can see beauty in, like a sunset, or a garden of flowers - but a fine place to stop, at that. Sudden squeals and shouts of the children announced their discovery of an orange lizard. They were infatuated with it, and Sally claimed it as the first discoverer – she held it and fondled it a long while. We spread blankets and ate fruit here, and drank water. Tho it was unpleasantly warm everywhere else, here a subtle coolness pervaded the air, mingled with the damp odor of the kind of vegetation that grows alone streams in ravines.

Shortly after we had resumed our drive, we passed a solid field of golden-rod, a gorgeous unbelievable sight. We came to a bridge that was closed as unsafe. Undetermined how to proceed, we ask some picnickers whether it were possible to get across