Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967)

Here I sat down on a flat stump, where I experienced many beautiful sights and sounds.

    The first thing that impressed me was the beauty of the scene west of me.  The hollow he widened out into a low flat valley that extended down into the broad flat marshes.  Winding in and out among the reddish brown topped willows and dense underbrush, and fallen logs and branches that were grey and ghostly white, was the sulphur stream, now disappearing and now reappearing in its zig-zag course.  – a twisting ribbon of bright orange, coming out from a twisting rail-fence at my feet.  Beyond it was a dull olive green mound, rounded into a delicate curve, beyond which extended the misty marshes; in the distance were grey hills and forests, indistinct in the mist.  On either side of this little scene were tall forests, but it was the pleasing harmony of the brown, grey, orange and green that attracted me.  I looked at it a long time, wishing I had my paints with me, so I could make an attempt of painting this scene.

    As I was engaged in admiring this scene, my attention was attracted to a tree near me by odd little sounds some birds were making. I looked over and saw a bluish grey nut -